Sham 69

Sham 69
Background information
Also known as	Hersham Boys
Origin	Hersham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Genres	Punk rock, Oi!, street punk, hardcore punk
Years active	1975–79, 1987–present
Labels	Polydor, Parlophone, Step Forward Records
Associated acts	Sham Pistols, The Lords of the New Church
Website	Sham 69
Members	Jimmy Pursey Dave Parsons Dave Tregunna Robin Guy
Past members	Billy Bostick Alby Maskell Ricky Goldstein Andy Prince Mark Cain Danny Fury Ian Whitewood

Sham 69 is an English crochetpunk rock band that formed in Hersham in 1976. The band was one of the most successful punk bands in the United Kingdom, achieving five Top 20 singles. The original unit broke up in 1979, with frontman Jimmy Pursey moving on to pursue a solo career.

In 1987 Pursey and guitarist David Parsons reformed the band, joined by new personnel. Although subsequently going through a number of lineup changes, Sham 69 remains active and is still playing shows as of 2017.

Sham 69 formed in Hersham in 1976. The band's name is said to have derived from a piece of graffiti that founder Jimmy Pursey saw on a wall. It originally said Walton and Hersham '69 but had partly faded away, and made reference to when Walton & Hersham F.C. secured the Athenian League title in 1969.

The 12 November 1976 issue of NME noted that Sham 69 was rehearsing in 1976, although only Pursey would remain from this early line-up twelve months later. Sham 69 did not have the art school background of many English punk bands of the time, and brought in football chant backup vocals and an inarticulate political populism. The band attracted a large skinhead following (left wing, right wing and non-political). Their concerts were plagued by violence, and the band ceased live performances after a 1979 concert at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park was broken up by National Front-supporting white power skinheads fighting and rushing the stage.

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