The Smirks

The Smirks were an English new wave band from Manchester who played from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Although they failed to meet with commercial success, they built a small but loyal base of fans. They are remembered mostly for a quirky vocal style and for a curious campaign Smirks against Travolta, simultaneously a homage and a parody of Rock Against Racism. The Smirks session for the John Peel show was recorded on 19 April 1978 and broadcast a week later.