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Cockney Rebel was a British rock band formed in 1972 by singer/songwriter and guitarist Steve Harley. The group is best known for their 1975 hit single “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me),” which had been released after Harley broke up the original Cockney Rebel lineup and pieced together a new version of the band that he re-named Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel. Steve’s journey with Cockney Rebel began when he formed a busking duo with violinist John Crocker. The two musicians went on to play folk clubs and bars before forming Cockney Rebel together in 1972. Advertising for other musicians, they were joined by Stuart Elliott (drums), Paul Jeffreys (bass) and Nick Jones (guitar), playing their first gig at The Roundhouse supporting the Jeff Beck Group. Abandoning electric guitar, they achieved some success in Europe (though not the UK) with their first single, “Sebastian,” and debut album The Human Menagerie (1973). Both releases cemented their growing following and reputation. Second single “Judy Teen” was a major hit, followed by a best-selling album The Psychomodo (1974) and another hit with “Mr. Soft.” Internal tension within the band led to Crocker quitting to concentrate on bluegrass music. Steve Harley put together a new version of the band – along with original drummer Stuart Elliott – and re-named them Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel, leaving no doubt on who was the leader of the group. They achieved their biggest hit in 1975 with the million-selling “Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me),” which also gave them their breakthrough in America. The group then split in 1977 when Harley relocated to America and launched a solo career. Steve Harley re-formed the group in 1989 for a tour and they have sporadically continued to put together different Cockney Rebel line-ups for occasional gigs. Chiefly focused on his solo career, Steve Harley was sidelined – along with the rest of the world – when a planned tour was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He resumed touring in 2021 and continued performing until October 2023, when he cancelled shows due to health issues. At the end of 2023, he announced that he had cancer. Steve Harley died on March 17, 2024, at the age of 73.
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