Formed: Newport, Wales, UK
Photos by either Euan MacDonald or Brian "Charlie" Hooper, grabbed from the A Wop Bop A Loo Bop CD booklet.
CLASSIC LINEUP (1986-1992):
Baz Oldfield - lead vocals, guitar
Fatty Ashtray - bass
Bryn Jones aka B. Fununyun - guitar
Dingo rn Richie Glover - bass
OTHER MEMBERS AT VARIOUS TIMES:
The Legendary Johnny Figgs - original vocalist, but he left after a year or so
The Reverend rn John Oldfield - drums
The Abs were a melodic punk band who came to prominence with the superb Grease Your Ralph (1987), a Half Man Half Biscuit-esque tribute to the comb over, named after a footballer with the same embarrassing barnet. They were not quick to record: formed in 1980, it took them seven years to reach this benchmark. Although The Abs were a popular live band and received good reviews in the press, their music has not dated well, and their songs suffer from a serious setback: they all sound the same. And not a Ramones-style "same": at times it seems like they only have one song.
In addition to the recordings below, they made a demo tape via Rockaway Records and recorded Peel Sessions in July 1987 ('Grease Your Ralph', 'Hand Me Down', 'Fear Is The Key', 'Same Mistake Twice') and January 1988 (‘Rock Your Tits Off!’, ‘Concrete Hits Bone’, ‘Ideadtapoo!’, ‘Cunkers In My Cleft’).
A few words from C****** E******:
May 2018:
Please could you add something to the effect that live, they blew chunks and really deserved to break at a time when far weaker bands i.e The Manic Street Preachers, were making headway. On top of that, a nicer group of lads - you couldn't wish to meet. Grease your Ralph and Englebert Humpledink's Racing Pigeon are stand alone classics.
December 2018:
Despite having communicated to you previously on the subject, I am EXTREMELY disappointed to note that you have not updated your article on the Abs to reflect quite how good they were. Please remove the cotton wool from your ears to appreciate the lyrical content to a band that I suspect you never saw blow chunks live. Your position has not changed from our last interaction and does you no credit at all!
Having read more articles on your site about bands I know and love, it is apparent that you simply don't know what you're talking about.
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DISCOGRAPHY
Singles & Albums / Extraneous Releases / Various Artists
Grease Your Ralph (7", 1987)
Turbosphint (10", 1989)
Mentalenema (LP/CD, 1989)
Nail It Down (LP/CD, 1990)
Extraneous Releases
A Wop Bop A Loo Bop... A Cough, Wheeze, Fart! (2xCD, 2008)
Various Artists
Sniffin' Rock UK 7" 1989 (Sniffin' Rock): Wankin' In The Bog. Free with 'Sniffin' Rock' fanzine #8, no PS
Goar E.P. Germany 7" 1991 (Goar): Ringland Tuxedo. Free with 'Goar' magazine
The Punk Generation UK 4xCD 1995 (Castle Communications): Grease Your Ralph / Toes Stamped Flat
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