Charlie Harper Spanish Hall, Winter Gardens Blackpool 5th August 2023

A little bit of Chaz tonight. Here is the irrepressible Mr Harper playing acoustically in Blackpool back in 2023. Tonight I am starting 'An Anarchy of Demons'.

Many thanks to Chatts for the share.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-NB5uzj7XO6

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-zz43vmuZiY

 

UK Subs Deported (The Guardian 21st March 2025)

This story appeared on the Guardian online and in the newspaper this morning.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/21/uk-subs-band-detained-deported

Any organisation be it a government administration, a faith organisation or whatever that cannot deal with critisism without resorting to draconian measures to silence any dissenting opinions is weak. I hope that US and Canadian punk bands and whosoever in North America who can see this cohort of dangerous clowns for what they are keep up a spirit of resistance.

Members of British punk rock band UK Subs denied entry into the US.

Three members of the pioneering band were detained and returned to the UK after flying to Los Angeles for a gig.

Members of the punk rock band UK Subs have said they were denied entry and detained in the US, according to accounts from the band themselves.

Bassist Alvin Gibbs shared details of the incident in a Facebook post on Wednesday, which comes amid widespread reports of people being denied entry to the US, including a French scientist who said he was barred because of anti-Donald Trump comments he had made.

Gibbs, along with bandmates Marc Carrey and Stefan Häublein, were deported back to the UK following their detainment. Only vocalist Charlie Harper had been allowed entry. Harper ended up playing the band’s scheduled show in Los Angeles with a group of stand-in musicians.

He recounted how after he landed at the LA airport with his partner, he was told he would be questioned after being flagged. He was informed the flagging was for two reasons: first, he was told he had an incorrect visa, but he was also told that there was another reason that the agents would not disclose to him.

“I can’t help but wonder whether my frequent, and less than flattering, public comments regarding their president and his administration played a role – or perhaps I’m simply succumbing to paranoia,” he said.

The band, considered pioneers in the genre of British punk rock, have been outspokenly critical of Trump and his policies in the past. They are known to often make political statements during live performances.

“What followed was far from pleasant,” Gibbs said. “Two police officers escorted me to another section of LAX, where I found Stefan and Marc already detained in a cold holding pen, along with a group of Colombian, Chinese, and Mexican detainees. My luggage, phone, and passport were confiscated.”

He explained how he was eventually called for a second interview at 4am, hours after he had initially landed at 7pm.

Gibbs says his partner waited 25 hours for him to finally be released from the detention. “By the time we were escorted on to the flight at 8pm the next day, I had gone without sleep for well over a day, surviving only on a pot noodle and a couple of cups of tea.”

Though he expressed relief that Harper had been able to enter the country and perform the scheduled show, Gibbs is not keen on trying to come back to the US again. “It seems my relationship with the country is over for the foreseeable future,” he said.

The experiences of the UK Subs members are the latest in a long line of people who have experienced long hours of detainment and deportation upon entering the US, with the incidents frequently credited to vague or unspecified visa issues.

In a similar situation to UK Subs, a French researcher was denied entry to the US earlier this month after immigration officers at an airport searched his phone and found messages in which he had expressed criticisms of the Trump administration.

In response to the news Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister of higher education and research, said: “This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher’s phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration’s research policy.”

D.O.A.Canada needs you now!

The Weekend In Black The Convention Camden Centre 20th November 2011 'The Missing Sessions'

At a friend's request, I held back on posting this but after the passage of 13 years I am posting it now (actually, this has long been traded, so it is no great rarity). In 2011 the Camden Centre in London's Kings Cross plaed host to the 'Weekend In Black', the lastest and to date last Stranglers' Convention. Taking place over two days, some of the material aired was released through official channels, but not all of it. So, the two CDs in this post complete the musical component of the weekend... 'The Missing Sessions'.

