Zounds
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 in Reading, Berkshire, England |
| Headquarters | Reading , England |
| Products | Music recordings, live performances |
Zounds was an anarcho-punk and post-punk group originating from Reading, Berkshire, England, established in 1977. Emerging from the cassette culture movement, they issued recordings through Fuck Off Records and were actively involved in squatting communities and free festival circuits. The band's name is taken from the archaic English exclamation "zounds," a shortened form of "God's wounds."
History
Zounds began around Steve Lake in Reading, developing out of informal jam sessions in Oxford and drawing inspiration from bands like the Velvet Underground and the Sex Pistols. Their early performances in 1977 and 1978 included Steve Lake on vocals and bass, Steve Burch on guitar, Jimmy Lacey on drums, with Nick Godwin joining later as a guitarist. Following Burch’s exit, Laurence Wood became part of the lineup. The group’s political stance intensified during the Cold War era amid clashes with law enforcement, forging close ties with anarchist collectives such as The Mob.
A significant event occurred when their van broke down near Dial House in Essex, leading to an encounter with Crass. Despite differing musically, this meeting sparked a friendship grounded in shared political ideals. In 1980, Zounds released their debut EP, Can't Cheat Karma, on Crass Records, featuring the standout track "Subvert." This release elevated their status within the anarcho-punk community and resulted in tours alongside Crass and Poison Girls, as well as performances within West Berlin squatted venues.
Their first full-length album, The Curse of Zounds, arrived in 1981 via Rough Trade Records, recorded over a five-day period. The album’s cover art by Clifford Harper illustrated firefighters seemingly exacerbating a blaze at the Houses of Parliament, serving as a political statement. Subsequent singles included Demystification, Dancing, More Trouble Coming Every Day, and Le Vache Qui Rit, originally intended for an anti-conscription benefit split EP with The Mob.
Exhaustion from touring and Steve Lake’s disenchantment with the anarchist music scene led to the band’s dissolution in late 1982. Afterward, Lake and Wood formed The World Service with Nick Godwin; meanwhile, drummer Josef Porter joined The Mob before moving on to Blyth Power. Lake also explored solo ventures collaborating with Nick Godwin and Brian Pugsley. Zounds occasionally reunited for benefit concerts, sometimes featuring additional musicians like Martin Protag Neish and drummer Stick. In 2001, a remixed version of "This Land" was released to support the McLibel campaign. The 2005 Go All The Way EP showcased tracks from an unfinished second album addressing the United States’ War on Terror.
Reforming in 2007, Steve Lake assembled Paul O'Donnell (bass) and Paul Gilbert (drums) from The Evil Presleys. They performed intermittently at events including "The Feeding of the 5000" at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London and Birmingham’s Carling Academy with guitarist Dominic Dominion.
By 2010, Zounds expanded their live presence throughout the UK and Europe, undertaking two brief tours covering countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Italy.
In 2011, they released a new album titled The Redemption of Zounds, initially available digitally from July 10, followed by a CD release on July 26 through Overground Records, and later issued on vinyl in the United States via Brokenrekids starting September.
Zounds officially ceased activity again in 2025 after delivering their final show as headliners at the Means To An End festival held at Bradford’s 1 in 12 Club on October 18. Earlier that year, Steve Lake had announced this would be his concluding performance with the band.
Final roster
- Steve Lake – lead vocals, guitar
- Joe Davin – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Paul Gilbert – drums, backing vocals
- Dominic Perez-Silva – guitar
Initial band members
- Steve Lake – vocals, bass guitar
- Laurence Wood – guitar
- Josef Porter – drums
- Artwork – Dr Inadequate Phuck
Releases
- Zounds! You Can't Cheat Karma (EP, 1980, Crass Records)
- The Curse of Zounds (LP, 1981, Rough Trade Records)
- Demystification / Great White Hunter (Single, 1982, Rough Trade Records)
- Dancing / True Love (Single, 1982, Rough Trade Records)
- Le Vache Qui Rit (EP, 1982, Not So Brave Records)
- More Trouble Coming Every Day / Knife (Single, 1983, Rough Trade Records)
- The Curse of Zounds (CD reissue including all singles and EP tracks, 1993, Gap Recordings/Rugger Bugger Records)
- This Land (CD remix single supporting the McLibel Support Campaign, 2001, Active Distribution)
- Go All The Way (EP, 2005, ZNDS Records)
- The Curse of Zounds Discography (Remastered CD compiling album and singles, 2007, Active Distribution)
- The Redemption Of Zounds (LP, 2011, Overground/Plastic Head Records)