Coloured vinyl is a bit of a flytrap for the collector and no self respecting record company would let an opportunity to ensure a few more sales back in the good old days of punk. Yes, time for another rummage through the Bluesbunny Vinyl Vault and this time "Brand New Age", the second album from British punk band U.K. Subs, found its way back on to the turntable.
No idea how long it has been since this album got played but this copy is on clear vinyl and I've just been listening to a Ramones album on red vinyl. Any other connections? Well, perhaps not. Sure, there is that drumming style but whilst the American version of punk had solid parentage in garage rock, the British version was altogether more political. The voice of disaffected youth if you like, even if the majority of musicians were actually old enough to get mortgages. It was also on a major label as well - you won't find anything too exciting on a major label these days!
Listening to the emotion on songs like "Organised Crime" and "Rat Race" is refreshing to ears contaminated by the self pitying angst of the modern generation of singer songwriters. It's like being slapped about by some deranged madman. Most of the songs were written by Charlie Harper and Nick Garratt and they know what they want to say. They're angry and it shows. Pity no one seems to get angry anymore. A couple of their charting singles are also on this album ("Warhead" and the high octane anthem "Teenage"). It is also remarkable how good this album sounds on the nice expensive turntable that I play them on (now that I can afford one …).
An anecdote to round off the review perhaps? One of Bluesbunny's contributors worked front stage security at a Glasgow venue back in the days of punk and he remembers throwing their bass player off the speaker stack (live performances were considerably more energetic before health and safety legislation …) and "escorting" him to the door before realising that he was not a punter. Didn't stop the rest of the band for a moment apparently. You don't get that kind of fun very often today.
The UK Subs are still about today. I wonder if they still want to be "Teenage". Right now, I still do.