Combat 84
| Company type | Punk rock group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 in Chelsea, London, England |
| Founder | Chris Henderson, John Armitage |
| Defunct | 1984 (initial disbandment) |
| Fate | Disbanded; reunited in 2000 without Chris Henderson |
| Headquarters | Chelsea, London , England, United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Combat 84 was a punk rock group originating from Chelsea, London, established in 1981 by skinheads Chris Henderson, known as 'Chubby', and John Armitage, nicknamed 'Deptford'. They attracted nationwide attention after featuring in a contentious 1982 BBC Arena documentary that explored the skinhead subculture.
Career
The band’s initial roster consisted of Chris Henderson on vocals, 'Deptford' John Armitage handling bass duties, Jim playing guitar, and Brownie on drums. Their first performance was as an opening act for The Last Resort at the Walmer Castle in Peckham. Roi Pearce from The Last Resort produced their two-track demo "Soldier" and "Combat 84," which garnered favorable reviews and drew parallels with Sham 69.
In 1982, under the management of Gary Hitchcock, efforts were made to secure a contract with Secret Records alongside contemporaries such as The 4-Skins and The Business; however, this arrangement fell through. Subsequently, Combat 84 signed with Victory Records and released the EP Orders of the Day. For their follow-up EP Rapist (1983), John Fisher—formerly of The Business—replaced Brownie on drums.
The band's involvement in the BBC documentary sparked controversy when Henderson criticized police responses to White skinheads compared to Black rioters and attributed blame to Asians for the 1981 Southall disturbances. In contrast, Deptford John later showed understanding toward Black communities. The broadcast included footage of violent incidents during a concert in Harlow, which tarnished their image and resulted in fewer performance opportunities. To circumvent negative associations, they occasionally performed under the name The 7th Cavalry.
Their 1983 single "Rapist" called for capital punishment for offenders of sexual violence; its B-side "Right to Choose" endorsed nuclear armament while critiquing groups like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and left-wing organizations. Guitarist Jim later revealed that this track was intended as a satirical tribute to Vietnam War cinema.
Victory Records sought to distance itself from Combat 84 by licensing an album comprising studio tracks and low-fidelity live recordings to the German label Rock-O-Rama Records, known for neo-Nazi material. This 1984 release was titled Send in the Marines. The band repudiated this album and disbanded shortly thereafter. Many songs were later included in a 1987 double album shared with The Last Resort called "Death or Glory," while some live recordings appeared on a 1989 Link Records release also named "Send in the Marines."
Although frequently branded as a neo-Nazi or white power outfit, 'Deptford' John and Jim consistently denied any racist connections, emphasizing that their lyrics contained no racist themes nor were they affiliated with far-right politics. Their public image was further complicated by confusion with the neo-Nazi group Combat 18. Deptford John eventually joined The Exploited, whose political views contrasted with those of Combat 84. In interviews, he supported freedom of expression across all musical genres, including Rock Against Communism (RAC). Chris Henderson clarified that the "84" in their name referred to George Orwell's novel 1984, indicating philosophical inspiration behind the band's identity.
Combat 84 experienced renewed appreciation within the American punk community; notably, their single "Rapist" was reissued in 2019 by Splattered! Records following coverage in the April 2018 edition of Maximumrocknroll.
Aftermath and reunion
Deptford John and Jim sustained their roles as both road crew and performers with UK Subs and The Exploited, while John Fisher became a member of The Warriors alongside former Last Resort musicians. After departing from the music scene, Chris Henderson gained notoriety in football hooligan circles, leading the Chelsea Headhunters during the 1980s and co-writing Who Wants it?. Later, he operated a bar in Pattaya, Thailand, before passing away on 31 October 2013. In 2000, the group reunited without Henderson to issue the Tooled Up EP on their independent 7th Cavalry label, featuring 'Deptford' John on vocals, Jim handling guitar duties, with F.T. and Suds on bass and drums respectively.
On 22 April 2025, they released "The Sound of Violence," an unreleased track from the Tooled Up recording sessions, made available for streaming and download.
Albums
- Send in the Marines (1984)
- Death Or Glory (1987, collaboration with The Last Resort)
- Charge of the 7th Cavalry (1989) (posthumous live release, Step-1 Records)
- Orders of the Day (2000) (posthumous studio compilation, Step-1 Records)
- Live And Loud!! - At The 100 Club London Dec. 30th 1982 (2019) (posthumous live album, Ink Records)
EPs
- Orders of the Day (1982)
- Rapist (1983)
- Tooled Up (2000)
- The Sound of Violence (2025)
Singles
- Soldier (cassette release) (1981)