The Only Ones reformed in 2007 after their biggest hit "Another Girl, Another Planet" was used in a Vodafone ad campaign in 2006, and picked up as the introduction theme to Irish DJ Dave Fanning's radio show. The band completed a comeback UK tour in June 2007, and continued touring throughout 2008 and 2009. New material was recorded in 2009 and played live, but has yet to be released.
The Only Ones were originally formed in August 1976 in South London by Peter Perrett. Perrett had been recording demos since 1972, and in late 1975 he was looking for a bass player. He was introduced to John Perry as a possible candidate, but Perry wanted to concentrate on playing guitar instead. By August 1976, Perry and Perrett had found drummer Mike Kellie (ex-Spooky Tooth) and bass guitarist Alan Mair, who previously had success with the Scottish band The Beatstalkers. Their first single, "Lovers of Today", self-released on the Vengeance record label, was immediately made "record of the week" by three of the four main music papers. A year later they signed to CBS. Their next single "Another Girl, Another Planet" became a popular and influential song, and remains the band's best-known song. It is often featured on various musical box-sets featuring a punk rock or new wave theme. After its inclusion on the 1991 compilation album The Sound of the Suburbs, it was re-released as a single and reached no. 57 in the UK singles chart.
The band released their debut studio album The Only Ones in 1978, which was well received by both reviewers and fans. The band's follow-up album, Even Serpents Shine, was released the following year. A year later, they released their final studio album, Baby's Got a Gun. In the summer of 1980, they supported the Who on their tour of the United States, and in 1982 the band officially disbanded. In subsequent years, the Only Ones gained a fierce cult following and its posthumously-released records – live performances, BBC Television and radio shows, and compilation albums – now outnumber their studio albums. Unusually, The Only Ones' discs were never deleted from the CBS catalogue and remain in-print to-date.
In an interview published in the 10 November 2006 issue of the tabloid newspaper, The Daily Record, Alan Mair commented that he was set to reform The Only Ones after their Summer 2006 Vodafone advertisement generated interest. On 21 February 2007, Perry confirmed via his MySpace page that the band would reform for a five-date UK tour in June. Besides these dates, they played a number of festivals, debuting at All Tomorrow's Parties festival in Minehead, England, on 27 April. During the summer, they also played at the two-part Wireless Festival in Hyde Park, London, Harewood House, (near Leeds), and the Connect Music Festival at Inveraray Castle in Scotland on 1 September.
News of the tour prompted coverage in several UK national newspapers and the dates were met with positive reviews. During these gigs, the band played a new song called "Dreamt She Could Fly".
The press also reported that three of the band were keen to record a new studio album following the tour, but that Perrett seemed hesitant. In April 2008, the band were seen on Later... with Jools Holland performing their song, "Another Girl, Another Planet", and a new song entitled "Black Operations". The band also played other new songs including "Is This How Much You Care" and "Magic Tablet" live on a Canal+ TV special in Paris and an acoustic/unplugged session for Radio 6 Queens of Noize. A live DVD of the Shepherds Bush Empire show was released in March 2008. Other rumoured releases included DVDs from a show on the band's last US tour, and a re-release of Faster Than Lightning, which was released on VHS in 1991 and on DVD in 2012.
All three CBS studio albums, remastered by Alan Mair, were re-released with bonus tracks in February 2009. "Another Girl, Another Planet" was used in the film D.E.B.S. (2004), as well as in the 2010 hit film Paul. Sony BMG announced a January 2012 release date for an Only Ones box set in the "Original Album Classics" series. The set comprised the three remastered studio albums, plus various B-sides and out-takes. The Only Ones topped the bill at the 2012 Rebellion Festival in Blackpool on 4 August of that year.
In late 2014 the Only Ones (minus Mike Kellie) played some gigs in Tokyo, co-headlining with the Flamin' Groovies. In August 2014 Perrett began playing solo shows (Felipop festival, Spain) using his sons' band Strangefruit, followed by more dates in 2015 (Hebden Bridge, Bristol, London etc.) with the same formation. This, combined with a series of interviews in which he spoke scathingly about former Only Ones members, fuelled speculation that the Only Ones had split up again.
The band members' musical proficiency distinguished them from most of their peers. Their dominant drug-related lyrical themes on songs such as "Another Girl, Another Planet," and "The Big Sleep," also fit in with the Zeitgeist of the era on both sides of the Atlantic. Perrett and Kellie caught the eye of Johnny Thunders, founding member of the New York Dolls and the Heartbreakers, and worked as sidemen on Thunders' solo debut album, So Alone, notably appearing together on the classic "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory". However, drug addiction, particularly heroin use, derailed their career, and singer/guitarist/songwriter Perrett has only sporadically been heard from since the band split in 1982. He briefly resurfaced in the mid 1990s with the album, Woke Up Sticky.
Lead guitarist Perry went on to play as an active session guitarist for artists including The Sisters of Mercy, Evan Dando and Marianne Faithfull. More recently, he has written several well received music biographies on the Who's seminal hits compilation Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, the Rolling Stones' double album Exile on Main Street and in 2004, Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland. During 2005-2006, he played and recorded with singer-songwriter Freddie Stevenson.
