Then there was the end. Alan was first to leave citing the fact that the singer dressing up in a sailors outfit on a stage, filled with party balloons, giving out Bazooka Joe chewing gum was definitely not in the Punk spirit. In addition at that final gig in Strathclyde University when offered a support slot with The Bluebells upstairs on Level 8 the Perfect End manager is quoted as saying, “The Perfect End support no-one.” Andy soon followed and Silent Command was born. Jaime formed Happy the Man, William emigrated to Preston to train as an accountant, and Brian trekked the streets of Glasgow on his own (although he later went to Uni and became a Doctor of Physics).
Next up came the most successful & productive 18 months of the bands career with the arrival of Jaime O’Rourke as vocalist and the introduction of a manager in Dougie Gibson (no relation to Brian). Here was the introduction to the bubble gum sound of Glasgow with the band going in the jangly guitar direction. Perhaps not to the liking of some more punky members of the band but the sold out gigs and the Radio airplay did for a while compensate for this. Again see the Complete History CD to hear these songs.
Perfect End moved from the leafy suburbs of Renfrew to rehearse at the infamous Hellfire Club where they held auditions for the vacant vocalist post. After many tries they asked Lesley who agreed to sing as well as bringing along her trusted saxophone. However after the release of the debut single, Sweet Dreams. C/w Natural Causes, Puppets, she picked up tools & walked out. The single has since become a cult classic. Not only were the songs wonderful but it was recorded at the Hellfire Club & was produced by David Henderson & Jacqueline Bradley.
Their music was a blend of new wave with influences mainly from Gang of Four, Siouxsie & the Banshees, and Joy Division mainly (which was aptly picked up by an eBay sellers description when they sold A Perfect End 7” single for £9.50 recently, “gloomy post punk from Scotland influenced by Siouxsie & Joy Division”). Their debut gig at Renfrew High School in the February that year was an absolute disaster. Both girls went into freeze frame and the gig was then instrumental only. Their second at the Bungalow Bar in Paisley featured the band as a five piece with the new Frances who sang before her sacking for almost a year. Her dulcet tones can be heard on the Complete History CD. A few months before That Bongo was sacked with irreconcilable differences with a Fascist middle class Parent being cited as the reason. Enter from stage left Andrew Frew from Bishopbriggs as the new Rhythm Guitarist.
Six piece guitar band begun by 3 Renfrew school friends, William Bright (guitar), Brian Gibson (bass), & Bongo (guitar, please get in touch & tell us your real name!!!) in December 1979. They recruited two other girls from Renfrew High School to front the band and then placed an advert in Bloggs Record store for a drummer. Along came Alan Fleming from Easterhouse on 3rd January 1980 and so the first incarnation of Perfect End was born.
