U.K. Subs

The U.K. Subs never were quite as glorious as the Clash, the Damned, or the Sex Pistols, but rather operated just a tier below, releasing an astounding debut LP, Another Kind of Blues, at the height of England's punk craze in 1979. With such classics as the R&B-and-reggae-tinged "Stranglehold," the...

By Chris Parker

November 18, 2004

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The U.K. Subs never were quite as glorious as the Clash, the Damned, or the Sex Pistols, but rather operated just a tier below, releasing an astounding debut LP, Another Kind of Blues, at the height of England's punk craze in 1979. With such classics as the R&B-and-reggae-tinged "Stranglehold," the impertinent "I Live in a Car," and "Crash Course" (which chronicles the steps by which you, too, can be a punk rocker), they burst out of the gate with as much fury as the aforementioned bands, and an equally biting wit. But while those legends had the good sense to break up just as New Wave was coming on, the U.K. Subs persisted, led by hairstylist-cum-singer/guitarist Charlie Harper. Over the years, players have changed like the seasons around him, but Harper has stayed the course, releasing dozens of albums and studiously avoiding becoming a musical footnote, while trying to shake the unfortunate obscurity that undeservedly dogs the Subs.

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