Dave The Punk

Banned From The Pubs

PETER AND THE TEST TUBE BABIES

Were you out celebrating last night? Got a bit of a hangover and craving something gentle? Well, you’ve come to the wrong place… this is Dave’s Discs, and I’ve got something raucous lined up for you this week. Formed not too far from here in Peacehaven (near Brighton), these wild kids go by the name Peter and the Test Tube Babies. This is their debut single from 1982 — Banned From The Pubs.

Solidarity

ANGELIC UPSTARTS

This week, I’ve chosen a song by a bunch of upstarts from the North East. The Angelic Upstarts (who are definitely not angels) formed in South Shields in 1977. By 1983, they had released five albums and fifteen singles. This is Solidarity — their tribute to the Polish trade union.”

Evacuate

CHELSEA

Chelsea — the band, not the football team — were one of the original punk acts back in 1976. Their early line-up included guitarist William Broad, who rebranded himself as Billy Idol, left to form Generation X, and later launched a hugely successful solo career. Despite a flurry of singles through the late seventies and early eighties, Chelsea had less chart success than their footballing namesakes. This is their 10th single, from 1981—Evacuate.

Nowhere Left To Run

THE OUTCASTS

The Outcasts formed back in 1977 and were right at the heart of the Belfast punk scene, soon getting signed to Terri Hooley’s Good Vibrations label — and later featuring in the 2013 film of the same name, starring Richard Dormer and Jodie Whittaker. But back to the music… here’s Nowhere Left to Run, from The Outcasts’ third (and final) album, released in 1984.

Streets of London

ANTI-NOWHERE LEAGUE

I’m so excited — I’m off to Bristol this weekend for the No Future punk festival! Loads of bands playing have already had a spin on Dave’s Discs, but I haven’t blessed you with this lot yet. Anti-Nowhere League, from Tunbridge Wells, were pretty much anti-everything—which made finding a radio-friendly track a bit of a challenge. So how about one they didn’t write? Here’s their punked-up take on Ralph McTell’s folk classic… Streets of London.

Who Wants The World?

THE STRANGLERS

The Stranglers formed back in the mid-seventies as the Guildford Stranglers, made their name on the pub rock circuit, and then rode the punk wave into the charts by the late seventies. Their biggest hit, Golden Brown, ticks the box for this show’s criteria — but let’s be honest, it’s more waltz rock than punk rock. So instead, I’m taking you back a little further to ask… “Who Wants The World?”

My Perfect Cousin

THE UNDERTONES

I’ve got another Irish band for you this week—the third to feature on Dave’s Discs. And easily the most successful of the lot: The Undertones scored nine UK chart singles during their heyday. Incidentally, this is the only punk rock song I know that name-checks my childhood obsession — Subbuteo. (And yes, I absolutely flicked the kicks.) Here’s My Perfect Cousin.

Rise

PUBLIC IMAGE LTD

Sorry listeners — I’d planned to keep my “no repeat guarantee” going a little longer, but Caz’s criteria this week threw a spanner in the works. So we’re heading back to the artist who kicked off Dave’s Discs in the very first week… Public Image Ltd. Fronted by my teenage idol John Lydon (aka Johnny Rotten), who’s probably still best known for his time with the Sex Pistols—but has actually spent over 80% of his music career fronting PiL. This was their 7th single — Rise — where the iconic line “Anger is an energy” later became the title of his 2014 autobiography. And “I could be wrong, I could be right”? That was the name of last year’s spoken word tour. (And yes, I was there.)

Last Rockers

VICE SQUAD

I know Valentine’s Day was a couple of weeks ago, but I thought I’d mention it as I had a teenage crush on the singer of this week’s band. Vice Squad were fronted by punk rock pin-up and leather-clad icon Beki Bondage. She was a regular fixture on the covers of the music weeklies, setting many a teenage heart racing—mine included. Beki still leads the modern-day version of Vice Squad, and do you know what? She’s still a pin-up. Here’s a blast from 1980: Last Rockers.

Eighties

KILLING JOKE

This week, we’re heading back to the eighties—starting, appropriately, with Eighties by Killing Joke. Killing Joke were massively influential, blending post-punk, new wave, and industrial elements into something dark, urgent, and completely their own. Eighties is one of their most iconic tracks, driven by that instantly recognizable, chugging riff (which a certain grunge band may have borrowed…) and Jaz Coleman’s manic, almost prophetic vocals. It perfectly captures the era’s tension—paranoia, excess, and the feeling that everything was spiraling out of control. It sounds just as electrifying today as it did when it was first released in 1984.

