About this Event

With 2016 marking the U.K. Subs’ 40th anniversary; this legendary punk band continues to represent the true spirit of punk rock. Inspired by the Damned at the birth of British Punk, the now equally legendary Charlie Harper formed the Subs out of his then R&B outfit The Marauders, late in 1976.









Starting out as The Subversives, the name was shortened to The Subs and then changed to U.K. Subs, whilst early line-ups merged their high-speed R&B sound into punk.





October 1977 saw Charlie joined by Nicky Garratt on guitar, and it was the Harper/Garratt song writing partnership that would go on to collaborate on the band’s most successful record releases. Through 1977 and 1978 the band played shows all over London including the infamous Roxy punk club, building up a fiercely loyal and sizeable following. Their first ‘recorded’ output was on the ‘Farewell To The Roxy’ LP.







This bought them to the attention of John Peel who was obviously impressed enough to offer to finance their first single. However, City Records ended up releasing their first brilliant single, C.I.D, in September 1978. It became a huge indie number 1 hit. In 1979, they signed to Gem Records and surprised everyone by becoming one of the most consistently and visibly successful punk bands, with seven consecutive UK Top 30 hits between 1979-81 – Stranglehold, Tomorrows Girls, She’s Not There, Warhead, Teenage, Party In Paris and Keep On Running. They also scored two UK top ten albums – Brand New Age and Crash Course – establishing themselves throughout the world with a heavy touring schedule that still continues to this day.







Led by the indefatigable 70 years young Charlie Harper – now venerated as the godfather of UK punk – the band has continued to improve through various line-ups and record companies.







Still touring worldwide, they maintain that true spirit of punk rock continuing to inspire each subsequent generation of fans. There has never been any division of fan and band with the Subs, and Charlie’s unrelenting love of his audience and music shines through. This is something that galvanized listeners of Steve Lamacq’s BBC 6music show to vote them as the most respected of Punk ‘icons’, to win the 2010 Punk World Cup.







2015 saw the eagerly anticipated new album ‘Yellow Leader’ released on Captain Oi! Records to a crescendo of critical acclaim, as they near their quest to be the first band to release their official albums alphabetically A to Z!. The worldwide touring regime has continued apace – including the USA, Europe and Japan as the band continue to entertain and amaze with their powerful live shows.







With a fabulous line up in place since 2005, Charlie, Jet on guitar, Alvin Gibbs on bass and Jamie Oliver on drums, the U.K. Subs continue to entertain, enlighten and enthuse with blistering recordings and enthralling live shows.



Like a vintage wine – the U.K. Subs just get better and better.





Subhumans:







1980 - 1986, 1998 to present







Dick - Vox







Bruce - Guitar, vox







Phil - Bass (1983 - present, Grant Bass 1980 - 1983)







Trotsky















Also, Culture Shock, 1986 - 1989 was:







Dick - vox







Nige - guitar







Paul - Bass, later Jasper







Bill - Drums















Subhumans and Culture Shock formed in Warminster Wiltshire. Citizen Fish was spawned in Bath, UK.











okay, this was written back in the 90's, when Trotsky was still in the Citizen Fish drum throne, before Silas. Still, it's an interesting snapshot:















For a decade Citizen Fish has been touring the world: turning gatherings, benefits, and social gigs into an international never-ending weekend. These four dudes from the UK, Dick (vocals, motormouth, idealist, one set of clothes for each tour), Phil (guitar, facial hair, soccer, model for BEAR magazine), Jasper (bass, sweaters, cigarettes, ladies man) and Trotsky (drums, one time proprietor of a worm farm, possibly the only member of the band who can drive a van or bench his weight) have created a blend of punk, ska, and straight up rock'n'roll that appeals to the sing-a-long music fans and even the "muso" musician types that typically dismiss punks as not being able to play their instruments.







