Subway Sect
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Founder | Vic Godard |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Punk rock, post-punk music |
Subway Sect rank among the pioneering British punk groups. Although their commercial achievements were modest due to a limited number of recordings, their impact on the Postcard Records movement and the later development of indie pop was considerable.
Early years
Fronted by singer-songwriter Vic Godard, the band was established following a recommendation from Malcolm McLaren after initial performances supporting the Sex Pistols. Subway Sect took part in the landmark 100 Club Punk Festival in September 1976, performing alongside acts such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols. The original members—Godard, Paul Packham (drums), Paul Myers (bass), and Rob Symmons (guitar)—played only four shows before Mark Laff replaced Packham on drums. Laff eventually departed to join Generation X, with Bob Ward stepping in as drummer. This lineup recorded their inaugural John Peel session and released the single "Nobody's Scared" on Braik Records, a label owned by manager Bernie Rhodes, who also managed The Clash.
Under Rhodes' supervision, their debut album was recorded at Gooseberry Studios with producer Mickey Foote. The band extensively toured alongside The Clash and other contemporaries. However, just before the album's release, Rhodes dismissed all members except Godard, effectively dissolving Subway Sect's original formation. The album itself was never issued; only the single "Ambition" and its B-side "Different Story (Rock and Roll Even)" appeared via Rough Trade Records. "Ambition" achieved No. 15 on NME’s 1978 Tracks of the Year list. Additionally, "Parallel Lines" was included on the C81 cassette compiled by NME. Test pressings from the unreleased album have emerged in collections such as Motion Records' 20 Odd Years and Overground Records' We Oppose All Rock And Roll. The master tapes for the original album are believed to be lost.
Live recordings from 1977 performances at the Roxy club were captured by DJ Don Letts, with Subway Sect featured in Letts' film Punk Rock Movie (1978).
Middle period
Godard reassembled the group under the name Vic Godard and Subway Sect and released their first official album What's the Matter, Boy? in 1980 after multiple lineup changes. This record included material from earlier days but presented with markedly different arrangements.
By this time, Godard drew inspiration from early rockabilly and the initial era of rock and roll, particularly artists associated with Sun Records sessions such as Elvis Presley and Eddie Cochran. Released shortly before the rockabilly revival movement, the album was largely dismissed as 'retro'. Subsequently, Godard delved into even earlier musical styles, collaborating with guitarist Rob Marche, keyboardist Dave Collard, bassist Chris Bostock, and drummer Sean McLusky. Later works, including Songs for Sale credited to Vic Godard and The Subway Sect, reflected influences from the "rat pack" era (Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra) and 1940s swing, foreshadowing a renewed interest in these genres.[1] Experiencing diminishing commercial returns and following a solo effort (T.R.O.U.B.L.E.) supported by Working Week, Godard withdrew from the music business[2] to become a postman.
In 1982, ex-members Rob Marche, Dave Collard, Chris Bostock, and Sean McLusky went on to form the band Jo Boxers alongside American vocalist Dig Wayne.[2]
Revival
During the 1990s, Godard's career experienced a gradual resurgence, aided by the reissue of CDs and various compilations. He began recording again under his own name before resurrecting the Subway Sect identity in 2002 with Sansend, an album characterized by its heavy use of samples and beats featuring fresh material. This was succeeded in 2005 by Motion's Singles Anthology, which gathered together A- and B-side singles.
Original Subway Sect members Rob Symmons (guitarist) and Paul Myers (bassist) resurfaced in 2004 as part of The Fallen Leaves; Myers has since left, while Symmons continues to perform.
In 2007, a revamped Subway Sect lineup—including founding members Mark Laff and Paul Myers alongside ex-Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook—issued 1978 Now, an album revisiting their initial debut as it was originally envisioned. Myers rejoined permanently in 2011, marking his return with a performance at London's Nambucca. Additional archival recordings featuring Cook were released in 2014 under the title 1979 Now.
By 2019, the group consisting of Godard, Johnny Britton, returning bassist Chris Bostock, and Sean McLusky prepared the album Moments Like These for a 2020 release. Produced by Mick Jones, the album was introduced with the single "How High The Walls," which debuted on December 25.
Albums
- What's the Matter Boy? (1980), Oddball/MCA (credited to Vic Godard and Subway Sect)
- Songs For Sale (1982), London
- The End of the Surrey People (1993), Postcard
- Sansend (2002), Motion
- 1978 Now (2007), Overground
- Long Term side Effect (2009), Rough Trade
- We Come As Aliens (2010), Overground
- 1979 Now (2014), AED
- Moments Like These (2020), GNU
Compilations
- A Retrospective (1977–1981) (1984), Rough Trade (credited as Vic Godard and the Subway Sect)
- We Oppose All Rock 'n' Roll (1976–1980) (1996), Overground
- Twenty Odd Years – The Story Of (1999), Motion (credited as Vic Godard and the Subway Sect)
- Singles Anthology (2005), Motion (credited as Vic Godard and Subway Sect)
- Live and Rare, Vol 1 (2011), Gnu Inc
- 30 Odd Years (2014), Gnu Inc
Singles
- "Nobody's Scared" b/w "Don't Split It" (1978), Braik
- "Ambition" b/w "A Different Story" (1978), Rough Trade
- "Split Up the Money" b/w "Out of Touch" (1980), Oddball/MCA (credited as Vic Godard and Subway Sect)
- "Stamp of a Vamp" (1981), Club Left (credited as Vic Godard and The Subway Sect)
- "Hey Now (I'm in Love)" b/w "Just in Time", "Mr Bennett" (1981), London (credited as Vic Godard and The Subway Sect)
- Ambition EP (1996), Overground
- "Caught In Midstream" b/w "You Bring Out The Demon In Me" (2013) UK Physical Singles #57
- "Find Out All The Time" b/w "Dead Dreamy" (2016), GNU
- "How High The Walls" (2019), GNU
See also
- Is Vic There?
- List of punk bands from the United Kingdom
- List of Peel Sessions
- List of 1970s punk rock musicians
Sources
- Caroline Coon, 1988: The New Wave Punk Rock Explosion, Hawthorn, London, 1977, ISBN 0-8015-6129-9