Steve Harley (born Steven Nice on 27 February 27 in south London, died on 17th March 2024 at the age of 73)) began his musical career as a soloist in the legendary Beckenham Arts Lab founded by David Bowie. Here, he was busking (with John Crocker) and performing his own songs, some of which were later recorded by him and the band. The original Cockney Rebel was formed when Steve hooked up with his former folk partner, John Crocker (fiddle / mandolin / guitar) in 1972. They auditioned drummer Stuart Elliott, bassist Paul Jeffreys, and keyboardist Milton Reame-James. They were signed to EMI after playing just five gigs, one of the band's first gigs being at The Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, London, on 23 July 1972 supporting The Jeff Beck Group . Their first single "Sebastian", a soaring rock epic, was an immediate success in Europe, though failed to score in the UK singles chart. Their first album, The Human Menagerie, was released in 1973 to critical acclaim, and is still felt by many fans to be their best.
Harley managed to irritate a significant segment of the music press with his self-aggrandisement, even as the music itself was getting rave reviews and gaining a wide audience. It was becoming clear that Harley regarded the band as little more than accompaniment to his own agenda, and already there were signs that things would not last, despite having a big hit with their second single, "Judy Teen". There then followed the album The Psychomodo, an adventurous and ambitious production which showed that there was real talent in the group. A second single from the album, "Mr. Soft", was also a big hit. The band was voted the 'Most Outstanding New Act' of 1974. By this time the problems within the band had already reached a head, and all the musicians, with the exception of Stuart Elliott, quit at the end of a highly successful UK tour. Harley's next appearance on Top of the Pops was supported by session musicians drafted in for the show.
From then on, the band was a band in name only, being more or less a Steve Harley solo project. In 1974, a further album, The Best Years Of Our Lives was made, produced by Beatles recording engineer, Alan Parsons. This included the track "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" which would go on to be a UK Number One single and the band's biggest selling hit. In a television interview recorded in 2002, Harley described how the lyrics are vindictively directed at the former band members, whom he felt had abandoned him - a fact which eludes a majority of listeners who enjoy the apparently happy chorus.
After 1975, Harley struggled to match the success of "Make Me Smile" and faded from fame, and Cockney Rebel eventually disbanded in 1977.
In 1998 Harley began to use the Cockney Rebel name again. The 2005 album "Quality of Mercy" (which included the singles "A Friend for Life" and "The Last Goodbye") was the first album since the 1970s to be released with the Cockney Rebel name
In 2010, Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel began touring again setting concert dates for England, Ireland, and Northern Ireland. This was done following the release of the new studio album Stranger Comes to Town. On 24 November 2012 the band including the Orchestra of the Swan and a choir performed the band's first two albums The Human Menagerie and The Psychomodo in their entirety for the first time. A live double-CD and DVD was released in October 2013 of this performance, titled Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir).
Current members
Steve Harley - vocals, guitars (1972–1977, 1998–present)
Stuart Elliott - drums (1972–1977, 1998–present)
Lincoln Anderson - bass (2001–present)
Robbie Gladwell - guitar, vocals (1998-present)
Former members
John Crocker - violin, mandolin, guitar (1972–1974)
Paul Jeffreys - bass (1972–1974; died on 21 December 1988 in the Lockerbie air disaster)
Nick Jones - guitar (1972)
Pete Newnham - guitar (1972)
Milton Reame-James - keyboards (1972–1974)
Jim Cregan - guitar (1975–1977)
George Ford - bass (1975–1977)
Duncan Mackay - keyboards (1975–1977)
Jo Partridge - guitars (1976–1977)
UK Discography
Singles
* "Sebastian" - 1973
* "Judy Teen" - 1974 - Number 5
* "Mr. Soft" - 1974 - Number 8
* "Big Big Deal" - 1974
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" - 1975 - Number 1
* "Mr. Raffles (Man It Was Mean)" - 1975 - Number 13
* "Black Or White" - 1975
* "White White Dove" - 1976
* "Here Comes The Sun" - 1976 - Number 10
* "(I Believe) Love's A Prima Donna" - 1976 - Number 41
* "The Best Years Of Our Lives" (live) - 1977
* "Freedom's Prisoner" - 1979 - Number 58
* "Ballerina (Prima Donna)" - 1983 - Number 51
* "The Phantom Of The Opera" - 1986 - Number 7
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" - re-issue - 1992 - Number 46
* "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" - 2nd re-issue - 1995 - Number 33
*"The Last Goodbye" - 2006 - UK # 186
Albums:
Cockney Rebel:
* The Human Menagerie - 1973
* The Psychomodo - 1974 - Number 8
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel:
* The Best Years Of Our Lives - 1975 - Number 4
* Timeless Flight - 1976 - Number 18
* Love's A Prima Donna - 1976 - Number 28
* Face To Face - A Live Recording - 1977 - Number 40
* The Quality of Mercy - 2005
* Birmingham (Live with Orchestra & Choir) - 2013 UK Independent Chart # 36
Psychomodo
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I been losing my brain cells at a million a day
I'm so disillusioned, I'm on suicide street
I seen everything in every shape, seen 1984 in a terrible state
Seen you Quasimodo hanging on my gate
Oh! He was so hung-up and wasted
Oh! He was so physically devastated
He was well-slung enough, oh
I seen my own epitaph, I been to heaven and back
Was introduced to St. Peter where we was having a chat
I felt him losing his mind, I began to retreat
But Desdemona and me, we had a ball in a tree
She read my palm in a moment, it was shocking to me
We were so mystified, we scream out of fear
Oh! She was so hung-up and wasted
Oh! She was so physically devastated
She was young enough
She was well-slung enough destroyed
I been writing a song, we all been singing along
It's like a mild schizophrenia - wondering where we belong!
