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.
No Solution
The Only Ones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But love is just destruction disguised under another name
She says, "You’re never on time
I've been waiting here all my life
The way you treat me you know it ain't right
But I can’t let you go"
She says, "I'm fed up with your lies
But when you hold me and look me in the eyes
You know, I can't let you go"
You gotta understand it's not that simple
You gotta understand it ain't that easy anymore
You can't change the things that stand between us
I can't take it anymore
I can't take it anymore
Most times I don't worry much
But now and then I think about
All those things she says to me
She says "You're never on time
I've been waiting here all my life
That ain't no way ya treat your fucking wife
But I can't let you go"
You gotta understand
There's no solution
You read about these kind of things
Almost everyday
Maybe it's just called evolution
I can't take it anyway
The Only Ones’ song No Solution is a timeless anthem about the difficulties of love and the struggle to let go of toxic relationships. The first verse sets the tone for the song, with Peter Perrett’s vocals taking a dark and moody tone. He warns against the destructive power of love that can sometimes mask itself in other forms. The song’s protagonist is stuck in a cycle with a woman who loves him despite all his faults, and he can’t seem to break free from it. The chorus repeats the message that there is no easy solution to the situation, highlighting the complexity of love and the struggles that come with it.
The second verse of the song sees Perrett delve deeper into the psyche of his character, revealing that he is well aware of the negative impact his actions are having on his relationship. Despite this, he can’t seem to change his ways and is struggling to come to terms with the damage he is causing. The song ends with a resigned and defeated tone, suggesting that the singer has come to accept the futility of trying to solve his problems and is simply resigned to the situation.
Line by Line Meaning
Some girls tell ya they're loving ya
Some women may profess their love for you
But love is just destruction disguised under another name
However, love can be destructively disguised as something else
She says, "You’re never on time
She highlights that you are always late
I've been waiting here all my life
She emphasizes that she has waited for you for a very long time
The way you treat me you know it ain't right
She points out that your treatment towards her is unfair
But I can’t let you go"
Despite everything, she is unable to leave you
She says, "I'm fed up with your lies
She expresses frustration towards your continuous dishonesty
You stand for everything I despise
She detests everything that you represent
But when you hold me and look me in the eyes
However, when you hold her and look at her, she cannot help but be affected
You know, I can't let you go"
She reiterates that she is unable to let you go
You gotta understand it's not that simple
She emphasizes that the situation is not straightforward
You gotta understand it ain't that easy anymore
Things are not as they once were, and it is not easy to fix
You can't change the things that stand between us
There are factors that exist that cannot be altered or overcome
I can't take it anymore
She can no longer tolerate the situation
Most times I don't worry much
Mostly, she does not worry or stress about the situation
But now and then I think about
However, sometimes she cannot help but think about
All those things she says to me
The things she has said to her
She says "You're never on time
She repeats that you are always late
That ain't no way ya treat your fucking wife
She asserts that your behavior towards her is unacceptable for a spouse
But I can't let you go"
Yet, she is still unable to leave you
You gotta understand
She is trying to make you comprehend
There's no solution
The issue has no clear resolution
You read about these kind of things
These types of problems are common
Almost everyday
They occur frequently
Maybe it's just called evolution
Perhaps this situation is just a part of life's natural progression
I can't take it anyway
Despite all of this, she cannot bear it any longer
Contributed by Katherine J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alan Russell
Incredible. Note for note like the original vinyl recording. Amazing. Saw them half a dozen times. Always a favourite band of mine. Thanks for posting.
Laughing Stock
Almost, Alan - here Perry plays the riff that was mixed out of the LP version (00:55) - if you listen very carefully to the LP you can hear 1/2 a note form this riff indicating it was recorded but dropped, for some unfathomable reason.
Daz
Great to see live footage of this brilliant band in their heyday, the stuff of legends, thanks for posting.
christos zikos
this band is so fucking great, the guitarist is up there with mick ronson and many others , love this band
Pamela
Thanks for post ; never heard of them in the U.S. Great band! And Johnny Marr you were so right about this song & John Perry's guitar licks
Michael Tait
Coolest band in the world ever. Alan Mair great bass player.
Alloywheelwelding.co. uk
He’s my dad !
Carl Janssens
RIP, Mike... You were one of the greatest!
Jesse Fuchs
Fantastic band. The guitarist, John Perry, looks more like a rock critic than a kick-ass lead guitarist, which actually worked out okay for him as he's since written a couple of quite good books on The Who, The Stones, and Hendrix that draw on his first-hand knowledge.
Matt Grant
Every song of theirs is fantastic , what did we do to deserve such a band ?