The Only Ones have been influential on the indie rock and alternative rock scenes ever since their initial success, on bands such as The Replacements, Blur, Nirvana, and more recently The Libertines. Several bands have covered their song "Another Girl, Another Planet", including The Libertines (at London Forum with Perrett guesting), The Replacements and Blink 182. Their song "The Whole of the Law" was covered by Yo La Tengo on their album, Painful.
Mike Kellie (24 March 1947 – 18 January 2017)
Discography
Studio albums
The Only Ones (1978)
Even Serpents Shine (1979)
Baby's Got a Gun (1980)
The Only Ones formed in 1976 in London, England. The band broke up in 1982 and reunited in 2007.
Breaking Down
The Only Ones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
‘Cause there's something wrong with me
My ears don't hear, my brain can't talk
And my eyes don't see
I can't do you no good
I once thought I could
But the heavens opened with the sound of screaming
It's called
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down with you
Maybe this is just a crazy phase
And I'll get over it soon
It's the pains inside my head
That worry me
I've got the way you look
Captured in my lens
I've got no room for technique
I'll let the pictures speak
It's called
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down with you
Breaking down with you
I find it hard to concentrate
Distraction comes from within
If I fake it, it doesn't mean
That I don't care
I can feel the hands of fate
They're closing in
And I know it's time for me
To go somewhere
It's called
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down with you
Breaking down with you
Breaking down, breaking down with you
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking down
Breaking, breaking
Breaking down with you
Breaking down with you
The Only Ones' song "Breaking Down" is a melancholic reflection on the challenges of mental illness and the toll it takes on one's relationships. The singer sings about feeling isolated and misunderstood, as others shy away from them due to the symptoms of their condition. They describe their inability to hear, talk, or see properly, suggesting a sense of disconnection from the world around them. The line "I once thought I could" hints that they once were able to function normally but something has caused their decline into illness.
The song's chorus, which repeats the phrase "breaking down" several times, emphasizes the intense frustration and despair that comes with the struggle of mental illness. The singer seems to be addressing a specific person or group of people they are "breaking down with," perhaps a romantic partner or family member who is trying to offer help and support despite feeling helpless. The line "It's the pains inside my head that worry me" highlights the internal struggle of managing symptoms.
The song's final verse is particularly poignant, as the singer admits their difficulty in concentrating and admits that "distractions come from within." The sense of resignation and acceptance of their fate is palpable in lines such as "I can feel the hands of fate, they're closing in." The ultimate message of the song is one of acceptance and recognition of the challenges of mental illness, as well as a call for empathy and understanding from those around us.
Line by Line Meaning
People keep away from me
Others avoid me because they sense something is wrong with me.
‘Cause there's something wrong with me
There is some issue or problem with me that is causing people to stay away.
My ears don't hear, my brain can't talk
I am having trouble processing and communicating information due to physical or mental issues.
And my eyes don't see
I am not perceiving things as I should and may be suffering from some form of blindness or visual impairment.
I can't do you no good
I am unable to be of help or benefit to others due to my own issues.
I once thought I could
At some point in the past, I believed that I had the ability to assist or be useful to others.
But the heavens opened with the sound of screaming
An intense, jarring event occurred and it seems to have come from the heavens above.
And the smell of blood
The intense event was accompanied by the distinct scent of blood.
Maybe this is just a crazy phase
It is possible that all of my issues are just a temporary and minor problem.
And I'll get over it soon
These issues will pass and things will return to normal for me.
It's the pains inside my head
The root of my issues and problems seems to come from some sort of mental or emotional pain within me.
That worry me
This pain is causing me stress and anxiety.
I've got the way you look
I have captured your appearance or image using my camera or lens.
Captured in my lens
I have successfully and accurately recorded your image using a camera or lens.
I've got no room for technique
I do not have the time or desire to focus on the technical aspects of photography.
I'll let the pictures speak
I prefer to let the images I capture tell their own story, without relying on technical trickery.
I find it hard to concentrate
My own problems and issues make it difficult for me to focus or pay attention to things.
Distraction comes from within
The source of my distraction and lack of focus comes from my own inner issues and problems.
If I fake it, it doesn't mean
Even if I am pretending or putting on a facade, it doesn't negate my actual feelings or problems.
That I don't care
Just because I am struggling or putting on an act doesn't mean that I don't truly care about others.
I can feel the hands of fate
It seems that fate or some larger force is guiding or directing me in some way.
They're closing in
This force or guidance is becoming stronger and more pronounced in my life.
And I know it's time for me
I have a sense that the time has come for me to take action or make a change in my life.
To go somewhere
This change likely involves physically moving or venturing to a new place or location.
Breaking down
Throughout the song, the singer is breaking down physically, mentally and emotionally.
Breaking down with you
The person experiencing these breakdowns is experiencing them in the context of a relationship.
Contributed by Aria T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.