London (band)
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robot Adding: [[es:London (banda)]]
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = London
| Img =
| Img_capt =
| Img_size =
| Landscape =
| Background = group_or_band
| Alias =
| Origin = [[London]]
| Genre = [[Punk rock]]
| Years_active = [[1976]]–[[1978]]
| Label = [[MCA Records]]
| Associated_acts =
| URL =
| Current_members = [[Riff Regan]]<br />[[Jon Moss]]<br />Steve Voice<br />Dave Wight}}
<blockquote>''This article is about the English band London. For the American band with the same name, see [[London (heavy metal band)|London]]. ''</blockquote>
'''London''' were a four piece punk band formed in London in 1976 and were best known for their wild stage act. The line-up was [[Riff Regan]] (Vocals), Steve Voice (Bass), [[Jon Moss]] (Drums) and Dave Wight (Guitar). They were managed by [[Simon Napier-Bell]] and recorded two singles, a 4 track EP and an album for [[MCA Records]] in 1977. Most of their songs were written by Riff Regan (including the first two singles ''Everyone's A Winner'' and ''Summer of Love'') or by Riff Regan and Steve Voice. All their records were produced by Napier-Bell at the [[IBC Studios]] in London.
They toured extensively throughout 1977, first supporting [[The Stranglers]] and then as headliners in their own right. Their third release, the single ''Animal Games'', was featured on the notorious Sex Pistols edition of the British TV show [[So It Goes (television series)|So It Goes]].
Their final gig was at the [[Marquee Club]] in Wardour Street on the 8th December 1977. The band broke up shortly afterwards. On leaving, Moss joined [[The Damned]] and then formed [[Culture Club]] with [[Boy George]]. [[Riff Regan]] released solo records before reverting to his real name of [[Miles Tredinnick]] and becoming a comedy writer; since 2005 he has also been the lead singer with the band [[Magic Bus (band)|Magic Bus]].
Steve Voice formed a new band 'The Original Vampires' and Dave Wight following stints in 'Metro' and [[Holly and the Italians]] reverted to his real name of Colin Wight and became an academic; recently appointed [http://www.huss.ex.ac.uk/politics/staff/wight/index.php Professor of International Politics at the University of Exeter].
MCA Records released the band's one and only album in February 1978 called ''[[Animal Games]].''
''[[London The Punk Rock Collection]],'' a CD containing all their recorded work, was released on the Captain Oi! label in 1997.
The band played their first London gig in over 30 years at the [[12 Bar Club]] in London on Saturday 23rd February 2008. The new line-up is Riff Regan (vocals), Steve Voice (bass), Hugh O'Donnell (guitar) and Colin Watterston (drums). The latter two also play in a Salisbury band called The DBs.
==Trivia==
{{Trivia|date=May 2008}}
* Jon Moss had been drumming in The Clash when he formed London.
* Riff Regan's name came from 'Riff' (the character in ''West Side Story'') and 'Regan' (John Thaw's character in the cult British TV crime series ''The Sweeney'').
* In 1977, Paul McCartney's daughter [[Heather McCartney|Heather]] told ''The New Musical Express'' that London were her favourite band along with The Damned and The Clash.
* [[Henry Padovani]], the original guitarist in The Police, once auditioned for London.
* Their song ''Siouxsie Sue'' was originally called ''Susie Sue'' and had nothing to do with the punk singer.
* Throughout 1977, London shared the same rehearsal studio in Kilburn, north London with [[David Sylvian]] and [[Japan (band)|Japan]].
* Mike Mansfield directed the video for ''Everyone's A Winner'' in the ITN news studios in London.
* London recorded [[Friday on My Mind]] in the same studios (IBC London) that [[The Easybeats]] recorded the original.
==Records==
* ''Everyone's A Winner'' (1977 MCA Records)
* ''Summer Of Love'' and ''Friday on My Mind'' (1977 MCA Records)
* ''Punk Rock'' - Various Artists. (1977 Philips/Phonogram Records Brazil)
* ''Animal Games'' - single. (1977 MCA Records)
* ''Animal Games'' - album. (1978 MCA Records)
* ''Meet the New Punk Wave'' - Various Artists (1978 EMI Records Holland)
* ''London The Punk Rock Collection'' (1997 Captain Oi! Records)
==Videos and film==
* ''Everyone's A Winner'' - Director Mike Mansfield (1977 MCA Records)
* ''Animal Games'' - So It Goes. (1977 Granada Television)
*''London Live at the Marquee'' - (1977 Italy)
== See also ==
* [[List of bands named after places]]
==External links==
*[http://www.milestredinnick.co.uk/page10.html London site]
*[http://www.milestredinnick.co.uk/page15.html Riff Regan site]
*[http://www.detour-records.co.uk/LONDON.htm Detour Records' London site]
*[http://punkmodpop.free.fr/london_pic.htm ModPopPunk Archives London site]
*[http://www.myspace.com/londontheband The London MySpace site]
[[Category:Early punk groups]]
[[Category:English musical groups]]
[[es:London (banda)]]
[[fr:London (groupe britannique)]]