UK Subs

Editorial # 1 - 1st December 2009

All you wanna know?

Welcome to the first ‘editorial’ for this new U.K. Subs fans website. It has been over a year since we started designing, uploading and writing the multitude of material that makes up Time & Matter, and we trust that you approve of what you see.

The ‘we’ in that opening introductory paragraph refers to the two ‘admins’ (or curators) of this website, namely Rob Cook and Mark Chadderton. We have been friends since the age of 12 in 1979, and have also been Subs-nuts since then as well!

Those of you who have already read the full editors’ statement, linked from the homepage, will be aware of the aims and purpose of our website, which is to act as the U.K. Subs Internet historical archive.

That is a bold statement, and underlying it is a huge labour of love, as well as a determination to document anything and everything to do with Charlie Harper and the U.K. Subs. We believe that Charlie and ‘his’ band merit as much coverage as possible, and if this website can act as a key historical reference point for researchers, fans, and casual surfers alike, then we will have achieved our ultimate goal.

However, this organisational task will clearly take years, and is dependant on the ‘U.K. Subs community’ contributing whatever they have in their collections. But rest assured, whatever you have to contribute, via scans or photographs, we have a space allocated for it in one or more of our sections.

At the moment there are big chunks missing from our chronology, namely 1977-78 and 1985 to 2006, but we are constantly updating the website. Hey! Soho wasn’t built in a day you know!

The idea for this website came about after Mark started to write a book on the U.K. Subs entitled ‘ALPHABET CITY – a U.K. Subs A to Z’. Mark’s intention was to document every Subs release, including songs, personnel and all other minutiae from the Subs’ extensive and convoluted discography in time for the band releasing the ‘Z’ album. Rob was going to be the co-author on the project, but, after about six months of writing, Mark and Rob abandoned the idea of writing the book in favour of presenting this website to fellow Subs fans.

The eventual publication of a ‘U.K. Subs A to Z’ book has not been fully abandoned however, and the manuscript remains a dormant ‘Work in Progress’. The irony is that if the tome ever gets completed, it will benefit from the resource that is this website!

We intend to publicise, stimulate and encourage debate, historical research, and further writings on the band. Our belief is that the U.K. Subs, and in particular Mr Harper, truly deserves the moniker of "true punk legends", as well as a place in any wider Rock ‘N’ Roll history.

Click image to enlarge

One final point that we would like to establish from the outset is that this website is not intended in any way as a rival to Paul Mileman’s fabulous official U.K. Subs website. One of the foremost inspirations for this site has been Paul’s site. Our standpoint is ‘the more (Subs websites) the merrier’.

A few ideas to put your way before we close this inaugural editorial. We could do with a volunteer to help finish and research our ex-members section. Contact us if you would like to carry out this task.

We would also like fellow Subs fanatics to write these editorials. If you fancy a guest slot on the website, contact us with a rough idea of what you’d like to say.

We are also very keen to interview those who have played any part in the Subs story, small or large. Please also contact us if you would like to submit an article on your involvement with the Subs. All contributions are welcome.

Have a good look around the site then, and please let us know what you think. We welcome any ideas, constructive criticisms or suggestions.

Finally, that only leaves us to say that we hope you enjoy what we have made available from our collections and are now sharing with you. We also look forward to you sharing your Subs knowledge and collections with us in the very near future.