The Ignerents

The Last Jubilee

2012-02-19T03:33:00.006-08:00

Wow - I've been offered the chance to play a few Ignerents tunes at the recently launched 'Last Jubilee' Festival at Bath Racecourse on June 2nd-4th - headlined by the Damned, Eddie & The Hot Rods and Buzzcocks along with 999, Menace, UK Subs, TV Smith, Glen Matlock, Chelsea, Ruts DC, Spizz 77, The Vibrators and the Lurkers.

Now I just have to think of a name - as it's only me - and my mates from a great band called The GRIP, so I am thinking PIG INGERENTS at the moment as a fitting tribute to the original name. Any better suggestions would be much appreciated. It just can't be The Ignerents I think. Oh, yes, we need to practice! The boys are learning Radio Interfernce as I type - I am sure I can remember the lyrics!

Now I need to email Steve ........ and I recently found a review of Steve's restaurant written by none other than Simon Terry, ex-lead singer of the Names, and now writing in the Guardian!

LAST JUBILEE HERE http://www.lastjubilee.co.uk/

THE SPORTSMAN REVIEW HERE

2012-02-09T05:34:00.001-08:00

The Ignerents formed in Whitstable, Kent, in 1977 with Steve Harris on guitar, Chris Harris on bass, Stan Gretsch on drums and Mark Leighton on guitar. Ben Challis joined the band as vocalist three days before their first gig which was in a local church hall on April 16th 1977. Mark Leighton didn’t last that long and the band continued to play live and record and produced demos for Step Forward Records and the band recorded and released their first single Radio Interference b/w Wrong Place Wrong Time on Ace Records in 1979. Stan died in 1981 and the band released a single (Platform 5 b/w The Trouble With You) as the Beekeepers with Nick Appleton joining as a second guitarist. Chris died in 1994 and the remaining band members performed a tribute concert that year and Ben and Steve compiled a full album (Woodbines, Tears & Jealousy) in 1997 featuring 14 Ignerents’ tracks, many unreleased.

See Punk 77 for more at

http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/ignerents.htm

Ignerents interview from The Herald circa 1979

2012-01-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

Canterbury Rock 1977 - and the Names!

2012-01-06T06:52:00.000-08:00

I was clearing out an old box and found this is a cutting from a local paper in October 1977 focussing on local legends the Names. Steve Conway, the guitarist, emailed this year and told me the band were having a get together in 2011 - I hope it happened. They were a great band! The image is 1MB and should fill the page - I really must get the hang of Google blogs. A strange and exciting time - punk was rising fast but the charts were topped by Jean Michel Jarre, Boney M, Donna Summer and Elvis Presley!

Woodbines, Tears & Jealousy back on sale!

2010-04-15T03:05:00.000-07:00

The Ignerent's CD album, woodbines Tears & Jealousy, is back on sale via the Bored Teenagers website. Many thanks to Dizzy for making this happen.

The album, and many other punk albums and singles (including vinyl) can be found here

http://www.detour-records.co.uk/punk.htm

Punk Giggery - a new book from Mick Mercer

2010-03-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

PUNK GIGGERY contains live reviews and 505 photographs, the majority previously unpublished, from my music journalist days. Bands include: Action Pact, Adam & The Ants, Adverts, Afghan Rebels, ATV, Another Pretty Face, Bernie Torme, Bette Bright, Blondie, Brian’s Brain, Carpettes, Chelsea, Clash, Cravats, Damned, Dead Man’s Shadow, Defects, Delta 5, Fatal Microbes, Gen X, Gloria Mundi, Heartbreakers, Homosexuals, Ignerents, Innocents, Jam, Johnny Moped, Johnny Thunders, Leopards, Lightning Strike, Milk, Mo-Dettes, Molesters, Naked Raygun, Neo, Outsiders, Pauline Murray & The Storm, Penetration, Phil Rambow, Pretenders, Punishment Of Luxury, Rezillos, Rich Kids, Riot Clone, Rubella Ballet, Ruts, Saints, Sect, Security Risk, Sham 69, Siouxsie & Banshees, Ski Patrol, Skids, Slits, Snatch, Snuff, Stupids, Temporary Title, Tenpole Tudor, Truth Club, TV Smith, UK Decay, Ultravox!, Undertones, Vibrators, The Visitors, Wayne County and Wimps.

