In the mid-seventies, Birmingham was a heavy-metal strong hold. It had links
with Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Wizard, Magnum and many more famous names.
Pretty much every local band aspired to one (if not all) of the above, and they
dominated the live music scene. Heavy Metal thrived at venues such as
Barbarellas, Rebecca’s, The Golden Eagle, The Barrel Organ, The Roebuck and
countless other pubs and clubs across the city.
During my final year at school in 1976, a few mates and myself had formed a
“band” and used to rehearse in the music room at school (now Bartley Green
Technology College). I remember Dave Powell (later Dave Bass - bassist in the
Sussed) bringing in a copy of Anarchy in the UK and spending the evening
convincing the rest of us that THIS was the direction we should be going in! (I
hope he still has that single now – worth a few bob!) It was only I who shared
Dave’s passion for the “new” sound, whereas the other “band” members clearly
thought we had gone mad and promptly went off to form yet another heavy metal
band!
| Upon leaving school, Dave and I spent a short spell in Eastbourne in the hope of
forming a new band. This idea fizzled out pretty quickly, and by the time we had
relocated back to our native Birmingham (a bed-sit in Bearwood, Edgbaston) the
punk scene was well and truly “kicking in”! Both Rebecca’s and Barbarella’s were
promoting punk bands (usually mid week slots) and the first name band I remember
seeing in Birmingham was The Damned. However, the local scene remained very “metal” orientated, (Magnum, Cryer,
Supernova, Mis-Spent Youth) and there was little sign of any genuine “Brummie”
punk bands. Punk was very much seen as a “London” thing and not the national
phenomenon it would turn out to be. The bands doing the rounds were nearly all
imports from “down south” and they were, for the most part, simply “tolerated”
by the Birmingham heavy metal hierarchy. |
 |
|
|
The Prefects |
By mid 1977 (after the jubilee) things began to change. A definite culture was
starting to emerge. Punks could be seen regularly wandering around the
Birmingham Bull Ring (particularly the Rag Market), and one particular shop
(Bill and Belle’s) became Birmingham’s answer to McLaren’s “Sex” store in Soho –
a regular “drop-in” place for me on a Saturday afternoon! The clubs and pubs
were hosting more and more punk bands (The Prefects, The Playthings, Garbo), and
the heavy metal “upper class” was finding itself reduced to doing PA hires
rather than actual gigs! Some of the bands were beginning to fragment
(Supernova, for instance) and joining (or re-forming into) punk bands. |
Our new band had started to take shape (we only lacked a drummer) and we made
our debut on the stage at Barbarella’s on 29 August 1977 (an all day punk
festival) under the guise of the Worms. Also making his debut that night was
Spizz (later Spizz 77, Spizz Oil and finally Spizzenergi) who, after being
“silenced” by the PA engineer, wrote one of his best songs right there on stage!
“I’VE BEEN SWITCHED OFF…. I’VE BEEN SWITCHED OFF”! This would become a regular
audience chant for Spizz gigs for some time after!
| Also performing that night were The Killjoys – which, it has to be said, were
the ONLY Birmingham punk band to make any impact – and they became very
influential to us. Dave and I took the bus home that night with Kevin Rowlands
(who lived nearby) and we became mates for quite some time. Kevin was very
useful for getting us into after gig parties with the Clash, The Jam and one or
two others! (To this day I still have the lyrics to the Clash’s “Complete
Control” scribbled on a Barbarella’s beer mat by Joe Strummer!)
Right - Photo
courtesy of Wolvo77 >> |
 |
|
|
|
The Killjoys |
As the Worms became The Sussed (and secured a weekly residency at the Stone
House and regular slots at Barbarella’s), we frequently traded “support” gigs
with the Killjoys. We usually got the better deals, though! For instance, in
return for them supporting us at the Stone House, we would support them (and
Generation X) at the Birmingham Mayfair Suite!
Bob (Peach) and Keith (Rimmel) helped us get our first studio demo together
(Outlaw Studios) early in 1978. Shortly after that, The Killjoys fragmented. We
used to see Kevin regularly – and also met Kevin Archer (who would become the
main drive behind the “all new” Dexy’s Midnight Runners), but later our
friendship would take a nose dive when we inadvertently posted Sussed flyers on
top of “Dexy’s” flyers…. |
|
|
|
|
By the middle of 1978, Mis-Spent Youth had decided they were now a punk band!
Those guys were (and still are) great friends, and they were EXPERTS at gaining
publicity! Some of the stunts they pulled would have left the Pistols gasping!
Spraying the town with giant works of graffiti, then going on TV to appeal to
their “fans” to stop was pure genius!
Another great (and largely unknown) band at the time was Dansette Damage. They
hailed from the same district (Bearwood) as The Sussed and, although not a punk
band as such, they were certainly different and highly original. The leading
force was Colin Hall and Eddie Blower who, between them, set up Shoestring
Records and invited us (the Sussed) to record for their label. |
Misspent Youth |
|
|
Steel Pulse |
As 1978 closed and 1979 took over, it became clear that the whole punk movement
had made its mark in Birmingham, but had failed to change the skyline. Heavy
metal had survived and had, to a certain extent, been able to see off the threat
of the “three chord wonder”. The fusion of punk and reggae had been more
successful for Birmingham, however, with bands like Reality, Steel Pulse and
UB40 rising to offer a new challenge. Later, an altogether “new” sound would
dominate from just up the M6 in Coventry. Ska! |
|
|
I think it’s fair to say that, although the Sussed didn’t become as successful
as other Birmingham “associated” punk bands (and to some degree relied a little
too much on comedy towards the end), they were one of the very few that had
actually started out as a punk band, and didn’t simply just cut their hair and
jump on the band wagon.
Looking back (and echoing other views within this site) the actual “epicentre”
of the punk scene was amazingly short – particularly in Birmingham. Certainly
one of the most influential periods in British musical history, but if you had
blinked you would have missed it! |
The Sussed |
1977! What a time to be 16, eh?
Kevin Law (2005)
|
