The Expoited’s debut single, following on from a post several months ago featuring the band’s second release ‘Exploited Barmy Army’ into that post’s text, I had written that I would not like to upload this debut record due to the vile track on the B-side.
That said I feel that the browsers on this site have (just about) enough intelligence nowadays to NOT take up the rallying cry on this dodgy track, 28 years after the initial release, unlike the Exploited fans from 1981 that were involved in the Michael Sobel Centre / Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park tear up after the gig when the Jam fans were wondering down towards the station. I am sure that the mods gave as good as they got on the night, but it’s not really the point. This track stinks in any language, but the other two tracks are pretty decent attempts at basic pogo fare.
Strangely there seems to be no history of the early line up of The Exploited featuring Hayboy and Mark on the guitars, all sites (including the official one) seem to start at the Big John and Gary line up that were featured on the second single released in 1980, and throughout 1981 for the recording of the ‘Dogs Of War’ single, the LP ‘Punks Not Dead’ and ‘Dead Cities’, the single that was featured on Top Of The Pops.
If anyone has the details of this early line up then feel free to confide the information via the comments.
UPDATE
Here’s an early picture of Beki Bondage of Vice Squad for the folks who have mentioned her in the comments attached to this post!
GABE
September 30, 2008 at 12:10 amI NEVER TOOK THIS SONG SERIOUS IT’S MORE OF A JOKE ANYWAY
W
September 30, 2008 at 12:31 amIt didn’t seem like a very funny joke when myself and my mod looking friends were being chased through Coventry city centre by skinheads intent on giving us a bashing. I do still own copies of this and the following few singles. I can’t say they often get a spin though.
Martin C
September 30, 2008 at 10:37 amLove this, easily their best record, though you need to up the pitch to 48 or 49rpm for the full impact. As for mods, I don’t think they should be bashed, but fancy riding a ‘bike’ that can’t go above 40mph!
Nic
September 30, 2008 at 11:05 amGabe – I know you love all this old British UK 82 stuff, and fair enough on that…
but I’m not sure if you quite understand (as you are from a different country) just how bad the situation was in Britain in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s in terms of tribal violence between youth cults…
In that context, the lyrics of ‘Fuck The Mods’ were not a joke in any way but were more of a direct call to violence – a call that was taken at face value and resulted in heads being split (and worse)…
From a distance, you may see it as a joke – but that is your privilege because of the time and space between your perception and the reality of the actual social milieu in which the lyrics were written…
The single itself is somewhat naively charming in a cro-magnon, thuggish, knuckle-headed manner…always had a soft spot for ‘Crashed Out’…
baron von zubb
September 30, 2008 at 11:08 amThe exploited, anti nowhere league, vice squad etc. the reasons why I stopped visibly looking like a punk, got into reggae and ‘rising free’
Embarrassingly awful.
Martin u no doubt dissagree there,but then i’ve never worn a watch or listened to the flux either . .
Nic
September 30, 2008 at 11:11 amFlux of Pink Indians – ‘Sick Butchers’: absolutely classic bit of Post Punk…
Martin C
September 30, 2008 at 11:23 amOh yeah, the Exploited went on to look like right pricks, red braces and fishnet shirts, anyone? All I really remember about Vice Squad was that the singer was always the centrefold in ‘Punk Lives’ which used to change hands among older (non-punk) kids at school, mainly for masturbation purposes.
Delighted to hear you’ve never worn a watch – I threw mine away when I saw “Easy Rider”. The only Flux song I can stand is “Tube Disaster”, though I wish they’d kept the original lyrics for the Crass release, ditched the poetry and had a massive explosion at the end.
If anyone thinks I’m an opinionated cock , bear in mind that, in ’83, I was into Adam and the Ants, Chas and Dave, Big Country and, er, Linx.
baron von zubb
September 30, 2008 at 11:27 amBeckie Bondage. prettier in real life than on the posters even. Met her cos she went out with Del. Anyone remember big del from wealdstone. Anyway a few years down the line when we were in earls court doing sum sort of william burroughs thing Del & Becky were around. Nice girl, crap band.
Tough as a member of the H band i might think that.
Nic
September 30, 2008 at 11:35 amI’m wearing a D&G watch at the moment: it is truly the Brakes, the Gears, the Wheels, the Business…
Barring Chas and Dave, you picked all the wrong bands in 1983, didn’t you Martin?
😉
Martin C
September 30, 2008 at 11:47 amYou can scoff, but I once got thrown out of an art class in 1988 for trying to draw an ‘obscene’ cartoon about Napalm Death. Your sick musical creation denied me a stint on DC Comics (assuming they wanted a matchstick Batman)
One thing I’ll say about Linx is that, if you wear glasses (NOT PUNK), you can pull anyone by sliding them halfway down your snout and pointing at them with both index fingers during the chorus of “Intuition”
Nic
September 30, 2008 at 12:16 pmI’m all about the ‘Southern Freeze’ myself…
Chris
September 30, 2008 at 12:36 pmRe early Exploited line up, the first I heard of them was when Bushell went to Edinburgh to do a feature on the bands who used the Blair St Practice rooms. If my memory serves me correctly (and this is about 30 years ago!) it included the Fire Engines or Josef K alongside the Exploited and either the Freeze or Another Pretty Face.
