- Penetration (band)
Infobox Musical artist
Name = Penetration
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Origin =Ferryhill ,County Durham ,England
Genre =Punk rock
Years_active = 1976–1980, 2001–
Label = Virgin
Associated_acts =The Invisible Girls
URL = [http://www.loversofoutrage.co.uk Official web site]
Current_members =
Past_members =Penetration were a
punk rock band fromCounty Durham originally formed in 1976. They re-formed in 2001 with several new members.Their debut single, "Don’t Dictate", is now acknowledged as a classic punk rock single [Mojo (October 2001) - "100 Punk Scorchers", Issue 95, London;] [cite book |title= "Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk"|last= Joynson|first= Vernon|year= 2001|publisher= Borderline Publications|location= Wolverhampton|isbn= 1-899855-13-0|pages= p.269|quote= A pulsating punk song. One of the best in a year of many gems. It’s anti-authoritarian message was ideal for 1977.;] and their debut album, "Moving Targets" (1978), is still widely admired [ cite book |title= "1,000 Albums To Hear Before You Die"|last= The Guardian|year= November 2007|location= London|quote= Penetration's debut alienated their punk following, but, looking back now, it documented the tensions of the era. They were Tyneside punks with a heavy metal guitarist - future Tyger of Pan Tang Fred Purser - whose sonic battles with the band's punk faction makes singer Pauline Murray's doom-laden warnings sound even more urgent and compelling.; ] [cite book |title= "Punk"|last= Thompson|first= Dave|year= 2000|publisher= Collector’s Guide Publication|location= Ontario|isbn= 1-896522-27-0|pages= p.87|quote= Gargantuan.;] [ cite web |url= http://wc06.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fwxqr5ld6e |first=Dave |last=Thompson |title= Review of "Moving Targets" on
Allmusic |quote= Penetration's debut album stands among the very last true greats of the first wave of British punk offerings. A glorious collision of adrenalized exuberance and astonishing energies, topped by Pauline Murray's unmistakably soaring vocals.] [ cite book |title= "All Time Top 1000 Albums"|last= Larkin|first= Colin|year= 1994|publisher= Guinness Publishing|location= Enfield|pages= p.244|quote= Their debut single, the excellent "Don’t Dictate", which came out in the autumn of 1977, set the tone and a widely regarded reputation for their punky enthusiasm. With this, their debut album, that appeared the following year, cementing their critical acclaim.; ]Biography
The
lead singer isPauline Murray (born8 March 1958 inWaterhouses ,County Durham ,England ). Other members included Robert Blamire, Gary Smallman, and Gary Chaplin, and later Neale Floyd and Fred Purser. Steve Wallace and Paul Harvey were drafted in as newguitarist s in 2001.The band took their name from an
Iggy Pop song and played their first gig in October 1976. [cite book |title= "Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk"|last= Joynson|first= Vernon|year= 2001|publisher= Borderline Publications|location= Wolverhampton|pages= p.269;] Their second gig was supportingThe Stranglers at Newcastle City Hall. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2006/07/25/penetration_feature.shtml ‘Penetration: Re-animated!’ David St Clair talks to Pauline Murray] ;] Significantly, the band also played at the now-legendary punk clubThe Roxy during its first 100 days. On 9 April 1977, the band appeared on the same bill as Generation X. [ cite book |title= "Punk"|last= Thompson|first= Dave|year= 2000|publisher= Collector’s Guide Publication|location= Ontario|pages= p.62; ] Early in their career, the band also supportedThe Vibrators and toured with theBuzzcocks . [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2006/07/25/penetration_feature.shtml ‘Penetration: Re-animated!’ David St Clair talks to Pauline Murray] ;]After the release of their second single, Penetration recorded the first of two sessions for
John Peel atBBC Radio 1 in July 1978. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/johnpeel/artists/p/penetration/ Penetration’s John Peel Sessions on BBC Radio 1] ; ] Later that year, the band released their debut album. "Moving Target" was number 6 in the Sounds Critics’ albums of the year; and it made number 13 in theNME critics’ chart.In 1979, they toured Europe, the US and Britain but the gruelling schedule began to take its toll. [cite book |title= "Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk"|last= Joynson|first= Vernon|year= 2001|publisher= Borderline Publications|location= Wolverhampton|pages= p.270;] A disappointing reaction to "Coming Up For Air", the second album, was the final nail in the coffin of the original band. After the band had split an album called "Race Against Time" was released, which was a collection of early demos and live tracks.
Pauline Murray featured briefly with
The Invisible Girls , which also included Robert Blamire as well as other Manchester musicians who drifted in and out such asVini Reilly , guitarist in theThe Durutti Column . John Maher from Buzzcocks drummed for the band. The album that resulted, produced byMartin Hannett , spawned the singles "Dream Sequence" and "Mr.X". Murray also provided vocal forThe Only Ones on their track, "Fools".Pauline Murray worked sporadically as a solo artist under the name 'Pauline Murray and The Storm' with Robert Blamire, Tim Johnston and Paul Harvey. Paul Harvey is also a Stuckist
artist . Blamire also worked as a producer for various groups, including the Scars, whose sole LP (1981's "Author! Author!") he produced.Discography
Albums
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