Its £14.99 and you can buy the book here: http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/punk-giggery-by-mick-mercer/7253268

Punks Skins & Rudeboys Now Vol 3

2010-03-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

features "Call Me Irresponsible" and "I Wont be There"

Fora full discography see the earlier blog

You can buy Woodbines Tears & Jealousy here http://www.detour-records.co.uk/punk.htm

Ignerents Local Press

2010-03-10T01:14:00.001-08:00

Press from The Times and Observer, September 1977

I know we weren't Kent's only punk rock band, but the icecreams were nice, so thanks Adscene!

The Ignerents with The Only Ones

2010-03-10T01:11:00.000-08:00

The Ignerents support 999 at Margate's Dreamland

2010-03-10T01:09:00.000-08:00

Ignerents photos from summer '77

2010-02-06T05:04:00.000-08:00

The first photo was taken in the summer of 1977, and it looks like Stan's front room in Herne Bay in Kent at a rehearsal. The shot features (L-R) Chris Harris (bass), Mark Leighton (guitar), Stan Gretsch (drums), Ben Challis (vox) and Steve Harris (guitar/vox).

The second photo was taken at All Saints Hall in Whitstable in July 1977. It feature (L-R) Mark Leighton (guitar), Chris Harris (bass), Stan Gretsch (mostly hidden, on drums), Ben Challis (vox) and Steve Harris (Guitar/vox).

Great website for all things Punk in '77

2010-01-16T04:04:00.001-08:00

Have a loook at http://www.punk77.co.uk. The Ignerent's gig at the Vortex is logged at http://www.punk77.co.uk/punkhistory/vortex_gigs.htm - the Vortex misspelt the band as The Ignerants! We supported Wayne County and the Electric Chairs, Local Operator and the Killjoys on September 6th 1977. The Ignerents supported a number of other punk bands at that time including 999 (Margate Dreamland), Chelsea (Marquee, August 10th 1977)and The Only Ones.

Paul at Punk77 has written a great page on the Ignerents at http://www.punk77.co.uk/groups/ignerents.htm

The Ignerents: useful links

2009-12-19T11:49:00.001-08:00

http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk/ignerents.htm

http://www.btinternet.com/~thisispunkrock/ps/uk/2/ignerent.htm

http://www.last.fm/music/Ignerents

http://www.essential-vinyl.co.uk/audio/ignerents_radiointerference.mp3

Where are they now?

2009-12-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

Nick Appleton, who was also a member of the London based band the Black Cillas, is now an animator working in London. See http://www.last.fm/music/Black+Cillas and http://www.blackcillas.co.uk/bcpageone.htm which contains updates to 2008. Ben briefly managed the Black Cillas and band released one much admired single, Sebastian, in 1986. This was re-released on the compilation album ‘The Sounds of Leamington Spa No 5, released in 2005 (we think) on Firestation Records. The band also provided one track on the 1987 Timebox Album (and are the band featured on the front cover, playing live at the Bull & Gate) and one track 'Live and Independent at the Bay 63', a VHS release (Nightingale Films).

Ben Challis is a music lawyer and TV producer and he works for the world famous Glastonbury Festival, amongst other things. He is also co-founder of www.agreenerfestival.com. Ben publishes monthly updates on music law - see www.musiclawupdates.com and you can see more on the Glastonbury Festival at www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk

Russell Lax was a member of the hugely successful OYSTER BAND and toured almost continuously with the band in the late eighties until 1990. See http://www.oysterband.co.uk/biog/

Steve Harris is now a Michelin starred chef and he and brother Phil run the Sportsman in Whitstable. See http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/foodandwineholidays/4539236/Restaurants-Culinary-paradise-found...in-East-Kent.html and see http://www.restaurantspy.com/node/858. Phil managed the Ignerents and was the main photographer of the band's early career.

