Major Accident (also known as Accident) is a punk band from the North East of England.
History
Early years Major Accident was originally formed in late 1977 in Darlington.Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie Hits 1980–1989, Cherry Red Books, , p. 140 Their first studio recording came in the early 1980s, when they recorded a single called Terrorist Gang with the B-side "Self Appointed Hero", and an early version of Massacred Melodies, which the band re-recorded in 1981 – this became their first LP. They planned to release "Warboots" from this session and got as far as test pressings before being signed by Step Forward records, home of Chelsea, Sham 69 and the Cortinas amongst others.
The band released their first single, "Mr Nobody", with Step-Forward Records before the release of their first studio LP. A UK tour supporting Chelsea helped promote the release of the record. They had UK Independent Chart hits with singles "Fight To Win" (no. 24) and "Leaders of Tomorrow" (no. 19, featuring drummer Evo, formerly from The Angelic Upstarts and The Blood who went on to form punk influenced thrash and speed metal NWOBHM band Warfare), followed by "Respectable" (featuring "The Big G" – Garteh Jones on drums) all released on the Flicknife Records label, as was the LP A Clockwork Legion, by which time the band's name had been shortened to "Accident". A live album, Tortured Tunes – the Official Bootleg, was released in 1984, reaching no. 24 on the Uk Independent Chart. Around this time the band appeared on BBC2 playing three songs live. American label Toxic Shock released a follow-up album ...Crazy! in 1985, just before the band split up.
1996–2012 Major Accident re-formed in 1996, once again using the full name rather than just "Accident". The re-formation was accompanied by a new studio album, The Ultimate High, released on We Bite Records, with a seven-inch single, Representation Not Reality, which was released in 1999 on Upstart Productions. The band's final release was a split album with Welsh street punks Foreign Legion entitled Cry Of Legion.
Live performances followed, including a night at New York's CBGB in 2001 with a "clockwork punk" theme. The band's activity was sharply curtailed when drummer Laze was involved in a motorcycle accident. They played their final gig around 2012
2025-present Major Accident makes a return to the live performance scene playing a gig at the forum in Darlington.
Clockwork punks Major Accident popularised a punk style of dress based on the costumes worn in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange,Leaders of Tomorrow/Massacred Melodies CD (AHOY CD 27) sleeve notes including bowler hats, white shirts, white trousers and black boots. Fans of the group, and sometimes members of Major Accident themselves, also occasionally wore fishtail coats, though more often they wore black leather biker jackets. The "clockwork punk" style also extended to an appreciation of Ludwig van Beethoven's music, again following the movie's protagonist. Major Accident played the composer's 9th Symphony with guitar, bass and drums in their interpretations The Glorious 9th and The March. Little evidence of any further interest in classical music was shown from the band.
Major Accident's use of A Clockwork Orange imagery is also seen in the sleeve designs on their albums, with their early LPs, CDs and seven-inch singles using stark black and white imagery (though they began to include red after their 1996 reformation), and characters dressed in the Clockwork Orange style. Their final album in 1985 (before their reformation) ...Crazy! depicts a scene from the film, where the protagonist, Alex, is shown strapped into a laboratory chair, his eyes held open with metal clips.
Other 1970s and 1980s Clockwork punk bands include The Adicts (whose version had a more fun, circus-clown emphasis), Die Toten Hosen (who released the themed album Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau), Blitz (who wore some of the dress later in their career) and The Violators who along with Blitz recorded on the 'No Future' record label.
Discography Other versions of these releases also exist on other record labels. Those listed here are the original release versions.
7 inch singles Year of releaseTitleLabelVinyl colour(s)Cat. No.1983 Mr Nobody / That's YouStep-Forward Records Black SF 231983 Fight to Win / FreemanFlicknife RecordsBlack FLS2161983 Leaders of Tomorrow / Breakaway / DayoFlicknife RecordsBlack FLS 0231984 Respectable / The Man on the WallFlicknife RecordsBlackFLS 0261994 Warboots / Terrorist Gang (Unofficial release)Combat RockWhite / BlackCR 0121999 Representation Not Reality / Step By StepUpstart Productions Clear Burgundy Up7001
Studio albums Year of releaseTitleTracksLabelFormatVinyl ColourCat. No.1982Massacred Melodies Schizophrenic / (Standing On The) Sidelines / Last Night / Psycho / People / Terrorist Gang / Warboots / Mr Nobody / Self Appointed Hero / That's You / Brides Of The Beast / Classified Information / Middle Class Entertainment /Clockwork ToysStep-Forward RecordsVinylWhite / BlackSFLP 91984A Clockwork Legion Respectable / Twisted Mind / Affliction / Cue The Dead / Leaders Of Tomorrow / Intro / The March / Sorry / Fight To Win / Bad Company / VendettaFlicknife RecordsVinylBlackSHARP 0161985...Crazy! Crazy / Get Ready / Valerie / Camouflage / Band Played On / Get Ready (Dub) / Bad Co. / Leaders / Sorry / The Man On The Wall / Respectable / Twisted Mind / Cue The DeadToxic Shock Records / Massacred MusicVinylBlack SACRED31996The Ultimate High Wired / The Ultimate High / Better Off Without You / Stay Away From Me / Lies / Your Worst Enemy / Pervert / Nightmare / They're Gonna Kick To Kill / Gang Warfare / Joy Rider / Snap / CrazyWe BiteVinyl / CDBlack WB1-160-1 / WB 1-160-2
Studio split album Year of releaseTitleSplit artistMajor Accident tracksLabelFormatVinyl ColourCat. No.2001Cry Of The LegionForeign LegionOutta Control / Step By Step / Wasted Years / Déjà Vu / Ghost In My House / Representation Not RealityDSSVinyl / CDBlack / White DSS025 / DSS024
Live album Year of releaseTitleTracksLabelFormatCat. No.1984 Tortured Tunes (Live-The Official Bootleg) Cue The Dead / Fight To Win / Brides Of The Beast / Schizo / Freeman / Mr. Nobody / Sorry / Respectable / Bad Company / M.C.E. / Warboots / White Riot / Oxo / Hokey Cokey / Breakaway / Headbanger / Dayo Syndicate RecordsVinyl SYN LP 9
Compilation albums Year of releaseTitleTypeTracksLabelFormatCat. No.1985Pneumatic PneurosisSingles Mr Nobody / Fight To Win / Leaders Of Tomorrow / Respectable / The Glorious 9th / That's You / Freeman / Dayo / Breakaway / The Man On The WallFlicknife RecordsVinylSHARP 0271994Massacred Melodies / A Clockwork LegionTwo albumsSchizophrenic / (Standing On The) Sidelines / Last Night / Psycho / People / Terrorist Gang / Warboots / Mr. Nobody / Self Appointed Hero / That's You / Brides Of The Beast / Classified Information / Middle Class Entertainment / Clockwork Toys / Respectable / Twisted Mind / Affliction / Cue The Dead / Leaders Of Tomorrow / A Clockwork Legion (1. Intro 2. The March) / Sorry (We Can't Help You) / Fight To Win / VendettaCaptain Oi! RecordsCDAHOY CD 271996Crazy / Tortured TunesTwo albumsCrazy / Get Ready / Valerie / Camouflage / Band Played On / Sherwood Rangers / Bad Co. / Leaders / Sorry / The Man On The Wall / Respectable / Twisted Mind / Cue The Dead / Tortured Tunes / Cue The Dead / Fight To Win / Brides Of The Beast / Freeman / Mr. Nobody / M.C.E. / Warboots / White Riot / Hokey Cokey / Breakaway / Headbanger / DayoDojo LimitedCDLOMACD431998Clockwork HeroesBest ofWarboots / Terrorist Gang / Mr. Nobody / That's You / Schizophrenic / Brides Of The Beast / Clockwork Toys / Fight To Win / Freeman / Leaders Of Tomorrow / Dayo / Breakaway / Glorious 9th / Twisted Mind / Cue The Dead / Sorry / Bad Company / Respectable / Man On The Wall / Crazy / Valerie / Band Played On / Sherwood RangersCaptain Oi! RecordsCDAHOY CD 162004The Clockwork DemosDemosTerrorist Gang / Standing On The Sidelines / People Like You / Suzy Is A Headbanger (originally by the Ramones) / Headline Story / That's You / Self Appointed Hero / Black And White / Wasted Life (originally by Stiff Little Fingers) / White Riot (originally by The Clash) / Alternative Ulster (originally by Stiff Little Fingers / Borstal Breakout (originally by Sham 69) / Oxo Song / In The World Today / Blitzkrieg Bop (originally by the Ramones) / Garageland (originally by The Clash) / Crazy / The Radio InterviewCaptain Oi! Records / Durty Mick RecordsCD / Ltd. White VinylAHOY CD 56 / DMR0008-1
Video Year of releaseTitleTracksLabelFormatCat. No.1997Live In Munich '96 Mr Nobody / Crazy / Warboots / Worst Enemy / Respectable / Schizophrenic / Wired / Joyride / Phycho / Fight To Win / The Ultimate High / Bad Company / Cue The Dead / Brides Of The Beast / Last Rough Cause / Leaders Of Tomorrow RFVHS, PAL RF113
Bibliography Burning Britain: The History of UK Punk 1980–1984 by Ian Glasper Cherry Red Books (2004).
References