"British Refugee" is the debut single released by the 1970s

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

punk band

the Spitfire Boys The Spitfire Boys were the first Liverpool punk band to release a single (" British Refugee" c/w "Mein Kampf"). The Spitfire Boys were mainly notable for including in their line-up Peter Clarke, who went on to drum for the Slits and later Sio ...

, on RKO Records on 7 October 1977. It was the only disc released by this line-up, who comprised vocalist Paul Rutherford, guitarist David Littler, bassist Pete Griffiths and drummer Peter Clarke. At the time, they were one of the few punk bands from Merseyside who released a record, apart from Big in Japan and Chuddy Nuddies (later known as

Yachts A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

). Two months after its release, the band split up, but was reformed in Wales by 1979 by David Littler along with other ex-Nylonz members. Paul Rutherford formed 1980s pop band

Frankie Goes to Hollywood Frankie Goes to Hollywood were an English synth-pop band formed in Liverpool in 1980. The group's best-known line-up comprised Holly Johnson (vocals), Paul Rutherford (backing vocals), Peter Gill (drums, percussion), Mark O'Toole (bass guit ...

and Peter Clarke became known as Budgie and joined Big in Japan,

Slits The Slits were a punk and post-punk band based in London, formed there in 1976 by members of the groups the Flowers of Romance and the Castrators. The group's early line-up consisted of Ari Up (Ariane Forster) and Palmolive (a.k.a. Paloma R ...

, and

Siouxsie and the Banshees Siouxsie and the Banshees were a British rock band formed in London in 1976 by vocalist Siouxsie Sioux and bass guitarist Steven Severin. They have been widely influential, both over their contemporaries and with later acts. ''Q'' magazine in ...

, later marrying with

Siouxsie Sioux Susan Janet Ballion (born 27 May 1957), known professionally as Siouxsie Sioux, is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. She was the lead singer of the rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees (1976–1996). They released 11 ...

in 1991. The original version of the single was originally issued without a picture sleeve, but it was later added for the German edition in 1978. The A-side of the single explained about the life of a Northern Irish immigrant in England, who escaped from the British occupation of his country, and lived poor working-class conditions. For the single each member was credited with nickname or stage name, so Rutherford was named as Maggot, Littler as Jones, Griffiths as Zero, and Clarke as Blister.

Track list

A-side

#"British Refugee"

B-side

#"Mein Kampf"

Personnel

* Maggot: vocals * Jones: guitar * Zero: bass * Blister: drums

References

External links

PUNK77: The Spitfire Boys discography
{{authority control 1977 songs 1977 debut singles Protest songs The Spitfire Boys songs Song articles with missing songwriters