SNUFF
BAD COP BAD COP
SPOLERS
Feb 13th, 2016
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
It has been 15 years since I last saw London punk rockers Snuff play, and 26 years
since I first saw them at the long-since closed Brummie sweat-pit that was Edwards No.
8. Tonight they’re at Wolverhampton’s Slade Rooms as part of the band’s 30th
anniversary tour, a nine date sojourn around the UK to knock out some of the classics
and give new EP No Biting! a public airing.
While there have been a few line-up changes over the years – although original drummer/vocalist
Duncan Redmond is still the driving force – the music and the message has remained steadfast.
Snuff specialise in good-time melodic pop-punk with a hint of ska, puerile gags and novelty cover
versions – all of which they deliver by the barrow-load tonight.
The tour also coincides with the reissue of 1996 album Demmamussabebonk, the band’s first on
pop-punk super-label Fat Wreck and arguably their finest hour.
Prior to the gig they promised to play ‘at least a third of the album in its entirety’.
Due to over-indulgence in pre-gig refreshments I can’t be certain they were true to their word,
although Dicky Trois and Nick Northern had the decent-sized crowd bouncing around on their
imaginary pogo sticks.
As did Martin - the fist pumping, finger pointing, rabble rousing ode to an old pal missing the
summer because he was in jail.
Back in 1990 Snuff released the wonderfully named Flibbiddydibbiddydob EP, which featured
punked-up versions of the music to the Shake n’ Vac advert, the In Sickness & In Health theme
tune and Simon and Garfunkel’s Hazy Shade of Winter.
The comedy covers tradition has continued throughout their career, with the latest release
graced by a reworking of Denis King’s Black Beauty theme music Galloping Home, complete
with ‘reep reeps’.
It gets a good reception in the live setting, although the most fervent pit action is reserved for
crowd favourites Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads and Arsehole.
(Note: The word ‘fervent’ is used with the disclaimer that, like me, most of the crowd were of an
age where frenetic activity of longer than three minutes can require hospital treatment. We’re
not talking circle pits and walls of death, here.)
There’s plenty of irreverent humour – Jimmy Savile is mentioned on more than one occasion -
as is an unpleasant sounding substance bassist Lee Erinmez refers to as ‘bum gravy’.
It’s all part of the Snuff package.
Whether they are playing a squat in Brixton – does such a thing even exist anymore? – or in
front of thousands at the Reading festival, Snuff can always be relied upon to put on a bloody
good show.
By Peter Madeley (Express And Star)
BAD COP BAD COP
SPOLERS
Feb 13th, 2016
Slade Rooms
Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
It has been 15 years since I last saw London punk rockers Snuff play, and 26 years
since I first saw them at the long-since closed Brummie sweat-pit that was Edwards No.
8. Tonight they’re at Wolverhampton’s Slade Rooms as part of the band’s 30th
anniversary tour, a nine date sojourn around the UK to knock out some of the classics
and give new EP No Biting! a public airing.
While there have been a few line-up changes over the years – although original drummer/vocalist
Duncan Redmond is still the driving force – the music and the message has remained steadfast.
Snuff specialise in good-time melodic pop-punk with a hint of ska, puerile gags and novelty cover
versions – all of which they deliver by the barrow-load tonight.
The tour also coincides with the reissue of 1996 album Demmamussabebonk, the band’s first on
pop-punk super-label Fat Wreck and arguably their finest hour.
Prior to the gig they promised to play ‘at least a third of the album in its entirety’.
Due to over-indulgence in pre-gig refreshments I can’t be certain they were true to their word,
although Dicky Trois and Nick Northern had the decent-sized crowd bouncing around on their
imaginary pogo sticks.
As did Martin - the fist pumping, finger pointing, rabble rousing ode to an old pal missing the
summer because he was in jail.
Back in 1990 Snuff released the wonderfully named Flibbiddydibbiddydob EP, which featured
punked-up versions of the music to the Shake n’ Vac advert, the In Sickness & In Health theme
tune and Simon and Garfunkel’s Hazy Shade of Winter.
The comedy covers tradition has continued throughout their career, with the latest release
graced by a reworking of Denis King’s Black Beauty theme music Galloping Home, complete
with ‘reep reeps’.
It gets a good reception in the live setting, although the most fervent pit action is reserved for
crowd favourites Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads and Arsehole.
(Note: The word ‘fervent’ is used with the disclaimer that, like me, most of the crowd were of an
age where frenetic activity of longer than three minutes can require hospital treatment. We’re
not talking circle pits and walls of death, here.)
There’s plenty of irreverent humour – Jimmy Savile is mentioned on more than one occasion -
as is an unpleasant sounding substance bassist Lee Erinmez refers to as ‘bum gravy’.
It’s all part of the Snuff package.
Whether they are playing a squat in Brixton – does such a thing even exist anymore? – or in
front of thousands at the Reading festival, Snuff can always be relied upon to put on a bloody
good show.
By Peter Madeley (Express And Star)
