The Members – Solitary Confinement (1979)

This is a real classic of the punk rock era.

The Members are best known for their immortal “Sound of the Suburbs” single but, for me, this was always the pinnacle of their achievements. Living rather unsatisfactorily myself in London in 1982, this track from the superb “At the Chelsea Nightclub” LP always struck a chord.

Many years later, my eldest son (the novelist and computer game author, Oli Smith) became a good friend of Nicky Tesco (the lead singer of The Members) and made his dad’s day by getting Nicky to sign a copy of the artwork for the Chelsea Nightclub CD. How much would that be worth on Ebay now ….. £10, £11 .. go on, name your price, I dare you.

Living in a bedsit

Travelling on a tube train

Working all day long

And you know no one

So you don’t go out 

And you eat out of tins

And you watch television

Solitary confinement ……

Three versions. First the extended LP version (start here), then the video for the single and, finally, a live version from 1979.

 

Living in a