Welcome to the U.K. Subs website and official archive...
For all the latest up-to-date
U.K. Subs news please go to either the official U.K. Subs Facebook page or the Subs' Fan Club on Facebook.
Both of these were set up by T&M...
OFFICIAL U.K. SUBS FACEBOOK PAGE:
U.K. SUBS NEWSFEED 2018...
12/06: NEW EP LAUNCH PARTY GIG
The U.K. Subs have today announced the details for their new EP gig launch party as follows:
WEBSITE: "Official party for the brand new EP, to be held at the Queens Hall, Nuneaton on November 21st. If you’ve joined us at any of our launches before you will know that this will be a night to remember!"
FACEBOOK: "Come and help us celebrate the launch of our brand new (as of yet untitled) EP at the Queens Hall, Nuneaton on November 21st. This will be a night to remember. Tickets on sale now!
Go to www.uksubs.co.uk/store to get yours!"
NEW EP CAMPAIGN STORE: CLICK HERE
11/06: CHARLIE SOLO SHOW WITH Q&A
Charlie Harper will be playing a special intimate solo show in Southsea in September with only 40 seats available...
The exclusive heads-up was given to all the members of the U.K. Subs Fan Club on Facebook as there were so few tickets available...
CHARLIE HARPER SOLO SHOW and Q&A SESSION
Venue: The Tea Tray Cafe, Osborne Rd, Southsea, Portsmouth.
30th Sept 2018 - doors 5:00pm for a 5:45pm start.
40 seats only - £10 tickets.
Ticket link is http://www.wegottickets.com/event/442575
Right - poster for gig - click to enlarge
09/06: JAMIE'S SIDE PROJECT BAND - YOU - NEW MUSIC VIDEO
U.K. Subs drummer Jamie Oliver's side project band, YOU have just released an official music video for their debut single 'Selfish, of which you can read more about here:
http://www.uksubstimeandmatter.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19899:5-april-2018&catid=1390&Itemid=157
Watch the video below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7-unZjCM9I&feature=youtu.be
08/06: NEW EP ANNOUNCEMENT
The U.K. Subs have today sent out an announcement via e-mail to all fans registered with their uksubs.co.uk mailing list, as well as via their official Facebook page, that the band intend to record a brand new EP, set to be released in November 2018.
The announcement was made as follows:
" ***MAJOR UK SUBS ANNOUNCEMENT!!!***
We’re super excited for this project and we hope you will be too. Head over to www.uksubs.co.uk/store to check it all out.
"Campaign items are for pre-order only and are due to ship in November 2018. Any standard shop items ordered in the same shopping cart as EP campaign items will ship together in November 2018."
NEW EP CAMPAIGN STORE: CLICK HERE
28/05: U.K. SUBS PICTURED WITH ROBERT PLANT
The Subs have today posted the following picture on their Facebook page of themselves (minus Steve) with Led Zeppelin's legendary frontman Robert Plant... (click image to enlarge)
U.K. SUBS FACEBOOK: "UK Subs and Robert Plant this weekend. So much fun at Bearded Theory. Great end to the UK tour. Big thanks to all who made it out to see us!!"
ALVIN GIBBS' FACEBOOK PHOTO COMMENT: "Got a couple of tasty updates to share with you in the near future my dear Facebook chums but, firstly, wanted to thank everybody who attended our very enjoyable Spring UK tour which came to a blistering conclusion with two festival appearances this past weekend. The first of those gatherings, the wonderful Bearded Theory fest in Derbyshire, saw us share a stage with the likes of the Bermondsey Joyriders, Fun Lovin’ Criminals and Robert Plant and his band the Sensational Space Shifters (try saying that fast after you’ve had a couple of wines!). I’ve been lucky in getting to meet some musically influential prime movers over the years: got to hang out with Joey Ramone in New York when I was playing with Iggy Pop, conversed with both David Bowie and Alice Cooper during that same period; got shown around Abbey Road studios by Ian Hunter of Mott the Hoople fame and stood shoulder-to-shoulder playing on stage with Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, among other notable encounters during my musical career. Meeting Robert Plant and discovering what an easy going and ego-free guy he was on Saturday was definitely up there too. Both Charlie Harper and I both got to see Led Zeppelin back in the day. Chas saw them play in a small pub in South London in 1969 – when Charlie told Plant this the singer recalled the name of the hostelry (the Toby Jug, apparently) and even where it was situated – while I caught them six years later at one of their Earls Court gigs… ‘oh, that was 1975’ said Robert ‘I’m afraid Alvin we were just going through the motions by then’ he revealed. His guitarist, Skin, was also a top bloke, as was the rest of his band to a man. Some of you may have already seen Jamie Oliver’s post featuring this pic, but for those who haven’t here’s a photographic memento of that joyful occasion."
14/05: SECOND 15-CD U.K. SUBS BOXSET INFO ANNOUNCED
Edsel Records, a division of the DEMON MUSIC GROUP will be issuing two magnificent U.K. Subs CD boxsets this year, comprising an awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping collectors' delight of 30 CDs in total.
Limited to 1,000 copies worldwide, the second boxset (pictured - click images to enlarge) will have all the U.K. Subs' alphabetically released official albums from 'Normal Service Resumed' to 'Ziezo', with those 13 discs being augmented by an additional 2 'Bonus Cuts' discs, crammed with singles, b-sides and rarities.