I used to have a cracking live tape of what I think was the first ever Exploited gig, at Wester Hailes Community centre, supporting The Fakes, Screaming Babies and the gloriously named Belsen Horrors. Must have been late 78 or early 79. I released tracks from this gig (one of which was a cover of ‘Virginia Plain’) by the latter two bands on a Scottish punk comp tape i put out, but alas don’t have a copy of the original tape they were taken from. I do remember, however, that the only Exploited track in their set that they ever recorded was ‘Royalty’ and also that the tracks in this set were a lot better than any of those they went on to record.
Around this time, or shortly after The Fakes split up, I remember jamzy , their bassist, saying he was going to play for them, but I don’t know if this ever happened.
Sure if Billy McChord pops up again here he’ll be able to fill in the gaps.
PS: thought it was Shakkatak who were your faves, Nic? 😉
Martin C
September 30, 2008 at 1:01 pmSee, this is what the kids really wanted – go to 03.38, they do a top Hagar the Womb cover = http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0qZDt2zDSoA
People here are sticking up for mods, but what do you all reckon to all the anti-disco stuff from the Oi! / ‘street punk’ brigade?
Nic
September 30, 2008 at 3:02 pmAh, classic stuff, Martin…
Bobby from Boney M is a king amongst men…
More Shalamar than Shakatak, Chris
😉
Much as I love the ‘Ug Ug’ tomfoolery of ‘Smash the Discos’ and its ilk, I always had a soft spot for Disco and Jazz Funk: repetitive song structures and developments, driving polyrhythms, extrapolations around a central theme, sinuous strings, lush production…
May I also say that I am in no way ‘sticking up for’ the Mods: I got chased around Coventry precinct enough times by Mods and Rude Boys during the Two Tone ‘revolution’ (which lasted all of 5 minutes)…
Chris
September 30, 2008 at 3:56 pmAh, yes, my apologies…Shalamar!
Yea, anyone who doesn’t like disco/dance music is a weirdo and dullard IMO. Two of the very first records i ever bought, along with X Ray Spex and Sham 69 were Lipps inc ‘funky town’ and Donna Summer ‘i feel love’.
With regards to mods and ska fans, one thing that can’t be overlooked was the ‘class composition’ of those subcults, which were infinitely more ‘working class’ than punk ever was (certainly of the late ’70s/post-Quadrophenia era) quid pro quo mods and 2-toners were generally ‘harder’ and more up for a fight than punks.
Nic
September 30, 2008 at 4:16 pmDefinitely Chris: the Two Tone lads were always up for a knock – Black and White kids united with a common goal…to batter anyone who wasn’t in their gang…
It’s interesing that the first couple of waves of Punk were characterised by nice boys and girls who had been to art school (with a smattering of rough ‘n’ tumble types to give an air of decadent slumming)…
and then the horrible ‘Working Class’ turned up with their Abrasive Wheels, their Exploiteds and their Vice Squads…
Face it: the ‘Working Class’ ruined Punk!
😉
Time for a reflective moment with the kind of poesy that can only be provided by artists such as Mick, lead vocalist with Blackpool’s The Fits:
“Odd Bod Mod! Odd Bod Mod!
I hate your Parka, I hate your suit,
I hate your Lam-ber-retta – and I hate your Merton Parka!”
Penguin • Post Author •
September 30, 2008 at 7:34 pmSod punks and mods, I am just pleased that it was not just me having a tug at the centre folds of Beki Bondage and her whips!
luggy
September 30, 2008 at 8:58 pmBaron, I think Del’s still around although I haven’t seen him for a couple of years. He was living around London Fields for ages but last time that I saw him he was living back in Harrow. Still has his 4th Reich tattoo on his arm, probably got sick of explaining it to Hackney folk!
Martin C
September 30, 2008 at 9:22 pmPenguin…a father and a husband…I’m disgusted. I was more into Linda Lusardi myself. I used to fantasise about her coming round, telling my parents there was a mix-up at the hospital, and taking me home as her spoilt only child…in a sort of incestuous way.
Incidentally, I wish you lot had circulated the memo about the true meaning of ‘Kill Your Pet Puppy’ years ago, you’d have saved one hell of a fucking lot of canine misery
Penguin • Post Author •
September 30, 2008 at 10:14 pmLinda Lusardi…ummmmmmm dreamy. I used to see her quite a bit actually, she bought her fruit and veg in a shop I worked at for a short time. She and Sam Fox supported the the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.
That Hagar rip off is breathtaking Martin.
Everyone go to 3.38 on the disco clip added by Martin a few comments above this one and listen to Boney M’s cover version of ‘dressed to kill’ by Hagar, which is on this site somewhere if you search for it. I assume I got that the right way round (?)
