UK SUBS
North Bar
Blackburn
10 December 2001
Freezing Monday night in Blackburn, just Slutch and the UK Subs to
supply the heat.
UK SUBS: Psycho Fucking Maniacs
A good sized crowd tonight and its great to see people turning
out and supporting punk at the North Bar.
Slutch got things of to a great start
with their twin guitar pop punk. The four piece played original stuff and a
fine rock and roll band they are too.
Bri Slutcher guitar slung low doing all
the right things fronts them. A bit of a trooper Brian not only did he give it
the lot with Slutch but also he did it all again with the UK Subs this time on
the Bass. Lead guitar, bass and drums complete the line-up and I think Slutch
are from round the Blackburn area. They have been going since 1995. The only
song I’d heard before was ‘Love is (dead in the World)’ which is available to
download on the bands website, it has radio play written all over it and there
was another one I think called ‘Jackie’ which had the catchiest guitar hook.
Really enjoyed Slutch and wider appeal is there.
On to the main event and the
reason for venturing out on a cold Monday evening.
Charlie Harper vocals. Alan Campbell guitar. Bri Slutcher bass.
USA Jason drums.
Tonight Matthew boy we're gonna’ suck the fuckin’ diesel. Rock
and roll baby, accept no substitute.
From the moment the Subs kick in with ‘CID’
everyone’s off their heads. The band pulls up after ‘CID’ due to the monitors
badly feeding back. Then on top of that Jason is having trouble with the bass
drum head, which is eventually mended with gaffa tape.
All sorted out and off
we go again, fuck me these guys are loud, and I’m stood stage left just out the
mosh with my head near enough inside a speaker getting a few pics - heaven on
earth.
‘Party in Paris’, ‘New York State Police’, Charlie giving it everything
on ‘Teenage’.
Cutting all the best shapes right in front of me is guitarist
Alan Campbell, is he Nicky Garratt in disguise? Psycho Fucking Maniac
emblazoned on his back with a Billy Idol haircut. Then we go ‘Tomorrows Girls’
and ‘Emotional Blackmail’. The well up for it crowd singing along to ‘Endangered
Species’ - we could blow you all to pieces.
Brian pumps the Bass intro to
‘Warhead’, sweat dripping of him; this is his second gig tonight. ‘Young
Criminals’, ‘Crash Course’, Charlie on the harmonica for ‘I couldn’t be you’
and the one guaranteed to make the whole place go totally crazy,
‘Stranglehold’.
The Subs took a fag break at the stage side. Jason with shirt
off and big spiky purple hair. Brian hanging in there. Alan looking cool as
ever and Charlie chatting away to the fans - pint in hand.
On with the encore
and by now everyone was literally right on top of the band, sound and dry ice
machine guy trying to prevent anyone falling on the speakers, ‘Live in a Car’
and everyone singing along to the Subs anthem ‘Rockers’.
Charlie Harper as always
had time for everybody tonight someone should give this guy a medal. I had a
chat with him after the gig and he is a nice man. So ladies and gentlemen I
give you the United Kingdom Subversives a band you should always go out of your
way to see.
25 years on and still outside society.
A great gig from a band who
will hopefully be on tour forever!
This article was sent in by Roy Hesketh, who runs the fanzine "Pogo Until You Die".