THE NOISE / DECONTROL
Formed: Outlane, near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England, UK
THE NOISE (1979-1980):
Vocals: Paddy
Guitar: Julian. Later replaced by Rob (Worm)
Bass: Phil (Fizz) later replaced by Mark (Stanny)
Drums: Rob (Worm) later replaced David (Psycho)
An earlier version featured Kev (Rammy) on drums and Wardy on guitar.
HUDDERSFIELD, IN THE NORTH
WHAT A FUCKIN' SHITHOLE
FOOTBALL TEAM IS IN THE FOURTH
THEY DONT KNOW HOW TO SCORE GOALS
- Huddersfield Rock, The Noise, 1981
Obscure band alert! Or should that be obscure bands alert. The Noise and Decontrol were essentially the same band, in that they shared two members and the latter formed shortly after the former split up.
Both bands played a lot of gigs around Huddersfield, mainly the usual support slots, either to visiting dignitaries such as Discharge or local heroes Crash etc, at places like Cleopatra's.
Songs in The Noise's set included "No Maggie Thatcher, No Government" (fans of the ANti-Pasti methinks!) and 'Short, Sharp Shock', but their only released songs were on the cassette release Only A Northern Song, a scene compilation to which they contributed two tracks, 'The Bootleg Song' and 'Huddersfield Rock'. The tape was promoted with shows at Huddersfield's Free Trade Hall. According to Paddy, the tape "...was produced locally, and was a package containing a book, cassette, leaflets etc. There were also reggae and ska tracks on there. The sound quality is terrible. My recollection is that they sold out twice. It was well promoted by the Huddersfield Examiner and in particular a reporter called Gary Cannadine. Gary was originally a big supporter of The Noise and we were in the Examiner a lot, but he was highly critical of our behaviour at a College Bands Night, and in response Psycho mildly assaulted him, and that was that".
'Huddersfield' is not a good song, but quite funny to listen to. 'The Bootleg Song' is better, a fast punker with a pretty catchy chorus. The lyrics read like a re-write of Bow Wow Wow's 'C-30 C-60 C90 Go!'
MADE A BOOTLEG JUST THE OTHER DAY
COS I DON'T CARE WHAT VIRGIN SAY
I'M NOT PAYING SEVEN QUID
FOR THE SODDING PISTOLS' GREATEST HITS
RECORD SALES KEEP GOING DOWN
PRETTY SOON THEY'LL HIT THE GROUND
RECORD BOSSES GRUNT AND GROAN
THEN BUY ANOTHER LUXURY HOME
BOOTLEG! JOHN PEEL
BOOTLEG! REEL TO REEL
BOOTLEG! IT'S A STEAL
BOOTLEG!
TUNE INTO PEELIE, HE'S OUR FRIEND
PLAYS THE SONGS FROM GO TO END
AIN'T GOT THE RECORDS BUT I DON'T FRET
COS I GOT THEM STORED ON MY CASSETTE
BORROW RECORDS FROM MY MATES
TAPE THE ONES I THINK ARE GREAT
WHY DON'T YOU RECORD THIS TUNE
COME ON, JOIN THE BOOTLEG BOOM?
The band never made it to vinyl.
DECONTROL (1980-1981):
Vocals: Rob
Bass: Paddy (+ some vocals)
Guitar: Lee
Drums: David (Psycho)
An earlier version featured Ricky on Bass and Nigel (Cabbage) on drums.
So, after The Noise broke up, Paddy and Psycho formed Decontrol with Rob and Lee. They played lots of of gigs in Huddersfield, Halifax, Rochdale, Bradford etc, quite often with Crash (Hebden Bridge) and Ultra-Violent (Halifax). They recorded at least one demo, copies of which may no longer exist, and as with The Noise were championed by local journo Gary Cannadine in the Examiner on a regular basis. I assume Psycho had apologised for the assault, or maybe Decontrol were just good news. Cannadine sadly passed away a few years before this piece was written (2012).
Paddy: “Decontrol could certainly knock out a great tune and a good performance (as long as they were sober) and they were more attuned to the punk scene/look of the day. Progress was hampered by a lack of finance, a lack of transport, other interests and a fairly rudimentary knowledge of guitar playing techniques. Rammy (Kev) the Roadie was ever present for both bands, and probably as well known as the “playing” members. He was however quite often incapacitated/missing when required, and as such was of limited use as a Roadie. He was however…….a tremendous dancer".
In Kev's own words: "My only 'claim to fame' in Decontrol was I was 'Rammy' a particularly unreliable, oft drunk, roadie/dancer/entire audience. a particularly unreliable, oft drunk, roadie/dancer/entire audience".
THANKS TO RAMMY FOR NOMINATING THESE BANDS FOR INCLUSION, AND TO PATRICK "PADDY" KNEAFSEY FOR THE ADDITIONAL INFO.
DISCOGRAPHY
Demos |
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| Demo (Tape, by Decontrol) | ||||
Various Artists
Only A Northern Song UK Tape 1981 (label unknown): The Bootleg Song / Huddersfield Rock
Links
PUNKS IN HUDDERSFIELD - A documentary which is not directly related [to The Noise/Decontrol/], but it features many of the faces who used to turn up, and is also very funny, particularly for southerners"
