Gene October (born John O'Hara; 19 June 1953)[1] is a British singer and songwriter who was a formative figure in London's punk rock movement in the late 1970s, fronting the band Chelsea.[2]
Music career
Prior to becoming involved in the punk movement, October had modelled clothing for designer Antony Price and appeared as a nude model for Jeffrey Magazine, an early British gay publication. October is gay.[3] He was employed at Acme Attractions, a clothing store on King's Road, Chelsea, London.[4]
The band's repertoire at this time consisted primarily of cover versions of 1960s songs by the Beatles and Rolling Stones, but they broke up after only a few weeks and a handful of live performances due to a clash of personalities. Idol, James, and drummer John Towe left October onstage during a live gig, eventually forming Generation X.[6] In early 1977, October assembled a new line-up of Chelsea, which released numerous records and sustained many personnel changes.
Later, he briefly managed a club named Revolution No.9 and was employed as an A&R man for Miles Copeland III's I.R.S. Records. From the mid-1980s to the 1990s, he was a solo artist, releasing two singles and a 1995 album titled Life and Struggle. Since 1999, he has intermittently recorded and toured with Chelsea, including their 40th anniversary tour in 2016.[7]
October also acted in two films produced and directed by Derek Jarman. In Jubilee, he played the character Happy Days, and in Caravaggio, he appeared as a fruit-eating model. También aparece entrevistado en el Documental sobre Billy Idol "Should be Dead" (2025), dirigido por Jonas Akerlund.
