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.
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.
The Whole Of The Law
The Only Ones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to have the notion
I could swim the length of the ocean
If I knew you were waiting for me
I used to have the notion
I could swim the length of the ocean
I'd plumb the depths of every sea for you
I'd escape from my chains and I'll reach out for you
Baby, I'm in love with you
Oh baby, baby I'm in love with you
I had to contact you, found I was in love with you
I had to contact you
Found I was in love with you
I had to contact...
That's it, that's the law, that's the whole of the law
The whole of the law
I could swim the length of the ocean
If I knew you were waiting for me
I used to have the notion
I could swim the length of the ocean
I'd plumb the depths of every sea for you
I'd escape from my chains and I'll reach out for you
Oh baby, baby I'm in love with you
I had to contact you, found I was in love with you
I had to contact you
Found I was in love with you
I had to contact...
That's it, that's the law, that's the whole of the law
The whole of the law
The lyrics to The Only Ones' song "The Whole of the Law" seem to express the depths of love and the lengths we would go to for someone we care about. The singer talks about having the notion that they could swim the length of the ocean and plumb the depths of every sea for the person they love. This line implies that the character would do anything to be with their love, even if it meant going to extreme lengths. The lyrics also suggest that the singer has been hesitant to reach out to the object of their affection, only doing so now after realizing the depth of their feelings.
The repeated refrain of "Baby, I'm in love with you" emphasizes the sincerity of the singer's feelings. The final line, "That's it, that's the law, that's the whole of the law, the whole of the law" seems to suggest that love is the one guiding principle that explains everything. It's possible that the song is trying to convey that love is the most important thing in life, and the only thing that truly matters.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to have the notion
In the past, I held a belief
I could swim the length of the ocean
That I could accomplish anything
If I knew you were waiting for me
As long as I had your support
I'd plumb the depths of every sea for you
I would go to the ends of the earth for you
I'd escape from my chains and I'll reach out for you
I would break free from any obstacles to be with you
Oh baby, baby I'm in love with you
I am head over heels in love with you
Found I was in love with you
Realized my true feelings for you
That's it, that's the law, that's the whole of the law
That is the ultimate truth, there is nothing deeper
The whole of the law
This is the complete and total reality
Contributed by Isabella J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Greg Stewart
LYRICS: The Whole of the Law.
Well, I used to have the notion I could swim the length of the ocean
If I knew that you were waiting for me
I used to have the notion I could swim the length of the ocean
I'd plumb the depths of every sea for you
I'd escape from my chains, and I'll reach out for you
Maybe I'm in love with you
Maybe, maybe I'm in love with you
I had to contact you, found out I was in love with you
I had to contact,
That's it, that's the law, that's the whole of the law
The whole of the law.
nil db
Well, I used to have the notion
I could swim the length of the ocean
If I knew that you were waiting for me
I used to have the notion
I could swim the length of the ocean
I’d plumb the depths of every sea for you
I’d escape from my chains
And I’ll reach out for you
Maybe I’m in love with you
Maybe, maybe I’m in love with you
I had to contact you, found out
I was in love with you
I had to contact
That’s it, that’s the law,
That’s the whole of the law
The whole of the law.
Neil McCormick
The thrill of my life was working with Alan Mair in the late 90s when he produced a couple of tracks for the band I played in . I was totally fanboyed out of my gourd. Al was a really lovely guy , and a brilliant producer, loads of great craic and stories of the Only Ones. It was a dream come true for me and the other guys in the band as we are all massive Only Ones fans ,always will be .
gerry hattrick
what a beautiful song. His voice says it all, the emotion in it man. One of the most underated bands
Brian Collins
One of the most criminally overlooked love songs of all time.
/blake Wakeup
That’s what makes the song good
Neil McCormick
True, such a brilliant song, criminally under appreciated.
alcyone
My God. I don’t think it’s possible to overstate how much I love this song.
Mark Reid
One of the best new wave bands and what an incredible debut album. Peter Perret was quite obsessed with the Occult and particularly Aleister Crowley. Hence this song " The Whole of the Law" and another "The Beast".
peter lewis
sign of the times lol
Jack Dandy
Maybe not obsessed, but clearly he was interested. Ffs who wasnt at the time especially? Crowley is on a beatles album.
John Flushing
Him and Jimmy Page!