The Zips - Spirit Of 78

  

"Don't need to look too far
  We know who you are..."

  

  An anti fascist song today with a title that's fitting from a band that formed way back in 1978. The Zips are the old school Glasgow punks that are still excelling when it comes to composing great tunes. They've been on here a few times previously (this is one of my favourites by them  https://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-zips-iou.html). 

  They return today with one of 4 tracks that feature on a split album from Lisbon label Different Class Records titled News From Another Side. As well as The Zips, there's also 7 songs from Brazilian band Cólera and 3 from Portugal's Razor Kids. It's available on vinyl and digital download here :   https://differentclassrecords.bandcamp.com/album/news-from-another-side

  Featuring a line up of Jon Zip (guitar/vocals), Phil Volume (bass/backing vocals), Fred - X (lead guitar/backing vocals) & Buddie Poor (drums), The Zips contribute Victim (a track from their 2011 album 19 Forevva), a new version of fan favourite Govern Meant plus 2 new songs. 

  I'll play one of the new ones, Free For All, on this week's Just Some Punk Songs show. This is the other one. It's from a band that are still standing up for what they believe in, it's called Spirit Of 78... 

The Zips - State

(photo : Miff Morris)

  Do you remember The Zips? The Glasgow punk band from way back in the 70's who put out a couple of classic singles before splitting up? I'm guessing if you're old enough to have been about back then you'll at least remember the name? Maybe you even know they got back together again in 2001. Many bands from punk's "glory days" have got back together, not all of them are as good as they were first time around but The Zips definitely are and 40+ years down the line they've just released a new album and it's bloody wonderful. It's called HUH!? and they describe it as "Punk rock and roll with a message and a toon you can whistle!" What more does a punk lover want? You can get the cd from the band (https://www.facebook.com/thezipsuk/) or if you prefer digital, then go here :   https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/thezips15

  The band line up with Jonzip (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Phil Volume (bass guitar/vocals), Fred-X (lead guitar/vocals) and Buddie Poor (drums). They released a single from the album a while ago and it's one of the best of the year (the video's brilliant too, check it out (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4Giww0O9jY). The rest of HUH!? is equally as catchy. It's timeless punk rock just like they used to make back in the 70's (and which happily they're still making in 2019!).

  This track is a good old singalong telling us how the welfare state don't care about you and me and how even when they're fucking up the economy the bankers are still collecting their bonuses. Those in power comfortably ride out the crisis they create whilst the rest of us are left to pick up the pieces. The Future's Never Underwritten.... It's a call to rise up and don't let the state dictate how things should be, we need to declare a state of emergency. This is State....

Top 10 Songs Chosen By Jonzip McNeil (The Zips)

 

  A Top 10 today selected by Jonzip Mcneil, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist with veteran Glasgow band The Zips. Along with Brian Jackson, Joe Jaconelli and Phil Mullen, Jon founded the band back in 1978 and during their initial run before splitting in 1981 they became regulars on the John Peel show...I'm sure some of you still own their Take Me Down and Radioactivity singles. With punk audiences being tempted away by new romantics and ska the band went their seperate ways but European bootleg interest in their back catalogue led to them reforming in 2001 and they've been pretty prolific ever since. The current line up sees Jon and Phil augmented by by Fred Ex and Buddy Poor.

  They've released 4 albums and numerous singles & eps. Earlier this year they celebrated their 40th anniversary with a new single and I featured it here :  http://justsomepunksongs.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-zips-iou.html

  For more info on the band check here : http://www.thezips.co.uk/biog/
https://www.facebook.com/thezipsuk/

  When choosing their Top 10's some subjects pick a bunch of songs that people may not have heard before in the hope of getting those songs out to a wider audience. Jon has gone down the route of "here's 10 absolute classics.."   As you can see, he's still loves the songs that he grew up with and he's still quite partial to The Clash.  Just to add a little spice to the selection I've tried to choose videos that are either live or tv appearances...

  1)  THE CLASH - Complete Control

  2)  THE CLASH - Safe European Home

  3)  THE CLASH - Stay Free

  4)  THE CLASH - Clampdown

  5)  THE CLASH - Rock The Casbah

  6)  SEX PISTOLS - Anarchy In The UK

  7)  THE JAM - In The City

  8)  THE DAMNED - Neat Neat Neat

  9)  THE STRANGLERS - No More Heroes

 10)  THE SKIDS - Into The Valley

The Zips - IOU

  The Zips are the veteran Glasgow band that formed from the ashes of Road Angel way back in 1978, split in 1981 (after most of their audience had decided to raid their mother's make up bags and hitch a lift on the new romantic bandwagon) and then reformed in 2001. Some of you older punks may remember their Take Me Down ep or the Radioactivity 7" (at least a couple of the listeners in the Just Some Punk Songs show chatroom said they'd bought them when I played the band's latest single a couple of days ago). Since they got back together they've been fairly productive, there's been a bunch of eps plus 3 albums (Guitars 4 Hire, 19 Forevva, Down With The Zips) as well as a split lp with Erotic Devices. Most golden age punk bands who get back together tend to rely largely on past glories, I think it's fair to say that it's this latter incarnation of The Zips who have the most impressive body of work.

  Lining up with Jonzip (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Phil Volume (bass guitar/vocals), Fred-X (lead guitar/vocals) and Buddie Poor (drums), the band are as busy as they've ever been and are currently celebrating their 40th anniversary. To keep up to date with gigs, upcoming releases or to listen to some music check out their site : http://www.thezips.co.uk/

  They're also on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/thezipsuk/

  Earlier this year they released a single, it's one of those classic sounding mid paced anthems that could have just as easily been released in 1978 as in 2018, this is the A side and should be an excellent reason for those of you that might be unfamiliar with the band's recent material to check it out. It's called IOU....