THE SMIRKS
"Everybody's going to California..." Oh yes!? First of all there was that intro, the one that imitated the start of California Dreaming by The Mamas and the Papas, before the song bursts into a perfect piece of scratchy post-punk power pop. Think a more jovial XTC around the time of White Music, a more fun-filled Buzzcocks. This was 1978, don't forget, and The Smirks were singing the praises of more homegrown excitement.
Formed in Manchester just after the start of the UK punk rock explosion, The Smirks were:
Simon Milner - lead vocals and guitar
Neil Fitzpatrick - lead guitar and vocals
Ian Morris - bass and backing vocals
Mike Doherty - drums
I've always retained a soft spot for The Smirks, not least because they were supporting John Otway and Wild Willy Barrett at Friars, Aylesbury on May 25th 1978, which was the first gig I ever went to! I'd already heard their John Peel session and was hooked. It may sound odd now but I just remember thinking then what a bonus this was - Otway and Barrett and The Smirks on the same bill! Really free, indeed!
Their debut single, OK-UK - a track previously aired on that Peel session - was released in June 1978 by Beserkley (home to Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, The Rubinoos, Earthquake and others). Rosemary, an equally infectious follow-up, appeared in November. These were among my most played records at that time and are now included on the excellent Beserkley 2-CD set, The Most Fun You Can Have With Your Clothes On!
Two more singles - the American Patriots EP and To You - were released on their own label in 1979 after their relationship with Beserkley soured. Then there was that rather daft Rock Against Travolta movement they started. The plot seemed to get lost around this time and, while they were to carry on gigging through to 1980, they'd more or less fallen off the musical radar. And - yikes!! - the new romantics were in town!
I was thrilled to discover recently that The Smirks have a website (www.thesmirks.com). For those who remember OK-UK and Rosemary, it's well worth checking out. There's all the info you'll ever need - band biography, discography, gigography, old newsletters from 1978-79, rare photos. Best of all - you can listen to the original singles and Peel session tracks, and you can download Smirkology (the Smirks LP recorded in December 1978 for Beserkley but never released).
Where are they now? Simon Milner now fronts the Oscar Bernhardt Ensemble (playing 30s and 40s swing and Latin music - "available for weddings functions and parties"). Neil Fitzpatrick works in higher education in the north of England. Ian Morris joined The Charlie Parkas, a spin-off from Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias, and currently is a presenter on All FM. Mike Doherty joined Chris Sievey in The Freshies before moving abroad.
There's a Smirks myspace space too (myspace.com/thesmirks). The band description there reads: "Irritating little combo with no plans to reform". Shame! But then, maybe they were perfect just as they were?
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