Formed: London, England, UK
These snotty little oiks were led by music writer Savage Pencil (born plain old Edwin Pouncey), whose cartoons graced the pages of Sounds and the covers of the Streets compilation album and The Lurkers' Freak Show 45 (both 1977). Their original drummer was none other than Robert Gotobed, but he saw sense and left to join the rather more ambitious Wire, and was replaced by JD Haney, later of The Monochrome Set. Ricky Slaughter (in between The Snakes and The Motors) was also briefly a member. According to the bio on the Overground website, they were reckless and inconsistent live performers: "Suffering from stage fright, Edwin would only appear on-stage when inebriated. Each performance was unpredictable. Aside from the frequent fights, there was one occasion when Edwin climbed inside the kick drum and refused to perform, and once when he invited a tramp to ramble meaninglessly into the microphone, rather than sing himself". Ignited by Pencil's absurdly nasal sneer, witty lyrics and a relentlessly cartoonish punk assault, it's easy to see where the Albertos got inspiration for their rot 'n' roll spoofs.
In their short career (they disbanded in March ’78) they released just five songs, three on compilations and two on a single (a posthumous single was issued in '79).
Record-wise, they first surfaced in late '77 on the 'Streets' compilation with 'Arabs In 'Arrads', a thoroughly charming attack on rich bastards.
I just can't afford anything I see
If you ain't got money you're the same as me
Just looking, never buying
I get so embarrassed
I can't compete
With the Arabs in Arrads, the Arabs in Arrads
Arabs in Arrads, The Arabs in Arrads
They followed-up a month later with two songs on Live At The Vortex - Volume One.
March 1978's I Am A Dalek (b/w Neutron Bomb' single came out in March '78, just as the band fell apart.
Over a year later Fresh Records released the First And Last memorial single, boasting a comparatively slick assault on punk careerism on the A-side ('Punk Rock Stars') and an extended rant against fish fingers, work and Swedish porn on the flip ('Rat City').
The band reformed in 1980 as Tagmemics, releasing one fine single, Chimneys in 1980. Pouncey later formed the Kray Cherubs (two singles, in '87' and '89 respectively), and also released a solo album (Angel Dust, 1989).
A great '77 band, make no mistake.
LINEUP #1:
Savage Pencil RN Edwin Pouncey - vocals
Steve Spear - guitar
M.S. RN Marion Fudger - bass
Robert Gotobed - drums
LINEUP #2:
Savage Pencil - vocals
Steve Spear - guitar
M.S. - bass
J.D. Haney - drums
LINEUP #3:
Savage Pencil - vocals
Steve Spear - guitar
Marion Fudger AKA M.S. - bass
Ricky Slaughter - drums
DISCOGRAPHY
Singles / Albums
| I Am A Dalek (7", 1978) |
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Extraneous Releases |
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| First And Last (7", 1979) |
Outrage & Horror (CD, 1996) |
Chickens In Funland (7", 2018) |
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Various Artists
Streets UK LP 1977 (Beggars Banquet): Arabs In 'Arrads
Live At The Vortex - Volume One UK LP 1977 (NEMS): Frankenstein's Heartbeat / Animal Bondage
A Fresh Selection UK LP 1981 (Fresh): Punk Rock Stars
Fresh Records - The Punk Singles Collection UK CD 1994 (Anagram): Punk Rock Stars / Rat City
Punk Rock Rarities Vol. 2 UK CD 1996 (Anagram): I Am A Dalek / Neutron Bomb
Bloodstains Across The U.K. UK LP/CD 1996 (Bloodstains): I Am A Dalek
Action Time Vision (A Story Of Independent UK Punk 1976-1979) UK 4xCD 2016 (Cherry Red): I Am A Dalek
1977: The Year Punk Broke UK 3xCD 2019 (Cherry Red): Arabs In 'Arrods
Optimism / Reject (UK D-I-Y Punk and Post-Punk 1977-1981) UK 4xCD Box Set 2019 (Cherry Red): Neutron Bomb
