IN THE BEGINNING



Who are East 17? What's it all about? How did we get here? Questions, questions; we've been asked 'em all, and answered most of 'em.

Here's the plot. Walthamstow. One bloke, skinny in flesh but fat with ideas, hoped and dreamed and schemed for the chance to spread his word through music. Peace, Love and Understanding. His name is Tony.

A friend of his, with as many muscles as he had girls wanting to squeeze them, heard where his mate was coming from and jumped down from the roofs where he had been slapping up tiles. His name is John.

Then this quiet, moody type - with teeth knocked back in a fight so he doesn't like smiling much - got the call and knew he could dance his dance to it. He even managed a grin. His name is Terry.

Last, but not least, a small geezer, all mouth with trousers to match, bragged to the others that he could sing with as much suss and savvy as he could talk. And he could. His name is Brian.

What else do you want to know? We're East 17. We're an average bunch of blokes from a town like yours and we make music. We sing, we dance. We like clothes, cars, cash. We love women. Anyone could be us, we reckon, but they ain't...

Extracted from 'Peace From The East' by Anthony Mortimer