{{Short description|UK musical group}} {{hatgrp| {{About|the band|the football team|Partick Thistle F.C.|the American football team|Jacksonville Jaguars}} }} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} {{More citations needed|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = The Jags | image = The Jags.jpg | image_size = | caption = | background = group_or_band | origin = Scarborough, England | genre = Power pop,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jags-mn0000087151/biography|title=Jags - Biography - AllMusic|author=Chris Woodstra|work=AllMusic}}</ref> new wave<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2009/07/31/the-jags-power-goes-pop/|title=The Jags: Power Goes Pop|website=Magnetmagazine.com|date=31 July 2009 }}</ref> | years_active = 1978–1982 | label = Island | associated_acts = | past_members = Nicole Watkinson<br>John Alder<br>Steve Prudence<br>Alex Baird<br>Michael Cotton<br>Patrick O'Toole<br>Neil Whittaker<br>Richard Mazda<br>Barry Graham }}
'''The Jags''' were a British rock band formed in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, in 1978, composed of Nicole Watkinson<ref>24 Hours in A&E "Walk on the Wild Side" Series 17, Episode 6, 2019. Channel 4. ''Watkinson originally used the name 'Nick' during the life of the band but has changed her name to 'Nicole' after coming out as Transgender later in life.''</ref> (vocals), John Alder (guitar/backing vocals), Steve Prudence (bass), firstly Neil Whittaker and then Alex Baird (drums), Michael Cotton (bass/backing vocals) and Patrick O'Toole (piano/keyboard).<ref name="LarkinGE">{{cite book|title=The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music|editor=Colin Larkin|publisher=Guinness Publishing|date=1992|edition=First|isbn=0-85112-939-0|page=1257}}</ref>
A Scarborough-Guildford-Glasgow combo, The Jags marked their signing to Island Records in 1979 with a four-track debut 12” EP ("Back of My Hand" / "Double Visions" / "Single Visions" / "What Can I Do?").<ref name="LarkinGE"/> "Back of My Hand" was described as "simply one of the best records Elvis Costello didn't write".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kbdrecords.com/2010/07/18/the-jags-back-of-my-hand-7/|title=The Jags – Back Of My Hand 7" | Killed By Death Records}}</ref> The song was included on the band's debut album ''Evening Standards'', which was released the following year.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
Starting out in 1978 playing London pubs and college gigs, by 1979 The Jags' sound had moved to jangly power-pop.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
==Career== They signed to Island Records in July 1978 and initially released a four-track EP.<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
On 8 September 1979, the power pop single "Back of My Hand", written by Watkinson and guitarist Alder, entered the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> It had a chart life of 10 weeks and peaked at number 17.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | page= 277}}</ref> "Back of My Hand" was included on their debut album ''Evening Standards'', which was released the following year.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> Their follow-up single "Woman's World" entered the UK chart on 2 February 1980 at number 75 - dropping out the next week.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/>
1981 saw the release of their second, and what proved to be, final album, ''No Tie Like a Present''.<ref name="LarkinGE"/> The Jags disbanded in 1982.
==Discography== ===Albums=== * ''Evening Standards'' (1980) (US No. 205) * ''No Tie Like a Present'' (1981)<ref name="LarkinGE"/>
===Singles=== * "Back of My Hand" (1979) – UK No. 17, US No. 84 * "Woman's World" (1980) – UK No. 75 * "Party Games" (1980) * "I Never Was a Beachboy" (1980)<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> * "Here Comes My Baby" (1981) * "The Sound of G-O-O-D-B-Y-E" (1981)
Only "Back of My Hand" and "Here Comes My Baby" were released in the US.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.glasgowmods.co.uk/2008/06/28/the-jags/ The Jags Sounds Powered By Glasgow Mods Website] Multimedia portal of Mod Life In Scotland *{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2009/07/31/the-jags-power-goes-pop/#more-38967 |title=The Jags: Power Goes Pop |publisher=Magnet Magazine |date=2009-07-31 |accessdate=2020-04-17}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jags, The}} Category:Musical groups established in 1978 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1982 Category:English new wave musical groups Category:English power pop groups Category:Island Records artists Category:Musical groups from North Yorkshire