Volume 2 has a release date of 3 August 2018.
Produced in association with Captain Oi! Records and Chase The Ace Design, with help and advice from T&M, information regarding the first boxset, due out on 1 June 2018 can be viewed on this previous news story link:
http://www.uksubstimeandmatter.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19919:25-april-2018&catid=1390&Itemid=157
The two boxsets will have a matching design, with the first 15-CD set boasting the albums 'Another Kind Of Blues' to 'Mad Cow Fever', plus another 2 'Bonus Cuts' discs, again with some tasty non-LP Subs delights.
These releases promise to be the ultimate U.K. Subs collectors item that every Subs fanatic will cherish and love, representing a stunning tribute to one of the greatest punk band's of them all.
Charlie has also signed a printed card keepsake in each set - this one being a print of one of his paintings - see the picture right (click to enlarge).
Volume 2 is available to pre-order on Amazon now, with the following 'product description':
"This year the UK Subs celebrate their 40th anniversary with two comprehensive box sets rounding up all 26 of their albums and associated singles and b-sides. Each album has been remastered so that the Subs have never looked or sounded better. The band set out in 1979 to release an album for each letter of the alphabet and finally completed the task in 2017. This fifteen disc 261 track CD Book Set contains the second half of the A-Z series (N - Z), plus two discs of non LP singles, B-sides and rare compilation album tracks. Each album is packaged in a 7" sleeve featuring a replica of its original front cover with each CD a picture disc, all bound together in a strong hard back casing. Made with 11 guitarists, twelve bassists, Fifteen drummers….and one lead singer! "
PRE-ORDER LINK VOL 2:
PRE-ORDER LINK VOL 1:
13/05: ALVIN GIBBS SOLO LP UPDATE No.1
As announced on 29 April, Time & Matter Records have signed up U.K. Subs bassist Alvin Gibbs to release his debut solo album, with a release date pencilled in for December 2018.
Alvin intends getting in some surprise guest musicians to augment his singing as well as his guitar and bass playing, but the initial recording sessions have been completed with Steve Crittall at Steve's own studio: Racknophobia Studios in Soho. (Steve pictured left - click to enlarge)Steve recently played guitar on the Subs re-recording of Hey Santa Claus! for a Cleopatra Records' Xmas Compilation back in 2015, but is also guitarist with the reformed Godfathers, their last album ('A Big Bad Beautiful Noise') being produced and mixed at Steve's studio (http://www.sohorecordingservices.com/).
...and T&M spoke to Steve for our first update:
Despite the scant amount of time invested so far, we can already tell that we've got something of a monster album on our hands. Very early days yet but we're both very excited with the results so far and can't wait to press on with the next episode. Watch this space!!"
Below: Exclusive photo of Alvin in the studio for T&M thanks to Steve - click to enlarge...
01/05: CHARLIE & GAYE BLACK SHARE ART EXHIBITION
Charlie has a joint art exhibition with former Adverts bassist Gaye Black booked for a week in June in East Sussex at the Waterloo Square Gallery. Click the poster right to enlarge...https://londonart.co.uk/sales/view_art.asp?ArtistID=5281
29/04: T&M RECORDS SIGN ALVIN GIBBS FOR SOLO LP
Time & Matter Records are absolutely thrilled to announce that they have signed up U.K. Subs bassist Alvin Gibbs to release his debut solo album, with a release date pencilled in for November or December 2018.
With recording at Steve Crittall’s (Soho Steve) recording studio due to commence next week, Alvin enthusiastically spoke to T&M about his forthcoming debut album:“Well I think I've written some tasty tunes for my T&M solo album. I’ve got 12 songs now, mostly in the style of ‘Sidewalk Baby’ (from the T&M Urban Dogs LP ‘Attack’), certainly it’s more Urban Dogs than Subs. I even have a song that I sing in French called ‘Mes Années de Libération’ which translates as ‘My Years of Liberation’, it being a kind of retrospective of my years playing Punk rock music. Really looking forward to getting into it at Steve's studio in Soho and bringing these songs to fruition…”
https://www.facebook.com/Dod-Morrison-photography-119349811428086/
25/04: TWO 15-CD U.K. SUBS BOXSETS TO BE RELEASED
Edsel Records, a division of the DEMON MUSIC GROUP will be issuing two magnificent U.K. Subs CD boxsets this year, comprising an awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping collectors' delight of 30 CDs in total.
Limited to 1,000 copies worldwide, the first boxset (pictured - click images to enlarge) will have all the U.K. Subs' alphabetically released official albums from 'Another Kind Of Blues' to 'Mad Cow Fever', with those 13 discs being augmented by an additional 2 'Bonus Cuts' discs, crammed with singles, b-sides and rarities.
Produced in association with Captain Oi! Records and Chase The Ace Design, with help and advice from T&M, the first boxset is due out on 1 June 2018 with the second collection due sometime after this.
The two boxsets will have a matching design, with the second 15-CD set boasting the albums 'Normal Service Resumed' to 'Ziezo', plus another 2 'Bonus Cuts' discs, again with some tasty non-LP Subs delights.
These releases promise to be the ultimate U.K. Subs collectors item that every Subs fanatic will cherish and love, representing a stunning tribute to one of the greatest punk band's of them all.
Charlie has also signed a printed card keepsake in each set - see the picture right (click to enlarge).