Sling it all out the window, start all over again, yoh
Oh, come into my heart, come and tear me apart
I want to be claustrophobic - got a passion ha ha!
I'm so confused, I wish I could die die die
Oh! She was so hung-up and wasted
Oh! She was so physically devastated
She was young enough
She was well-slung enough, oh
The lyrics to Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel's song "Psychomodo" reflect the singer's sense of disillusionment and confusion with the world around him. He has lost his way, his brain cells, and seen everything in every shape. He references the state of the world in 1984, a nod to George Orwell's dystopian novel of the same name. The imagery in the song is vivid and sometimes surreal, as the singer describes seeing his own epitaph and visiting heaven and having a chat with St. Peter.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of desperation and a desire for something new and exciting. The singer sings, "Sling it all out the window, start all over again, yoh" and expresses a desire to be claustrophobic and have a passion. The song ends with the repeated refrain, "She was so hung-up and wasted, she was so physically devastated, she was young enough, she was well-slung enough."
Overall, the song conveys a sense of disconnection and disillusionment with society and a desire for something new and exciting. The vivid and surreal imagery used by the singer adds to the sense of confusion and desperation.
Line by Line Meaning
I been losing my head, I been losing my way
I feel disoriented and lost
I been losing my brain cells at a million a day
I feel like I'm losing my intelligence
I'm so disillusioned, I'm on suicide street
I'm feeling hopeless and like giving up
I seen everything in every shape, seen 1984 in a terrible state
I've experienced all sorts of situations and have seen the world in a bad state
Seen you Quasimodo hanging on my gate
I've even seen strange and unexpected things like Quasimodo hanging on my gate
Oh! He was so hung-up and wasted
He appeared to be struggling and was in bad shape
Oh! He was so physically devastated
He was visibly weakened and worn out
He was young enough
Despite his struggles, he was still relatively young
He was well-slung enough, oh
Despite his challenges, he had some strengths
I seen my own epitaph, I been to heaven and back
I've experienced a lot of things, both good and bad
Was introduced to St. Peter where we was having a chat
I even met with a religious figure
I felt him losing his mind, I began to retreat
I sensed that the religious figure was also struggling
But Desdemona and me, we had a ball in a tree
Despite everything else, there were moments of joy and playful distraction
She read my palm in a moment, it was shocking to me
There were also some strange and surprising things that happened
We were so mystified, we scream out of fear
Despite the joy and surprise, there were still moments of fear and uncertainty
I been writing a song, we all been singing along
I've been working on a creative project that is shared with others
It's like a mild schizophrenia - wondering where we belong!
But at times it can feel a bit chaotic and confusing, like we don't know our place
Sling it all out the window, start all over again, yoh
Sometimes it's necessary to scrap everything and start from scratch
Oh, come into my heart, come and tear me apart
I'm inviting some sort of change or transformation
I want to be claustrophobic - got a passion ha ha!
I want to feel something intense, even if it's uncomfortable
I'm so confused, I wish I could die die die
Overall, I'm feeling extremely lost and confused
Oh! She was so hung-up and wasted
She, like others in the song, is also struggling and in bad shape
Oh! She was so physically devastated
Her physical state is compounded by her emotional struggles
She was young enough
Despite her struggles, she was still relatively young
She was well-slung enough destroyed
But her overall condition was still not good, and perhaps even dire
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVE HARLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@johansterk354
RIP Mr. Harley, you've left us with some great music ....
@galecurtis1963
50 years this year since release! Just bought it again 2nd hand on vinyl 🤩💛
@edwardconway
Great talent 👍
@elainerichardson9314
Me too, I loved that album 😢❤
@garethhawkins4710
Here in memoriam. RIP.
@bau6078
So much Bob after dylan steve is one of the best singer song writer
@Outspoken.Humanist
So underrated. I could never understand why none of my mates could see how good they were.
@Pstephen
My friends picked up on it fairly quickly; it took a lot longer with Gong and Jobriath.
@rayryeridge3313
Steve Harley was such an unique performer and composer,both innovative and charming.One of the best things to happen in the 70s,and still great to listen to!
@dominicdick6370
Don’t say ‘was’...Is 👍👍👍😎😎😎