JJ & Baz FLAC: https://we.tl/t-maH2J0JSte

01. Introduction

02. Dagenham Dave

03. Where I Live

04. Skin Deep

05. Strange Little Girl

06. In The End

07. Introduction To Fred & Georges

08. Fred & Georges

09. Bless You

10. Introduction To You Are A Swine

11. You Are A Swine

12. Go Buddy Go

13. Quark Strangeness & Charm

The Stranglers 'New' Set: https://we.tl/t-1xTzMrPBxq

01. Introduction

02. Freedom Is Insane

03. Spectre Of Love

04. Lowlands

05. Goodbye Toulouse

06. Giants

07. Sometimes

08. Boom Boom

09. I Hate You

10. Unbroken

11. Thrown Away

12. Who Wants The World?

13. Lost Control

14. Genetix

15. Relentless

16. The Raven

17. No More Heroes

18. Outro  

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-iAiFsavv9y

UK Subs Empress Ballroom Blackpool 3rd August 2023

 

If Max Splodge is part of the Rebellion furniture then Charlie Harper is the fittings! As we regularly passed Charlie as he manned the UK Subs merch stall over the duration of the festival posing for selfies with young Japanese punks, the joke was 'Who hasn't had their photo taken with Charlie!'. But fair play to the man. He has fronted the Subs for no less than 46 years. During this time I don't think that the band have ever craved the big time. I get the impression that Charlie would be equally content whether the band are playing to thousands in a German arena or in the back room of a Stoke pub on a Tuesday night in January! If the audience in front of him are appreciative and perhaps prepared to buy a T shirt from the merch stand then all is good in Chuck's world!

Along with long term collaborator, Alvin Gibbs, the Subs' set focusses on their output from '79 to '81 (not so unusual for punk bands of some longevity). The current line up, that will hopefully see Charlie into a well deserved artistic retirement, are tight and will ensure that the band wind up with in appropriate style.

As an aside, I did look at the band's line ups on their Wiki page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.K._Subs#Band_members). Possibly only The Fall could boast a longer list of 'also serveds'!

Thanks again to Peter for sharing. Cheers!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-KeojVe481B

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-dbZQ3jVB0q

01. Intro
02. CID
03. I Live In A Car
04. Kicks
05. Emotional Blackmail
06. You Don’t Belong
07. Endangered Species
08. Rockers
09. Organized Crime
10. New York State Police
11. Bitter And Twisted
12. Fear Of Girls
13. Limo Life
14. Down On The Farm
15. Party In Paris
16. Tomorrow’s Girls
17. Warhead
18. Riot
19. Stranglehold
20. Disease
21. Encore Break
22. Keep On Running
23. Teenage

'Born a rocker, die a rocker!'

Charlie Harper (UK Subs)

Linoprint 15cm x 20cm

Black ink on cream card.

 

UK Subs Resolution Festival 100 Club London 12th January 2023 - The Gig

 

So then, here is the gig. The inimitable UK Subs in the hallowed 100 Club. Charlie says he loves the venue because there are no barriers. And really it is funny how we have come to accept the stage barrier as the norm these days in so many venues... that strange narrow no-man's land occupied by crouching figures with outsized camera lenses and scowling muscle men patrolling with menace (although in fairness most are OK these days!). I'm with Charlie!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-RfhWIWql75

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-n0c0vW1flk

01. On Stage

02. Emotional Blackmail

03. You Don’t Belong

04. Endangered Species

05. Rocker

06. New York State Police

07. Bitter & Twisted

08. Fear Of Girls

09. Limo Life

10. Down On The Farm

11. Ice Age

12. Tommorow’s Girls

13. Warhead

14. Riot

15. Stranglehold

16. Disease

17. CID

18. I Live In A Car

19. Keep On Running

20. Kicks

21. Party In Paris

22. Teenage

UK Subs Resolution Festival 12th January 2023

 

It has now become an annual event for several years. The 100 Club host a punk festival that runs over a week and a half. It's a win win for punters and venue alike. For the gig-goer it offers great, affordable entertainment during those doldrum months of January and February. For the venue it fills in space in what could otherwise be a barren calendar and brings money in at the door and over the bar.