Volume 1 is available to pre-order on Amazon now, with the following 'product description':
"Each box also contains a signed frame-able print by frontman Charlie Harper The band set out in 1979 to release an album for each letter of the alphabet and finally completed the task in 2017. This fifteen disc 279 track CD Book Set contains the first thirteen albums (A - M), plus two discs of non LP singles, B-sides and rare compilation album tracks. "Another Kind Of Blues" (No.21), "Brand New Age" (No.18), "Crash Course" (No.8) and "Diminished Responsibility" (No.18) all charted in the UK album charts" Down On The Farm" from 1982's "Endangered Species" was covered by Guns 'n' Roses on their multi-million selling "Spaghetti Incident" album. Discs 14 and 15 in this superbly packaged set contain 58 non LP cuts including the UK hit singles "Stranglehold" (No.26), "Tomorrows Girls" (No.28), "She's Not There" (No.36), "Warhead" (No.30), "Teenage" (No.32), "Party In Paris" (No.37) and "Keep On Runnin'" (No.41) plus the Independent Chart hits "Countdown" (No.8), "Shake Up The City" (No.13) and "Another Typical City" (No.11). Each album is packaged in a 7" sleeve featuring a replica of its original front cover with each CD a picture disc, all bound together in a strong hard back casing. Made with five guitarists, eight bass players, eight drummers…and one Vocalist! Each album has been remastered so that the Subs have never looked or sounded better."
PRE-ORDER LINK:
News on Volume 2 will follow soon...
18/04: BRAND NEW U.K. SUBS ALBUM OUT IN JUNE
As previously reported on T&M back in November, the U.K. Subs have recorded a brand new studio album. Having completed their official studio album journey of albums titled from A to Z, this new album is purely an album of cover versions.
This new studio collection, recorded by the current Subs line-up of Harper, Straughan, Gibbs and Oliver is nattily entitled SUBVERSIONS and will be released on US-based label Cleopatra Records on 22 June 2018...
'Subversions' will be available on CD as well as a on red-coloured vinyl - which will be limited to 500 copies.
The album consists of 12 cover songs, which the band chose themselves, and was recorded at Pat Collier's Perry Vale Studios in London last year, where the last few Subs A-Z albums were recorded.
Click on each individual song title's link to find out more about that particular song.
Side A
Kick Out The Jams
Train Kept A Rollin
I Don't Need No Doctor
Boston Babies
Tired Of Waking Up Tired
This Perfect Day
16/04: U.K. SUBS TO TOUR USA WEST COAST IN OCTOBER
***ANNOUNCEMENT***
The U.K. Subs will be touring the USA West Coast this October over a two-and-a-half week period playing 14 shows.
They will be playing with Agent Orange and Guttermouth.
The dates are as follows, with tickets available at all the usual outlets...
13/04: CHARLIE ON COVER AND IN NEW ISSUE OF VLR MAG
After picking up his Vive Le Rock magazine 'Icon' award recently in London, Charlie is featured on the brand new issue's (#53) front cover alongside The Damned's Dave Vanian and Captain Sensible as well as Michael Monroe.
There is also an interview with Charlie inside this 'Vive Le Rock awards collectors gatefold issue' special edition:
"All the legends, all the action and performances minute by minute are covered . Everyone Interviewed - The Damned, Charlie Harper - UK SUBS, Michael Monroe, The Selecter, Ginger Wildheart, Cock Sparrer, TV Smith, The Professionals, Shakin' Stevens, plus Robert Gordon, The Undertones, Monster Magnet and Balaam and the Angel."
AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW at:
https://vivelerock.net/product-category/vive-le-rock/
10/04: NEW CHARLIE HARPER SOLO ALBUM
Charlie is all set to self-release his brand new solo album - his second solo outing, an incredible 36 years after his solo debut 'Stolen Property' in 1982!
Entitled 'Little Black Crow', it will initially be available on CD, and on sale at Yuko's merchandise stall at forthcoming gigs as well as via mail order exclusively through the T&M webshop, from Thursday 12 April 2018.
The new album - on 'Road Dog Records', which is Charlie's own new label imprint has 14 tracks as follows:
2. THE CUCKOO
3. SAN FRANCISCO BAY
4. DRUNKEN SAILOR
5. RIDING IN MY CAR
6. RAIL ROAD BILL
7. LITTLE BLACK CROW8. SPOKANE SPECIAL
9. INSPIRATION
10. HOBOS LULLABY
11. GOING TO THE ZOO
12. TRUE LOVE WILL FIND YOU
13. OLD MAN TRUMP
14. FROGGIE WENT A COURTIN
Ali Gavan, who jointly runs the studio played drums and piano and The Ramonas' Victoria Smith played bass. Charlie himself played harmonica on one of the tracks on the recent brilliant Ramonas debut LP, which was also put down at the same studio.
09/04: CHARLIE HARPER GIVEN 'VIVE LE ROCK' AWARD
Charlie Harper was given an award onstage at the recent inaugural 'Vive Le Rock' awards, held in London at the O2 Islington Academy on 28 March 2018.
His 'King Rocker / Icon' award can be seen pictured right, along with his brand new album 'Little Black Crow'.
Charlie performed on stage a couple of old U.K. Subs classic numbers, 'Stranglehold' and 'C.I.D.', adorned by a brass section, and was given his award by great friend Captain Sensible.
Thanks to Keith Rainbow for the gig photos and Yuko for the mantelpiece pic...
