The Only Ones – Another Girl, Another Planet
Formed in London in 1976, The Only Ones were brought together by lead singer and guitarist Peter Perrett, who assembled the band during Punk’s British inception. Despite links to the scene, it would be unjust to label The Only Ones a punk band. Their breadth of influences and level of musicianship set them far apart from the gulf of bands that were hastily formed at this time. While the band released four albums between 1978-1980, the shadow of drug abuse often hung over them; as referenced in the song’s lyrics “I always flirt with death, I look ill but I don’t care about it”. Despite the grim subject matter, the track remains one of the most joyous three minutes ever committed to pop music. Any hidden meanings didn’t put off UK mobile network Vodafone, who used it in a 2006 advert.
The track has been covered by a range of artists including The Replacements, Blink-182 and Babyshambles. Clearly a lasting influence on Pete Doherty, Perrett joined The Libertines onstage in 2004; his first notable public appearance in years. The experience clearly ignited something within the singer, who reformed the original lineup of The Only Ones in 2007. While the band played a handful of new tracks in 2009, but as yet there’s been no word of a new album. As welcome as it would be, it’s unlikely that could ever top this gem.
