Formed: New Mills, Derbyshire, England, UK
These hardcore/Oi! merchants from the north-west of England featured the sister of Mackie from Blitz, on drums, and lived well and truly under the shadow of that great band, much as Flux of Pink Indians did with Crass.
Attak had one half-decent, snarling single (Today’s Generation E.P. - rated 'Total Chaos Single of the Week' in Sounds by Garry Bushell) to their credit and little else. They simply weren't much cop: a generic sub-Blitz din with dopey lyrics and a complete lack of original ideas. Nonetheless, they were reasonably popular, and might have been more so had they played London more than just once.
Their first demo, recorded with Saleem on vocals, was recorded in 1980, with one of the songs from it, 'Blue Patrol', released on A Country Fit For Heroes. Saleem departed soon after, so his brother Gary took up vocals and the three piece signed a proper deal with No Future and recorded their first two singles, and then a track for the Oi! Oi! That's Yer Lot! compilation.
Names chosen before settling on the hardly original Attak were P45, Chaos and Energy, which gives fair warning of the lack of innovation the band mustered. However, Attak were not trying to sound like Eyeless in Gaza or The Venus Fly Trap, so they shouldn't be criticised for not being intellectuals. But Attak is surely one crap name for a band. And Attak was surely one crap band.
They expanded to a four-piece in late 1982 with the addition of a second guitarist, Michael "Woody" Woodacre and recorded the Zombies album over five days (luxury!) in summer 1983. It turned out to their last release. Gary Basnett joined the reformed Blitz in 1989.
Lineup #1 (1980-1981):
Saleem Basnett - vocals
Gary Basnett - guitar
Chad Sean AKA Chad - bass
Lindsay McLennan - drums
Saleem left shortly after recording the band's first demo. Anyone have a piccie of the band at this point?
Lineup #2 (1981-1982):
Gary Basnett - guitar, vocals
Chad Sean - bass
Lindsay McLennan - drums
The "classic" lineup, responsible for the two No Future singles
Lineup #3 (1982-1984):
Gary Basnett - guitar, vocals
Woody - guitar
Chad Sean - bass
Lindsay McLennan - drums
The third and final lineup, this one recorded Zombies.
DISCOGRAPHY
Singles / Albums
| Today’s Generation E.P. (7", 1982) |
Murder In The Subway (7", 1982) |
Zombies (LP, 1983) |
Various Artists
A Country Fit For Heroes UK 12" 1982 (No Future): Blue Patrol
Oi! Oi! That's Yer Lot! UK LP 1982 (Secret): Big Brother
Punk Revival New Zealand LP 1982 (Music World Ltd): Today's Generation
Angels With Dirty Faces UK LP 1984 (No Future): Today's Generation
There Is No Future (The History Of No Future) UK LP 1984 (No Future): Today's Generation
Viva La Revolution! UK 2xLP 1985 (Cambra): Today's Generation
Graveyard Stomp UK LP 1988 (Anagram): Zombies
Oi! Oi! That's Yer Lot! / Back On The Streets EP UK CD 1993 (Step-1): Big Brother
No Future: The Singles Collection UK CD 1993 (Anagram): Today's Generation / Murder In The Subway
A Country Fit For Heroes - Volumes 1 & 2 UK CD 1994 (Captain Oi!): Blue Patrol
No Future: Punk Singles Collection Volume Two UK CD 1995 (Anagram): Hell / Future Dreams
Links
Info on Attak at the excellent UnoffIcial No Future Website.
