The Jolt

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The Jolt were a Scottish band from Wishaw, formed in September 1976. The original members were Robbie Collins (guitar and vocals), Jim Doak (bass and vocals), and Iain Shedden (drums). They started by playing 1960s covers, then sped up into punk and power pop. Collins and Doak were civil service clerks, and Shedden was a music journalist. They built a local following at the Crown Hotel in Wishaw and later moved to London to sign with Polydor Records, a four-year deal worth about £90,000, making them the first Scottish punk/new wave act signed to a major label.

Their first single, All I Can Do, came out in September 1977, followed by a cover of Small Faces’ “Whatcha Gonna Do About It” in April 1978. Their self-titled debut album appeared in July 1978 but did not do well. After the album, they added a second guitarist, Kevin Kay.

The Jolt opened for bands such as The Jam, The Saints, Generation X, and The Motors. Paul Weller of The Jam was a big fan, and the two bands often collaborated. Weller even wrote the song “See Saw” for The Jolt, released in June 1979 on the EP Maybe Tonight. However, The Jolt were seen as a poor copy of The Jam, and they split soon after. They are considered early precursors of the mod revival, which became strong around 1979.