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THE BLANKS

Formed: Market Deeping, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Minor band whose single earned them some infamy because some idiots thought the Yorkshire Ripper might have been a member! That's what happens when you start your single with a sample of the suspected Ripper (recorded off a help line the police had set up), and also dress like him on the cover of it. Singer Adams was actually interviewed by the local newspaper and even the cops. It's alright, though, he was innocent. Phew! Those goddamn kids.

The Blanks were formed sometime between the of summer 1977 and 1978. The band had close links with The Destructors, who rose to prominence in the early '80s as part of the UK82 mob. Andrew Jackson (guitar), Andrew Butler (drums) and Allen Adams (bass) had all played in The Destructors between 1977 and 1978, and when that band split the trio formed The Blanks with singer Neil Singleton, This new band debuted with a support slot to The Damned at the Wirrna in Peterborough (Adams: "My memory of the Damned gig was that for some bizarre reason Captain Sensible kicked me in the bollocks") and in 1979 they recorded the topical Northern Ripper 7" in the backroom of a pub. A classic single, totally lo-fi and charming. They plugged away for another year, and played their last gig in May 1980 supporting rising stars Discharge. After this Adams and Andy McDonald (drums, who'd joined in 1980), re-formed The Destructors.

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Members:

Neil Singleton - vocals
Andrew Jackson - guitar (ex-The Dole and The Destructors / pre-Destructors 666)
Colin Maxey - bass, shortly replaced by Allen Adams - bass (pre-Destructors 666)
Andy Butler - drums (ex-The Destructors / pre-Destructors 666)
Andy McDonald - played drums after Butler left in 1980

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