Longevity is an interesting concept when looked through a punk rock lens. On the outside looking in, seeing bodies flying across the stage and into a crowd of slam-dancing fanatics, it would appear to the ignorant that the most hardcore punks weren’t worried about the next day, let alone a sustainable career. Thankfully, punk is complex, and viewing it on a surface level does an injustice to the intricacies of the art form. U.K. Subs, for example, always had one eye on the future. Led by Charlie Harper, a former R&B singer, the band implemented subtle nods to blues in their sonic thrashing, hinting that this was not another band chasing after a trendy subculture.
The band debuted in 1979 with their classic LP, Another Kind of Blues. If you look closely at their discography, you notice a trend. Each release stays to an alphabetical order with their sophomore effort, Brand New Age in 1980, Diminished Responsibility in 1981, and so on. Sure, some of the 26 letters, like C and G, never found their place in the band’s colorful discography, but for a young band to have this foresight (especially a band that are now considered pioneers of the heaviest punk subgenre, hardcore) speaks volumes to their artistic vision. For this Golden Age Thursday, we have an entire concert from a prime U.K. Subs line-up. The band put on a jaw-dropping performance in Holland in 1981, fresh off the release of their third LP. The energy is palpable through the grainy footage as U.K. Subs give a rowdy crowd a hint at their now-established prowess.
