THE SUBS WIN THE PUNK WORLD CUP!

 

U.K. SUBS CROWNED PUNK ROCK WORLD CHAMPIONS

 

6music Punk Rock World Cup 2010

 

U.K. Subs - 2010 Punk Rock World Champions - click image to   enlarge

PUNK WORLD CHAMPIONS:
Left to right: Nicky Garratt, Pete Davies, Alan Campbell, Brian Barnes, Jet Storm,
Paul Slack, Charlie Harper (captain), Jamie Oliver, Alvin Gibbs, Steve Roberts, Jason Willer.

 

Lammo's   Punk World Cup Logo For anyone who doesn't listen to the excellent Steve Lamacq show on BBC 6music (a regular player of the Subs), the Punk Rock World Cup was a competition of sorts, with 6music listeners and musicians/journalists/punk rock pundits voting for which bands should go through each round.

 

A line-up of 32 bands was whittled down to 16, with John Robb choosing the Subs over Magazine in the qualifiers to start the tournament proper (see table below).

 

The   6music website's download 'Pick your team sheet' - click to enlarge

 

FIRST ROUND - 9th March 2010

  • Major Upset As Subs Put Out The Clash


The U.K. Subs had a tricky start being drawn against pre-tournament second favourites The Clash, and despite the listeners voting in favour of the Westway boys the Subs were triumphant, memorably winning 2-1 - with punk legend Captain Sensible and Sean Forbes from the Rough Trade record shop sealing Strummer & Co's fate.

Time & Matter website secured this early response from original Subs bassman, Paul Slack;

"Of course ...... game of two halves, like I said over the moon, the lads had really worked hard for this one, early pressure told, looking forward to the next round mate cheers."
"Actually to be serious as much as I love the Clash I think they quickly moved away from Punk whereas Charlie has always remained true to the cause.......... "

In the next round they faced Sham 69. Who would be victorious and go through to face either The Slits or tournament favourites The Sex Pistols? Read on...

  • Result: The Clash 1 U.K. Subs 2

 

QUARTER-FINALS - 10th March 2010

  • Sham Shattered As Subs Scorch Through To Semis

With one shock result under their belts there were high hopes of another good result against one of Charlie's favourites Sham 69. Eugine Butcher from Big Cheese magazine was the studio pundit with Sean Forbes from the Rough Trade record shop again on the other end of the phone. Pre-match nerves proved unfounded however as The Subs gloriously wiped the floor with Jimmy Pursey's Barmy London Army, eventually battering them 3-0, leaving the mouth-watering prospect of facing the Sex Pistols in the semi-finals, who, understandably seemed to be everybodys hot tip to eventually be crowned Champions. Could the Subs continue their giant-killing run?

 

  • Result: U.K. Subs 3 Sham 69 0

 

SEMI-FINALS - 11th March 2010

 

  • Rotten Pistols Sent Packing For Biggest Blow For Subs

 

Paul Slack was indulging in some hilarious pre-match banter on Facebook, as the Punk Rock World Cup reached boiling point on the social networks on the internet. Slack's rally-cry of "the Subs march on into a semi-final against the Pistols. The way I see it is that it's the Godfather of Punk against the butter salesman....." would have found much resonance amongst the true punk fraternity.
For the Semi-Finals the studio guest was Alan G. Parker (Director of the film 'Who Killed Nancy' and author of plenty of work on the Pistols so no prizes for guessing which way he was going to vote) and Sean Forbes. The latter was on the other end of the line again with another great Subs anecdote. The tension was intense, with the score at one-all it was down to the listeners, but they didn't let us down, putting the Subs through to the final with Stiff Little Fingers.
So it's the Tooting tearaways vs Belfast's finest, who was on course to take the Cup? Stay tuned...

  • Result: U.K. Subs 2 Sex Pistols 1

 

PUNK ROCK WORLD CUP FINAL - 12th March 2010

 

  • Super Cool Subs Seal Sensational Final Victory

 

At last, final day. Quite possibly the biggest Subs fan (Sean Forbes from Rough Trade) was on the line once more and Goldbalde front man John Robb was the man in the studio. The Beeb had managed to track down Charlie somewhere on an autobahn in Germany, en route to Holland for the next gig. Reacting to knocking out the Sex Pistols in the previous round, Harper was in great humour: "I think they deserved that one!" and on facing SLF in the final "we're biting our nails but I think Stiff Little Fingers will be biting their toe-nails!"
Well Charlie needn't have worried, despite playing with SLF the week before, John Robb went for the Subs (possibly with one eye on their upcoming gig with them in Leamington Spa in April) and the listeners came through once more.

So there it is, the U.K. Subs thrashed Stiff Little Fingers 3-0 to lift the 2010 BBC 6music Punk World Cup.
A contradiction in terms? Maybe, but just a bit of fun after all, though we think it shows the high regard that Charlie and the band are held in by the fans, ultimately this is down to Charlie's attitude through the years and the way he treats the fans, it's not them and us, not band and audience but a common bond and a true punk spirit that says we are all as important as each other. In the end we all won and the Subs got some long overdue recognition and decent coverage thanks to the BBC of all people... John Peel would have been proud.

 

  • Result: Stiff Little Fingers 0 U.K. Subs 3

 

U.K. Subs' 2010 Punk Rock World Cup Overall Record:

  • Played 5
  • Won 5
  • Drawn 0
  • Lost 0
  • For 11
  • Against 2


Vive Charlie   Harper!

  • Above: World Cup Wallchart. Click to enlarge.
  • Below: John Robb on the U.K. Subs


Further amusement: Laughing

STEVE LAMACQ'S EXCELLENT WEBSITE - CLICK HERE

...and no hard feelings! Cool

MAGAZINE OFFICIAL BLOG SITE HERE

THE CLASH OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE

SHAM 69 OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE

GOD SAVE THE SEX PISTOLS WEBSITE HERE

STIFF LITTLE FINGERS OFFICIAL WEBSITE HERE

 

 

T&M