anarcho punk
Demob
Demob formed in late 1978 by guitarist Terry Elcock and drummer Johnny Melfah, and they were soon joined by Mike Howes (vocals), Tony Wakefield (bass) and Chris Rush (guitar). Howes ex-army skinhead friend Andy Kanonik soon joined, also on vocals.[1] It was this line-up that first rehearsed and played the first gigs in and around Gloucester, the Viking youth club becoming the main place of rehearsals and Tracy's night club was the first venue that Demob played in 1978, and became the local night club hangout for all the band and punks at that time.
Oi Polloi
Oi Polloi's first studio recording was a demo entitled Destroi the System, which is believed to have been released in 1984 or 1985. After the now defunct music weekly Sounds gave their previous home-recorded demo a favourable review, demand increased for gigs further afield. A second studio demo, Green Anarchoi followed before the release of the first vinyl offering, Resist the Atomic Menace. The line-up of the group has starred an impressive fifty members since their formation, making up the countless incarnations of the band. The band is currently based in Scotland.
Subhumans
There are two equally long-lived punk bands with the name Subhumans, one from the UK and one from Canada: 1) Subhumans (UK): An anarcho-punk band formed in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, UK in 1979 by Dick Lucas, who had formerly been in local bands including The Mental and Stupid Humans. The band released a demo in 1981 which was heard by members of the band Flux of Pink Indians after being sent to them by Graham Burnett of New Crimes fanzine, who were so impressed that they offered the Subhumans a chance to put out a record on their newly formed Spiderleg label.
Zounds
Zounds were a UK anarchist band formed in 1977 from loose jamming sessions around the Reading area. Originally they were part of the cassette culture movement, releasing material on the Fuck Off Records tape label, and were also involved in the squatting and free festival scene. The band met up with fellow anarchists Crass when, legend has it, their van broke down on the road. They made their way to nearby Dial House, where Crass were based, who helped them with repairs. The two bands became friends, and although musically very divergent, they shared many common political views.
