The Partisans are a punk band formed in early 1978, with an original line-up of Phil Stanton (vocals), Rob "Spike" Harrington (guitar and vocals), Andy Lealand (guitar), Mark "Shark" Harris (drums), and Mark "Savage" Parsons (bass guitar). Parsons and Stanton left in 1979, with Spike moving to lead vocals, and Lealand's girlfriend Louise Wright joining on bass. Influenced by the likes of the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Ramones, the band started off covering punk rock hits and soon started to compose their own material.