The Boys

The Boys formed in London in 1976 and were among the earliest bands signed during the first wave of British punk, releasing records on NEMS and later Safari. Their line-up drew on members with earlier band experience, and their songs paired the speed and brevity of punk with melodies closer to 1960s beat groups and mid-70s power pop.

Alongside their own catalogue they recorded Christmas albums under the alias The Yobs, a sideline that became something of a tradition. Songs such as "First Time" remain the best-known items in a body of work that has been steadily reissued and cited by later pop-punk bands.