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Subhumans biography

Subhumans were at the forefront of the UK anarcho-punk scene in the early 80s, alongside such bands as Crass, Flux Of Pink Indians, Rudimentary Peni, and Conflict. From the start Subhumans were praised for their ability to stretch the boundaries of punk rock with their unique blend of structured dynamic tunes and incisive socio−political lyrics.

Subhumans were, between 1980-85, one of the most prolific and original bands of the evolving UK punk scene; they were based in Warminster, Wiltshire, SW England, and the lineup was Dick on vocals, Bruce played guitar, Phil on bass, and Trotsky on the drums. Dick had previously sung for The Mental, who released one EP and embodied the ‘can’t-play-will-play’ early punk ‘anyone-can-do-it’ attitude. Bruce had been in The Stupid Humans, also based in Warminster; these two met at an Angelic Upstarts gig in 1980, and when their bands split they got together to form Subhumans.

Musical influences were a mix of Sex Pistols, Damned, and similar punk originators, and pre-punk bands like King Crimson and Frank Zappa, which led to a style of punk more intricate in its structure than their contemporaries, without losing the base energy and dynamics of punk. Dick’s lyrics, at once socially aware and heavily critical of social norms, placed them in the anarcho-punk area of the ever-expanding UK punk scene of the early 80s, alongside Crass, Antisect, Conflict, and Flux Of Pink Indians, who released the band’s first 3 EPs (Demolition War, Reason For Existence, and Religious Wars) and their first LP (in ‘83) The Day The Country Died, which became an instant classic that went on to sell 100,000 copies, (largely at the cover price of ‘pay no more than £3.25’, which was as cheap as possible in order to make the music more accessible).

In ‘83 they formed their own label, Bluurg Records, and over the next two years released the From The Cradle To The Grave LP (which included a 16 minute track of the same name that had the music press calling for a redefinition of ‘punk’!) Evolution EP, Time Flies 12 inch EP, Rats EP, Worlds Apart LP, and 29:29 Split Vision LP, which was released after splitting up in ‘85. By then they’d played 262 gigs including several European tours and two in the USA, (which was in the 80’s a rare achievement for a non-commercially minded band). Dick went on to join seminal ska-punk-reggae band Culture Shock (86-89, three LPs on Bluurg Records), and met up with Phil and Trotsky again in Citizen Fish (89-???), who have so far recorded seven LPs of their politipunk-ska songs and clocked up over 1000 gigs across the planet…then in ‘98 these three ex-Subhumans roped Bruce back in to reform Subhumans, to ‘see what it felt like’, and, it feeling rather excellent, have kept going with occasional touring and a limited release CD of old unused songs, Unfinished Business.

They released the live double LP Live In A Dive, recorded in the USA, in February 2004 on Fat Wreck Chords to top−grade reviews in Kerrang!, Terrorizer, and Metal Hammer. Bluurg and Southern are now proud (and excited) to announce the release of Subhumans first NEW album since their reformation nine years ago, it’s titled Internal Riot.