It’s The Truth: Making The Only Ones
★★★
Simon Wright
SHAKSPEARE EDITORIAL. £12.99
Extraordinary backstory to Peter Perrett combo’s debut.
It’s well documented that Peter Perrett funded The Only Ones via his ‘day job’ as a drug dealer, meandering for six-plus years before nailing his first album. This fan’s investigation reveals no gory details on the narcotics front, with Perrett himself a slightly elusive voice. Instead, there’s ripping testimony on how the other three landed up with him: “terrifically Midlands” drummer Mike Kellie via prog nearly-men Spooky Tooth, bassist Alan Mair’s north-ofthe-border mid-’60s stardom with The Beatstalkers and friendship with David Bowie (1967’s Little Bombardier was written for Mair’s son), and eloquent guitarist John Perry’s graft in Bristol wedding bands. Gigging bolstered Perrett’s confidence and his connections lifted them (Keith Richards almost produced; Sandy Denny offered to sing back-up), but The Only Ones’ musicianly diversity ultimately stumped new wave customers (“Height of punk? Start with a ballad,” quips Perry), meaning even Another Girl, Another Planet didn’t chart. Important conclusion: they didn’t fail because of drugs.