Nosebleeds, The

Punk band formed in Wythenshawe, Manchester, England in 1976 under the name of Wild Ram. Changed their name to Ed Banger And The Nosebleeds in early 1977 with the following line-up: Edmund 'Ed Banger' Garrity (vocals), Vincent 'Vini' Reilly (guitar), Phillip 'Toby' Tomanov (drums), and Pete Crooks (bass).

In late 1977 Billy Duffy replaced Vini Reilly and Morrissey replaced Ed Banger and subsequently they shortened the group's name to The Nosebleeeds. Ed Banger ended up in a later incarnation of Slaughter and The Dogs while Vini Reilly formed Durutti Column, The. Pete Crooks (2) and Toby Toman continued on as The Nosebleeds.

"Billy knew this guy Morrissey, who ran the New York Dolls Fan Club and wrote lyrics - and got him to join The Nosebleeds, although he had never sung before. The pair of them dumped all the group's old songs and wrote an entirely new set like 'Peppermint Heaven' and 'I Think I'm Ready For The Electric Chair'. The audience was perplexed; it was a strange band!" -Pete Frame, 1989

The Nosebleeds did two gigs one at the Ritz [support to Magazine] and a Rabid Records benefit at the Manchester Polytechnic before dissolving in May of 1978. After the group split up Morrissey went on to form Smiths, The, Toby joined Blue Orchids, and Pete Crooks joined up with Vini Reilly in Durutti Column, The.