Depressions

Biography

One of the leading lights of the late-'70s mod revival in the months before it became a media free-for-all, the Depressions formed in Brighton in 1976, with a repertoire cast firmly in the mold of old Who, Small Faces, and Motown classics. Lining up as Dave Barnard (vocals, bass), Frank Smith (guitar), Eric Wright (guitar), and Ozzy Garvey (drums), the Depressions witnessed the rise of the similarly influenced Jam, and were soon attracting attention on the London scene. They ended up signing with Slade manager Chas Chandler's Barn label and released their debut single in late 1977, the superlative "Living on Dreams."

Tours with the Motors, the Steve Gibbons Band, and labelmates Slade brought the Depressions further acclaim, while their debut album, The Depressions, also ranks among 1978's most electrifying releases. After a fairly convincing flirtation with the punk sound, the group's earliest influences were returning to the fore, while the bandmembers' attempts to distance themselves further from punk reached a head at a show in Preston, when an audience member was killed during a fight. Smith quit the band immediately after that; the group itself changed its name to the DPs. With Tony Mayberry now on guitar, the DPs released one further album, If You Know What I Mean, but the heart had gone out of the band. They broke up in early 1979 -- just as the musical scene they did so much to ferment began to emerge into the mainstream. ~ Dave Thompson, All Music Guide