Rick Kids. l-r New, Matlock, Egan, Ure.
Rich Kids were a new wave/power-pop band based in London, founded in 1977 by Glen Matlock following his departure from Sex Pistols, with singer and guitarist Midge Ure (formerly of pop outfit Slik), drummer Rusty Egan, plus guitarist Steve New. They released one album and three singles during their relatively short existence, from March 1977 to December 1978. The band allegedly split over musical differences during the recording of their second album as Ure and Egan wanted to integrate a synthesiser into their sound. These two members would later go on to help form the Visage project, while Ure would also later replace John Foxx as frontman of Ultravox. In January 2010 the Rich Kids reformed, for one night only, for a benefit concert for Steve New who was fighting terminal cancer and died in May 2010.
Links to Peel[]
Peel would have become aware of Rich Kids via the Glen Matlock-Sex Pistols connection. Typically he invited the band in for a session before they had signed to a label. Both single and album tracks eventually gained several plays both from Peel and Paul Gambaccini while standing in on the show in September 1978. Gambaccini played three tracks in a row from the band on one programme and also repeated their second session. After the band split up, Matlock formed Jimmy Norton's Explosion. Ure played a short stint with Thin Lizzy, and had already co-written 'Get Out of Here' a track on the 1979 Black Rose album, heavily featured by Peel. He also co-wrote the track 'Yellow Pearl' with Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, which was used as the Top of the Pops theme in Peel's years as presenter. Rusty Egan joined Skids for a short time in 1979 and played on their album Days in Europa, produced by Bill Nelson, which also received considerable Peel airtime.
Sessions[]
Two sessions. Official releases: John Peel Session digital EPs 31 October 1977 and 20 March 1978. Track 'Rich Kids' from #1 on Various Artists, Winters of Discontent: The Peel Sessions 77-83 CD, 1991 (Strange Fruit, SFRCD 204).
Rich Kids - Peel Session 1977
1. Recorded 1977-10-31. First broadcast 07 November 1977. Repeated 29 November 1977, 02 September 1986.
- Young Girls / Rich Kids / Burnin' Sounds / Bullet Proof Lover
2. Recorded 1978-03-20. First broadcast 03 April 1978. Repeated 18 May 1978 and 07 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini).
- Ghosts Of Princes In Towers / Lovers And Fools / Empty Words / Here Comes The Nice
Other shows played[]
- 1977
- 21 December 1977: Bulletproof Lover (session track from selected best sessions of the year)
- 1978
- 06 January 1978: Rich Kids (7") EMI EMI 2738
- 09 February 1978: Rich Kids (7") EMI EMI 2738
- 10 August 1978: Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (7") EMI EMI 2848
- 21 August 1978: Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (7") EMI EMI 2848
- 29 August 1978: Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (LP) EMI EMC 3263
- 31 August 1978: Burning Sounds (LP) EMI EMC 3263
- 04 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini): Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (7") EMI EMI 2848
- 06 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini): Burning Sounds (LP) EMI EMC 3263
- 06 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini): Strange One (LP) EMI EMC 3263
- 06 September 1978 (Paul Gambaccini): Marching Men (7") EMI EMC 3263
- 13 September 1978: Strange One (LP) EMI EMC 3263
- 25 September 1978: Young Girls (LP) EMI EMC 3263
- 1994
- 16 September 1994: Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (7") (?) EMI EMI 2848
- 24 September 1994 (BFBS): Ghosts Of Princes In Towers (LP) EMI EMC 3263