Click the photos to enlarge
https://www.facebook.com/vivelerockworld/
08/04: ALVIN GIBBS CUSTOM BASS STRINGS
U.K. Subs four-stringer Mr Alvin Gibbs now has his own custom range of bass strings through the Skull Strings company in France.
Illustrating this news story is one of the new pack covers.
Alvin has commented that:
"...living in France, it’s gratifying to me for have an association with a French company, especially one that has embraced and offered such generous deals to other musicians from within the Punk Rock fraternity. They sound and play great, and I’m very much looking forward to thrashing out my basslines on these suckers on the U.K. Subs’ forthcoming UK Spring tour..."
06/04: 'TIN CAN MEDIA' CHARLIE HARPER INTERVIEW
The 'Tin Can Media' collective have recently posted an excellent half-hour interview with Charlie Harper via their 'Musical Osmosis' webpage.You can hear the full interview at:
http://www.tincan.media/mo/2018/03/29/charlie-harper-from-the-uk-subs/
DEBUT SINGLE OUThttps://blogginrotten.wordpress.com/2018/02/27/you-selfish/
The T&M webshop have copies available and you can keep up to date with this exciting new band via their website and/or Facebook page:
14/03: ALVIN GIBBS' MEMOIRS - NEW CHAPTER PUBLISHED
Diminished Responsibility: My Life as a UK Sub, and other Strange Stories...
New instalment published!
Chapter 10 - Part 1: SOLIDARITY:
Our Small Part in the Fall of
General Jaruzelski and the Soviet empire...
T&M today proudly publishes the 25th instalment of this suberb series of memoirs from Alvin Gibbs about his life and U.K. Subs-experiences...
As usual, the latest episode boasts many previously unpublished photos from Alvin's personal archive...
Read the latest...
In which - after the Subs' long tour of the USA concludes - Alvin ponders the circumstances on which the U.K. Subs were chosen in 1983 to tour behind the Iron Curtain ahead of the communist-considered violent Village People, Alice Cooper's vandalism, the neo-fascism of Julio Iglesias, the racism of Judas Priest or the sex of Tina Turner?
Prior to Poland there's a brief stay at his new pad in London betwixt these 'extreme' tours, in which the latter sees the Subs playing 'Inflammable Material' off-stage!
Previous chapters are archived in the T & Misc! section
to the right entitled "Alvin Gibbs' memoirs"...
04/03: INTRODUCING... THE UKULELE SUBS!
As this new band's Facebook page states:"It's a combination of two of my favourite things, namely the U.K. Subs and playing the ukulele. I started rehearsing with an old friend and fellow Subs fan Dave Fanning - who it turns out was taught bass at a youth club by Paul Slack! - and the Ukulele Subs were born. We added Satu Salonpaa on percussion and backing vocals and played our first gig at Bearded Theory's Spring Gathering 2017. We're back there again this year and, to our delight, the U.K. Subs themselves are also playing."
03/03: URBAN DOGS DEBUT ALBUM RE-ISSUED FOR RSD 2018
The Urban Dogs' debut LP is set for a double-LP coloured vinyl re-vamp re-issue for this year's Record Store Day on 21 April. This new re-release through Jungle Records features a live recording as the bonus LP alongside the b-sides from the band's first two singles, and will be issued on red vinyl.
There will be a CD issue as well, released April 27.
The promo sheet from Jungle has the following information:
Record Store Day 2xLP
• 35th Anniversary Issue on limited red vinyl with bonus LP full of unheard tracks!
In 1983 the UK Subs and the Vibrators found themselves at a loose end after some lengthy touring. Old friends Charlie Harper and Ian 'Knox' Carnochan got together and started making some music they shared a common love for. Along with a cover of the New York Dolls and Iggy & the Stooges, they added their own compositions that fitted. A couple of punk classics emerged; both 'New Barbarians' and 'Limo Life' https://youtu.be/H48sUXcoNHI were chosen for release as 7" singles. Charlie and Knox, as the Urban Dogs went on to record a number of further albums together, and the collaboration continues to this day.
Disc 2: 7” b-sides: Cocaine, Speed Kills, Warhead (ext. ver; unreleased). Live, previously unreleased: New Barbarians, Wanna World, I Wanna Be Your Dog, Warhead, The Word, Limo Life, Troops of Tomorrow.
CD Cat No: FALLCD060 5013145306024 CD: APRIL 27
https://recordstoreday.co.uk/home/
27/02: CHARLIE TO PLAY AT THE VIVE LE ROCK AWARDS
Charlie Harper has been confirmed to play at the first 'Vive Le Rock' awards, to be held in London at the O2 Islington Academy on 28 March 2018.
The Vive Le Rock website has posted the following news story:
"GET YOUR TICKETS FOR THE VIVE AWARDS!!!Already shaping up to be the rock’n’roll event of the year, the awards, which are sponsored by AEG Presents, will take place at the O2 Islington Academy in London on 28 March hosted by Ginger Wildheart and featuring 7 special live performances from Ginger, The Professionals, the UK Subs’ Charlie Harper TV Smith and The Vive Le Rockers, featuring members of The Urban Voodoo Machine, The Ruts and Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – plus very special guests to be announced!!! You really don’t want to miss this!!!
Tickets for the awards, including a special VIP ticket allowing holders to hang out with the bands and award-winners in the private backstage bar and at the aftershow party, are available here! Book now because once they’re gone, they’re gone!