Jay Vee
September 30, 2008 at 10:21 pmNic – how about the Epileptics song – “I’ve got a target on my back, and I ain’t a fuckin’ Mod” lol
Had some close calls with Mod’s when I was 11 / 12 years of age cos I always had long hair, and they called me a ‘greaser’, well I was into Motorhead at the time…anyway, I just walked at a slower pace than usual to show them I wasn’t scared, and they usually sensed that I wasn’t a threat cos I was just a ‘greaser’ on my own but they certainly created some ‘no go areas’ if you were in a group of more than one…got into The Exploited in 1981 and liked their music, but then discovered Crass and became a deep thinker and then got the Epileptics ‘Last Bus back to Debden’ E.P. – and still someone ribbing at the Mods – must say, I’ll never knock people’s choice in ‘image’, but as for 2 wheeled vehicle – I’ll have a proper motorcycle anyday.
Anyway, back to Wattie – here’s a pic of him at Durham Punk Festival – 13th September 2008….
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=323535922&albumID=1142425&imageID=10745814
…and Beki Bondage does get more tug-worthy with age lol – pic of me with her 22nd August 2008 after a fine gig at Sawyers Venue, Kettering Northants, (musically more precise and singing and playing guitar at same time at heady speeds – phenomenal lady)
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=323535922&albumID=1142425&imageID=10068815
Martin C
September 30, 2008 at 11:40 pmLinda’s a Yiddo??
I knew it! MOTHER
Penguin • Post Author •
October 1, 2008 at 12:07 amYeah ‘fraid so Martin, you one of us? I have attached a picture of Beki Bondage at the bottom of the post above just cos I used to like (?) her!
Martin C
October 1, 2008 at 12:35 amAnother sell-out attendance for Vice Squad there
Indeed I am – didn’t know Sam Fox was, tho. But driving that tank down Wapping, that was bang out of order!
Graham Burnett
October 1, 2008 at 1:51 amMy friend Martin (refered to in other posts as my accomplice to Here & Now gigs and the like) rode a scooter in 1979 and also wore a Parka but also had long hair, and never considered himself a ‘mod’, just thought coat and bike were practical and economical. There was a ‘scooter festival’ on Two tree Island (just outside Southend) that we both went along to for the crack, and great fun it was too, but Martin was freinds with another martin who was a biker/’greaser’, there was an incident where they’d both pulled up at set of traffic lights together, some ‘mods’ from outside the town completely misinterpreted the scene and decided to ‘rescue’ mod Martin from greaser martin despite them being mates with each other for about 10 years. I don’t think it got as far as physical violence but left both parties completely bewildered and newly introduced to the delights of pointless tribalism ironically introduced by outsiders from the town, despite it being only about 30 miles from london. i might be generalising through rose coloured glasses, but I don’t recall trbalism as ever being much of an issue in Southend, mods, punks, bikers, hippies, etc all pretty much had ‘outsider’ status in this staid town, and we all tended to drink in the same ‘outsider’ pubs like the Top Alex. I always thought the whole tribalism thing was media manuactured, and more fool anybody who was daft enough to buy into it…
Nic
October 1, 2008 at 10:01 amThe Hagars had some unusual costumes on for this performance:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EjLWh2150I
chris
October 1, 2008 at 11:02 am“tug-worthy” is my new favourite word.
baron von zubb
October 1, 2008 at 12:44 pmCheers luggy.
Its another KYPP thread thats been hijacked by disco loving mods.
All I can say to that is lets all chant!
Martin C
October 1, 2008 at 1:05 pm“I always thought the whole tribalism thing was media manuactured, and more fool anybody who was daft enough to buy into it…”
Tell that to the hundreds of young men who made the ultimate sacrifice in the 1960s, kicking each others’ heads in and decimating deckchairs on our once glorious beaches, to shield Great Britain from a future of blokes with long hair and leather jackets riding Lambrettas. And now look at our heroes – dumped on the scrapheap and mocked by the agents of multi-subculturalism. SAVE OUR CITIES FROM THIS!
Carl
October 1, 2008 at 3:47 pmI’m with Chris….”Tug worthy” is indeed a great word !!
Jay Vee
October 1, 2008 at 5:33 pmI’m in with the rest of the lads for the ‘Tug – worthy’ club ha ha…
…and in response to Graham Burnett’s comment about 2 blokes called Martin that could be described as Mod/Greaser, (but not neccesarily so) I often wondered if there was a real life situation on a par to Quadrophenia where the ‘Greaser’ played by the formiddable Ray Winston had his loyalties challenged, for those of us that despise violence and ‘Tribalism’, I guess that would be a challenge indeed.
stirmonster
October 1, 2008 at 6:50 pmcan we have more beki pics please?
andus
October 2, 2008 at 6:46 pmFirst of all for those above who ran away from the mods in Coventy. i have this to say, you absolute pussies, mods are as weak as shit, or were, so shame on you in fact shame on anyone one runs away from anything, puffs, pansies, weeeeds, oh yes and Nik, whats all this about the horrible working class, eh eh eh, You’re just jealous cause you never got to sport tattos and get taken for walks by rottweilers and pit bulls, you had to make do with fluffy little rabbits,. So far the only sensible comment in this forum is the one above, can we have more beki pics please?, too right, someone with a brain at last. I salute you.