A second January tradition has also established itself, one that annually scuppers at least some of my plans for Resolution and that is the rail network. For several years on the trot, Network Rail have opened up extensive engineering works throughout the first month of the year. The only option on impacted days is the dreaded replacement bus service. I am sure it is not just me but getting into London for a midweek gig when tomorrow is a work day is much harder these days than it ever was in the past! And that is when the trains are running a normal service. With the bus replacement option I cannot do the additional journey time after midnight of nearly 90 minutes.... and neither can my 54 year old post-gig bladder, if you get my meaning!

This year there was something of a plot alteration as the disruption of the engineering works was compounded by industrial action by members of the RMT and ASLEF (although don't take that as a condemnation of the strikes, I only mention it as an additional barrier to seeing all of the bands that I wanted to see).

In the event, it was just the two bands (or gigs rather) that I got to see. The UK Subs and 999. I am aware that the Subs have made public their intention to slow up a bit. Gigs will be scaled back meaning the end to big tours and who can really blame them? In years gone by, UK Subs T-shirts did not bear the slogan 'On Tour Forever' for nothing! For many years, as the song says, Charlie Harper really did 'Live in a Car'. Now 78 years old Charlie has earned his punk rock spurs ten times over and more. The various and multitudinous incarnations of the band have taken us right through the alphabet with album releases and beyond. So fair play to the Subs for their 47 years of service so far.

In short, whilst UK Subs were a constant presence on the punk live circuit, opportunities to see them will diminish from now on, so I will grasp the chances as and when I can.

Pre-gig, the band were loosening limbs and vocal chords with Gaye in 'The Blue Posts' in Newman Street (which has seemed to have displaced 'The Ship' in Wardour Street as a preferred warm up watering hole).

Into the venue then. I missed the support, 'The Mistakes' The Subs hit the stage with a powerful version of 'Emotional Blackmail' and from then on in the band went on to deliver a rapid fire set of 21 songs, the majority of which were lifted from the first five years of the band's career. Most of the key singles were present and correct, the likes of 'Tomorrow's Girls', 'CID', 'Keep On Running' and 'Party In Paris' kept the crowd well entertained as did the set's closing number 'Teenage'. I wonder if a tally has been kept of all the gigs the band have played, I am sure they have, and it will significantly into 4 figures and certainly this far down the line they didn't disappoint at all. 

Charlie seemed to be very happy to be back for the night in London and it was abundantly clear that a reciprocal London were very happy to have him there.

Reflections on Rebellion Festival 4th to7th August 2022 Blackpool UK

 

Well, again it was a long time coming wasn’t it! It is the Glastonbury of punk (but without the flags and granola breakfasts!!). The biggest celebration of all things punk and new wave in the world that under the normal rules draws people in from all corners of that world on an annual basis. Of course in these Covid times things were by necessity a bit different as a two summers had passed without this gathering. Many tickets were sold indeed and this caused some changes to the normal order of things.

All shades of punk are covered here and it is great to see the new bands playing cheek by jowl with the bands that inspired them to form a band in the first place. A founding principle of punk that has never changed.

For the dedicated, the £200 face value of the ticket (I wasn’t confident enough to go for the slightly cheaper early bird tickets!) is a bargain. If you were only to see 20 bands (out of the 200+ bands scheduled over the four days) it works out to be £10 per band (I know, I know…. I did get a B at maths ‘O’ level). Double the band count and you are seeing bands that command £20-£40 ticket prices for a fiver.

This year a collection of friends congregated in Blackpool from Bishops Stortford, Manchester, Sutton, Milton Keynes, South London, Ipswich and Derby to enjoy rather salubrious accommodation just a couple of streets walk away from the Winter Gardens. With the exception of Mo, this particular congregation are in their ‘50’s and ‘60’s (sorry Phil!) so whilst Rebellion represents a bit of a blip in terms of the normal sleeping habits and alcohol intake things rarely get out of hand these days. The only real difference is that I was going to bed at 3 am… the time that I would normally be getting up for a nocturnal piss!

Going back to the magnitude of the festival this year, to a man and woman I think we struggled with formulating viewing plans from such a congested running order. Bless him, Nick Pryde was so organized that he had prepared a spreadsheet of the running order supplemented with ‘revision notes’….. this one sticks in my mind….. The Newtown Neurotics…. ‘’80’s political, v. good’! Seriously though the running order was so crowded that it was impossible for me to see half the bands that I would have had the billing worked for my particular good or bad taste in music. However, that is my only gripe about a festival that was otherwise extremely well run and organized. 

