So… what are all the old punks (1977-81 variety) up to? What’s new in the worlds of 999, Plastic Bertrand, the Uk Subs Bench and the rest? Let me kick off with the most recent footage of Sham 69, playing at some Christmas do in France…
The Old Punks (reappraisal not necessary) Thread
Nice idea for a post Colin!
Here are the Rezillos tearing it up at Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms at the beginning of the year – with added SAHB old soldier Ted McKenna.
Do ah look up to deet?
Fantastic stuff, Acto! Definitely one of the best bands to come out of punk (because they’re ‘not really’ punk, I expect!) – though it looks like Fay’s been stealing a few of the pies off Eugene’s plate.
I like this much better than I did eighty years ago when they first did it, but I still don’t like it much. I get tired a few seconds after they start singing and wander off to the bar.
Fabulous
UK Subs guitarist Nicky Garrett writes vegan cookbooks, and it looks like Vibrator Knox spends his days trying out the recipes.
http://www.pmpress.org/content/article.php/NickyGarratt
I used to effing love the Subs, saw them more times than I can remember.
They made a glorious racket & their gigs got pretty mental on occasion.
Nicky Garratt helped me & a pal up onto the stage (& therefore relative safety) at an ultra violent gig in Mile End about a 100 years ago – never forgotten that & may buy a copy of of his cook book as a belated pay back – for my daughter who’s currently having a ‘ why can’t we have almond milk?’ phase.
NG is a top bloke in my book.
Anyone remember Anti-Nowhere League? I hear they are still going strong.
BTW, I was at the concert when Live in Yugoslavia was recorded for elpee.
Spookily enough, here are the ANL last week at the 100 Club.
Apparently still ropey.
Not, perhaps, ‘one of the greats’…
Alternative TV are still plugging away, and put a decent album out last year.
Here’s the title track
(“Opposing Forces” – Alternative TV)
Gaye Advert was supposed to have become a social services manager.
“We Who Wait” is an interesting documentary about TV Smith (includes interview with Gaye):
Esso from the Lurkers is said to be “working in mental health”.
That sounds like a threat!
Stiff Little Fingers still doing the rounds. New album a couple of years ago was damn near as good as anything they’d done before. Currently about to tour again, and will be playing Glasgow Barrowlands on St Paddys Night for the 25th consecutive year
Most of the old punk bands also have an annual gig at Butlins Alternative Festival Weekender.
Usually a good weekend, even if it is in October. And in Skegness (also known as the arse end of nowhere)
Speaking of which, here’s 999 at Blackpool’s Rebellion do, with Nick Cash reassuring the punters about his well-being (in spite of eating even more of those pies from the Rezillos’ dressing room rider)…
The Undertones are doing 40th anniversary shows this year (certainly in May, in Belfast). I had the pleasure of doing a radio interview with bass meister Mickey Bradley yesterday. Here’s my fave ‘Tones song, live a couple of years back – a band in rude health!
In common with Gaye Advert, Dee Generate from Eater was ( and may still be) a social work manager.
Just tell me if you want me to stop.
Steve Ignorant of Crass is a lifeboatman in Norfolk, he’s also done a stint as a Punch and Judy man.
Jordan is a vetinary nurse and breeds Burmese cats.
The lead singer of Anti-Pasti, Martin Roper, runs real ale tours around Derby.
Greg from the Outcasts (as ‘seen’ in the Terri Hooley biopic ‘Good Vibrations’) has been a painter & decorator for years. You sometimes see him swanning around with orange fake tan and spikey hair, living the dream.
Here’s that rarest of things professionally shot recent film of some old punks – The Outcasts doing a comeback thing in Dublin in 2012. It has often been said around these parts that ‘Dublin never got into punk, Belfast never got out of it’. Fair amount of truth there…
In fact, let’s have some vintage outcasts – one of their promo vids. Some terrific authentic-period-sneering in this!
Is Charlie Harper still dragging round a version of the UK Subs? I hear you ask? Of course he is!
Bloody Hell saw them in 1979 and he didn’t look young then.
Ghastly, isn’t it? ‘Stranglehold’ was surely the crappiest, most artistically bereft song ever to be released on a single.
Still going strong, still packing them in.
I think Charlie Harper is 96 now
That was a watershed moment for my rockular development. I loved punk but UK Subs were kerrrapp. Stranglehold and Warhead were really bad. When friends bought those singles, I had an epiphany along the lines of “these people are morons” and started to hang around with different people.
I’d say the Subs ( along with The Ruts) live were easily the equal of most of the 1st wave of punk, for intensity if not quality.
By the time they were able to make any kind of mark, Punk was obviously dead as a creative force, but the gigs couls still be brilliant. Pretty sure I saw the Clash & the Subs a couple of weeks apart (around London Calling time) & the Subs easily won out.
Having that, I once the Subs at the Lyceum on a Friday & Afterword favourites Queen the next night at Hammersmith & Freddy & co won easily for sheer raw power.
I wasn’t old enough to go and see bands yet so I’m sure you’re right re their live performances. I was just going by the singles and thinking that they didn’t have much to them.
I couldn’t claim their recorded output was all that ( I doubt they could either, really!) but they still make me smile in a way that lots of their peers fail to.
Once in a blue moon I’ll play ‘CID’ or ‘ I Live In A Car’ & have a brief reverie, but I couldn’t imagine going to SEE any old punk bands these days.
Whither Chelsea? I hear you cry. Surely they must have packed their bags and sloped off the endless punk tour bus by now?
Nope…
(Gene October looking uncannily like Mani from out of the Stone Roses and also from out of the Primal Scream)
Apparently when he’s not being punk warrior Gene October out of Chelsea, he works in the recycling department at Brighton & Hove Council.
What a waste…
Pies seem to be the meal de choice for a lot of old punk bands. Angelic Upstarts, still living the dream:
Not quite as lardy as some of their peers, but still undeniably horrible – the Cockney Rejects: