The Only Ones are an English rock band, formed in London in 1976 and origin… Read Full Bio ↴The Only Ones are an English rock band, formed in London in 1976 and originally disbanded in 1982. They were associated with punk rock, yet straddled the musical territory in between punk, power pop and hard rock, with noticeable influences from psychedelia.

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.

Miles From Nowhere
The Only Ones Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You find it tempting to give up the ghost
You always sell to the one who bids the most
You get paid for your loyalty
Waiting for someone to come along and set you free
Can't you hear me?

I want to die in the same place I was born
Miles from nowhere

I used to reach for the stars but now I've reformed
She's out there somewhere
If you ever start thinking what you're doing to me
Maybe you will set me free
From this sorrow
From this sorrow
From this sorrow

All the defendants have been condemned
When you were sentenced it covered all of them
Give me justice you scream, you scream
I ain't done nothing, it's all a crazy dream
Can't you hear me?

I want to die in the same place I was born
Miles from nowhere
I used to reach for the stars but now I've reformed
She's out there somewhere
If you ever start thinking what you're doing to me
Maybe you will set me free
From this sorrow
From this sorrow
From this sorrow

I have no visions of love restrained
My only prisons are savage and deranged
Looking for passion devoid of guilt
Your cold reaction transcends the myth you built
Can't you hear me?

I want to die in the same place I was born
Miles from nowhere
I used to reach for the stars but now I've reformed
She's out there somewhere
If you ever start thinking what you're doing to me
Maybe you will set me free
From this sorrow

From this sorrow
From this sorrow

Overall Meaning

The Only Ones' song "Miles From Nowhere" is a melancholic tune that talks about the desire to break free from past mistakes and sorrow. The first stanza touches on the theme of giving up, selling oneself for the highest bidder, and the longing to be set free. The second stanza highlights the desire for a peaceful end, wishing to die in the same place where one was born, and the realization that contentment is simply finding that one person who makes the journey worthwhile. The third stanza talks about the struggle for love, the prisons of guilt, and the longing for a passionate connection that transcends societal constructs.

The overall sense of the song is one of sadness and desperation, tinged with a glimmer of hope that there may be a way out of the pain. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they seem to touch on the universal themes of the human condition - the struggle for love, the desire for freedom, and the longing for acceptance.

Line by Line Meaning

You find it tempting to give up the ghost
You are often overwhelmed by the thought of giving up and giving in to the difficult situations you face.

You always sell to the one who bids the most
You have a tendency to prioritize what you want over what you need, giving in to those who offer the most.

You get paid for your loyalty
You are rewarded for your loyalty, but sometimes it can feel like this loyalty is all you have going for you.

Waiting for someone to come along and set you free
You are waiting for someone to save you from your problems instead of taking action to solve them yourself.

Can't you hear me?
You are asking for someone to listen to you and understand the struggles you are facing.

I want to die in the same place I was born
You desire to feel a strong connection to your roots and to stay true to where you came from even in death.

Miles from nowhere
You want to be far from the chaos of the world, to be in a peaceful, isolated place.

I used to reach for the stars but now I've reformed
You had high aspirations before, but you have since changed your ways and are now more grounded and realistic.

She's out there somewhere
You believe that there is someone out there who could be your savior or your source of comfort and love.

If you ever start thinking what you're doing to me
You hope that people will take a moment to consider the impact they have on your life.

Maybe you will set me free
If people listen to you and act with compassion, you may feel a sense of release from your burdens.

From this sorrow
You want to be free from the emotional pain you are currently feeling.

All the defendants have been condemned
You feel like you have been dealt an unfair hand and are being punished for things beyond your control.

When you were sentenced it covered all of them
The punishment you received was so severe that it affected more than just you.

Give me justice you scream, you scream
You are asking for justice and fairness in the face of what you perceive to be injustice and wrongdoing.

I ain't done nothing, it's all a crazy dream
You feel like you are being punished for something you did not do, and that it is all some sort of ridiculous nightmare.

I have no visions of love restrained
You have an open mind and heart when it comes to love and do not believe in limiting yourself or others.

My only prisons are savage and deranged
You feel trapped by the chaos and brutality of the world around you.

Looking for passion devoid of guilt
You desire to experience love and passion without any negative consequences or moral dilemmas.

Your cold reaction transcends the myth you built
The way someone is treating you is not in line with the persona they have built up, and it hurts you deeply.

Contributed by Cole M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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