English Dogs

English Dogs
Origin Grantham, England
Genres Hardcore punk, crossover thrash
Years active 1981–1987
1993–1999
2007–present
Associated acts The More I See, The Destructors, Charged GBH, The Wernt
Website www.officialenglishdogs.com

English Dogs are a British hardcore punk band that began life in the early eighties. Two versions of the band exist,the Punk/Metal Crossover band featuring original drummer Andrew 'Pinch' Pinching and second era members Graham 'Gizz' Butt and Adie Bailey and a punk-based one featuring original vocalist Pete 'Wakey' Wakefield.

History

English Dogs formed in October 1981 in Grantham and produced two demos during 1982 entitled 'Show No Mercy' and 'Free To Kill'. The band toured as support to fellow punk band Charged GBH in Germany during early 1983 and followed this with a British tour supporting Discharge. In 1983 they signed to Clay Records and released a 6 track EP titled 'Mad Punx And English Dogs' July 1983.

English Dogs' first full-length album, 'Invasion of the Porky Men', emerged a year later. Personnel changes ensued after the debut album emerged with vocalist Wakey departing to be replaced by ex-Ultraviolent singer Ade Bailey. At this juncture the band also decided to augment their live and recorded sound by adding ex-Destructors guitarist Graham 'Gizz' Butt who added Metal riffing, guitar leads and contributed to the English Dogs songwriting.[1]

This change saw them leave Clay records to sign with Rot Records and release the decidedly metal tinged 'To The Ends Of The Earth' EP in September 1984. The metal leanings increased with Forward into Battle. English Dogs, culminating with the "Metalmorphosis " 12" and 'Where Legend Began' album through Under One Flag in 1986. In Spring of that year the Dogs toured the USA to sold out shows at the LA Olympic auditorium, Fenders Ballroom, San Diego, San Francisco, Baltimore, New York, Chicago, in fact all over the East and West coast. Upon their return to the UK Jon Murray left the band.The group appeared on the legendary Shades promoted Thrash bill at Camden's Electric Ballroom with Possessed and Voivod later in 1986. Pinch also left the band around Winter '86. The band carried on with Adie, Gizz and Wattie playing with other musicians until calling it a day in the fall of that year.

In 1993 Pinch and Gizz Butt reformed English Dogs with "Mad Punx" vocalist Wakey and Future Damned Bassist Stuart West, signed to German label "Impact records" and released 'Bow To None', Wakey left shortly after with him being replaced by Stuart 'Stu-Pid' Jones (Also of Police Bastard, Sensa Yuma and ex Contempt) for the 1995 five track EP "What A Wonderful Feeling... ...To Be Fucked By Everyone" on Retch Records .

Eventually English Dogs became a 3 piece with the line up of Gizz Butt - Lead Vocals and guitars, Pinch - Drums and backing vocals and Shop - Bass guitar and Backing vocals . They released the 16 track crossover album "All The World's A Rage" also on Impact records and toured UK, Germany, Austria and Switzerland many times. in 1996 the English Dogs played their last shows as Pinch, Gizz and Shop were soon to re-emerge as Janus Stark.

An English Dogs / GBH union resulted in Wakey and Pinch creating The Wernt with GBH members guitarist Jock Blyth and bassist Ross Lomas for a 1997 album 'Wreckin' Temples'. Gizz Butt replaced Jim Davies of Pitchshifter as the live guitarist for The Prodigy, which in turn revitalized interest in English Dogs and prompted a re-release of Where Legend Began. Gizz also announced the formation of a new act Janus Stark the same year recording with (3 Colours Red producer)Terry Thomas acting as producer. 1999's 'I've Got A Gun' was recorded live in Finland in 1994 when Pid was on vocals . By 2000 Pinch had joined The Damned. Gizz Butt returned in 2002 with The More I See.

In May 2007, English Dogs reformed with the original line-up with the exception of Pinch, who is drumming for The Damned. He was replaced by Stuart Meadows, who played for Resistance 77. They mainly play throughout Europe, but they do not play their crossover material. English Dogs released an EP called "Tales of the Asylum" in November 2008.

English Dogs had another line-up change in 2009, then afterwards a hiatus . At one point the only original member being bassist Wattie .After months of leaving, Wakefield reformed the band with him being the only member to have featured on any official release.

In 2011 three original members of the 1984 Crossover line up announced they were going to reform to perform the "Forward Into Battle" and "To The Ends Of The Earth" releases in their entirety . This led to a sell out tour which received great reviews. After the tour the lads announced they were to write new material in the vein of the Crossover material and plan more touring.

The new English Dogs album, entitled The Thing With Two Heads, will be released on Candlelight records in July 2014. Drummer Pinch says "We got back together because we felt like we had unfinished business. Tons of people ended up turning up to the gigs. We started to think maybe we are worth a fuck after all. We started writing and recording and it clicked immediately." The Thing With Two Heads, he continues, "is the missing link between To the Ends Of the Earth and Forward Into Battle. It’s classic English Dogs punk metal. It doesn’t sound like anyone else, because it wasn’t inspired by anyone else." The Crossover line up are now back out on tour with long time friend and associate Spike T Smith on drums (who played in the Dogs way back in '87 when Pinch had to step out back then) who stepped into the drummer position in August 2014 as Pinch was unable to commit time to the Dogs due to his role in The Damned.

Discography

Albums

Singles and EPs

Compilation albums

Members

First line-up

"Forward Into Battle" line-up

Present UK line-up

Present Crossover line-up

References

  1. ↑ Ian Glasper, Burning Britain, London: Cherry Red, 2004, p. 209.

External links

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