Perhaps it was the introduction of the separate R Fest with a stage on the promenade that threw a spanner in my best laid plans. Although not far from the indoor stages, the trek to the R Festival stage took about 15 minutes by the time you had worked your way to the front of the stage. The concern then was that if a headliner was appearing in an indoor venue that was at capacity you were rather stuck.

As I recall, the first band that I saw over the weekend was a Swiss outfit that went by the name of Fluffy Machine who were OK. I then moved on to my first ‘must see’ band, The Circle Jerks. This band had been on my radar for 38 years or more, ever since someone taped for me a ‘Rodney On The ROQ’ compilation album which featured a host of Californian bands championed and featured on Rodney Bingenheimer’s L.A. radio show of the same name. Keith Morris of The Circle Jerks is another legendary figure in the Californian punk rock seen having served with Black Flag, The Circle Jerks and more recently Off!. They did not disappoint, delivering a blistering set of US hardcore classics that hopefully would set the tone for the weekend ahead.

Next up was Mr Jobson and Co. late stand ins for Bad Religion who pulled out at the 11th hour. This was to be the first of three sets by The Skids that I was to see in 48 hours. At times Rebellion seemed like a Skids’ convention! But I wasn’t complaining in the least. They delivered a greatest hits set, the songs being interspersed with Jobbo’s anecdotes…. Something of a raconteur is Richard, his talents are not limited to cutting the rug! Aside from the hits, the new material from the excellent ‘World On Fire’ gave way to covers ‘Complete Control’ and ‘Pretty Vacant’. The Skids have released an album of punk covers under the title of ‘Songs From A Haunted Ballroom’.

And that was it for Day 1. My best laid plans to take in Misty in Roots and Hawkwind came to nothing on this occasion…. next time?

Our pitfall at Rebellion is in part to our inability to navigate beyond the Brew Room pub without falling across its threshold…. it is something to do with the holiday spirit and good company I think.

I did extract myself from the pub to make it into see the Newtown Neurotics, a band that I have been listening to since 1983 and seeing live since 1985. Whilst it is always great to hear the likes of ‘The Mess’ and ‘Living With Unemployment’ it is refreshing to know that the band are not resting on their laurels as they have a new album soon to be available called  ‘Cognitive Dissidents’ on Cadiz Records and a new single ‘Climate Emergency ‘ that got an airing on the day. I am sure that the new album will also have something to say about the old foe as things are bad and on the verge of getting worse I fear…. Like 1979 again but without the decent music!

Following on from that and 10 minutes of Attila’s poetry from the Literary Stage it was over to the promenade for me for the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening.

So how’s this for a line up of consecutive bands!

From The Jam

The Skids

The Undertones

The Stranglers

What was it I said about 1979… well here the good music was to be found!

From The Jam I was particularly looking forward to. This will for evermore be the closest that I will ever get to seeing The Jam. Many years ago I missed the early incarnation of FTJ at the Junction in Cambridge when Rick Buckler was on board. The following year having enjoyed a modicum of success they played the Corn Exchange and with my dislike of the venue, I elected not to go. I had a ticket to see them more recently in Bury St Edmunds but missed it as I lost track of reschedule after reschedule!

Despite the current health problems endured by both Russell and Bruce they played a blinder, more than enough to moisten the eye of a Jam fan what missed out first time around!

As I stood in the sun listening to ‘Going Underground’ that closed their set the line 

‘You choose your leaders and place your trust

As their lies wash you down and their promises rust

You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns

And the public wants what the public gets

But I don't get what this society wants’

Hit me hard. A strong resonance 42 years down the line as 0.42% of the electorate stand ready to foist Margaret Thatcher’s stunt double upon us! 

Back then to the narrative…. The Skids ran through another set (that I thought might have included more recent material amongst the well known tracks) similar to the Bad Religion stand in set, but it was none the less enjoyable for that.

