PERFECT CRIME

Perfect Crime were formed on the north coast in summer 1981 by Gregory Grey from Ballinamore County Antrim. At the time Grey was a member of Rosetta Stone (then signed to Private Stock Records), returning to Ireland to work on separate projects. Rodney Orpheus from Venus in Furs had suggested to Grey that he should consider auditioning Pete Kerr as a drummer for the band. Kerr, who had previously drummed with Grip, got the gig and subsequently recommended Donal Boyle (Guitar) and George Nelson (Bass) to Grey and Perfect Crime were formed. Grey, still a member of Rosetta Stone, went to Germany in July 1981 to record a television appearance to promote Rosetta Stone's then current single "Guitar Man", returning to Ireland where he spent the rest of the summer rehearsing with The Perfect Crime. Grey recalled the formation on Perfect Crime on his Mary Cigarettes Blog on 16th May 2003 in his “King Schitt of fuck mountain....memoirs continued’ “It’s 1981, and after five years away from the place, I’m now back in Northern Ireland with the intent of forming a new band with myself centre stage as King Schitt of my own fuck mountain. No one could tell me to loosen up. I was just on too much of a mission with too much to prove. For a while, there was a honeymoon. My plan was to get keen young players. It didn’t matter how inexperienced they were, they just had to kick arse, which they did beautifully.” The Perfect Crime played their debut gig on 21st August 1981 in Spuds, Portstewart (Above image © John Campbell was taken at this show), playing support to The Mighty Shamrocks and soon after taking up weekly residency at Spuds and then supporting Orchestral Manoeuvre's in The Dark during their 1981 Architecture and Morality Tour. In early 1982 Perfect Crime recorded a 6 track demo at Clive Culbertson’s No Sweat Studios. Tracks recorded included: "Fast Life Neon Ice", "No One Needs To Run With Me", "Somebody, Somewhere Understands You", 'Smile Tonite' and "Who We Are".  "Fast Life Neon Ice" was played by Dave Fannings RTE Radio programme. The major labels were beginning to show an interest in The Crime and it was rumoured that Tam Paton (Manager of the Bay City Rollers) had also shown a keen interest in the band. During 1982, Grey impressed the need for the band to relocate to London and it was at this time that Kerr left, to be replaced by Colin Mairs. Pete Kerr “I was a sorta punk crash, bang wallop drummer so when I left the band it gave the others the opportunity to explore more funkier grooves, the whole scene was becoming very Duran Duran'ish which suited the way that Gregory wanted to take the band”. The band then signed both management and recording deals in late 1982 and during 1983 toured both on their own, and as support to The Eurythmics, The Talking Heads, Paul Young,  and appearing at what Simple Minds Jim Kerr described as "the gig of the decade"at U2's "A Day At The Races" Concert in Phoenix Park August 1983 (see images in slide show c/o Fran McCloskey). Perfect Crime released 2 singles on MCA Records, "Brave" (1983) and "I Feel Like An Eskimo" 1984 (see below for an appearance on TV show Razzmatazz broadcast on 25th January 1984). I Feel Like an Eskimo got reviewed in the NME by Ulster man Gavin Martin who said “If Gregory Gray feels like an Eskimo, he should fuck off to the antarctic and find one”. Gregory later commented on his blog “ On reflection, that’s hilarious and most deserving”. The band split in 1985, Grey continuing as a solo performer and Boyle and Nelson forming "Uncertain Trumpet".  George Nelson died tragically in a road accident on 10th March 1989 returning from a gig in Belfast. Frontman Gregory Gray aka Mary Cigarettes passed away on 25th April 2019, aged 59. If anyone has any further photographs of this band, then please DO get in contact via spit77to82@aol.com

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