Early history
Major Accident was originally formed in late 1977 in Darlington.[2] Their first studio recording came in the early 1980s, when they recorded a single called Terrorist Gang with the B-side "Self Appointed Hero", and an early version of Massacred Melodies, which the band re-recorded in 1981 - this became their first LP. They planned to release "Warboots" from this session and got as far as test pressings before being signed by Step Forward records, home of Chelsea, Sham 69 and the Cortinas amongst others.
The band released their first single, "Mr Nobody", with Step-Forward Records before the release of their first studio LP. A UK tour supporting Chelsea helped promote the release of the record. They had UK Independent Chart hits with singles "Fight To Win" (no. 24) and "Leaders of Tomorrow" (no. 19, featuring drummer Evo, formerly from The Angelic Upstarts and The Blood who went on to form punk influenced thrash and speed metal NWOBHM band Warfare),followed by "Respectable" (featuring "The Big G" - Garteh Jones on drums) all released on the Flicknife Records label, as was the LP A Clockwork Legion, by which time the band's name had been shortened to "Accident". A live album, Tortured Tunes – the Official Bootleg, was released in 1984, reaching no. 24 on the Uk Independent Chart.[2] Around this time the band appeared on BBC2 playing three songs live.[3] American label Toxic Shock released a follow-up album ...Crazy! in 1985, just before the band split up.[1][4][5][6]
1996–present
Major Accident re-formed in 1996, once again using the full name rather than just "Accident". The re-formation was accompanied by a new studio album, The Ultimate High, released on We Bite Records, with a seven-inch single, Representation Not Reality, which was released in 1999 on Upstart Productions. The band's final release was a split album with Welsh street punks Foreign Legion entitled Cry Of Legion.[1][4][6][7][8]
Live performances followed, including a night at New York's CBGB in 2001 with a "clockwork punk" theme.[9] The band's activity was sharply curtailed when drummer Laze was involved in a motorcycle accident. The band currently plays just two or three concerts each year.
Clockwork punks
Major Accident popularized a punk style of dress based on the costumes worn in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange,[10] including bowler hats, white shirts, white trousers and black boots. Fans of the group, and sometimes members of Major Accident themselves, also occasionally wore fishtail coats, though more often they wore black leather biker jackets. The "clockwork punk" style also extended to an appreciation of Ludwig van Beethoven's music, again following the movie's protagonist. Major Accident played the composer's 9th Symphony with guitar, bass and drums in their interpretations The Glorious 9th and The March. Little evidence of any further interest in classical music was shown from the band.[1][4][5]
Major Accident's use of A Clockwork Orange imagery is also seen in the sleeve designs on their albums, with their early LPs, CDs and seven-inch singles using stark black and white imagery (though they began to include red after their 1996 reformation), and characters dressed in the Clockwork Orange style. Their final album in 1985 (before their reformation) ...Crazy! depicts a scene from the film, where the protagonist, Alex, is shown strapped into a laboratory chair, his eyes held open with metal clips.[11]
Other 1970s and 1980s Clockwork punk bands include The Adicts (whose version had a more fun, circus-clown emphasis), Die Toten Hosen (who released the themed album Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau), Blitz (who wore some of the dress later in their career) and The Violators who along with Blitz recorded on the 'No Future' record label. [12]
Valerie
Major Accident Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Didn't need my anymore
You just didn't give a damn
Where were you when I needed you
When I was nearly through
You just stood there and you laughed
Now you've gone forever
Shall I swear, pull my hair
Yet I love you still
I would come walking home at night
Cause I couldn't stand nor fight
You would kick me when I was down
I would just wake up feeling fine
Couldn't walk the thin line
I just looked and I smiled
Soon I began to cuss you out
You just took me for a lout
But then I pulled you straight
Get out and leave my life alone
I am better on my own
Ridiculed forever
The song "Valerie" by Major Accident is a poignant depiction of a turbulent and abusive relationship. The lyrics convey a sense of frustration and betrayal, as the singer addresses his former love interest, Valerie, who has left him feeling hurt and abandoned. He laments that she didn't want him anymore and that she didn't care about his feelings. He recalls how she stood by and laughed when he was in need of support during trying times. Though she has left him, he continues to love her despite her cruel nature.
The second verse describes some of the physical abuse that the singer suffered at the hands of Valerie. He had to come walking home at night because he could not fight back and she would kick him when he was already down. However, he still managed to maintain a positive attitude and smiled even in adversity. Eventually, the frustration and anger built up to the point where he confronted her and told her to leave his life alone. Even though he was ridiculed by her and others, he knew he was better off without her.
Overall, the song is a powerful statement about the impact of toxic relationships and the difficult journey towards self-improvement and personal growth. Despite the gloomy lyrics, the upbeat tempo and infectious melody make it a catchy and memorable track.
Line by Line Meaning
You didn't want me anymore,
I wasn't needed or wanted by you any longer.
Didn't need my anymore
You no longer required my presence in your life.
You just didn't give a damn
You had no care or concern for me.
Where were you when I needed you
When I was in need, you were nowhere to be found.
When I was nearly through
I was at my lowest point and you weren't there for me.
You just stood there and you laughed
You took pleasure in my pain and suffering.
Now you've gone forever
You have left and are never returning.
Valerie, you're so mean to me
You treated me with cruelty and harshness, Valerie.
Shall I swear, pull my hair
I am so hurt and angry that I want to resort to drastic measures like swearing and self-harm.
Yet I love you still
Despite your mistreatment, I still have love for you.
I would come walking home at night
I would walk home alone late at night.
Cause I couldn't stand nor fight
I was unable to defend myself against your abuse.
You would kick me when I was down
You took advantage of me when I was at a low point.
I would just wake up feeling fine
Despite your abuse, I was able to move on and continue forward.
Couldn't walk the thin line
It was difficult for me to balance your cruelty and my own well-being.
I just looked and I smiled
I pretended to be okay even though I was hurting inside.
Soon I began to cuss you out
Eventually, I started to express my anger and frustration towards you.
You just took me for a lout
You saw me as a worthless or lazy person.
But then I pulled you straight
I confronted you and demanded that you treat me better.
Get out and leave my life alone
I don't want you to be a part of my life anymore.
I am better on my own
I am happier and healthier without you in my life.
Ridiculed forever
I have suffered humiliation and mockery because of your mistreatment.
Contributed by Blake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Carlos Hernandez5150
Same
K French
lol, some of the lyrics are wrong in description.
Napoleon Nikolai Zivkovic
That's often the case, going back decades...
Ola Brzózka
A zegar tyka i jarek znika jbc PiS