Monocled Alchemist

Article published in Record Mirror, 10th May, 1980

UK Subs | Old Punks Never Lie | HAVE YOU ever stood at a concert which does absolutely nothing for you, yet all around you people are going absolutely ga-ga? Sooner or later you start wondering what on earth’s wrong with you, why you can’t see what is obvious to others.

That’s exactly how I feel about the UK Subs. So here I am interviewing them, with not exactly the best opening line.

I don’t exactly go overboard about your music boys and I can’t see why anyone else should, either. How do you feel about that?

Honest band

Tired ‘Oh no not another of those’ looks are exchanged, before singer Charlie Harper patiently answers my question. “Look, you really have to see us live to appreciate us. There’s no one else so energetic — apart from perhaps Cliff Richard — who works so hard on stage.

“We’re an honest band, and we’ve built up our following steadily over the three years we’ve been together, In days of old when we first started out, we used to promote and organise all our gigs, and we’d try to put on as many bands as we could.

So you’d have loads of local bands playing at one venue, bringing their own following of fans, who’d hear us and come along to see our next gig. And that way we amassed a really strong backbone of fans.”

UK Subs | Old Punks Never Lie

That was over three years ago, and it anything, the following is getting stronger. Watch a crowd come out of a Subs gig, and it’s like being in a 1977 time warp . . . full punk regalia, flaming and fanned rainbow coloured hair, extreme make-up, and the music is still very much the same.

I find it confusing that the interest is so strong, when the punk movement is dying down.

“Dying down? It’s only properly begun!” splutters Charlie. “It’s stronger than ever.”

Aw, come on. Surely you wouldn’t deny that the majority of punks followed it because it was a fashion, and those self – same kids are now mods, or rude boys, or skinheads, whatever takes their fancy. And then hasn’t that detracted from your following?

“Yeah, punk was a fashion to a lot of people,” drummer Peter Davies concedes, “but what you don’t seem to grasp is that the core is still there, getting stronger. And anyway, this entire subject is pointless.”

I agree and feel sorry for the Subs. Also, I feel sorry for me. We seem to have nothing in common.

“Look, I don’t mind anyone disagreeing with us as long as they have some constructive criticism to make,” Charlie interrupts, “but what really gets me is when journalists revert to personal insults. There was one I felt like doing over because he called me a wop waiter and said I looked like Larry Grayson. That’s got nothing to with the music at all.”

UK Subs | Old Punks Never Lie

Quite true, but it has raised a question I’ve been trying to pluck up courage to ask. You’re no spring chicken, Charlie. How old are you? He gives a sheepish grin and studies his fingernails.

“Twenty six.”

I don’t believe it and he knows I don’t believe it and we just sit and smirk. What else can you do?

“Look. what would you call a punk band if you think punk is dead?” he continues. “What would you call the Vapors?”

A really good band who come up with excellent well crafted pop songs, I reply.

“You mean you wouldn’t call them punk?”

Nope, definitely not. And I don’t think they’d call themselves that, either.

“That’s just because punk is here to stay and its now acceptable, so you don’t notice it anymore. But it’s there all the same. Once you get in the charts you’re deemed okay.

WE then start talking about how punk gave people in the provinces — especially Scotland and Ireland —something to latch on to, and that something hasn’t been replaced.

Surprisingly the Subs greatest following is still in London, where trends and distractions are at their strongest. Why do they do this?

“Our gigs are a centralisation of punk fans,” Nicky says. “They can’t get to see their other favourite punk bands like the Clash anymore, and we’re the only group who still play rebellious music. We’ve got an honest attitude. We don’t need the record companies.

“Sometimes I feel like giving up and managing a band,” he sighs. “I wish we could still be totally into music, that we didn’t have to worry about record companies and their stupid little laws. They just don’t have any imagination. We’ve just come from our record company where we’ve had a row which resulted in our sacking the art staff.”

The fight it seems occurred over a single sleeve. Technically the Subs have 100 per cent control over the art, and they’d come up with an idea for the sleeve.

UK Subs | Old Punks Never Lie

“The single’s called ‘Teenage‘. right? We wanted a middle aged woman looking in a mirror. and there’s a reflection of a young girl looking back at her.” Peter explain. “What do you think they put instead? What do you think is the worst thing they could put on a single cover?” he demands.

A swastika, I reply.

“Nan, a man in a grey suit. What’s that to do with punks? Absolutely nothing.”(Likewise the swastka, l think to myself.)

“We went off on tour thinking they’d go ahead with our suggestion and when we came back from Scotland we discovered this monstrosity instead. It’s too late to do an about it now, but we’re furious.

“What we really need is a good Spokesman, someone who can deal with all those things on our behalf when we’re away,’ Nicky says.

Why don’t they find one then. inquire.

“We don’t have enough time. Besides, we’re still a young band. We’re still learning.”

Utter rubbish say. Behind every successful group you’ll find the driving force of a good manager who knows his band’s needs and who’ll fight to get them. Look at the Boomtown Rats and the Police, I mention them because they’re the same age, both in their third year of existence and yet a million times more successful than the Subs. They’ve both got shit hot managers.

They also play more acceptable music.

“The trouble with the record industry is it’s full of hippies in business suits who are only interested in getting on the phone to do deals for their weekend cannabis,” Peter snorts. “It’s impossible to find someone whose real interests lie in the band.”

I’m totally amazed. What’s the point of getting your side of it right, getting through a live set of your own songs, writing new ones, going out on tours, blah, blah, blah, if you’re going to let record companies walk all over you?

“Look, it may sound corny bet we’re not in it for the money.” Charlie tells me.

Well, fine, but better you get what you deserve than someone else.

“At least it provides the frustration for our songs.2 he remarks cynically. “If it went smoothly we’d have nothing to write about.”

European tour

The subject then turns to Europe where the Subs are immensely popular.

“We toured Italy with the Ramones and we went down a storm,” Nicky says. “A lot of kids saw us in Milan and have come to London to live now. We se them at our gigs.”

Such is their power, the last they heard in France they were Number 45 in the charts with their first album, and they don’t do too badly to Holland, either.

I came away from the interview liking the Subs, promising to attend their matinee performance the next day, but still not convinced about their music. The aforesaid gig proved to be a riot, although fire regulations only permitted 400 people inside the pub, 700 under 20s managed to cram themselves in, and there were at least another 200 waiting expectantly outside the door.

There’s no guessing how many people would have managed to squeeze themselves in if the police hadn’t come along and disrupted the event.

If the truth is told I’m still confused. But with fans like that, how can the Subs be wrong? (Daniela Soave)