Disco In Moscow

THE VIBRATORS

The Vibrators formed in 1976, right at the heart of the UK punk explosion. Their name, cheekily provocative yet unforgettable, fits the band’s raw energy and rebellious spirit. They were one of the first punk bands to emerge in London, supporting the Sex Pistols early on and releasing their debut album Pure Mania in 1977.

While they never hit the mainstream heights of some of their contemporaries, they carved out a lasting legacy with their mix of high-energy punk and rock ‘n’ roll swagger. “Disco in Moscow”, released in 1980, is a prime example of their ability to fuse catchy hooks with that gritty punk attitude—just like their name suggests, they knew how to keep things buzzing.

Mindless Few

CHRON GEN

Chron Gen—short for Chronic Generation—were a short-lived but fiery punk band from Hertfordshire. Emerging in the early ‘80s, they quickly made a name for themselves with their melodic yet hard-hitting sound. Between 1981 and 1984, they put out an EP, four singles, and one album—the latter being their only release to trouble the official UK charts.

While they never reached the heights of some of their peers, their energy and sharp songwriting earned them a loyal following. But you know me… I love an underdog. This is Mindless Few from their debut EP.

Endangered Species

UK SUBS

Released in 1982, Endangered Species is one of UK Subs’ defining songs, capturing their signature mix of raw punk energy and sharp social commentary. It comes from the album of the same name, widely regarded as one of their finest, with a darker, heavier sound reflecting the bleak outlook of the early ‘80s.

Lyrically, it’s a biting take on a world in decline—something Charlie Harper and the gang have always excelled at. It’s a fitting pick for this week’s Dave’s Discs, as I’ll be jetting off to Glasgow for the Scotland Calling punk festival at the weekend, where the UK Subs will be hitting the stage—proving once again that, despite the song title, they’re anything but extinct!

Vicious Circle

ABRASIVE WHEELS

Vicious Circle by Abrasive Wheels is a relentless blast of punk rock energy. From the very first riff, it charges forward with a powerful pace that doesn’t let up, hammering through each verse with urgency and intensity.

The track’s rapid-fire tempo mirrors the frustration and defiance in the lyrics, perfectly capturing the raw, chaotic energy of the early ’80s punk scene. The delivery is fierce and unapologetic, with the band’s gritty vocals and driving rhythms making it impossible to sit still. It’s a blistering call to action, a punk anthem that’s both urgent and rebellious—a song that feels like it could explode at any moment, yet keeps that intense momentum building to the very end.

Legion

THEATRE OF HATE

This month, I’m rewinding to the early ‘80s, when post-punk was busy morphing into something darker, bolder, and more tribal. Kicking off the June picks is Legion by Theatre of Hate — one half of a fierce double A-side with Original Sin. And believe me, both sides got their fair share of play.

I was completely transfixed the first time I heard it — those pounding, almost martial riffs, and Kirk Brandon’s distinct vocal style, somewhere between a rallying cry and a haunted sermon. There’s a brooding drama in this track, an urgency that felt like it was scraping away the last vestiges of punk’s rawness to reveal something primal underneath.

Come Back

SPEAR OF DESTINY

Keeping the Kirk Brandon theme going, this week it’s Come Back by Spear of Destiny. After Theatre of Hate split in ’82 — partly down to internal tensions and a desire to shift direction — Brandon and bassist Stan Stammers formed this new outfit.

Come Back, their sixth single , from 1985, brought a more melodic, almost anthemic feel to their post-punk foundation. The rawness is refined, but Brandon’s intensity still burns through every not

51st State

NEW MODEL ARMY

This week’s pick is 51st State by New Model Army — a searing commentary on the UK’s subservience to the US, wrapped in a chorus you can’t help but shout along to. The song was controversial enough to earn the band a ban from touring in the United States.

Released in 1986, its equal parts anthem and protest song. Gritty, guitar-driven, and politically barbed, it captures the era’s tension with razor-sharp clarity. Still hits hard — maybe even harder today.

Requiem

KILLING JOKE

Rounding off my ‘80s post-punk picks is Requiem by Killing Joke — dark, relentless, and utterly gripping.

From their self-titled debut, this track set the tone for everything that followed: pounding drums, growling basslines, and Jaz Coleman’s ominous vocals cutting through the chaos. It’s post-punk with industrial teeth — a fitting requiem for a month soaked in grit, politics, and pounding riffs.