Guaranteed to be a wild night, votes are still being taken for the awards for Best Live Band and New Blood.
THE TICKET LINK IS: https://www1.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F005438F64EDFDA
26/02: NEW EMBROIDERED U.K. SUBS BLACK BAG
U.K. Subs' official online merchandiser 'Mainstage Merch' have just released some great looking U.K. Subs red star logo bags.
"This has to be the best UK SUBS Bag ever!!! One of a superb range of high quality essential bags which are a must for fans of all these classic bands."
Further details:
Clean and classic styling. Full cotton lining. Antique brass effect fittings. Zippered organiser section under front flap. Internal slip pocket. Padded base. Rip-Strip™ closure. Adjustable shoulder strap.
(https://www.mainstagemerch.com/product/uk-subs-embroidered-red-star-logo-black-bag/)
The Punk Lounge website has just published an absolutely superb and fascinating interview with Charlie by Erin Marie about his paintings and his art..."Yeah, my grandmother got me some kind of colouring books and stuff and then the next thing, I was at school around 5 or 6 and we had these raffia classes (raffia is a fibre obtained from the leaves of the raffia palm, used for tying plants and other objects and for making mats, baskets, hats and the like,) where you make this sort if table mate with raffia and I got commended for mine. I can still remember it..."
http://thepunklounge.com/2018/02/interview-artist-charlie-harper/
U.K. Subs drummer Jamie Oliver's new side project band, YOU will be touring in March in support of their debut single 'Selfish', of which you can read a review at:https://blogginrotten.wordpress.com/2018/02/27/you-selfish/
http://youbanduk.com/
https://www.facebook.com/youbanduk/
22/01: PUNKERAMA RECORDS' 'ENDANGERED SPECIES' 7" PRE-ORDER
Belfast based record label Punkerama Records will be issuing a new 7" U.K. Subs single soon and it is available to pre-order now at £9-00 plus postage and packaging.Limited to 500 copies spread over 3 different colours, the split comprises 150 on splatter vinyl, 175 on purple and 175 on pink.
15/01: '100 CLUB' FULL GIG FOOTAGE ON YOUTUBE
Thanks to 'YeAuldMetaller' on YouTube you can watch the whole Subs performance from last night's gig at the 100 Club below - it is also archived on T&M HERE
Update 18/01: Bluetributetv.com gig review by Curt Dennis can be viewed here:
http://bluestributetv.com/uk-subs-resolution-fest-review/?i=2
12/01: U.K. SUBS' FIRST GIG OF 2018...
11/01: CHARLIE GUEST APPEARANCE WITH THE RAMONAS
Charlie put in a guest appearance with The Ramonas for their in-store acoustic show at the Vinyl Revolution shop in Brighton in order to promote the vinyl release of The Ramonas brilliant debut album 'First World Problems'.
A full gig review and lots of photos, with video footage can be viewed at: http://scenesussex.uk/the-ramonas-vinyl/
BUY THE RAMONAS SUPERB ALBUM VIA T&M at:
http://timematterrecordings.bigcartel.com/
09/01: U.K. SUBS FEATURE ON ITV NEWS REPORT
From 2018, T&M has decided that more instantaneous, and up-to-date Subs news is more easily obtainable from the official U.K. Subs page on Facebook as well as the U.K. Subs Fan Club on Facebook, both of which T&M set up.
Unfortunately, websites such as this one are now playing second-fiddle to social media giants such as Facebook, and people tend to go to those sites first whilst surfing the 'net. Time & Matter will continue to document and archive U.K. Subs news stories, but with less regularity than before.
However, our U.K. Subs Tour Dates page will remain the most up-to-date 'go-to' webpage on the internet for the Subs faithful to see where the band are playing.
Please, however, still contact us if you have any news relating to any ex-member of the Subs and we will run it.
...PREVIOUS T&M HOMEPAGE SELECTED NEWS STORIES
(To be archived soon...)
3 CHARLIE SOLO SHOW SUPPORTS TO THE SKIDS IN 2018
June 2018
June 7th - Sub 89, Reading
June 8th - The Cheese and Grain, Frome
June 9th - The Tramshed, Cardiff
*Charlie reveals new 'covers' album plans for US based label in website interview*
"Cleopatra (an American independent label) want us to put out a covers album, revealed Charlie. It's all there we've done covers throughout our career so it's money for old rope.
There'll be some Iggy, some MC5, some Jonathan Richman, all old stuff we used to play..."
Charlie Harper Interview on 'Retropopic' Radio Show
*Exclusive interview with UK Subs frontman and Punk Icon Charlie Harper!*
"Whilst The UK Subs have been going for 40 years now, what was Charlie's musical history before the band? How did he stumble across punk? Who are the artists he admires? What are the songs he loves? Why does he think the group have got through so many band members? How were Punk classics 'Warhead' & 'Stranglehold' written? What does he think of 'The Pistols' & 'The Clash'? Find out about the gigging experience and The Subs concert strongholds. What exactly is 'Punk Muscle Memory'? Has The UK Subs' audience changed over the years...
Find out the answers to all these questions by listening to the interview. Remember RETROPOPIC loves all classic pop whatever the genre and the radio show is the home to the exclusive interview. Stream in globally on 2rrr.org.au to catch the show each Friday at 2100 Sydney time...."
LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW AT:
https://www.mixcloud.com/FrenchSpurs1/retropopic-26-the-uk-subs-other-anecdotes/
https://www.mixcloud.com/FrenchSpurs1/retropopic-32-the-story-of-the-uk-subs/
Alvin Gibbs Pledge Music Site Alvin Gibbs has started a new Pledge Campaign!
Alvin Gibbs has now started his own Pledge Campaign for his latest book 'Some Weird Sin: On Tour With Iggy Pop' - where you can purchase the book signed, unsigned as well as get a new art print in the Pledge Store
Check it out here: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/alvingibbs
New CD From Steve Straughan's Hi-Fi Spitfires
U.K. Subs guitarist, Steve Straughan, has been busy in the down time between Subs commitments and has recorded a new five track CD with his other band, Hi-Fi Spitfires.
Entitled 'Doors To The USA', the release features four new tracks and a new version of 'Last Gang' that appears on Steve's solo album of the same name.
Recorded at Trinity Heights in Newcastle, the line-up is:
Steve Straughan - Vocals & Guitar, Nelly - Drums & Backing Vocals and Tony Taylor - Bass & Backing Vocals.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Doors To The USA
2. Fake City
3. Berlin
4. Don't Take My Heart
5. Last Gang
T&M are pleased to be able to stock copies in our web-shop and you can get your copy HERE!
Charlie Harper Appears On Ramonas 'Original' Debut Album
All female Ramones tribute act, The Ramonas, have released a brand new album of all original material entitled 'First World Problems' and it features the harmonica playing talents of Charlie Harper.
Charlie plays on 'Tearaway' after asking the band if he could play on one of their tracks.
'Treble with the bass' website gave the album a glowing review stating; "This is definitely an album The Ramonas should be proud of and for any Punk fans out there it is a definite one for the list. The album with all it’s grit and edge is everything Punk stands for."
Read the whole review HERE.
Best known for their blistering sets of Ramones songs, 'First World Problems' sees the band blossom as song writers in their own right and can be currently seen playing sets of all original material up and down the country, including a support slot with the U.K. Subs at The Con Club in Lewes on the 26th of November.
T&M are pleased to able to stock copies of the CD in our web-shop, you can get your copy HERE!
You can also preview the album on The Ramonas' website
EXCLUSIVE T&M INTERVIEW
with the original U.K. Subs drummer
ROB HARPER
T&M is today (31 October 2017) extremely proud to publish an exclusive interview with Rob Harper.
Above: Two classified ads from Melody Maker, 16th July 1977,
currently the earliest known U.K. Subs gigs advertised, for the 15th and 18th July 1977.
Below: Rob playing drums with The Clash, 1976.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ROB HARPER INTERVIEW
U.K. Subs in 1978 BBC Documentary Clip Appears Online
The 'BBC Archive' on Twitter (@BBCArchive') recently (12 October 2017) posted a fascinating clip lasting 9 minutes and 44 seconds, from the 1978 BBC Omnibus programme documentary entitled 'The Record Machine', with the tweet information reading:"#OTD 1978: The Mekons, Sham 69, ATV, The Slits and the UK Subs discussed the complex relationship between punk, publicity and profit".
Featuring John Peel interviewing the various bands, the clip includes a headline quote from Charlie Harper as follows:
"We done a gig for fourteen pound - and we lost two quid"
The clip was edited together from different sections of the original documentary, with the Subs appearing at 7.58 until the end of the clip... which you can watch below:
Diminished Responsibility: My Life as a UK Sub, and other Strange Stories...
***Updated 16 October 2017***
New instalment published!
Chapter 9: SHAKE UP THE CITY (part 3)
T&M today proudly publishes the 24th instalment of this suberb series of memoirs from Alvin Gibbs about his life and U.K. Subs-experiences...
As usual, the latest episode boasts many previously unpublished photos from Alvin's personal archive...
Read the latest...
In which our narrator can only get work as a virtually unpaid Dog, cannot prevent the sad departure of Chutch, breaks records at CBGB's , witnesses Harper's abhorrence of furniture fag-burns at Elvis' abode, nearly talks himself into a drive-by shooting a la Easy Rider, increasingly questions the ambitions of the Subs American management and the map reading 'skills' of tour arrangers, enjoys downtime with the in-laws and takes a (very) short cab-ride and parties with Billy Idol and Arturo Vega...
Previous chapters are archived in the T & Misc! section
to the right entitled "Alvin Gibbs' memoirs"...
Alvin Gibbs Revamped Iggy Pop Book Out Now
Subs bassist Alvin Gibbs has just had his brilliant book on his time touring as part of the Iggy Pop band re-published in an expanded and updated form. Also retitled from the original 'Neighbourhood Threat' to 'Some Weird Sin', Alvin put out the following information via his Facebook page on 24 July:
"For those who have been following my regular scribblings for the uksubstimeandmatter.net website entitled ‘Diminished Responsibility: My Life as a UK Subs, and Other Strange Stories’, I’m aware it has been awhile since I’ve provided you all with an additional memoir episode. The reason for this is that I’ve been intensely immersed in another writing project that has finally come to fruition.
As of today you can purchase a new edition of the book first published in 1996 detailing my extraordinary experiences as the bass player to Iggy Pop on an eight-month world tour taking in pretty much every major city, along with some less renowned locations, across six continents.
