Although they formed around the same time as such renowned first wave U.K. punk acts as
the Sex Pistols,
the Clash, and
the Damned, the
U.K. Subs usually get lost in the shuffle. This can be attributed mainly to the fact that their debut album, 1979's
Another Kind of Blues, was not issued until three years after their inception (and many would agree, after U.K. punk had peaked). But the group, led by singer Charlie Harper, was a high-energy live act, and as evidenced by 2004's
Before You Were Punk, they also delivered the goods in the studio -- with a sound that touched equally upon punk and rowdy pub rock. All of the group's classics from the late '70s and early '80s are featured here, including the U.K. hit singles "Stranglehold," "Tomorrow's Girls," "Warhead," and "Teenage" (the latter of which includes an opening riff taken straight from
the Stooges "No Fun"). You'll also find the track "Down on the Farm" -- which although not exactly a hit back home -- is one of the group's best-known tracks, since
Guns N' Roses covered it for their
Spaghetti Incident? covers set. If you have no
U.K. Subs in your collection, the smartly assembled
Before You Were Punk is a must buy. ~ Greg Prato