The Hammersmith Gorillas
or
Gorillas
as they were also known, were formed in 1974 and lasted until 1981. Based around the creative talents of
Jesse Hector
, who was no stranger to the music scene, the band made a reputation for itself in the early days before and during the punk revolution.
had been involved in the music scene since the age of 15. He had played guitar in the mid-'60s cult band
the Clique
(not to be confused with the U.S. band of the same name) then fronted some politically incorrect bands by the names of
Helter Skelter
and
Crushed Butler
in the late '60s. In 1971,
Hector
got together with
Alan Butler
(bass) and
Gary Anderson
(drums) and took the name of a pro-Castro activist group and the band,
the Hammersmith Gorillas
were born. The band recorded a wild, pumped-up version of
the Kinks
'
"You Really Got Me,"
as their first single for
Larry Page
's
Penny Farthing
label, and it immediately captured the attention of a young generation yearning for a new style of music. The sheer energy and attitude behind the single won it immediate recognition among the young people, but it failed to impress the radio programmers, so it didn't receive the airplay it deserved. After the failure of
Page
's label, the band signed to the fledgling
Chiswick
indie label and recorded further singles. By 1976, the punk movement began to rear its ugly head and
were right in the midst of the movement. Along with their friends in
the Damned,
Eddie & the Hot Rods
, and more,
the Gorillas
, as they were then known, went to France to play in the legendary Mont de Marsan Punk Festival. After the Festival, punk took the world by storm and many bands popped up vowing to change the world. In 1978,
recorded their debut (and only) album titled
Message to the World
for
Raw
records. The band rode the wave of the punk movement, and in 1981, bandmember
died a tragic death and the band broke up. Nearly a decade later, in 1991,
returned to the music business and formed
the Sound.
Gorilla Got Me
compiles 22 tracks from the careers of
the Gorillas.
This set contains singles and selected album tracks originally released between 1974-1978, and a number of previously unreleased live tracks. Although
will never make the rock & roll hall of fame the band's contribution to the '70s music scene is worthy of documentation. The set also contains detailed liner notes, a history of the band, a discography, and rare photos. A fitting tribute to one of the forgotten innovators of the punk movement. ~ Keith Pettipas