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On this day, 14 November 1978, Hersham boys Sham 69 played Cardiff’s Top Rank with reggae band The Cimarons providing support.
Formed in Hersham in Surrey in 1975. They were one of UK’s most successful punk bands achieving five top 20 singles, including "If the Kids Are United" and "Hurry Up, Harry".
The group's popularity saw them perform on the BBC’s Top of the Pops, and they appeared in the rockumentary film, D.O.A.. The original unit broke up in 1979, with frontman Jimmy Pursey moving on to pursue a solo career.
Their major label debut was "Borstal Breakout" in January 1978, followed by UK Singles Chart success with "Angels with Dirty Faces" (reaching No. 19 in May 1978) and "If the Kids Are United" (No. 9 in July 1978). These were not included on the group's debut album, Tell Us the Truth, a mixture of live and studio recordings.
The group had further chart success with "Hurry Up, Harry" (No. 10 in October 1978), which came from their second LP and first full studio album, That's Life.
Sham 69 did not have the art school background of many English punk bands of the time, and brought in football chant backup vocals and an implicit political populism.
The band attracted a large skinhead following (left wing, right wing and non-political). Their concerts were plagued by violence, and the band ceased live performances after a 1979 concert at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park was broken up by National Front-supporting white power skinheads fighting and rushing the stage.