Having realised it was almost thirty years since that tour commenced at the Whisky a-go-go in Los Angeles in 1988 and with the two original issues being out of print for some years now, I thought it was time for an updated version of the book with some fresh stories and information that I was unable to include in the previous two English editions, plus added photos, a renovation of some of the writing and the addition of a revised Intro chapter and an up-to-date Outro section detailing what all the main players on the tour have been doing since its conclusion in February 1989 up to the present day.
To signify these changes I’ve also retitled it ‘Some Weird Sin: On Tour with Iggy Pop’ (formally ‘Neighbourhood Threat’) this being, I believe, a more appropriate title for the candid new content in addition to the original designation only having been a working title that nonetheless continued to be utilised on both prior English releases, plus the French language version distributed by Camion Blanc in 2010. This latest version is brought to you via a joint publishing venture between Vive le Rock magazine’s book division, Extradition Books, and Cadiz Music Publishing. It is priced at a reasonable £15 – some former editions were selling for as much as £60 on a well-known auction site! – and is available now to order on the Extradition Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Etraditionbooks/
I will also be signing copies of ‘Some Weird Sin’ at the Vive le Rock stall at the Rebellion Festival next month. So, why not treat yourselves to a copy and discover what is was truly like to be a band member touring the globe with one of the most incendiary and rousing exponents of the rock music genre – the godfather of Punk, Iggy Pop. I promise you, it was a wild, wild ride. A x "
- BUY ALVIN'S NEW BOOK - CLICK HERE
T&M 027 Release
Charlie Harper & Friends 7" Single
Features Two Ex-Subs Darrell Bath & Pete Davies
T&M's next release will be T&M 027 and sees Charlie Harper reunited with two ex-Subs, Pete Davies and Darrell Bath, for a one off single; Charlie Harper & Friends - Stop Hobophobia.
Recorded at Pat Collier's Perry Vale Studios in November 2015, it also sees the Straps Phil McDermott playing bass on the A-Side.
Limited to 500 hand numbered copies on blue vinyl with two sided insert and sticker. Available to buy via the T&M Big Cartel web-store from mid-day on Sunday 2nd July 2017
A-Side: Stop Hobophobia 
B-Side: Night Crawler
Charlie Harper: Vocals
Darrell Bath: Guitar, plus bass on Night Crawler
Phil Mc Dermott: Bass on Stop Hobophobia
Pete Davies: Drums
T&M and U.K. Subs hand over £4,000 cheque to RNLI
At the U.K. Subs' gig at the 'Talking Heads' music venue in Southampton on Friday 19 May, Time & Matter Recordings and the U.K. Subs made their latest donation to the RNLI, which is Charlie Harper's favourite charity.
The T&M cheque, representing total donations of £4,000 raised since May 2014 via Time & Matter's charity releases, e-Bay auctions as well as Yuko's collections via the band's merchandise desk was handed over to Jez Cronin, the RNLIs Legacy & In Memory Team Co-Ordinator, who is based at the RNLI headquarters in Poole, Dorset.
Time & Matter previously donated £2,000 to the RNLI in April 2014, and you can read that previous news story here.
Jez - who is a massive music fan, has been into punk since 1976, and continues to follow the punk scene and attend all sorts of gigs, of which he has seen the Subs many times - told the T&M website more about his role and what these donations mean for the RNLI:
"My role working as the Legacy & In Memorium Co-Ordinator for the RNLI is dealing with enquiries and offering support to our supporters wishing to leave legacies to the RNLI. These gifts in Wills can vary from cash donations, Residuary of Estates and even specific items being donated to the RNLI. The RNLI has been left gifts as diverse as a Pig Farm, gold teeth and last year two rare Ferraris from the 1960s which raised £8.5 million for the RNLI via auction.
As over 60% of the RNLIs income comes from legacies I really appreciate how generous and unbelievable our supporters are and how important legacies are for the future of the RNLI.
All donations are important, so it was really nice to be able to 'let my hair down' and also enjoy an evening with my favourite punk band the U.K. Subs and at the same time collect a fantastic donation of £4,000 from Charlie and the band in person. The fundraising efforts both financially and personally they have made with Rob and Mark from Time & Matter for the RNLI really is something I cannot thank them enough for on behalf of the RNLI. Of course, the other incredibly important factor to consider is that with Yuko's merchandise desk always having our RNLI Lifeboat donation box on it amongst the Subs merch, and it being carried round so many venues in the UK with the band, this also helps raise awareness of the RNLI.
I was amazed and honoured to personally thank Charlie, Yuko and the band at Talking Heads in Southampton in 2014 for raising over £3,000 for the RNLI at that point in time. So to be able to meet and thank the band again in 2017 at the new Talking Heads venue for this new, latest donation was unbelievable. The efforts Mark, Rob and the U.K. Subs have made over the years for the RNLI is truly humbling.
Then to top it off, after thanking Charlie and the band for their donation, I of course got to see another fantastic gig by the Subs in Mark's company. I know Mark will have passed on my thanks to his fellow T&Mer Rob who was not at the gig and like all of you reading this, I'm once again looking forward to spending many more evenings enjoying the U.K. Subs live and can’t wait for the next gig..."
Thanks to Matthew Rayner Photography - Flickr page - click here - who took the photo of Charlie and Jez, as well as the Jamie, Charlie and Jez one.
Band and Jez photo by T&M's Mark Chadderton.
