Sham 69 singer Tim V told me early on that this would be "an explosive interview." Thanks to hugely informative conversations with Tim and Neil, I now understand the long and complicated history of Sham just a little bit better. I hope this interview will help you see past all of the smoke and mirrors and get a glimpse of who these guys really are.

Hey Neil, thanks for doing this interview. Can you please tell us about the early days of Sham 69?

Well its a pleasure. At the time I was just a wandering muso and we were kids from the burbs and I went to school with Jimmy so we already knew each other. It was after Jimmy who at the time had a mime band at the Walton Hop and they played along to Bay City Roller songs and he wanted to go for it for real. We all got together and after sitting on the street we decided to call ourselves SHAM 69. At the time it was me Jimmy, Albie, Steve and Jon Goode and it was from there that we did various gigs in Surrey and London. We built up and very good following and a big core of people form the Eastend of London. It was an exciting time as we knew something was in the wind.

When and why did you originally leave the band?

Well it was like many things a double cross and what you guys say in the US we got screwed. It was when we was on the brink of getting signed Jimmy decided to leave the band and he walked out saying he didn't want to do SHAM 69 anymore and he was gonna form a new band and a new name. It was only a few weeks later that we realized that he had got a new line up and signed a deal...we was all shocked and gutted, needless to say Jimmy had a bag for of sorrow for us and we moved on and I helped out with roadie work...but that didn't last long.

Tim V told me that you played him tapes of songs like "Borstal Breakout" from 1975, two years before Dave Parsons joined. What did it feel like to hear your songs on albums that you weren't credited for?

Well its not just me all the original guys had played that song and when we heard that it had been re-credited we was all pissed off, its like many things in those days when your young and naive you don't think business your just think betrayal and hurt..god if I had the second chance. Like the rest of the guys we just feel let down..

Tim also told me that your daughter reached out to him and told him that you were the original songwriter for Sham. Did you know she sent him that message at the time?

Well yes she told me that Tim had been in touch and as such we met up, but it was mainly brought about after Jimmy had decided to reform SHAM 69. This was a farce for me as Tim and Dave Parsons and the drummer Ian had already reformed the band 6 years earlier after Dave Parsons and Ian had sacked Pursey. I felt sorry for Tim and Ian as they had single handily saved SHAM 69 form the gutter where Jimmy had driven it. My beef was the fact that they were billing themselves as the original 77 line up when in fact they are not..Treganna, and Parsons weren't even in the band until mid 77 and we had already been performing from 75 to 77.

What was it like the first time you met with Tim?

I was very hesitant of him naturally as I admit when I heard about Jimmy being sacked I was upset but in a way I could understand why they had and now I have heard and scene things from many people I really do understand. Tim is a very passionate man and he never doesn't do anything he doesn't believe in. Having now worked with Tim and the others I can see how their minds work and just how sincere and genuine they really are. I do get very angry when I see people who are blind to the truth and just don't see through the Jimmy Pursey facade, because its not what it seems or looks. I'm glad to be back in the band and feel its like a form of justice.

What did you do between the two different Sham 69 lineups that you've been in? Were you in any other bands?

Yes I went on to perform in a band called Bobalouis and we was pencilled to sign for Warner Brothers but it never lasted...but it was good fun...I believe you can see a couple of the old tracks on You Tube. Since then I have played a few gigs here and there but only for fun. I spent most of my years being a single parent and so now I'm free and back on the road.

Tim says that you guys have instituted a policy of collective songwriting these days. How is that dynamic working out for you?

Well yes its something that Tim had in place when they wrote their last album Who Killed Joe Public, so it's a good thing. We work well on this plan and we all have great ideas..its good as now we are working on the new album and that should be out by the end of this year.

You guys have a diverse pallet of influences, but your fans sometimes expect the same kinds of songs you wrote in the mid 70s. How do you keep a balance between experimenting with new styles and staying true to your roots?

haha...well it just gels and I think it's with Tim's special sprinkle we always seem to end up with something exciting. It doesn't matter where we are be it having a cup of tea or in a hotel room on the road but we come up with a blinding tune. So yes I don't think we allow personal likes to cloud things too much and getting along really great helps.

How big of a burden is it to still be confused with Jimmy Pursey's lineup, especially after his sex offender case? As a father yourself, it must have been difficult to hear that.

Well that's a delicate issue as it only came to light when Jimmy was going to the US to do some shows with his line up and the organization USPOC launched a campaign against his entry into the US. All the PR that generated kicked back on us as many people still didn't know that the band had been without Pursey for the last 6 years. Most people this side of the water knows the facts and have been supporting the Tim V line up for the last 6 years both in the UK and throughout the world. Most people don't care and will go and see both but I think many now just prefer Tim's version.

What would you say to fans who only accept the Pursey-fronted Sham 69 lineup as the real thing?

Well, see through the idolism and listen to music that's performed with sincerity and not by people who do it for profit.

Would you come to the US more readily if authorities weren't confusing the two lineups?

yes we would and I know the bands film was recently premiered in the US so I'm sure in time people will relent, but again its got to the stage that we believe in being real and straight and if people in the US cant handle that then of course we won't come...sad but true. You will always get some who hate and some who love you, that's life.

Going forward with Sham 69, do you think it's essential that fans understand the band's history?

Absolutely! I think that's very important not just with bands but with anything Politics the most. You must never just be a follower you must believe in what you listen to and what you wear!

Tim was telling me that he wanted to do a Sham 69 family tree on one of the album inserts in the future. What do you think of that idea? Could that be something you include on the next album?

Its a great idea and will be done.

What keeps you excited about this lineup and the future of Sham 69?

Well I'm kicking my heels and I have been on a 2 tours so far and loving every minute.

Thanks again for this interview, Neil! Any final comments or words of wisdom?

Just be true to yourselves and don't believe everything you read..look deeper into things. Punk Globe would like to thank Neil Harris for the very informative interview...