This Autumn, the two surviving members of (Johnny Thunders &) The Heartbreakers return to the UK, some 35 years after they first arrived from the USA for the 'Anarchy Tour' with the Sex Pistols, Damned & Clash.
WALTER LURE, guitarist, co-frontman and songwriter of many of the 'L.A.M.F.' classic tracks, and BILLY RATH, the bass-player who's recently reappeared after over 25 years out of the music scene, have both announced UK dates.
But although they've played together recently in the USA, their UK dates have been booked separately - coincidentally over consecutive weeks!
BILLY RATH has teamed up with STEVE DIOR, of London Cowboys and The Idols fame, as BILLY RATH'S BROKEN HEARTS. They'll be performing the best of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, The Idols, The London Cowboys & Billy Rath's Street Pirates, on tour here: -
October 2011
20th SWANSEA The Garage SA2 0NP (w/ Sex Pistols Experience)
21st CAERPHILLY Workman's Hall CF83 1NY (w/ Sex Pistols Experience)
22nd LONDON 100 Club W1D 1LL Punk Fest (w/ Sex Pistols Experience)
23rd BRIGHTON The Hydrant BN1 4JF
25th LONDON Archangel Kensington W8 5NP
26th LONDON Boston Arms Tufnell Park N19 5QQ (+ The Skuzzies)
28th MAIDSTONE Hazlitt Arts Centre ME14 1PL (w/ Sex Pistols Experience)
30th BRIDLINGTON Spa Theatre Y015 2QQ (w/ Sex Pistols Experience)
WALTER LURE makes a welcome return to the UK after the smash success of last years shows, his first on these shores in 26 years, here: -
November 2011
3rd NOTTINGHAM The Old Angel NG1 1LG (+ The De Rellas)
4th LONDON The Purple Turtle, Camden NW1 1TN (+ The De Rellas)
5th BIRMINGHAM Actress And Bishop B3 1EH (+ The De Rellas)
In the USA, BILLY RATH has a new band the Street Pirates, with new recordings due out. In a recent interview, he said: "Playing with Walter again was great… fun and powerful! Walter and I talked about getting together again but he has his agenda and I have mine. I put my time and energy into the Street Pirates. We stay in touch, we are friends and may do a few Heartbreaker gigs now and then."
WALTER LURE's 100 Club show last year saw all the original 1977 movers and shakers come out of the woodwork culminating with Sex Pistol Glen Matlock joining Walter and his band for a rendition of Chinese Rocks.
The shows went down a storm with both fans and critics alike. So it makes perfect sense to do it all over again.
More info and tickets on the BILLY RATH shows can be found here: -
http://www.sexpistolsexperience.co.uk/brokenhearts.html
Tickets for the WALTER LURE shows are available here: -
More info on the gigs can be found here: -