Two bands from the second wave of punk  stand head and shoulders above all others and who gave hope that punk wasn't dead with the Pistols splitting and The Clash going stateside. First is those perennial favourites led by Manuel Vaderer i.e. The UK Subs and the second was The Ruts. Both bands specialised in chuggy, beefed up punk sounds but at the same time, extremely melodic and catchy toons. Both had TOTP appearances. The Ruts however were more complex musically and lyrically. 

The Ruts like so many were born out of a pub rock band. This one was called Hit & Run that Dave Ruffy & Paul Fox played in. Ruffy was on bass, Paul on Guitar and Paul Mattock was on drums. Malcolm Owen a friend went with them on August 1977 to a rehearsal in Rotherhithe as a singer without knowing if he could sing!! Something clicked and 4 songs came out of it.  Rich Bitch, Lobotomy, I Ain't Sofisticated and Out Of Order. 

"I was really delighted when punk happened...I was into a lot of jazz...George Duke, Weather Report, Stanley Clarke...I never play them at all now. I was a regular at The Vortex. I used to be tied up in all sorts of...(bondage gear). I just totally went along with it. And it turned me on so much 'cause it was so energetic." Malcolm Owen 14.7.79 NME

Thankfully not naming the band Malcolm and The Skulking Loafers they set upon the short and simple 'The Ruts'. When Paul Mattock (a soul music fan at heart) left Vince Segs, a Hit & Run Roadie, joined on bass and Dave Ruffy moved to the drums. The Ruts classic line up was complete.

Paul Fox - Guitar. Malcolm Owen - Vocals. Vince Segs - Bass. David Ruffy - Drums. 

A tape of demos got no interest from the record companies so The Ruts got down to playing. With a set list of originals comprising a very fluid reggae punk blend bar suprisingly one -  Eat Your Heart Out - given to the band by Phil Lynott of Thin Lizzy but subsequently dropped and never recorded.  

"We gigged solidly in the RAR clubs with bands like Misty...We played gigs like that for a year with virtually nothing else...they were giving us gigs when noone else was. 
Malcolm Owen NME 24.3.79.

Bottom image courtesy of Phillipe Carly