shopping in asda with the uk subs

This is another of those stories from my days as a promoter of live music gigs at The Witchwood, Ashton Under Lyne and if you've read the Bay City Rollers story, you'll note a similarity. The UK Subs, aka UK Subversives, are a punk band led by the wonderful real deal punk heart that is Charlie Harper. It was rumoured back in the late 70's that even then Charlie was about 50, but I'll be honest and say that of all the punks I have known and worked with, none has kept the vibrant spirit of the movement quite like Charlie, no matter what his age.

Charlie Harper of the UK Subs
The Real Deal!

It was when at comprehensive school during the late 70's whilst moving into music fanaticism that the name UK Subs was literally written across my forehead. I sadly was going through a 'proper band' phase and two of my mates took it upon themselves to shame me into taking interest in more credible music. Night after night they would play punk stuff by the Subs and the Pistols much to my annoyance, then one particular night we went out with a spray paint can. 'Baggy Bagshaw' wrote PIL (Public Image Ltd) in big letters on a public street wall. Not to be outdone 'Buster Lindsay' sprayed THE JAM in big letters alongside. By the time I finished my neat and tidy ELO they had left me to walk home on my own to the echoes of mocking laughter.

I had to change my ways and whilst I never became a true convert, I squirmed into the 80's with a hint of music rebellion, if not the safety pins and haircut. It was then that I took to The Jam and The Bunnymen which was as rebellious as I got, before moving into early Joy Division, New Order, and an unknown band called U2 who were actually very credible at that time.

And so, what goes around comes around and there I was in the 90's, promoting gigs for the rejuvenated UK Subs, Tenpole Tudor, 999, Splodgenessabounds and many more. Of all these The UK Subs were the punk band that gave me the most pleasure, not only because they were by far most entertaining and therefore still most popular, but because I got on so well with Charlie Harper.

One fond memory in particular remains. It was during soundcheck one night that Charlie felt like a stroll to the shops to get the band some food. I therefore accompanied him to the local Asda and we talked, mostly about his love of fishing and his desire to settle down one day to find peace of mind. Whilst queuing at the checkout, there walking past us was an old school-friend, complete with cram-packed shopping bags, pram and flustered partner. I thought for a minute about how my pubescant musical ridicule and for one brief moment I felt the urge to jump up on the checkout and shout "I Darren Poyzer, as Charlie Harper is my witness, remain a true rebel, for I have not sold out the spirit of punk rock!". Thankfully, for Charlie's sake as much as mine I didn't, and we strolled quietly back to the gig with baguettes and sandwich lite-bites.

There is of course a twist to the tale. Baggy turned up to the gig that night and as much as I wanted to, I just couldn't force myself to refund his ticket money as a good mate should. I did buy him a pint though and whilst catching up on life and times, I found myself reassured that Baggy's punk spirit was as strong that night as it ever was back in the halcyon days of spray cans, safety pins and hair do's. My ELO albums by the way were destroyed in a flat fire in 1997. To this day, I don't know who or what started the fire .