THE GONADS – VINYL The Revenge Of The Gonads The Best Of Punk Oi Skinhead Blitz

$

30

THE GONADS – The Revenge Of The Gonads (The Best Of TheGonads)

Label:

Link Records (4) – LINK LP 085

Format:

Vinyl, LP, Compilation

Country:

UK

Released:

1989

Genre:

Rock

Style:

Punk, Oi

English Oi! Punk band formed in 1977 in Charlton, South East London, led by Garry Bushell.

TRACKLIST:

A1

Tuckers Ruckers Ain't No Suckers

A2

I Lost My Love To A U.K. Sub

A3

Punk Rock Will Never Die

A4

Got Any Wrigleys John

A5

Sandra Bigg (Really Big)

A6

Go Mad With The Gonads

A7

T.N.T.

A8

Getting Pissed

B1

Gonads Anthem

B2

She Can't Whip Me

B3

Punk City Rockers

B4

Jobs Not Jails

B5

Joys Of Oi!

B6

Eat The Rich

B7

SE7 Dole Day

B8

S.L.A.G.

The Gonads began in the backstreets ofCharlton, London SE7 in 1977. The five-piece band grew out of the remnants ofGarry Bushell's earlier schoolboy band Pink Tent, who were influenced by theSmall Faces and Monty Python with a pinch of Slade, Mott and the SensationalAlex Harvey Band.

Inspired by the Clash and the Pistols,Pink Tent were re-born as punk band the Gonads souping-up many of their earliersongs such as 'Rob A Bank' and 'Pink Tent'. The early set also included coverversions of AC DC's 'Big Balls' and the Small Faces' 'Filthy Rich' as well asforgotten numbers like 'Red Army', 'Antigalligan Last Bell', 'Darling Harold','The Legend of Sam Bartram' and 'Ripper's Delight'. The original line-up weretogether for less than a year, playing at local pubs such as the Lads Of TheVillage in Charlton and at parties. The band released just one single 'StrokeMy BeachComber Baby' b/w 'Big Balls' on their own Scrotum label, and werecompletely ignored by the rock press.

Years later the music journalistChristine Cousins described them as having been "as tight as a gnat'sfore-skin and louder than a Bernard Manning belch." But others rememberthem as being rather more chaotic than that sounds. The Gonads attracted aloyal local following including Tucker and his Ruckers, the Indus Skins and theCharlton Boys.

Highlights of this first incarnationincluded the legendary acoustic tour of South London curry houses. They alsounsuccessfully approached Charlton striker Derek 'Gypo' Hales for management.When he turned them down, for a laugh they accepted a management offer from alocal character called Dodgy Dave Long who immediately decided the band shouldstop gigging and "hold back until the time is right". They wouldnever have been heard of again if Garry - Gal Gonad - hadn't reformed the bandin 1981 to show solidarity with the Oi Movement. Gal was in the forefront ofOi, he managed the Cockney Rejects and compiled the first four Oi albums. Thesecond and most famous Gonads line-up included Steve Kent on guitar (laterreplaced by Steve Whale, Clyde Ward and then JJ Bedsore) and Mark Brennan onbass, with a succession of drummers including at one stage Mark Brabbs fromTank.

Long was replaced as manager by thepoet Garry Johnson who famously lived "in an 'ouse in 'Ackney with anoutside loo" and the band's golden era beganin earnest. The Gonads werefamously "street-socialist" with a commitment to older working classtraditions, including Music Hall and stag comics. The 'Pure Punk For RowPeople' ep ran the Anti-Nazi League phone number on the back (along with onesfor Alcoholics Anonymous and Beki Bondage) and the band supported thePrisoners' Rights organization and the League Of Labour Skins.

Classic Gonads recordings such as'Jobs Not Jails', 'Dying For A Pint', 'Punk Rock Will Never Die' 'I Lost MyLove To A UK Sub' (based on a true story), 'Tucker's Ruckers Ain't No Suckers','Hitler Was A Homo', and 'The Joys Of Oi' established them as one of thegreatest Oi! bands of all time. The Gonads found time to kick-start PunkPathetique, and successfully pioneered the punk/metal cross-over with the song'TNT' on the Total Noise ep as well.

Like most of their contemporaries, theband drifted apart over the next couple of years but the Gal Gonad/Steve Kentalliance went on to create both Prole and the Orgasm Guerrillas as studioprojects. Gal also managed Charlton's other anarchic sons The Blood (1984-5).

The Gonads weren't to exist in aconcrete form again until 1990 when Gal teamed up with old buddies Clyde Wardand Colin Blood (Cardinal Jesushate) to record the original versions of 'LagerLouts' and 'British Steel'. They jammed a bit, but nothing serious happeneduntil 1996 when Gal and Clyde recorded 'The Lottery Song' and the as yetunreleased 'Mystic Meg' and 'Give Her A Dog For Xmas'. A year later, theyrecruited Casanova Kev on bass and the core of the new Gonads was born torecord the comeback single 'Oi! Nutter' b/w '(What's The Story?) England'sGlory'.

In 1998, the Gonads toured the USAwith Rockin' Dave on guitar and the Romulan on drums. Albums 'Back &Barking', 'Schitz-oi-phrenia' and 'Old Boots, No Panties' followed, along witha Rebellion appearance in Blackpool. The Ska song 'Oi Mate' proved to be theband's most popular live song to date. But Clyde's production commitments keptthem off the road for long periods of time. Frustrated, Gal was about to breakup the Gonads once and for all until New York fan André Schlesinger (formerlyof The Press, now with Maninblack) persuaded him to keep going. Gal recruitedTony Feedback (ex-Angelic Upstarts) and Scoops (of Superyob) on bass and with achanging procession of drummers (including the legendary Paul MacGonad ofWaysted) began gigging regularly again. 2008 saw the 'Live Free, Die Free'album; followed at the end of 2009 by 'Glorious Bastards'.

In 2009 the band played Germany (the Punk & Disorderly Festival) and Swedenfor the first time, returning to Germany for a mini-tour and the Total OiFestival in 2010. A brief, inglorious period saw legendary rock lunatic RD (aka"MacGonad") join as drummer, however this association ended afterjust four gigs because of what it would be polite to describe as "musicaldifferences." But maniacal RD did help put together a hard-hitting line-upof Gal, Nacho Jase (guitar) and Mick Maverick (bass). They were joined on drumsby South Coast Steve, the world mumbling champion. Under the watchful eye ofassociate comrade manager FB, the new Gonads bounced ever upwards and onwardstowards our goal of Professionalism. However progress is not always smooth andafter playing Germany, France, Glasgow, London, Rebellion, Charlton LiberalClub and a major festival in the North East of England, and recording twoglorious Greater Hits albums, the mighty quartet went their separate ways withno hard feelings. Fast forward to 2015 and the new and latest incarnation ofthe Gonads began to take shape with Phil 'Badoe' McDermott joining on leadguitar, Paul Mummery crossing over from the SkaNads and Wattsie Watts promotedto full-time backing vox. Greater Hits Volume 3 – The Complete Cobblersconfirmed the combo's new-found lease of life. Gentleman John returned brieflyon bass guitar but was permanently replaced at the beginning of 2017 by thelegendary Clyde Ward. This new permanent line-up sees the band enter ourfortieth year (celebrated as "Forty Years of Failure") with theirloins very much girded. With new recordings on the horizon, Miss Managementrunning mission control and a triumph live debut at Montpellier's Festival ofEngland already under their belt it feels as if the Gonads story has only justbegun. Be afraid, people. Be very afraid.

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