Band : UK Subs

Album title : 666 Yeah / Straighten Out

Label : Jet 13

Distributor : Sonic Rendezvous

Release date : 20/11/2006 (22/01/200)

Review : Transparent red 7” vinyl

For a detailed overview of this legendary British Punk band, please visit their website uksubs.com. For our purposes, let's remember that the band centered around mainstay Charlie Harper first got its name somewhere in 1977, and that they've been releasing albums (both studio and live) on quite a regular basis over the last 30 years. The millenium has however seemed to slow down the band somewhat. Plenty of re-issues (oft under new album titles and alternate cover art), but the last studio album dates back to 2002's Universal (released through Captain Oi! ). It was followed by the live Staffordshire Ball in 2003 (on Invisible Hands Music ), but as far as I can gather, that was the last. The band has however continued to stay active at the live front throughout, still doin' some 200 gigs per year.

This new and limited edition 7" vinyl single (only 1000 handnumbered copies on transparent red vinyl) should be the perfect advertisement for a new full-length (at least I hope so), and the two short songs (lasting only 204 seconds together) are the best evidence of the fact that even after 30 years, Charlie stays true to the real spirit of Punk Rock, both lyrically and musically! The title song gets its nomenclature from the single having been recorded on the 6 th of June last year (06/06/06), with a line-up of Charlie (vocals and some harmonica in the title song), Jet (guitar), Brian Barnes (bass), and Jamie Oliver (obviously not the popular cook by the name, on drums).

A line-up which will be slightly different if you happen to catch 'em on tour during February (they're at the Lintfabriek on the 16 th ), as Brian and Jet have been exchanged for Nicky & Alvin (not sure if that's respectively). No matter what, and with whatever band backed him up, Charlie has always been the perfect host for a nice evening of Punk Rockin', the oldfashioned way!

87/100

Tony.