Cockney Rejects bring East End ruck to Seattle

Jeff and Mick Geggus kick it into gear in Seattle. (All Andy photos except where noted.)

By Andy

Thirty years later, and it finally happened.

It was time to ruck with the Cockney Rejects.

In August of 1985, my old band Sorex was booked to play with the East End of London stalwarts in San Jose, Calif. We were amped to make the trek from our hometown of Redondo Beach and give it a go with one of our favorite bands. However, the Rejects canceled the gig after getting an unfavorable response at their show at the Olympic Auditorium in LA (I didn't attend) since they were playing more rock/blues-styled numbers at that time. I wouldn't have cared less... to share the stage with brothers Mick Geggus and Jeff Geggus (aka Stinky Turner) would have been an honor.

So... here we were on Friday night at El Corazon in Seattle and the Rejects tore through a 20-song set of punk rippers (with a dash of rock to boot) --- we were chuffed, as they say in Britain.

Jeff sang his guts out and shadowboxed his way all over the stage, Mick gave his guitar a solid workout and bassist Tony Van Frater and drummer Andrew Laing glued it all together like it was the late '70s all over again.

The energy level was still so high at the end that Jeff (an original member along with Mick) -- fit as a fiddle and with the adrenaline pumping -- seemed to not want the set to finish. Hopefully, we'll get more Rejects someday. Cheers, guys!

Neil Rogers photo.

Neil Rogers photo with your author singing on the right, "Flares n' Slippers." With friends Christina and Simon.

Flier from canceled San Jose gig in 1985.