As frontman of The Only Ones, Peter Perrett was one of the most captivating singer-songwriters of the mid-to-late 70s. The band only ever released three records, between 1978 and 1980, and Perrett’s career was derailed as addiction took hold. But he has come back roaring creatively in the past few years and released a sprawling double-album titled The Cleansing towards the end of 2024.
It featured guest appearances from Johnny Marr, Fontaines D.C. and Bobby Gillespie but Perrett’s rock’n’roll credentials were already cemented decades ago. In an interview with The New Cue last year, for example, he recalled his encounters with Lou Reed in the early 70s, unwittingly becoming his supplier of hash.