More health casualties were evident when The Undertones took to the stage when a Billy Doherty stand in was occupying the drum stool, Billy having been laid low. His deputy did a fine job however and the Derry men delivered an anticipated set full of smiles and the exuberance of youth not often seen from a band of 60 year olds (Paul excepted!).

This just left the Stranglers for the R Festival stage and here I have to say that I rationed myself to the first five songs due to a need to get back to the Wintergardens for the Ruts DC acoustic set. On balance, I see The Stranglers many more times that any other band in a given year and so on this occasion a compromise had to be made.

So I found myself in Spanish hall for Ruts DC amongst a sea of bodies! By my reckoning there were about 500-600 people in the hall for an acoustic set at 10.30 at night. Impressive stuff and affirmation, if any were needed as to the affection that the punk fraternity have for Segs, Ruffy and Leigh!

The Skids closed the evening for me by which time I was getting the impression that Richard Jobson Doppelgangers had infiltrated the Wintergardens for the weekend, so ubiquitous was the man!

And so closed Day 2 bandwise.

Saturday’s musical adventure commenced with 999, never to be missed for me! This was the second time around in a couple of weeks after the long pandemic musical drought. Auturo explained from the outset that Nick had been hospitalized the day before with a heart issue but had managed to be signed off in time to play the gig…. The show must go on eh Nick! They were great as usual, mush appreciated in the Empress ballroom. 

Post 999 I thinks that the need for food had to be addressed. I did return to the Empress Ballroom for a couple of quick rounds with Stinky and the Rejects before returning to Spanish Hall for a second dose of Nick Cash. Nick was followed by Henry Cluney. At this point in the day’s proceedings it is entirely possible, nay, likely that I was not my usual sharp witted self! I do recall that Henry berated me for coming in at the wrong time with my Oooh-oooh-oooh’s during ‘Gate 49. Apologies Henry!

Owen's comment 'Like looking in a mirror' was noted!

Reading through the list of bands that I saw, it is becoming ever more apparent that I was done musically very early on each night! What a lightweight, although I recall bollocks was talked each night into the wee hours back at the house.

Sunday becomes even weirder as I saw just four bands I think!! 

I’ll always be in the running to see Conflict. I was a bit late coming to the Conflict/anarcho party and I did not get to see Conflict until 1986 at The Richmond Hotel in Brighton. At the time ‘The Ungovernable Force’ had just come out and I was rather terrified by them. By the time I saw them at ‘The Gathering Of The 5000’ gig at Brixton there was a very heavy scene around Conflict, some serious shite with the Metropolitan Police. Colin would hate to hear this but whilst the message is still there it is not delivered with the same menace as 36 years ago. Perhaps it’s something to do with social media. Information sharing through a whizzy Facebook page is a long way from receiving badly photocopied flyers through the post. On the last few occasions that I have seen Conflict play I have to admit that I struggle to hear what they are playing. Stuart (the drummer) said that they have slowed down over the years so I guess it’s all down to multiple lost frequencies in my hearing range…. I blame Jean Jacques Burnel!

And so back to the Empress Ballroom for the last time for the UK Subs and Ruts DC. The Subs, were just… well…the Subs. It’s good to see Charlie Harper back in his natural habitat after this two year hiatus!

Ruts DC have the work ethic akin to that of the Stakhanovite’s of the old Soviet Union. If they are not touring or on stage at one festival or another they appear to be in the studio recording new material! Also they never baulk at the idea of playing new material whenever and wherever the opportunity arises. Lesser bands may save new material for a lower key gig or a better known Ruts DC audience. No…. let’s knock these new tunes out to 3,000 people! Tonight there were no less than three new songs being showcased tonight ‘Faces In The Sky’, ‘Counterculture’ and ‘Born Innocent’ and I am happy to report that they sound just fine!

Having seen Stiff Little Fingers very recently I decided to take on the sea air for the last in the company of Squeeze…. Or at least part of Squeeze, Chris Difford being yet another medical casualty knocked out for the weekend. Nevertheless, Glen Tilbrook and the musicians surrounding him pulled the gig off brilliantly as the band played a fantastic greatest hits set to round off my weekend.

See you next year Blackpool!

