About Starjets
Starjets (or "The Starjets") formed in West Belfast in 1976 and included vocalist/guitarist Terry Sharpe, bassist Sean Martin, vocalist/guitarist Paul Bowen, and drummer Liam L'Estrange. They were influenced by bands like the Beach Boys, The Beatles, and the Buzzcocks, and initially performed covers of popular songs. They opened for a range of acts, from the Bay City Rollers to Stiff Little Fingers. After moving to London in 1977 to pursue original material and join the punk scene, they gained a strong live reputation, playing venues like The Marquee and The Venue. This led to a record deal with Epic Records and several singles in 1979, with "War Stories" becoming their highest-charting hit, reaching No. 51 on the UK Singles Chart.
Despite TV appearances and a debut album (God Bless the Starjets), the band struggled commercially. In 1980, they changed their name to Tango Brigade and released a final single, "Donegal", but the band's internal disagreements led to their split later that year, leaving them in debt. Afterward, Sharpe and Gribbin formed The Adventures, achieving success in the 1980s.
The Starjets briefly reunited in 2019, performing a show in Belfast.
Video
The Starjets - War Stories (Top of the Pops 1979)
Comments
Would you like to contribute additional information to the Starjets page?
We can set you up with access to edit this page if you are involved with this artist or are knowledgable about this artist.
Alternatively, if you just have a small tidbit of info to add or a correction to our content, you can just mention it in the comments above.
|