King Of Kings Video here
Tyburn Video here
Nicked all this off the following: Nic Bullen (Music) / You Tube (Videos) / Tony D (Puppies at work, Elaine, Lugworm, Brett photo) / Some web site (Info on The Pack)
Easy post what? Wish I could find pictures of The Pack or some flyers to put up…
The Pack:
Kirk Brandon – Vocals/Gtr
Simon Werner – Gtr
Jon Werner – Bass
Rab Fae Beith (& later, Jim Walker) – Drums
Formed in Clapham in 1978, The Pack emerged from the anarchist squat scene of South London – a seething mass of angst & rage. The group consisted of Kirk Brandon, ex- pat Canadians, the Werner brothers, & Scottish drummer, Rab Fae Beith.They made their live debut at a show for The Camden Film Co-Op & duly proceeded to scare the living shit out of their audience & themselves with their dark take on Punk Rock. Many of the group’s shows ended in mini riots – broken chairs & glass strewn across one trashed venue after another.The Pack’s debut 45 on SS Records (SS Pak 1 – August 1979) was one of those visceral, abrasive cacophonies that gave the genre its name in the 1st place. “Heathen” was simply one of the greatest sides ever produced by a Punk group. Menacing & dangerous – it was absolutely guaranteed to clear the room of anyone over 30 if dropped on the decks in public. The sheer power of Brandon’s seething vocal recalled the original sin of Johnny Rotten crossbred with something far more sinister.
The choice of SS Records as their record label only added to the implied furore (unfortunately, The Stooges & Patti Smith’s flirtations with Nazi chic were very influential amongst the impressionable young Punks of the UK & this sort of behaviour was de rigour for many hard line anarchists – more in an attempt to shock that any deep rooted racism, I might add). The 45’s other side, “Brave New Soldiers”, was far more indicative of the direction Brandon would later take with Theatre Of Hate: brooding, threatening & laced with iconography.
The single became an instant classic on the (by then) Punk Rock underground – cherished by the Old School as a celebration of honest 1st wave intent & championed by the 2nd wave as a gateway to the future – The Pack were soon a byword for authenticity & a no sell out mentality.
The Pack’s second 45, “King Of Kings”/”Number 12” (RT 025 – 1979), saw the group move to the nascent Rough Trade Records – already the doyens of the rapidly expanding independent scene. By this stage Rab Fae Beith had been replaced at the drum stool by Jim Walker (PIL). “King Of Kings” was every bit the equal of “Heathen” – drenched in biblical imagery & featuring a red cross on the cover – this was a second slice of prime disgust – malevolent to the extreme – & fucking brilliant with it. “No 12” was another up-tempo assault with acrobatic vocals & in your face bass – groundbreaking.
The Pack were so incendiary they were never going to last long – & sure enough – in early 1980, almost as quick as it started, it was over. Brandon was soon working in a Booths’ Gin factory for his sins – carefully plotting his future. The group’s final gig took place at the 101 Club in Clapham. Ironically, the show was a total sell out by the time The Pack hit the stage – unfortunately, it was already way too late to turn back.
The Pack released a handful of posthumous releases:
“Kirk Brandon & The Pack Of Lies EP” (SS 2N1 – 1980)
“Long Live The Past EP” (CYCLOPS 1 – 1982)
“The Pack Live 1979” – Cassette Only – (DONUT 2 – 1982).
Penguin • Post Author •
November 16, 2008 at 5:35 pmWelcome aboard John, reckon if The Pack ever reformed you would certainly get some folk out of there homes to turn up for that event!
Lots of other Pack material up on this site, and the first comment for the live tape is by Ari Up of The Slits of all people!
https://www.killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/?p=842
https://www.killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/?p=904
https://www.killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/?p=289
And the debut TOH for good measure
https://www.killyourpetpuppy.co.uk/news/?p=424
luggy
November 16, 2008 at 6:33 pmAlright John, I always remembered you as being Jon without the h. Glad you found the site, are you back in Canada these days & how’s your brother doing?
Jock Turner
April 3, 2010 at 8:02 pmBloody Hell!
Memories!!!
I used to follow the Wall and Rab played drums on a few occasions I saw them…I missed seeing the original Pack, though saw T.O.H. a couple of times…
I now tour with some of the biggest bands in the world and bump into guys that used to be there in the day teching for you lot, be it driving, monitors or running the lighting desk…Wish we could go back and re-live the moment…
My favourite venue was the Lyceum…and now look what they’ve done to it!!!
Shame about Ian Lowery front man from the Wall…the talent was huge back then compared to the shite we have now, the record companies should have had more “Columbian Talcum Powder” up their noses and arses!!!
Rant over…
STx
DavidM
April 4, 2010 at 12:08 amTrying to track down the Dead Ronin CD right now. This is good news indeed. Hadn’t been aware that the band’s output had been collected on CD. The 7″ King Of Kings/Number 12 is still a favourite.
Used to have a copy of The Pack Live 1979 cassette release many moons ago, though can’t remember where it got to. No longer have it sadly.
Regarding Andi Sex Gang, look out for the Bastard Art documentary coming your way soon about the man and his music. For more details visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtm5K_19ibw
alistairliv
April 4, 2010 at 9:56 amThanks David. Now we know who to blame. It was Andi Sex Gang wot invented goth… from the film clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtm5K_19ibw
bastardartfilm
April 11, 2010 at 10:18 pmNow alistairliv, Andi has never claimed to have invented goth. That’s just a comment made by Martin Millar. A bit of a controversy stirrer actually… nothing more.
alistairliv
April 12, 2010 at 7:27 amI know. It was Richard Cabut who was the surrogate father of a million goths…here is the tv series based on the infamous NME article
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoJte8GP_wM
Richard Cabut
April 12, 2010 at 7:02 pmWhat? What! Wasn’t me guv, honest…
Dev
April 12, 2010 at 9:03 pmHeh, heh… come, come Al… Richard invented Positive Punk not Goth as well you know.
Dev
April 12, 2010 at 9:07 pmOoops… sorry, should’ve looked at the video BEFORE posting – doh!
alistairliv
April 12, 2010 at 10:29 pmSometime ago I found a website with a ‘history of goth’ on it.
http://www.scathe.demon.co.uk/histgoth.htm
Richard’s NME article gets mentioned several times and the site also has a complete transcript of it.
DavidM
April 13, 2010 at 6:59 pmFolks should also watch out for Andi’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” coming your way soon. For more information and on how to obtain a copy, visit http://www.voiceprint.co.uk/web/Release/PKNECD105/