• The Mob

    Location: Somerset, England
    Active: 1979-1983, 2011-2015+

    Formed and disbanded during the early UK punk scene, The Mob distinguished themselves with possibly the most emotional, albeit negative, of contemporaries like CRASS, Conflict, and Flux Of Pink Indians. They used dirges and a pessimistic perspective to paint a dim picture of the world with their music. With most of their songs maintaining the slow pace of a dirge, they were one of the bleakest punk bands ever. Even other bands with a morbid streak like UK Decay, Rudimentary Peni and Southern Death Cult could take a non-cynical perspective from time to time. 

    They released one LP, ‘Let The Tribe Increase’, but had a healthy collection of EPs and singles. The ‘No Doves Fly Here’ 7” was released on on Crass Records, but they formed their own label, All The Madmen to release most of their records, also releasing bands like Clair Obscur, Blyth Power, The Astronauts, Part 1, Zos Kia, Flowers In The Dustbin, Poison Girls among others. The label was related to the Kill Your Pet Puppy collective, which also had ties to Blood And Roses and other bands through the squat scene.

    After they split up in 1983, Joseph Porter who had also played in Zounds, formed Blyth Power. In 2011, The Mob reformed and played several gigs through England, Europe and America. They released new material in 2013, ‘Rise Up’.

    Related: Blood And Roses, CRASS, Conflict, Flux Of Pink Indians, UK Decay, Rudimentary Peni, Southern Death Cult, Crass Records, All The Madmen, Clair Obscur, Blyth Power, The Astronauts, Part 1, Zos Kia, Flowers In The Dustbin, Poison Girls, Kill Your Pet Puppy, Somerset, England, 1979

    Links: 

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/261863-The-Mob-3
    Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mob_(British_band)

  • Blood And Roses

    Location: London
    Active: 1982-1985

    Emerging from the positive punk movement in London alongside Southern Death Cult, Sex Gang Children, influenced by the bleaker sound cultivated by UK Decay. Their songs were shrouded in the dark haze illuminated by the glow of horror films (Blood and Roses, 1960) and touching on occult writings. This was evident in not only the subject matter of I Spit on your Grave (I Spit On Your Grave, 1978) but cover versions of John Capenter soundtracks. They performed for the first time in January 1982 at the Anarchy Centre, London. There had been a few prior iterations of the band around founders Bob Short and Lisa Kirby. 

    Blood & Roses attracted the attention of radio host and producer John Peel for a session on his BBC program in 1983 and featured in the South of Watford ‘Positive Punk’ special by Michael Moorcock. They were involved with the anarcho/anti-vivisection zine collective Kill Your Pet Puppy (along with Dave Roberts of Sex Gang Children) and included on The Whip compilation.

    Links:

    Discogs: https://www.discogs.com/artist/353038-Blood-And-Roses
    John Peel: https://peel.fandom.com/wiki/Blood_And_Roses

    Related: Brigandage, Southern Death Cult, Sex Gang Children, UK Decay, Blood And Roses, I Spit On Your Grave, Bob Short, Lisa Kirby, John Peel, Positive Punk, Kill Your Pet Puppy, The Whip, London, 1982, Anarcho

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