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.
Flaming Torch
The Only Ones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I don't know how to give it
I think our life together has been cursed
I don't know which one of us is worse
Is it the one who lies or the one who hurts
It's a crime, it's a crime
I'm always in the wrong place in the wrong time
You say I should be there
You don't tell me where you're living
It serves as ammunition for my verse
I practice spiritual research
Among the ancient ruins covered in dirt
It's my work, it's my work
I'm always in the wrong place in the wrong term
True love is your guiding light
It's like a flaming torch
You can see magic in the night
As the flames start to distort
I can hear bells again
I hope they never stop 'em ringing
They remind me of the distant past
Looking through a window's stained-glass
When the pledge was made
And the spell was cast
It's a crime, it's a crime
I'm always in the wrong place at the wrong time
In The Only Ones' song Flaming Torch, the lyrics speak to a broken relationship and the struggle to understand and give what the other person wants. The singer recognizes that there is a curse on their life together, but is unsure which one of them is to blame for the lies and hurts that have tainted their love. Despite this, the singer appears to be on a spiritual journey, seeking knowledge and understanding in the midst of their pain. However, they feel constantly out of place, always in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The lyrics suggest that the only true answer for their troubles is "True love," which is described as a "flaming torch." The image of a torch brings to mind a guiding light, something bright and warm to chase away the darkness. The flame, however, can also distort and transform as it flickers, suggesting that the singer's understanding of their relationship may need to be reframed in order to see the magic and beauty in it.
The final verse of the song speaks to a sense of nostalgia for the past and the promise of what once was, identified by the ringing bells that suggest a wedding or other significant event. The singer looks through a stained-glass window, perhaps symbolizing the way that their memories of the past are distorted and colored by their current pain. Despite this, the pledge and spell that were once cast suggest that there is still a glimmer of hope for the future, if only they can find their way to it.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I know what you want
I understand your desires
But I don't know how to give it
However, I'm not capable of fulfilling them
I think our life together has been cursed
Our life as a couple is ill-fated
I don't know which one of us is worse
I'm not sure who is the villain between us
Is it the one who lies or the one who hurts
Is it the liar or the one who inflicts pain on the other?
It's a crime, it's a crime
It's a terrible offense
I'm always in the wrong place in the wrong time
I'm always experiencing misfortunes
You say I should be there
You're telling me I should come to you
You don't tell me where you're living
However, you're not giving me your location
It serves as ammunition for my verse
This serves as inspiration for my creative writing
I practice spiritual research
I delve into spiritual study
Among the ancient ruins covered in dirt
In the dusty, old, abandoned places
It's my work, it's my work
This is my preoccupation
I'm always in the wrong place in the wrong term
I always find myself in the most unfavorable situations
True love is your guiding light
Love illuminates your path
It's like a flaming torch
It's like a bright, burning torch
You can see magic in the night
In the dark, you can witness the magic of love
As the flames start to distort
As the flames begin to warp
I can hear bells again
I can hear the sound of bells ringing once more
I hope they never stop 'em ringing
I hope the bell-ringing never ceases
They remind me of the distant past
They bring memories of the faraway past
Looking through a window's stained-glass
Gazing through a mosaic window
When the pledge was made
When the promise was established
And the spell was cast
And the magic was invoked
Contributed by Hailey J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
JHatLpool
Absolutely brilliant stuff.
"I can hear bells again ..."
Honey Bee86
"....they remind me of the distant possst, looking through a window of stained gloss
When the pledge was made and the spell was cosssssst"
bruisewane
I practice spiritual research, among the ancient ruins, covered in diiiiiiiiiirrt.
Honey Bee86
So many quotable lines in this song!
jean-pierre straub
Is it me or does he tend to sing a little out of tune ??
Rain
He's in tune, about as much as Lou Reed ever was