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The London SS: How a band that never was started the UK’s punk revolution
The London SS briefly brought together musicians who would help shape British punk, despite never recording or releasing music. Their importance came from their place in London’s emerging scene and from the later paths of members such as Mick Jones, who went on to form The Clash.
Formed in 1975, the group included guitarist Jones, drummer Geir Waade, bassist John Brown and guitarist Eunan Brady. They played a few gigs and auditioned musicians, turning down Paul Simonon, who later joined Jones in The Clash. The band split in 1976; one of its songs, “1–2 Crush on You”, was later reworked by The Clash. Its use of “SS” drew on punk’s shock tactics and Nazi imagery, a regrettable part of the era’s history.
In short
- The London SS never released a record.
- Mick Jones later formed The Clash.
- The band’s name used Nazi imagery to provoke.
Explained simply
In the mid-1970s, punk began to take shape in London as musicians formed short-lived groups and developed a raw, stripped-back sound. The London SS was one such group: it played a few gigs but never recorded or released music.
Its significance lies mainly in the musicians who passed through it and the connections it made. Guitarist Mick Jones later formed The Clash, and the band reworked a London SS song; Paul Simonon, whom the group turned down, later joined The Clash.
The name drew on punk’s use of shock and Nazi imagery, which is a troubling part of the period’s history. The London SS offers a glimpse of how people and ideas moved through London’s emerging punk scene.