But it's not so much the fact that these dudes are the most talented musicians in England, it's what they say and how they say it. In a fun loving, all inclusive way, Citizen Fish (and their previous outfits Culture Shock and the legendary Subhumans) have brought working class radical politics to generations of questioning minds. Leaving aside the typical screaming rants of boring political punk bands, the Fish offer a hopeful, danceable alternative. Whereas other bands have fans, admirers, and flavor-of-the-month teenyboppers hoarding to their concerts, Citizen Fish have established an open and always growing family. The idealistic unifying tone of Dick's lyrics, coupled with the catchy driving riffs of the band, allow the Fish to appeal to a wide variety of folks. Heck, they are the only punk band my whole immediate family has seen play live, twice! My mother still partially blames the band for my father's unemployment. After hearing Dick's ranting prelude to "Call in Sick" at a Philly gig, my father burst out applauding and shouting "Yeah now that's a good one! Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!" and took another 6 months off.







Touring the USA with the Fish is more like a good family vacation than working as a cog in the ugly and never-ending corporate world of rock'n'roll promotions. Roadies Richard, Karoline, Pete, Paula, and the rotating AK Press bookseller roam the halls, dance up a storm, and fill up floors on punk houses ranging from the grimy squat in Etters to the hot tubbed palaces of Los Angeles. Everywhere the Fish goes, a bottle, a smoke, and a friendly conversation is sure to follow. Familiar dancing faces in every town, beers and vegetarian meals, and local activists filling the gig halls with information, ideas, and inspiration for positive change is what Citizen Fish are all about.







Craig O'Hara Author, The Philosophy of Punk















DICK LUCAS, "the singer"and lyric writer of Citizen Fish would like to add:-







INTERNET CATCHES INTERFISH slash/slash/splash and wwwelcome to the internetlactic world of CITIZEN FISH! Once merely a quartet of musicians, we are now On The Net ! Which, it says here, increases our potential crowd to umpteen million people! Enough exclamation marks the spot where we go into serious detail about Who We Is and all that, for those that Don't Know







As the main function of any band is to be heard, let's leave the names and CV dinner for later and tell YOU (that's you, personally, feel free to put the kettle on) WHAT WE SOUND LIKE. If you're singularly keen on country and/or western, jazz-funk fusion, thrashhh metal or industrial disco rave bagpipe syphonic blues covers, you can vacate this space now, which'll save a few watts for the next generation (better turn that kettle off as well). However, should your ear cavities be regular over-producers of wax for protection against large scoops of ska-orientated punk rock with twists of reggae and ODD BITS ON TOP, then hey! We Do What That Is! It being (and I quote)







"bastard difficult"



(Jean-Paul Sartre said that, although it loses it's poetic quality in translation) to describe music in words to a point (1) where you can actually hear the music just by reading about it, or (2) beyond merely linking bands' music to standards defined by journalists or other bands' music (and no band wants to sound exactly like another band, unless they're uninspired or overpaid to do so).







It is (kettle's boiling) now time to advise (as in ADVertISE) as to how to get to hear it, listen to it, and perhaps over time reach the point where you, or some Gene Kelly of the new Millenium, will be singing it in the acid rain.....So far we've released 8LPs, 2 1/2 seven inches (17 1/2 inches?) and assorted tapes; here's a list:



cat.bag.trombone.spine.egg timer.bullet.contact lens. your mother.



And here's a list of our releases:







Free Souls In a Trapped Environment LP/Bluurg Records/ Fish24



Wider Than a Postcard LP/Bluurg Records/ Fish26



Disposable Dream/Flesh & Blood 7"/Bluuurg Fish27/Lookout!Lookout61



Live Fish LP/Bluurg / Fish28



TV Dinner 7", split with AOS3/Bluurg/Fish29



Flinch LP/Bluurg/ Fish31



Millennia Madness LP/Bluurg Fish34/Lookout!Lookout123



Thirst LP/Lookout152



Psychological Background Report CD/Bluurg Fish35



Habit EP/Bluurg Fish38/ Lookout206



Active Ingredients



LIFE SIZE Honest Don's CD Don 036/2, LP Don 036/1



Deadline split with Leftover Crack LP/CD Fat Wreck



Goods LP/CD Alternative Tentacles