The Ruts were a reggae-influenced British punk rock band, notable for the 1979 Top 10 hit "Babylon's Burning" (picture cover illustrated below left), and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was never a hit but was much played and highly regarded by the noted disc jockey John Peel. Career The band consisted of Malcolm Owen (vocals), Paul Fox (guitar), John "Segs" Jennings (bass) and Dave Ruffy (drums). As part of the People Unite collective based in Southall the band were active in anti-racist causes, and their song "Jah War" is about the Special Patrol Group's violence in Southall in 1979, in which Blair Peach was beaten to death and Clarence Baker was severely injured. The Ruts backed Laurel Aitken on a John Peel session for BBC Radio 1, in April/May 1980. The line-up was Aitken, Fox, Jennings, Ruffy, Owen and Gary Barnacle. Malcolm Owen died from a heroin overdose on 14 July 1980 at the age of 26. Ironically

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z # TAGS