Oi Oi saveloy! UKs leading punk archive label release a 2 CD set of G.B.H 7″s
The bosses at Cherry Red have been working hard again to bring you a whole heap of re-releases and CD box sets from the archives. First up it’s G.B.H with their complete singles collection on 2 CDS, a total of 37 tracks in all. The impact that G.B.H or Charged G.B.H, to give them their original name, has had on world music shouldn’t be underestimated. Together with Discharge, the UK82 Wave of punk as it’s sometimes called, has influenced bands far and wide, crossing over genres with the likes of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax all citing the Brummie 4-piece as pivotal in their own histories. Some even say that they were the spark for what has become know as Thrash Metal. The fact that they can often be found on the same bills as some of these metal legends, is probably proof enough. Between them and Lemmy’s Motorhead, punk and metal cross pollinated to give us bands like Nirvana, Green Day, Rancid and The Offspring etc.
Formed in 1978 they are one of the few bands from that time that are still gigging, never having broken up and with very few line-up changes during that time. Three of the current members, Colin “Jock” Blyth (guitars), Colin Abrahall (Vox) and Ross Lomas (bass), have been together over 40 years, with drummer Scott Preece, a relative newcomer with only 30 years on the clock! In total they’ve only had 8 members in their entire existence, 3 ex-drummers as is standard, and only had to employ a new bass player as original member Sean McCarthy died in 1980.
During the 80s and 90s, the hey day of the Independent Music Chart, releases by G.B.H and Discharge sat cheek to cheek with releases by The Fall, Young Marble Giants, Orange Juice and even The Smiths. Theirs’s was a different type of “indie” music altogether and if you popped on Dead On Arrival, Big Women or Race Against Time at your local Indie Disco, you would have soon been shut down. This is not what people mean when they use the phrase “indie” all these years later.
I have to confess, that at the time I’d moved on from punk into post-punk and I found these Johnny Come Latelys rather amusing with their bristles and studs, when I was listening to my Pop Group and Marine Girls tapes! It’s only with age and the jettison of my musical snobbery (although some would maintain that never left me), that I’ve found enjoyment in harking back to the heavier side, although of course compared to some of the more extreme Bloodstock-type bands, they are more aluminium than osmium.
This is not only a fantastic introduction to the band if you’ve only just discovered them, but also a great gap filler in your collection if you don’t own all their 7″ output over the years.
As usual it comes with a fantastic sleeve note booklet, featuring al the original artwork.
Don’t take my word for it, check out the trailer below.
Track Listing
Disc One
1 Race Against Time
2 Knife Edge
3 Lycanthropy
4 Necrophilia
5 State Executioner
6 Dead On Arrival
7 Generals
8 Freak
9 Alcohol
10 No Survivors
11 Self Destruct
12 Big Women
13 Sick Boy
14 Slit Your Own Throat
15 Am I Dead Yet
16 Give Me Fire
17 Man-Trap
18 Catch 23
19 Hellhole
Disc Two
1 Do What You Do
2 Four Men
3 Children Of Dust
4 Do What You Do (Concrete Mix)
5 Malice In Wonderland
6 Lost In The Fog
7 Get Out Of The City
8 Company Of Wolves
9 Checkin’ Out
10 No One Cares
11 Infected
12 Tipuki Thunder
13 No!
14 I’m On Heat
15 Last Of The Teenage Idols
16 Punk Rock Ambulance
17 3-Piece Suit
18 Happyville USA
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