background:
Before Johnny And The Self Abusers,
Jim and
Charlie were constantly inventing band names
and putting budding musicians together. "Me and Jim were in bands that were really just
like me and him and sort of friends, and we had all these different names - we changed names every three days."
It wasn't just thoughts and talk - they also performed. Their first gig was playing in front of a group of five year old orphans.
The first documented band of the period was
Biba-Rom! - which featured the same group of school friends (
Jim,
Charlie,
Brian McGee and
Tony Donald) who would later make up part of
Johnny And The Self Abusers and also end up as the first line-up of
Simple Minds #1.
The first vocalist was Eneas Mullen whilst Jim was both singer
and manager. When Eneas left the band, Jim continued on vocals
alone.
Whilst the majority of the line-up went onto Johnny And The Self Abusers,
Eneas Mullen set up a record label whilst
Joseph Donnelly later played bass in The Silencers.
Like the early days of the
Abusers, Biba-Rom! were a covers band, taking on
Patti Smith, Cockney Rebel, David Bowie and Lou Reed.
longevity:
Circa 1975-1976
break-up:
It didn't last long - they left school and
Jim and
Charlie hitchhiked across Europe.
|
From top: Jim Kerr,
Charlie Burchill and
Holyrood School
|
