Monday 22 March 2021

Louise Wright - The Partisans

Louise Wright is a punk rock bass player who played in the Welsh punk rock band The Partisans from 1979 to 1983. The band formed in Bridgend, South Wales, in early 1978, when all four members were in their early teens.

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

The original line-up of Phil Stanton (vocals), Rob "Spike" Harrington (guitar and vocals), Andy Lealand (guitar), Mark "Shark" Harris (drums), and Mark "Savage" Parsons (bass guitar). Parsons and Stanton left in 1979, with Harrington moving to lead vocals, and Louise Wright joining on bass. 

 

 

 

 


 






Influenced by Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones, the band started off covering punk rock hits and soon started to compose their own material. They were the second band signed to Chris Berry's No Future Records label, and their debut release, the double A-sided "Police Story" / "Killing Machine" was released on 28 September 1981. It reached No. 5 on the UK Indie Chart, on the back of a tour with label-mates Blitz, and with strong support from Sounds writer Garry Bushell. Following the success of this single, The Partisans were included on the third volume of Bushell's Oi! compilation series Carry On Oi!, which reached No. 60 on the UK Albums Chart, and won the band gig slots with Blitz, Peter and the Test Tube Babies and The Ejected, as well as a 'No Future' night at London's Zig Zag Club with Red Alert, The Lombardos, and Peter and the Test Tube Babies. 











The band released its second single, "17 Years of Hell", on 27 May 1982, peaking at No. 2 on the Indie Chart. This was followed by their self-titled debut LP, released in February 1983. It hit No. 5 in the Indie Chart and No. 1 in the Punk Chart, amid considerable critical acclaim from the national press and the underground fanzine culture. After the departure of Louise Wright, the remaining members relocated to Bayswater in west London, with new bassist Dave Parsons to relaunch the band. They split up in 1984 but then re-formed in the late 1990s.