The band was formed in 1976 by T.V. Smith (Tim Smith) and Gaye Advert (Gaye Black). Smith was from the town of Okehampton in mid-Devon and Advert was from Bideford, a small coastal town in North-Devon.
After relocating to London, they recruited guitarist Howard Pickup (Boak) and drummer Laurie Driver (Muscat), and the Adverts were born.
Shortly after the release of "Cast Of Thousands", the band were threatened with lawsuits by former members Pickup and Latter, who objected to the band continuing to use The Adverts name without them.
They split up shortly after the accidental death by electrocution of manager Dempsey. Their last gig was at Slough College on 27 October 1979.
Band members:
T. V. Smith - vocals, guitar
Gaye Advert - bass
Howard Pickup - guitar, vocals
Laurie Driver – drums
and
Rod Latter - drums
Tim Cross - piano, synthesizer
Pickup and Latter were then replaced by Paul Martinez (guitar) and Rick Martinez (drums).
"Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts" is the debut studio album by The Adverts, released in 1978 on Bright Records. The album was reissued in 2002 on The Devils Own Jukebox.
Tracks:
1-5 original album tracks
6 version of Gary Gilmore's Eyes originally intended for a U.S. album
7-9 original album tracks
10 7" No Time To Be 21, released in January 1978 B-side
11-13 original album tracks
14-15 7" One Chord Wonders, released in April 1977
16-17 7" Gary Gilmore's Eyes, released in August 1977
18-19 7" Safety In Numbers, released in October 1977
20-25 recorded live at the Roundhouse, London, in early 1978.
Tracklisting:
1. One Chord Wonders
2. Bored Teenagers
3. New Church
4. On The Roof
5. Newboys
6. Gary Gilmore's Eyes
7. Bombsite Boy
8. No Time To Be 21
9. Safety In Numbers
10. New Day Dawning
11. Drowning Men
12. On Wheels
13. Great British Mistake
14. One Chord Wonders
15. Quickstep
16. Gary Gilmore's Eyes
17. Bored Teenagers
18. Safety In Numbers
19. We Who Wait
20. On Wheels
21. Newboys
22. New Church
23. Gary Gilmore's Eyes
24. Drowning Men
25. No Time To Be 21
VBR ~237K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
The Adverts' "Cast Of Thousands" is their second and final studio album, released in 1979 on RCA Victor. The album was reissued in 2005 on The Devils Own Jukebox.
Tracks:
Disc 1 Cast Of Thousands with two bonus track (11-12): 7" Television's Over, released in November 1978.
Disc 2 The Complete Adverts Radio Sessions:
1-5 John Peel Show 29 April 1977
6-9 John Peel Show 30 August 1977
10-14 John Peel Show 11 September 1978
15-18 John Peel Show 12 November 1979.
In 1997 The Complete Adverts Radio Sessions were released as "The Wonders Don't Care: The Complete Radio Recordings" on Get Back and Burning Airlines.
Tracklisting Disc 1:
1. Cast Of Thousands
2. The Adverts
3. My Place
4. Male Assault
5. Television's Over
6. Fate Of Criminals
7. Love Songs
8. I Surrender
9. I Looked At The Sun
10. I Will Walk You Home
11. Television's Over
12. Back From The Dead
VBR ~269K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
Tracklisting Disc 2:
1. One Chord Wonders
2. Bored Teenagers
3. Gary Gilmore's Eyes
4. Newboys
5. Quickstep
6. We Who Wait
7. New Church
8. Safety In Numbers
9. Great British Mistake
10. Fate Of Criminals
11. Television's Over
12. Love Songs
13. Back From The Dead
14. I Surrender
15. The Adverts
16. I Looked At The Sun
17. Cast Of Thousands
18. I Will Walk You Home
VBR ~251K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
"Live At The Roxy Club" is a live album by The Adverts, released in 1990 on Receiver Records Limited.
This live set is also available as disc 3 on The Roxy London WC2 A Live Punk Box Set and as disc 2 on The Adverts Anthology.
Tracklisting:
1. Safety In Numbers
2. New Boys
3. One Chord Wonders
4. On The Roof
5. New Day Dawning
6. Great British Mistake
7. Bombsite Boys
8. No Time To Be 21
9. Quick Step
10. New Church
11. Bored Teenagers
12. Gary Gilmore's Eyes
VBR ~232K/s 44100Hz Joint Stereo
