▁Ch else a ▁as ▁its ▁bass ist , ▁the ▁group ▁included ▁William ▁Broad ▁( a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁B rom ley ▁Cont ing ent ) ▁on ▁guitar , ▁John ▁T owe ▁on ▁drums ▁and ▁Gene ▁October ▁as ▁its ▁front man / le ad ▁singer . ▁After ▁a ▁few ▁weeks ▁and ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁support ▁gig s ▁in ▁London ▁and ▁Manchester , ▁James ▁and ▁Broad ▁part ed ▁company ▁with ▁Gene ▁October ▁over ▁a ▁lack ▁of ▁personal ▁chem istry , ▁which ▁October ▁reci proc ated ▁the ▁sentiment ▁of , ▁and ▁depart ed ▁taking ▁John ▁T owe ▁with ▁them ▁to ▁form ▁another ▁new ▁band ▁which ▁they ▁named ▁Generation ▁X . ▁Broad ▁renamed ▁himself ▁with ▁the ▁performance ▁punk ▁pseud onym ▁" B illy ▁Id ol " ▁as ▁he ▁switched ▁from ▁the ▁guitar ist ' s ▁role ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁singer / front man ▁on ▁the ▁rec ruit ment ▁of ▁Bob ▁" Der wood " ▁Andrew s ▁as ▁its ▁lead ▁guitar ist . ▁▁ ▁Generation ▁X ▁played ▁their ▁first ▁gig s ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁and ▁swift ly ▁began ▁writing ▁their ▁own ▁material ▁and ▁playing ▁live ▁in ▁ven ues ▁around ▁London ▁and ▁further ▁af ield . ▁After ▁five ▁months ▁T owe ▁was ▁dropped ▁from ▁the ▁group ' s ▁formation ▁at ▁James ' s ▁inst ig ation , ▁and ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁drum mer ▁Mark ▁La ff , ▁to ▁complete ▁the ▁line - up ▁that ▁signed ▁to ▁Ch rys alis ▁Records ▁and ▁released ▁the ▁band ' s ▁first ▁single , ▁"