The debut independent single 'Lovers Of Today' earned them a deal with CBS, where they unleashed the near perfect classic 'Another Girl, Another Planet', which even today sounds contemporary, despite never troubling the UK charts.
With an image that was equal parts glamour (a singer with a Keith Richards hairstyle and a prediliction for leopardskin clothing) and druggy cool (wasted looks and a Lou Reed styled vocal delivery), the Only Ones were darlings of the music press, and their self-titled debut album was well received by critics as a result. Mixing slickly produced glam rock guitars and Perrett's fragile, bitter monotone vocalising lyrics of dysfunctional love affairs, later indie groups such as the House of Love, and rock outfits like Dogs D'Amour would borrow elements of their unique sound, with R.E.M. also naming them as an influence.
'Even Serpents Shine' followed with equally impressive songwriting, but internal arguments and a fall-out with their record label hindered it's commercial progress. The problems continued onto their third album, 'Baby's Got A Gun', which suffered from an incredibly weak production from Colin Thurston, removing the fire of their live performances when the finished tapes were committed to vinyl. In the meantime, Perrett had added guitar and backing vocals to Johnny Thunders classic single 'You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory'.
The resulting drop in sales following these disappointments saw the band dropped from their label, and they soon dissolved. Perrett was by this time a serious heroin addict, and subsequently disappeared from music altogether for ten years, whilst Perry continued mainly as a session musician on other well known artists recordings.
Perrett re-appeared in the early '90's with an official video release of Only Ones footage, and mentioned a desire to re-enter the music business. His wish was granted finally when he formed The One, first taking the stage at Camden Underworld in January 1994. An E.P. and small tour followed, and after another prolonged gap of inactivity, a full length album 'Woke Up Sticky' was released. These releases retained Perrett's dark humour and romanticism, although none of his post-Only Ones efforts have recaptured the dangerous attraction or popularity of his former band.
Meanwhile, a string of Only Ones compilations, live recordings and unreleased studio work have appeared, along with demos of Perrett's pre-Only Ones band England's Glory, proving that interest in their legacy has not yet subsided.
IF YOU LIKED THESE, YOU'LL LIKE THE ONLY ONES: Johnny Thunders, New York Dolls, Marc Bolan/T.Rex, Lou Reed, House of Love, Dogs D'Amour, Hanoi Rocks, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Undertones, The Pretenders, The Replacments.