Brothers (and sisters!): Phil, Chris and Steve's younger brother, Damian Harris, currently records and performs as the Midfield General and also ran Fat Boy Slim's 'Skint Records' for a number of years. You can see Damian’s website at http://www.myspace.com/midfieldgeneral and see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skint_Records . Their sister, Gabriel, works with Steve and Phil in their restaurant business. Ben's brother, Aiden (Tig) Challis, was the drummer of another local band, Wasteland. Wasteland released the Wasteland EP (Disaster Records, 1979) which featured Ono / Bombsite Baby / Our Radio Nation Burns (Bombsite Baby was written by Ben Challis along with original Ignerent Mark Leighton) and Wasteland released a second vinyl offering Leave Me Alone b/w Friends, Romans Countrymen on Invicta Records in 1980. For more see http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk/WASTELAND.htm. Tig died in January 2009.

The Ignerents: Discography

2009-12-19T09:39:00.000-08:00

1979 RADIO INTERFERENCE B/W WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME
ACE RECORDS

1980 HARBOUR STREET, I WON'T BE THERE
ON FIRST OFFENDERS, COMPILATION, CRIMINAL RECORDS

1981 PLATFORM 5 B/W THE TROUBLE WITH YOU (AS THE BEEKEEPERS)
RUNDOWN RECORDS

1994 WRONG PLACE WRONG TIME
ON BACK TO FRONT VOL IV INCOGNITO RECORDS

1997 WOODBINES, TEARS & JEALOUSY
Radio Interference
I Won't Be There
Wrong Place Wrong Time
Call Me Irresponsible
Harbour Street
Commuter Zone
Rundown
Black Doctor Martens
I Like You
Collector's Item
You're So Stupid
Uganda Calling
The Trouble With You
Woodbines, Tears & Jealousy
RUNDOWN RECORDS

1997 RADIO INTERFERENCE and WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME on RAW AND RARE VOL 1
(R+R 001)

2002 CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE
ON PUNKS, SKINS AN RUDEBOYS NOW VOLUME III, COMPILATION, GARAZ MAGAZINE

You can buy Woodbines Tears & Jealousy here http://www.detour-records.co.uk/punk.htm

The Ignerents - a brief history in time

2009-12-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

The Ignerents were formed in 1977 in Whitstable, Kent, by brothers Chris and Steve Harris, joined by neighbour Mark Leighton on guitar, vocalist Kevin Holmes and drummer Stan 'Gretsch' Littlejohn. The band were an important part of the local Kent punk scene in the late seventies in Kent alongside bands like Wild Billy Childish's Pop Rivets, The Names, Naughty Thoughts and The Rivals (see http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk/RIVALS1.htm)

All of the band went to Queen Elizabeth's School in Faversham. The band were managed by a third Harris brother, Phil, who was quick to recruit Ben Challis from another local punk band, The Plague, when Kevin Holmes dropped out as lead singer just before the band's first gig in Whitstable. In its final and most successful lineup (as the Ignerents), the band was a fourpiece consisting of Ben Challis (vocals), Steve Harris (guitar), Chris Harris (base) and Stan Gretsch (drums). The band released one single in 1979 (Radio Interference b/w Wrong Place Wrong Time. The Ignerents also featured on the First Offenders compilation album in 1980 with two tracks, Harbour Street and I Won't Be There. Wrong Place Wrong Timealso featured on the German Punk series 'Back To Front'. The band finally evolved into a new band, The Beekeepers, which featured Nick Appleton on guitar alongside Steve and with Chris, Ben and Stan, and then finally with Russel Lax on drums (who, in the then small Kent new wave music scene had, I think, been the Pop Rivets' drummer!). The Beekeepers released one single, Platform 5 b/w The Trouble With You in 1981.

On the live circuit the Ignerents were active from 1977-1981 with numerous gigs that included the Marquee Club and the Vortex in London and support slots with bands like 999, The Only Ones, Wayne County & The Electric Chairs and Chelsea.

The band's history has been marred by two tragic deaths: firstly, Stan, by noiw drummer with the Rivals, died in a road accident in 1981 and then in 1994 Chris died in a drowning accident whilst on holiday. Both are still much missed. The band released the Beekeepers single to celebrate Stan's life and played a final tribute gig to celebrate Chris's life at the Tankerton Arms in Whitstable in 1994 and in 1997 released a CD (Woodbines, Tears and Jealousy)which featured all of the Ignerents' previously released tracks and another ten archive tracks.

Various tracks also feature on other compilation albums (see the Discography)including Wrong Place Wrong Time on Back To Front Vol 4 and Call me Irresponsible on Punks, Skins & Rude Boys III.