The Only Ones

The Only Ones
Company type	Private
Industry	Music
Founded	1976
Founder	Peter Perrett
Headquarters	London, England, United Kingdom
Products	Rock music, albums, singles

The Only Ones are a London-based English rock group established in 1976 by Peter Perrett, with Alan Mair, John Perry, and Mike Kellie completing the lineup. Their initial run lasted until 1982, during which they fused elements of punk rock, power pop, and hard rock, while also weaving in psychedelic sounds.

The band reunited in 2007 after a resurgence of interest sparked by their hit "Another Girl, Another Planet," embarking on a UK tour until 2009 and working on previously unreleased tracks. They came together once more in 2023 for performances in London and Hebden Bridge.

History

Formed in August 1976 by Peter Perrett, The Only Ones featured John Perry on guitar, Mike Kellie on drums, and bassist Alan Mair, who had earlier found success with the Scottish beat group the Beatstalkers. Their debut single, "Lovers of Today," issued through their own Vengeance label, quickly earned "record of the week" honors from leading music publications. A year later, they secured a contract with CBS Records. Their signature song, "Another Girl, Another Planet," gained significant influence within punk and new wave scenes and reached number 57 on the UK charts upon its reissue.

Their self-titled first album The Only Ones (1978), which they produced themselves with assistance from Robert Ash and engineering by Steve Lillywhite, climbed to number 56 on the UK Albums Chart. The follow-up release, Even Serpents Shine (1979), produced by Perrett and Mair alongside keyboardist John "Rabbit" Bundrick, achieved a higher peak at number 42.

In 1980, Baby's Got a Gun, produced by Colin Thurston—known for his work with Duran Duran—became their highest-charting album at number 37. This record featured guest vocals from Pauline Murray of Penetration as well as contributions from Barrie Evans (rhythm guitar) and Koulla Kakoulli (backing vocals). It also included the band's sole cover song release, "Fools."

Before disbanding in 1982, The Only Ones supported The Who as their opening act during the latter’s 1980 US tour.

In 1984, Closer Records issued Remains, a compilation of rare tracks combining pre-band demos from 1975 that featured Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze with Only Ones demos dating from 1976 onwards.

After breaking up, The Only Ones retained a loyal fanbase through live recordings, BBC sessions, and various compilations. Importantly, their music has remained continuously accessible via CBS.

Reunions

Alan Mair revealed plans to revive The Only Ones in a 2006 interview with the Daily Record, following the renewed attention brought about by "Another Girl, Another Planet" being used in a Vodafone commercial and as the theme for Irish DJ Dave Fanning’s radio program. On 21 February 2007, Peter Perrett confirmed on his MySpace page that the band would embark on a five-date UK tour scheduled for June. They also performed at festivals such as All Tomorrow's Parties in Minehead, the Wireless Festival at Hyde Park and Harewood House, along with the Connect Music Festival held at Inveraray Castle.

The tour garnered coverage in major UK newspapers and received favorable critiques. During these concerts, they introduced a new composition titled "Dreamt She Could Fly." Media reports suggested that three members were enthusiastic about recording fresh studio material after the tour; however, Perrett was reluctant. In April 2008, they appeared on Later... with Jools Holland, performing both "Another Girl, Another Planet" and a new piece called "Black Operations." Additional new songs such as "Is This How Much You Care" and "Magic Tablet" were showcased on Canal+ TV in Paris and during Radio 6 Queens of Noize sessions. A live DVD capturing their Shepherd's Bush Empire performance was released in March 2008 alongside rumored releases from their final US tour and a reissue of Faster Than Lightning (originally VHS in 1991; DVD release in 2012).

All three CBS studio albums were remastered by Alan Mair and reissued with bonus content in February 2009. The track "Another Girl, Another Planet" featured in films including D.E.B.S. (2004) and the popular 2010 movie Paul. Sony BMG issued an Only Ones box set in January 2012 under their "Original Album Classics" collection, comprising remastered albums plus B-sides and outtakes. The band headlined the 2012 Rebellion Festival in Blackpool on August 4.

In late 2014, The Only Ones (without drummer Mike Kellie) performed shows in Tokyo co-headlining alongside the Flamin' Groovies. In August that year, Perrett began solo performances at Spain’s Felipop Festival accompanied by his sons' band Strangefruit; this continued into 2015 across venues in the UK including Hebden Bridge, Bristol, and London.

Following Mike Kellie's passing, the band paused activities but reunited for a brief three-song set during summer 2019 featuring Perrett, Mair, and Perry. The Only Ones officially reassembled for the Rebellion Festival in Blackpool during August 2023 after gigs held in London and Hebden Bridge.

Influence

Perrett and Kellie first gained attention as supporting musicians on Johnny Thunders' first solo record, So Alone, particularly on the track "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory". Unfortunately, their progress was impeded by substance abuse issues, especially heroin addiction. Following the band's dissolution in 1982, Perrett made occasional appearances, eventually releasing the studio album Woke Up Sticky during the mid-1990s and later his solo debut, How the West Was Won, in 2017.

Perry, the lead guitarist, established himself as a highly sought-after session player, contributing to projects by artists such as the Sisters of Mercy, Evan Dando, and Marianne Faithfull. He also gained recognition as an author of respected music biographies covering the Who's compilation Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, the Rolling Stones' landmark album Exile on Main Street, and Jimi Hendrix's classic Electric Ladyland. During 2005–2006, Perry collaborated with singer-songwriter Freddie Stevenson.

Since their early achievements, The Only Ones have left a significant mark on the indie rock and alternative rock genres, influencing notable bands such as the Replacements, Blur, Nirvana, and the Libertines. Their track "Another Girl, Another Planet" has been covered by several groups including the Libertines (featuring Perrett), The Replacements, and Blink-182. Additionally, "The Whole of the Law" was interpreted by Yo La Tengo on their 1993 release Painful.

Discography

Studio albums