Formed: London, England, UK

Twink (real name John Charles Alder) - lead vocals (post-Pink Fairies, post-Tomorrow, post-Pretty Things)
Guitar, vocals - Alan Lee Shaw (pre-Maniacs, Physicals, The Damned etc)
Dennis Stow - bass
Rod Latter - drums (pre-Maniacs, pre-The Adverts)

Short lived band featuring hippie-gone-punk Twink and future punk stalwarts Alan Lee Shaw and Rod Latter. The Rings didn't last long, apparently because Twink didn't like being gobbed at. What a strange man.

After he left/was pushed (depending on who describes the events leading up to his departure), guitarist Shaw and drummer Latter carried on with a new bassist as Maniacs. Bizarrely enough, when the 2nd Punk Rock Festival in Mont de Marson took place, Twink briefly reactivated The Rings, possibly to piss off Shaw and Latter, who were due to play as Maniacs. Both bands played the same day.

Anyway, I Wanna Be Free is catchy enough I suppose, with a raunchy punk sound, but I never cared much for it, or it's B-Side. Both songs keep repeating the same verse/chorus throughout, as if they couldn't be bothered writing a proper lyric:

Complete lyrics to 'I Wanna Be Free':

I'm walking in my brown shoes
Just walking in my brown shoes
I'm knocking on your door
Just knocking on your door

I want a society
Where a man can be free
To be who he wants to be
And to see who he wants to see
If this ain't the solution
I'm sick of this prostitution
Of you..and...me

I wanna be free!

Complete 'Automobile' lyrics:

I wanna get you in my automobile x3
Get you in my automobile, now now baby

Do you remember when we were crazy? x3
Baby

The Rings were also known to perform 'Chelsea '77' (the Maniacs' first single).

DISCOGRAPHY

Singles / Albums

I Wanna Be Free (7", 1977)

Various Artists

Long Shots, Dead Certs And Odds On Favourites - Chiswick Chartbusters Vol. 2 UK LP 1978 (Chiswick): I Wanna Be Free

Punk Rock '77 New Wave '77 Portugal LP 1978 (Pirate Dream): I Wanna Be Free

The Chiswick Story UK 2xCD 1992 (Chiswick): I Wanna Be Free

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