The Nuclear Socketts formed at King’s Lynn’s NORCAT College in April 1979 and had an unexpected boost when they played at a friend’s party in Snettisham. The host, one Lucinda Goodsell, invited John Peel along and, quirky old bugger that he was, he turned up, resulting in a good deal of local press. Peel championed the band from then on, giving them considerable airplay.
The band released two singles in 1981, the first of which was the ‘Honour Before Glory’ EP, released in January. It made No.1 in the King’s Lynn chart and was so successful that they started their own label Subversive and released records by Reality, European Toys and Section A.
In March, 1981 the band appeared as part of the John Peel Roadshow at Lowestoft College. August saw the release of the ‘Play Loud’ 7″. In the same month the band recorded a John Peel session with ex-Mott The Hoople’s Dale Griffin. Both singles are highly sought after amongst 70s punk collectors and killed-by-death fans.
The band continued to gig but without the assistance of a bigger label folded in 1983.