UK Subs - Tube Disaster Cover from 2003

 

Here's a version of The Epileptics/Flux of Pink Indians 'Tube Disaster' by the UK Subs. Back in 2003, the Subs made this available as a free download on their site. Several years ago, I posted it but my link is dead and I can no longer find a link from the Subs. So hear it is again. An excellent version of a punk classic.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-dSE3Kb69rA

UK Subs Music Machine London 8th August 1980 Live Review (Sounds 8th August 1980)

 

Here's a review of the Subs at Camden's Music Machine back in 1980 when the band were a hot property. Here Bushell praises the band to the skies on what was Alvin Gibbs' (and Steve Roberts') debut gig as a UK Sub. Showcasing new material from the 'Diminished Responsibility' album, the gig can be found here.

Urban Dogs Cambridge Junction 22nd November 2016

 

Well, I think I was premature in my hopes of making a break for my local on 2nd December, so like the Subs, being close to the end of the alphabet I'll have to think up something else to mark the days. 

This particular gig was a welcome surprise. The Damned headlined, but as I recall, no support was announced so it was a real surprise to see Charlie and Alvin on stage (Knox wasn't present).

The band, a long -standing UK Subs spin-off really brought Alvin and Charlie together with Knox from The Vibrators... well Charlie had to have something to do on the one weekend of the year when the UK Subs were not on tour!

Essentially a bit more rootsy rock 'n' roll, the Urban Dogs gave the Harp an excuse to wield his harp! So here they were this week four years ago promoting a new album 'Attack'.

I am guessing the artwork is from Charlie's hand

(a brief excursion from cats!)

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-CdbtbdM0Gj

01. Wanna World
02. Dancing On The Head Of Snakes
03. I Cant Stand It
04. War Baby
05. Limo Life
06. Sidewalk Baby
07. Pawn Shop Special
08. New Barbarians
09. Warhead
10. Brand New Cadillac
11. Cocaine
12. Rock-N-Roll Nurse Going To My Head
13. I Wanna Be Your Dog

'Pawn Shop Special' by Urban Dogs

Cambridge Junction 22nd November 2016

UK Subs 100 Club London 12th January 2020

The irrepressible UK Subs closed the brilliant annual Resolution Festival this year with a run through their second album 'Brand New Age'. All I can say is that if they revisit all alphabetical albums live that will see Charlie through to his telegram from the Queen!

Thanks as ever to Chatts99 for sharing a great recording!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-TEaXs4roJk

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-NlpJ8hubr2

01. You Can’t Take It
02. Brand New Age
03. Public Servant
04. Warhead
05. Barbie's Dead
06. Organized Crime
07. Rat Race
08. Emotional Blackmail
09. Kicks
10. Teenage
11. Dirty Girls
12. 500cc
13. Bomb Factory
14. You Dont Belong
15. Limo Life
16. Keep On Running
17. Rockers
18. Tomorrows Girls
19. New York State Police
20. Disease
21. Encore-Fragile
22. Riot
23. Party In Paris

UK Subs Théâtre Antique Vienne France 23rd July 2016

Here's another set from this Summer's other punk festival in that France. Many thanks to Lolive!

FLAC: https://we.tl/IzUYZA413u

01. Young Criminals
02. You Don't Belong
03. Left for Dead
04. Rockers
05. Down on the Farm
06. Hell Is Other People
07. Emotional Blackmail
08. Barbie's Dead
09. Bitter & Twisted
10. City of the Dead
11. I Got a Gun
12. Fear of Girls (fucked up !)
13. Fear of Girls
14. Tomorrow's Girls
15. Warhead
16. Riot
17. Stranglehold
18. Disease
19. C.I.D.
20. I Live in a Car
21. New York State Police

Party in Paris?

Messers Harper and Sensible

Vienne 2016

10 From '87 (9) UK Subs Jolly Boatman Hampton Court 21st December 1987

Back from when the Subs hadn't even reached the half way mark in their career road trip through the alphabet. 'Japan Today' was in the shops in 1987, the year this recording was made. This is a great sounding (mixing desk recording) originally available on cassette for purchase at various punk gigs in the late '80s.

