The Bollock Brothers are a British band formed in 1979 by the London promoter, DJ and manager Jock McDonald. They are best known for their English-language cover of

Serge Gainsbourg Serge Gainsbourg (; born Lucien Ginsburg; 2 April 1928 – 2 March 1991) was a French singer-songwriter, actor, composer, and director. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provocative rel ...

's song "Harley David (Son of a Bitch)" (originally in French) and Alex Harvey's "Faith Healer". As well as being known for their original songs "Horror Movies", "The Bunker", "The Legend of the Snake" and "The Slow Removal of the Left Ear of

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...

" which featured

Martin Glover Martin Glover (born 27 December 1960), better known by his stage name Youth, is a British musician and record producer, best known as a founding member and bassist of the rock band Killing Joke. He is also a member of The Fireman (band), the Fir ...

of the band

Killing Joke Killing Joke were an English rock music, rock band formed in Notting Hill, London, in 1979 by Jaz Coleman (vocals, keyboards), Paul Ferguson (drums), Geordie Walker (guitar) and Youth (musician), Youth (bass). Their first album, ''Killing Joke ...

, they are known for their release of cover versions by artists

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...

, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Steppenwolf,

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and

Vangelis Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou (, ; 29 March 1943 – 17 May 2022), known professionally as Vangelis ( ; , ), was a Greek musician, composer, and producer of electronic, progressive, ambient, and classical orchestral music. He composed ...

, among others. Their 1983 electro version of the Sex Pistols' album '' Never Mind the Bollocks'' featured Michael Fagan, the man who entered the Queen's bedchamber at

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

. Jimmy Lydon, brother of Johnny Rotten, was a featured vocalist for a short period in the early 1980s. In 1994, Croydon-based DJ Andy Hubbard aka, "Alby" remixed "Faith Healer" at the Alaska Studios in Waterloo, London.The record was never released and the original DAT copy was held by Jock McDonald. Andy Hubbard also replaced the original keyboard player for a gig later that year in

Wuppertal Wuppertal (; ) is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany, with a population of 355,000. Wuppertal is the seventh-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and List of cities in Germany by population, 17th-largest in Germany. It ...

, Germany. Having released nine studio albums as well as other EPs, singles, live releases and compilations, the band continues to play music throughout Europe primarily in Belgium, Germany and France. The current members are Jock McDonald (vocals), Chris McKelvey (guitar), Richard Collins (bass), Klaus Fiehe, Patrick Pattyn (drums) Ciaran Crossan (guitar) and Morgan Michaux (keyboard). Their album ''Last Will & Testament'' (2009) was dedicated to their longtime keyboard player "Big Mark" Humphries, who died on 31 March 2008.

Discography

Studio albums

* ''The Last Supper'' ( Charly) March 1983 * ''Never Mind the Bollocks'' 1983 (Charly) August 1983 * ''The 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (Charly) 1985 * ''The Prophecies of Nostradamus'' (Blue Turtle) December 1987 * ''Mythology'' (Blue Turtle) February 1989 * ''The Dead Sea Scroll''s ( SPV) September 1991 (as the Famous B. Brothers) * ''Blood, Sweat and Beers'' (GUN) July 1996 * ''Last Will and Testament'' (MBC) March 2009

Live albums

* ''Live Performances'' (Charly) January 1984 * ''In Private in Public'' (Charly) December 1986 (as the Famous Bollock Brothers) * ''Live & Dangerou''s (MBC) March 2012 * ''10 in a Row, Here We Go'' – Live at Coesfeld Fabrik (EmuBands), September 2013

Singles

* "One of the Lads" (

Island An island or isle is a piece of land, distinct from a continent, completely surrounded by water. There are continental islands, which were formed by being split from a continent by plate tectonics, and oceanic islands, which have never been ...

) November 1979 (as 4" Be 2") * "Frustration" ( WEA) 27 June 1980 (as 4" Be 2") * "The Bunker" (McDonald Lydon, re-released 1983 by Charly) October 1980 * "Good Old Arsenal (AFC)" November 1980 (as the Sex Bristols) * "Why Won't Rangers Sign a Catholic?" (no label) 1980 (as Pope Paul and the Romans) * "The Act Became Real" (McDonald and Lydon) February 1981 * "All of the Lads" (McDonald and Lydon) March 1981 (as 4" Be 2") * "We'll Be There" (McDonald and Lydon) May 1981 (as Rabbie Burns + the Ticket Touts) * "The Slow Removal of Vincent van Gogh's Left Ear" (Charly) October 1982 * "Dracs Back" (Magnet, re-released 1983 by Charly) 1982 (as Red Lipstique) * "Oscar Wilde" (Charly) 1983 (as Red Lipstique) * "Horror Movies" (Charly) March 1983 (as the B.B.s) * "Are You Durty" (Charly) 1983 (as Jock McDonald's Indecent Exposure Show) * "God Save the Queen" (Charly) July 1983 (as Michael Fagan and the Bollock Brothers) * "Shame, Shame, Shame" (Charly Disco International) October 1983 (as Red Lipstique) * "The Prince and the Showgirl" (InDisc) October 1984 * "Legend of the Snake" (Charly/Green Line) 1985 (as the Famous B. Brothers) * "Dracs Back" (Charly) 1986 (as the Famous Bollock Brothers) * "Faith Healer" (Charly) 1986 (as the Bollock Brothers) * "Return of the Vampyre" (McDonald Bros Corp) 1986 (split 12" single with Sex Pistol]) * "Harley David (Play It Again Sam)" January 1987 * "God Created Woman" (Blue Turtle) January 1988 * "Brigitte Bardot" (Blue Turtle) January 1988 * "Don't Call Us, We Call You" (SPV) May 1992 * "My Way" (GUN) 1995 * "Where Is My Girl" (GUN) 1996 * "Cyber Polaroid" (MBC, mail order only) October 2005 (as the Bollock Brothers feat. Lolita) * "The French Connection" feat. Le Hand of Le Frog (MBC) 2010

Compilation albums

* ''D Wing'' (''UD'', Japanese Bootleg) 1981 (as 4" Be 2") *'' Bollock Brothers, Bollock Sisters'' (Konexion Records) 1986 * 77-'78-'79'' (MBC Records) 1986 * ''Family Album'' (MBC Records) November 1986 (as The Lydons and The O'Donnells) * ''14 Carat Gold - The Best Of The Bollock Brothers'' (SPV Records) May 1993 * ''The Best Of The Bollocks'' (Charly Schallplatten) 1994 * ''Dancin' Masters (Past & Present)'' (MBC Records) 1994 * ''The Sex Pistols Vs. The Bollock Brothers'' (MBC Records) 1996 (split CD with

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

) * ''What A Load Of Bollocks!'' (MBC Records) January 2000 * ''25th Anniversary'' (MBC Records) August 2001 * ''Jesus Lives'' (MBC Records) October 2001 * ''Twice The Balls'' (Recall Records) August 2002 * ''Ladykillers'' (MBC Records) March 2007

VHS videos

* ''Home Video'' (MBC Films) 1986 * ''Live In Europe'' (MBC Films) 1987 * ''Home Video & Live In Europe'' 2xVHS Boxset (MBC Films)

References

Bibliography

External links

AllMusic listingYouTube videosTrouser Press article
{{Authority control English rock music groups Musical groups established in 1979