CHELSEA – 50 YEARS OF PUNK
Formed in 1976 by frontman Gene October, Chelsea ignited the London punk scene with a line-up that included Billy Idol and Tony James—who would later form Generation X.
From the start, Chelsea carved their own path, releasing the seminal single Right to Work in 1977, followed by a string of punk anthems: High Rise Living, Urban Kids, No One's Coming Outside, I'm On Fire, Look At The Outside, and No Escape.
With James Stevenson on guitar and management by Miles Copeland, Chelsea signed to Step Forward Records and dropped their debut album and Alternative Hits in 1979, fresh off a US tour and a spot on BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test.
The 1980s saw a new chapter with guitarist Nic Austin joining the fold. The band released Evacuate—a punk classic—alongside singles like Freemans, Rocking Horse, Evacuate, War Across The Nation, and Stand Out. Chelsea toured the UK on the infamous So What Tour and returned to the US, solidifying their reputation as relentless live performers.
Throughout the decade, Chelsea released Original Sinners, Rocks Off, and Underwraps, while Gene October pursued acting, appearing in The Omen, Jubilee, Caravaggio, Aces High, The Sweeney, and even in a Black Sabbath video.
In the '90s, Nic Austin and new bassist Mat Sargent rejoined, releasing The Alternative and Traitors Gate albums, and touring across the UK, Europe, and the US—including the Social Chaos Tour in 1999. Their ninth studio album, Faster Cheaper Better Looking, arrived in 2005.
The 2010s brought a resurgence: Austin and Sargent reunited with October and Stevenson to record Saturday Night Sunday Morning (2015), Mission Impossible (2017), and Meanwhile Gardens (2021) via Plastic Head Records. Stevenson departed, Rob Miller returned, and the band revisited their classic Evacuate in 2022.
Now, in 2026, Chelsea celebrates 50 years of defiant punk spirit with a UK tour and a brand-new anniversary single. One of the last original punk bands still standing—raw, loud, and unapologetic—Chelsea remains a vital force. Catch them live on this landmark tour.
JOHNNY SEVEN are a raw, loud punk rock n' roll band with members gathered from Teesside and London. After years of gigging and blowing the roofs off venues all around the country, JOHNNY SEVEN have finally calmed down long enough to record a long-awaited album of scorching, rock n' roll with a hard-punk edge.
Released on Teesside's own Nil By Mouth Records, the album features 10 tracks of white hot, razor sharp rockers. It's a non-stop aural assault of an album, where huge tunes are fired at you like a machine gun, this is guaranteed to thrill their loyal disciples and gain new converts to the ever-growing cult of JOHNNY SEVEN.
