Biography
The Cortinas were a Bristol-based punk rock band, originally active between 1976 and 1978. Guitarist Nick Sheppard went on to play with the Clash. In 2001, the band’s debut single, “Fascist Dictator” (originally released in June 1977), was included in a leading British music magazine’s list of the best punk-rock singles of all-time. Named after a car, the Ford Cortina, the band moved from R&B towards covering songs by punk forerunners like the New York Dolls and The Stooges.
Album & Cover
The Cortinas signed for CBS Records and released one album, True Romances. One critic described the album as “disappointing” but rescued from “bland oblivion” by “cheeky tracks such as “Ask Mr. Waverly” and “I Trust Valerie Singleton”. Another called it a mix of “rock’n’roll, R&B and pop-rock” and therefore “much more mainstream in style and delivery” than the Step Forward singles. This was a view echoed by Wilson Neate of Allmusic: “Having begun life under the spell of ’60s R&B and garage rock, the Cortinas soon emerged as Bristol’s premiere punk band, injecting a speedy, shouty, confrontational edge into their sound for their first two singles (“Fascist Dictator” and “Defiant Pose”). By the time of their 1978 debut album for CBS, however, they had re-embraced their formative influences and added a more pop-friendly dimension… True Romances sounds more befitting of a bunch of middle-aged pub rockers than five teenage punk rockers”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cortinas_(punk_band)
This cover design was the beginning of the end for Hipgnosis. Punk music was on the rise and the Sex Pistols were rehearsing behind the Hipgnosis studio in London, where Johnny Rotten was wearing a t-shirt ‘I Hate Pink Floyd’. So, to get in the mood they designed the album cover and the cover for the 7″ single ‘Defiant Pose’ , which shows a teenager throwing up in defiance of his parents who are having an argument. Typical at the time of the PUNK movement and its anti establishment protests.
Cover Location: Hipgnosis Studio, London, UK
Who Did What: Design – Hipgnosis. Photography – P. Christopherson. Group Photos – Tom Sheehan. 7″ Single Back Photography – Jill Furmanovsky
Label: CBS 82831(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
| Side One Heartache I Don’t Really Want To Get Involved Ask Mr. Waverly Youth Club Dance First I Look At The Purse Radio Rape |
Side Two Tribe Of The City Have It With You I Trust Valerie Singleton Broken Not Twisted Take That Light Away Further Education I’ll Keep My Distance |
Credits
Drums, Backing Vocals, Percussion – Daniel Swan
Electric Bass – Dexter Dalwood
Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals – Michael Fewings
Lyrics By – Dexter Dalwood (tracks: B4, B6), Valentine (tracks: A1 to A4, A6 to B5, B7)
Music By – The Cortinas (tracks: A1 to A4, A6 to B7)
Producer – Martin Birch
Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals – Nick Sheppard
Vocals, Saxophone, Harmonica – Valentine
Voice [Common Tart] – Juliette (6) (tracks: A4)
Written-By – R.Rogers (tracks: A5), W. Smokey Robinson (tracks: A5)
