The Undercover Festival announces Saturday Line up
After a year of silence the Angelic Upstarts came back with a bang in October 2013.
The Angelic Upstarts were one of the first UK punk bands that really dealt with specific working class issues in depth, rather than just on a generic level. A band that never had the recognition they truly deserved.
Formed on a South Shields council estate in 1977, the Upstarts soon attracted notoriety due to their aggressive music and uncompromising attitude. Their debut single "The Murder Of Liddle Towers" was self-released in 1978 and then picked up by Rough Trade and went on to sell many thousands of copies. It told the story of a boxing coach who was killed while in police custody and is one of the most incendiary punk 45s ever released. Even today it sounds incredible, dripping with anger, and its less than polished production being perfect. The B-side "Police Oppression" was also a brilliant track and apparently singer "Mensi" still gets harrassed from the police who have never forgiven him for these tunes.
After many tracks that sum up so much of peoples early years they are as uncompromising as ever.
30 or so years on although Mensi is the only surviving member of the band. It is easy to be sceptical about the changing line-ups of classic bands so many years later but the guys playing as the Upstarts right now are a tough, sturdy unit. The dual guitars of Dickie Hammond (from Leatherface) and Neil Newton work together beautifully; former Red London member Gaz Stoker is solid on bass; and young Jonnie Halling from Crashed Out is beat-perfect.
Have the Upstarts mellowed with the passing of the years ?
Have they ####!!!!on the drum kit. Their set in Leeds was as tough as could be expected with pretty much all of their classics given an airing. The sauna-like conditions in the venue were hard to bear though!
SPEAR OF DESTINY
Established in 1983 by singer and songwriter Kirk Brandon. bassist Stan Stammers, Lascelles James on saxophone and Chris Bell on drums to form Destiny after the demise of Theatre Of Hate . It has had an ever-changing line-up through the years. 2013 was a busy year for Spear Of Destiny fronted by Kirk Brandon celebrating a 30 year anniversary tour.
Spear Of Destiny, released a series of fine albums in ‘Grapes Of Wrath’, ‘One Eyed Jacks’ and ‘World Service’. ‘One Eyed Jacks’ is considered a classic by many.
Spear Of Destiny's live shows were widely considered to be second to none and they had a large cult following.
Theatre Of Hate have also reformed who Kirk Brandon still tours with but it is Spear of Destiny that we welcome to the main stage at Undercover Festival.
PENETRATION
Penetration are an original 1976 punk band from the North East.
Penetration formed in 1976 when four friends decided to form a band in reaction to the burgeoning Punk movement in Britain and America including Pauline Murray, Robert Blamire Gary Smallman who are still in the band today.
They are still playing today. Their debut single, "Don’t Dictate", is now acknowledged as a classic punk rock single and their debut album, Moving Targets (1978), is still widely admired...
Then there was nothing... until 2000, when a CD appeared of Roky Erickson covers entitled "Hallowe'en 2000". Pauline and Robert were back. Then suddenly, so were Penetration. Getting together again with Gary Smallman, the three original members began to play the songs, joined by guitarists Paul Harvey and Steve Wallace. What began as simple enjoyment somehow turned into the real deal.
Penetration are back and they are playing Undercover 2014.
Along with The Angelic Upstarts Spear Of Destiny and Penetration plus the already announced TMTCH we are pleased to announce a cracking Saturday line up of 21 bands including
999 - Back at Undercover after a well received show in 2013.
Surrey after a very successful headlining show on the Vive Le Rock stage @ GuilFest 2011
999 have boon going for over 30 plus years; the reason for their longevity is not airplay, massive publicity, hype or even a major recording deal but word of mouth and that “word of mouth” now extends to nearly every country on earth.
999 were first conceived in late 1976 when Nick Cash (vocals/guitar) and Guy Days (vocals/lead guitar), who were at school together, decided to form a group. Within a couple of months they had teamed up with Jon Watson (bass) and Pablo Labritain (drums) and 999 were officially born.
To date the band have completed countless U.S. tours, London gigs, UK / European tours visiting Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Belgium, Holland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Yugoslavia, Japan, Argentina and Brazil.
Stone Foundation
Also back by popular demand after playing Undercover 2013 and the Vive Le Rock stage @ GuilFest in 2011 and 2012
Stone Foundation are a group of seven like minded individuals that team together to make an exciting blend of Soul and Jazz influenced music. Based in the unlikely setting of rural Warwickshire, holed up their own studio creating a sensational and dynamic soulful sound that is capturing the hearts and minds of live audiences and influential movers and shakers alike.
Stone Foundation were personally invited to perform on the tour at The Specials request playing venues such as Alexandra palace, Glasgow SECC and the Ricoh Arena to thousands which certainly helped bring the group’s name and music to a wider appreciative audience.
Stone Foundation’s songs have already been used in several US TV hit drama’s such as “Franklin and Bash”, “The Finder”, “Made in Jersey” and “Wilfred” once again bringing their music to the masses.
Department S
The story of Department S begins in the origins of the post punk and mod scenes, which, although miles apart style- and music-wise, shared a common belief in the rejection of the darkness and apathy that punk had fallen into. Time to move on, time to get sharp.
In the late 70s A group of friends, who were regular gig goers, decided (over a few beers too many!) to form a band of their own. The name for the band was to be Guns For Hire. All they needed now was some musical instruments and the ability to start playing them.
After a change in personnel and a name change Department S arrived and released cracking tunes such as "Is Vic There?" and "Going Left-Right" to name but a few, a stint with Stiff records and the rest is history but one thing that can’t be denied is that they are back and as good as ever
Summer 2013 saw Department S play Glastonbury on the Sunday and a string of successful shows and we are pleased to be able to welcome them to Undercover Festival 2014.
The Talks
Dub Ska rockers from Yorkshire;
In a short space of time the band have been building themselves a live reputation around the UK and Europe for delivering a bouncing, sweaty shows supporting the likes of The Specials, Rancid, The Beat, King Blues, Random Hand, The Toasters and many more.
“There aren't many bands that are good enough to catch the attention of members of The Specials, but then there aren't many bands like The Talks. Proving that hard work, persistence and a pocket full of irresistibly catchy tunes can pay - dividends” - Music Radar
We are pleased to announce the line up for the Saturday (20th September) as
ANGELIC UPSTARTS (Joint Headline act)
SPEAR OF DESTINY (Joint Headline act)
PENETRATION (Joint Headline act)
THE MEN THEY COULDN’T HANG (Joint Headline act)
999
Stone Foundation
Department S
The Talks
Charred Hearts
Wonk Unit
The Witchdoktors (please note change of day!!)
The Sha La Las
Phoenix Chroi
Monkish (New addition to the line up)
Mocara
King Punch
Fighting Evil Is Cool
The Vulgarities
Top Buzzer
The Cottonettes
TBA
The line up comprises of bands from afar and many local bands of differing ages and genres. We have made every reasonable effort to include young bands into each days line up. For contractual reasons we are unable to announce the last 2 remaining headline but we are pleased to have secured acts that people will agree certainly have that wow factor.
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