Product Code Database
James Timothy Pursey (born 9 February 1955) is an English people rock musician. He is the founder and frontman of the punk rock band Sham 69, which he has performed with since 1976, along with releasing material as a solo artist.
Sham 69 went on to release four long-players via Polydor Records, and had six UK top 50 singles before they broke up in 1980, with the violence that regularly marred their gigs having taken a toll on the band.
Pursey set up a short-lived new band with Steve Jones and Paul Cook, formerly of The Sex Pistols, titled the "Sham Pistols", before embarking on a solo career. He also worked around this period as a record producer on the early releases by Cockney Rejects, and the Angelic Upstarts.
His first solo material was released via Polydor Records, being the single Lucky Man (1980), and a long-player entitled Imagination Camouflage (1980), recorded with Derwood Andrews and Mark Laff, formerly of Generation X as session musicians, who also received co-writing credits for two of the LP's songs.Entry for 'Imagination Camouflage' in the 'Discogs' website (2019). Pursey then moved to Epic Records for three further singles releases, including "Animals Have More Fun" (1981), co-written with Peter Gabriel, and a second solo LP entitled Alien Orphan (1981). In 1983, a third long-player, entitled Revenge is not the Password, was released on the Code Black label. He later released a fourth solo album entitled Code Black (1997).
In 1986 Pursey reformed Sham 69 with Dave Parsons, and a new line-up.Ogg, pg. 515 The band continued to play live and record until 2006. In 2006, Pursey recorded a new version of the Sham 69 hit "Hurry Up Harry" as an unofficial World Cup song in aid of a cancer charity; "Hurry Up England" was recorded with Graham Coxon's band but credited to 'Sham 69 & the Special Assembly'." Sham 69 guitarist hits back in singer feud", NME, 29 January 2007; retrieved 4 October 2010. In January 2007 the band broke up." Punk band Sham 69 in bitter split", BBC, 26 January 2007; retrieved 3 October 2010. NME reported that a statement released by Parsons included the message: "Sham 69 have left Jimmy Pursey on the eve of their 30th anniversary."" Sham 69 split with singer", NME, 26 January 2007; retrieved 3 October 2010. Pursey initially stated that he would be retaining the Sham 69 name," Sham 69 singer accuses bandmates of 'jumping ship'", NME, 26 January 2007; retrieved 4 October 2010. but in January 2008, he announced that: "to avoid confusion to fans he wanted it known that he did not want to be associated with the band still performing as Sham 69". In 2008 he set up a new band titled Day 21 with Mat Sargent on bass, The Rev (Towers of London and The Prodigy) on guitar, and Snell (Towers of London).Zacharias, Adam (2008) " Final farewell from Punk icon", Getsurrey.co.uk, 27 June 2008; retrieved 4 October 2010." All Rev-ed up by new band", Thevisitor.co.uk, 12 August 2008; retrieved 4 October 2010. In July 2011 Pursey reformed Sham 69 again with the band's late 1970s members. At a meeting held between Pursey and Dave Parsons, original Sham 69 guitarist and co-writer of nearly all of the Sham repertoire with Pursey, the two ironed out their differences. Dave Tregunna, on bass, and Mark Cain, on drums, were called in to complete the original lineup for a show in London.
In 2002, Pursey received a police caution for indecent assault, after admitting to forcibly kissing a teenage girl in Weybridge, Surrey.
In May 2005 there was a disturbance at The Head art gallery in Brighton, when Pursey interrupted an art show opening drinks party and removed a number of his paintings from the display after a disagreement with the curator over them.
|
|