You can further check out Matthew Rayner's gig photos of the U.K. Subs at Southampton 19/5/17 - click here
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE VITAL AND FANTASTIC WORK THAT THE RNLI DOES
Sign up for their newsletter - CLICK HERE
Read more about previous T&M causes - click here
T&M releases for sale* - click here
T&M charity e-Bay seller's account - click here
Time & Matter Records Proudly Presents...
T&M 026 LP, CD and MC
Cry “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war…
They’re back with a bite!
FOUR LUMINARIES OF THE PUNK AND ALTERNATIVE SCENE RE-UNITE FOR A BRAND NEW KILLER LP!
Charlie Harper (U.K. Subs)
Knox (The Vibrators)
Alvin Gibbs (U.K. Subs)
Matthew Best (Psychic TV)
Recorded at ex-Vibrators’ bassist Pat Collier’s London Studio in May 2016, this fi fth Urban Dogs album really is their best yet, featuring a stunning collection of songs that are breathtaking in their variety, both musically and lyrically.
Selected highlights are Charlie’s harmonica-drenched ‘Pawn Shop Special’ and bittersweet ‘Whisky Song’, Knox’s fascinating songwriting skills, encompassing ageing love, crucifi xion and android analogy, two stunning covers; their take on The Monkees and Sex Pistols’ famous cover song ‘Steppin’ Stone’ and Johnny Thunders’ classic ‘You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory’ as well as Alvin’s best ever song yet, the simply sensational punk raucous sweaty-sweet stomper that is ‘Sidewalk Baby’.
All that and we haven’t even barked on about the Knox sung Gibbs homage to Vivienne Westwood - ‘World’s End Apocalypso’ or Alvin’s perfect politician put-down ‘Goddamn Liar’!
Yet more genius to chew on! 
Track Listing:
01. Dancing On The Heads Of Snakes
02. The Little Song
03. Sidewalk Baby
04. Pawn Shop Special
05. We Are Machine
06. Trick Or Treat
07. Goddamn Liar
08. Storm Over Golgotha Tonight
09. You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory
10. World’s End Apocalypso
11. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
12. The Whisky Song
Following the album launch party at the band's spiritual home, the 100 Club in London, Attack is available to buy now on LP (blue vinyl), CD and very limited edition cassette through T&M's web-shop.
The CD and cassette boast two bonus tracks; Rebellion Song and One Foot In The Grave, both taken from the band's 2014 single released on Time & Matter Records, T&M 016.
>>> BUY THE LP - CLICK HERE! <<<
>>> BUY THE CD - CLICK HERE! <<<
>>> BUY THE CASSETTE - CLICK HERE! <<<
U.K. SUBS IN 1977
It's amazing what can turn up after so many years!
Early U.K. Subs drummer Steve J. Jones - who later returned to play on 1983s 'Flood of Lies' LP - sent in this amazing, previously unpublished photo of the Subs, just after Nicky Garratt had joined in early October 1977.
Steve had this to say about this stunning find!
"Here's a picture of the UK Subs from 1977 - playing the Western Counties pub in Paddington. Not sure if it's been published before. I've had a copy in my scrapbook since '77. I'm sure it was one of the first we played after Nicky Garratt joined. We played that particular pub a number of times - often with Rob Harper also in the band. I'm not sure if Rob is with us on this occasion and simply missing from the shot. I've no idea who took the picture..."
T&M contacted Nicky Garratt about the photo and he confirmed for us that the photo was taken on his "...first weekend with the Subs..."
U.K. SUBS - WESTERN COUNTIES PUB, PADDINGTON, LONDON OCTOBER 1977
Left to right: Steve Slack, Nicky Garratt, Charlie Harper, Steve J. Jones
Click the image to enlarge
A MASSIVE THANKS FROM T&M TO STEVE J. JONES
FOR ALLOWING US TO PUBLISH THE PHOTO
STRICTLY no reproduction allowed without written permission of Steve J. Jones
Previous rare and unusual pictures can be found under the T & Misc. section to the right - click 'Homepage Picture Choice Archive...
"People, people, people, get involved. Play your guitar, do your fanzines, take photos BE INVOLVED. One day it could all be worth something because it's not only history but the future too. So live it, don't just be part of the audience, participate."
Charlie Harper, 17 December 1998 - quoted from an interview in Scanner Fanzine Issue 3
"Among the many bands on the bill are some of the veterans of the punk/new wave explosion of the late 1970s including... ...the seemingly indestructible UK Subs. Still fronted by Charlie Harper, who first formed the band as an Elizabethan madrigal quartet sometime in the 1600s, UK Subs were one of the original punk bands from 1976 and are notable not least for the fact of having been through at least 35 drummers in their 35-year history."
Nick Horton - Dorset Echo - 12th August 2011
T&M website born: October 2008 .
Official launch date: 1 December 2009.
The basis of ‘Time and Matter’ is to provide a chronological listing, day by day; month by month; year by year of the band’s many activities.
Our aim is to provide as full an historical archive of the
U.K. Subs as possible... Full website editors' statement... click here
Quick editor contacts:
MARK CHADDERTON: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. |This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
ROBERT COOK: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You can contact us by snail mail as well:
Time & Matter Recordings, P.O.Box 5261, CV37 1JR
Please Note: This address is for website correspondence only, we are unable to accept post for any of the band members. (This applies to e-mail messages too.) Thanks.
Beware! Completionists at work!
Keep spreading the Subs love
Mark Chadderton | Rob Cook
T&M website editors
