The Ruts

The Ruts (later known as The Ruts D.C.) are an English reggae-influenced punk rock band, notable for the 1979 UK top 10 hit single "Babylon's Burning", and an earlier single "In a Rut", which was not a hit but was highly regarded and regularly played by BBC Radio 1 disc jockey John Peel. The band's newfound success was cut short by the death of lead singer Malcolm Owen from a heroin overdose in 1980. Despite this, the band continued under a different musical style as Ruts D.C. until 1983, when they disbanded.

The band reformed in 2007, shortly before their original guitarist Paul Fox died of cancer the same year. The Ruts D.C. currently consists of the band's original bassist and drummer, John "Segs" Jennings and David Ruffy, with a new guitarist, Leigh Heggarty.