by
Rob Jones
The UK Subs keep on keeping on and lead singer Charlie Harper defies ageists as next year he clocks up his 73rd birthday. His band have completed an alphabet of studio albums with their most recent Ziezo endeavour; and, in all fairness to these troopers they can still fire out pristine punk produce. To add to which this band has a back catalogue of tunes that made Top of the Pops a better place many moons ago; and, there is also an accompanying long playing brethren that just adds to the attraction.
So can a 2016 quartet cut the mustard on stage as another annum comes to a close? Well, at Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff the younger crew of Cyanide Pills set the standards with a breathtaking set of old school style punk that is well worth a viewing if you get the chance. However, the students were just warming up the arena for the masters.
The tutors UK Subs slipped in some fresh fayre but understandably it was the look back buzz that really whipped up the punters! A set of soaring, scything, scintillating sounds is the order of the day; and, you cannot go wrong with the likes of: evening number one Warhead plus the potency of Party in Paris, C.I.D., Tomorrow’s Girls, Teenage, Crash Course, New York State Police, Barbie’s Dead and Rockers.
The UK Subs will always hold that extra kudos for yours truly having played the long lost Naval Club in my home town of Tonypandy (not once but twice back in the day). However, this is the nature of this beast because life is just one long tour for Harper and his harpoons! For the night before the boys were in Swansea and not all acts come to South Wales let alone play it’s two leading cities! So well done The UK Subs!
The UK Subs put an ‘r’ in front of age and their social commentary is still pertinent. The fact that the attitude is aligned to some killer tunes proves that you do not just have to be young to warrant the respect of an audience! Born a rocker, die a rocker! Referee! Four Subs please!
