(THE EXITS FORMED IN 1977 AROUND THE BATTERSEA AND TOOTING AREAS OF SOUTH LONDON AND SIGNED TO LIGHTNING RECORDS (THEN RIDING HIGH WITH ANTHEA & DONNA'S HUGE NUMBER ONE HIT "UPTOWN TOP RANKING"), SCORING A TOP TEN HIT IN THE UNK/
INDEPENDENT CHARTS WITH THEIR LONE 1978 SINGLE, "THE FASHION PLAGUE" B/W "CHEAM". THEY QUICKLY BECAME SOMETHING OF A LIVE DRAW IN SOUTH LONDON AND PLAYED SEVERAL HIGH PROFILE SHOWS INCLUDING ONE AT THE LONDON DUNGEON SUPPORTING SCREAMING LORD SUTCH! THEIR SET WAS LARGELY COMPRISED OF SONGS WRITTEN BY BASSIST/VOCALIST COLIN SWAN AND GUITARIST/VOCALIST GENO BUCKMASTER WHICH EVOKED THE BEST OF ELVIS COSTELLO, PETE TOWNSHEND AND GRAHAM PARKER BUT THEY ALSO THREW COVERS OF TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS' "I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW" AND SMALL FACES' "TIN SOLDIER" IN FOR GOOD MEASURE. A SECOND SINGLE, "KEEP ON TRYIN'", WAS SLATED FOR RELEASE AND AN ALBUM'S WORTH OF HIGH-QUALITY DEMOS LAID DOWN IN EARLY 1979. GIGS PROMOTING THE 'FORTHCOMING ALBUM' SHOWED GREAT PROMI
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In these songs you'll find the DNA of The Direct Hits. Although very Elvis Costello like in both style and vocal delivery, these early recordings, dating from 1979 show a remarkable
pop sensibility that had come on leaps and bounds since the release of the band's first single, the now highly sought after 'Fashion Plague' b/w 'Cheam' released a year prior to these being recorded. Songs like 'We broke up today' have all the hallmarks of classic merseybeat, while out and out
power pop like 'Holiday Shots' and 'Fool to fall in love' encapsulate perfectly the sheer exuberance of the genre.More than a few steps ahead of several of their contemporaries, the band's built in tunesmiths Buckmaster and Swan were writing catchy songs that carried a powerful punch performed with the energy and excitement of the period. The Exits left behind a wonderful set of recordings that are worthy of a comprehensive vinyl retrospective release,These recordings first saw the light of day on a CD only release back in 2007 when
Cherry Red released the CD 'The Legendary Lost Exits album' through its
Rev-Ola offshoot.