Bazooka Joe (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1970 |
| Founder | John Ellis, Danny Kleinman |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | John Ellis, Danny Kleinman, Stuart Goddard (Adam Ant), Pat Collier, Chris Duffy, Bill Smith, Robin Chaphekar, Mark Tanner, Dan Barson |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
Bazooka Joe, also known as Bazooka Joe and the Lillets, was a British pub rock group established in 1970 by John Ellis and Danny Kleinman. The band’s lineup featured bassist Stuart Goddard, who later gained fame under the name Adam Ant. Both Ellis and Goddard went on to achieve prominence with The Vibrators and Adam and the Ants, respectively. A significant moment in the band’s history was headlining the Sex Pistols' inaugural concert on 6 November 1975 at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. Following this event, Adam Ant departed from the group after a disagreement stemming from his sole enjoyment of the Sex Pistols' performance.
The ensemble included Danny Kleinman, Chris Duffy, Bill Smith, Robin Chaphekar, Mark Tanner, and Dan Barson—whose brother Mike Barson became well-known as the keyboardist for Madness. Pat Collier was also part of the band before being succeeded by Goddard; Collier later joined The Vibrators and pursued a career producing records for acts such as The Wonder Stuff and Katrina and the Waves. Among the backing vocalists known as the "Lillets" was comedian Arabella Weir.
Madness paid tribute to Bazooka Joe by covering their song "Rockin' in A♭" on their first album, One Step Beyond.... This track was originally composed by Bazooka Joe’s keyboardist Willy "Wurlitzer" Smith.