FLAC: http://we.tl/gMgCfL32Ee

01. Hey Santa
02. CID
03. Emotional Blackmail
04. Endangered Species
05. Rock 'n' Roll Savage
06. New York State Police
07. She's Not There
08. Limo Life
09. 500cc
10. Thunderbird
11. Streets on Fire
12. Captain Scarlet
13. SK8 Tough
14. Left for Dead
15. Rockers
16. Warhead
17. Stranglehold
18. New Barbarians
19. Tomorrows Girls
20. Teenage
21. Party in Paris
22. All I Wanna Know
23. Kicks

UK Subs and TV Smith The Garage Islington 14th December 2012

Last night say something of a punk treat in the form of The UK Subs and TV Smith on the same bill for an evening of early Christmas frivolity at the Garage in Islington.

I got there early in time to see the first support (which is unusual for me). They were a young band from Blackpool called Outl4w if I remember correctly. They were quite good, their sound much enhanced by the inclusion of a trumpet.

TV was playing on his own, acoustically, and played a good set of his solo stuff, intrspersed with Adverts songs. Songs like 'It's Expensive Being Poor' and 'The Immortal Rich' never sounded so on the button as they do right now as we face hard times for several years to come as the Chancellor of The Exchequer admits failure in government economic policy.

'The Lion & The Lamb'

The Lion & The Lamb The Garage

Oh well, at least it's Christmas.... which lead TV nicely into his annual opportunity to play his Christmas song. This I filmed, but a caveat is needed here. I think that I had the video setting on an inappropriately high setting and as a result there is an audio/visual synch issue with these clips. But they are what they are.

First up is the aforementioned 'Christmas Bloody Christmas, followed by 'New Church' and 'The Lord's Prayer', a song that he penned for The Lords of The New Church. Something of a religious trilogy then.

'Christmas Bloody Christmas', 'New Church' & 'The Lord's Prayer'

 

'Punk Rock Poem' & 'Gary Gilmore's Eyes' 

 

A quick word about the Subs. You know exactly what you're gonna get from Charlie and Co, consistency is the order of the day. Playing with a tightness that can only come from endless touring, I have enjoyed them over many years. On this occasion though I was not there for the full set, but what I saw was good, including the classic 'Down On The Farm'.

 

'Down On The Farm'

UK Subs





20 From '80 (20) U.K. Subs Music Machine Camden 8th August 1980

U.K. Subs pictured in 1980

It was of course the Subs who inspired this 20 from '80 thread idea with their refrain '1980 is a brand new age!', so it is only right and proper that Charlie's boys feature in this list and round it off.

1980 was indeed a very good year for the Subs who at the time were working hard to build up a following by relentlessly touring (a habit that they have not kicked to this day!).

I am happy to say that the U.K. Subs are still with us and still touring constantly. A quick check shows that they embark on an extensive UK tour next month, followed by Europe early in the new year.

Here's a show from August 1980 from The Music Machine in London's Camden. The set contains new material from the forthcoming 'Diminished Responsibility' album released the following year.

Music Press advert for the gig

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-lkLZyl1iHx

01. Emotional Blackmail
02. You Don't Belong
03. Confrontation Street
04. New Order
05. I Couldn't Be You
06. Tomorrow's Girls
07. Left For Dead
08. Warhead
09. Public Servant
10. Kicks
11. Fall Of The Empire
12. Rat Race
13. New York State Police
14. Teenage
15. Crash Course
16. C.I.D.

Also playing tonight:

The Bodysnatchers   Hornsea Floral Hall, London
Athletico Spizz 80/Tenpole Tudor   Marquee, London

Tube Disaster - The UK Subs

Charlie Harper of The U.K. Subs

Here's a track that was available for free download from the Subs website many moons ago.

Tube Disaster - The UK Subs

The track goes back many years. The track as originally recorded by Bishops Stortford band, The Epileptics, appeared on 'The Last Bus To Debden' EP. It was a live recording from a gig at the town's Triad Centre.

I think that the Subs did a great job on it, but as so often is the case with covers, the original is superior.

The Epileptics

Triad Centre, Bishops Stortford

November 1979