UK Subs - Predator

 

  Once they'd completed their A-Z of album releases, punk legends UK Subs announced that there'd be no more studio albums. Charlie Harper is still far to young at heart however to be content with bringing out the pipe, slippers & Werther's Originals and the Subs are still busy touring and there's still new music. A couple of those releases, 7" singles, came out at the end of last year on their own U.K. Subs Records and it's one of them I'm featuring today.

  You don't need an introduction to punk's most enduring band, with a current line up of Charlie Harper (vocals/harmonica), Steve Straughan (guitar), Alvin Gibbs (bass) and Jamie Oliver (drums) they're still pretty much as good as they've ever been. Certainly better than a band that've been together for over 40 years has any right to be. You can keep up to date with gigs etc here :  https://www.facebook.com/UKSubs/

  The 2 7"'s they released last November were The Beast/Dark Matter and Predator/Master Of The Stool. Both typically energetic punk stompers well worth checking out. Dealing with a subject that's been in the news a lot recently, this is Predator....

UK Subs - Barbie's dead.

Usually I try to post songs that people might not have heard before (which is why you get The Gee Strings instead of The Clash) but occasionally I'll slip in a band that sups at punk's top table. Today I'm highlighting a song by a band who've been around forever and who've released a virtual A-Z of albums. UK Subs were formed in 1977 and it wasn't long before they gained a stranglehold on the UK charts, scoring 7 consecutive top 30 hits between 1979-81. Fronted by the indefatigable Charlie Harper, they show no signs of slowing down, no doubt they'll be gigging in front of a rabid crowd somewhere right up until it's time to say bye bye planet. It's not easy to select just one song but I'll plump for one that came out in 1980 on the classic Brand New Age album, this is Barbie's Dead.....

Barbie wore black, black hat
Barbie wore gloves, warm gloves
Barbie was thin, white skin
Barbie's in bed, she's dead

Bellboy cries for Barbie
Mailman cries for Barbie
Gasman cries for Barbie
Said come on let's get drunk

Barbie had a gun, field gun
Barbie had a bird, blackbird
Barbie had a car, Jaguar
Barbie was rich, rich bitch

Boys they cry for Barbie
Girls they cry for Barbie
Daddy cries for Barbie
Then they all got drunk

Barbie's dead
Barbie's dead
Barbie's dead
Barbie's dead

When Barbie was alive, so alive
Barbie did sing, sweet things
Barbie had pink hair, spiked hair
Barbie loved rock, punk rock

Boys danced with Barbie
Girls played with Barbie
Daddy he loved Barbie
And the whole party got drunk

Barbie's dead
Barbie's dead
Barbie's dead