Gus subsequently retired due to ill health, and the current line up is Steve (Wispa) Cundall on bass and vocals, Brian (Mad Muffet) Grantham on drums, and Al (Angus) Crosby on lead guitar.
Most bands in the thriving Manchester punk scene stayed in the city, but The Drones relocated to London.
The band appeared on two influential early punk compilation albums Streets and Short Circuit: Live at the Electric Circus.
[4] The band's debut EP, Temptations of a White Collar Worker (1977), was described by one reviewer as "classic dole-queue punk.
The band reformed and toured to promote the record; including concert dates in the United States.
In 2001 "Bone Idol" was included in Mojo magazine's list of the best punk rock singles of all time.