Zounds are an English anarcho punk/post-punk band from Reading formed in 1977. Originally, they were part of the cassette culture movement, releasing material on the Fuck Off Records label, and were also involved in the squatting and free festival scene. The name of the band is derived from the old English minced oath "zounds", a contraction of "God's wounds", referring to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ, formerly used as a mildly blasphemous oath.
The band were formed around the nucleus of Steve Lake from Reading, Berkshire and evolved from a number of jamming sessions with other musicians and friends in Oxford, taking in influences from the Velvet Underground to the Sex Pistols. The band began performing gigs in 1977/78 with a line-up of Steve Lake (Vocals/Bass), Steve Burch (Guitar) and Jimmy Lacey (Drums), adding Nick Godwin (guitar)[1] at their second gig - adopting the name 'Zounds', chosen from a dictionary by Burch. Soon, Burch left the group and was replaced by Lawrence Wood. After this the band slowly became more politicized owing to troubles with police and unfolding events of the cold war, and became more and more involved with free festivals, alongside The Mob, with whom they developed a close association.
The band met up with fellow anarchists Crass when, legend has it, their van broke down on the road. They made their way to nearby Dial House, where Crass were based, who helped them with repairs. The two bands became friends, and although musically very divergent, they shared many common political views. After undergoing several line-up changes Zounds shortly afterwards released their first EP, Can't Cheat Karma, on the Crass Records label (although drummer Joseph was replaced for the recording by a session drummer) in 1981. The EP featured possibly their most well-known track "Subvert", a call to arms against the grind of daily life. The release of this EP and association with Crass led to an increase in the band's profile in the embryonic Anarcho-punk scene, touring with both Crass and the Poison Girls, as well as performing several squat gigs in West Berlin.
The band released their first album "The Curse of Zounds" on Rough Trade Records in 1981, recording and mixing the LP within five days. The cover art, by anarchist artist Clifford Harper, featured a painting of fire fighters apparently trying to put out a blaze at the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. However, the picture continued onto the back cover, which showed that in fact they are spraying the fire with petrol, thus feeding it. The band released three more singles on Rough Trade, Demystification (a psychedelia-influenced track backed with "Great White Hunter"), Dancing and More Trouble Coming Every Day, as well Le Vache Qui Rit (initially intended for a split EP with The Mob for an anti-draft benefit in Belgium).
The band split up in late 1982, Steve Lake disaffected with the Anarchist music scene in general and the band worn out from touring. Bass player and vocalist Steve Lake and guitarist Laurence Wood continued to work together for a while as The World Service with original Zounds member Nick Godwin, whilst drummer Josef Porta went on to join the The Mob and later Blyth Power. Lake continued work as a solo artist recording two albums with Nick Godwin and Brian Pugsley. Zounds occasionally reform for benefit gigs with a line-up augmented by Protag (formerly of Instant Automatons, Alternative TV and Blyth Power) and drummer Stick (previously of Dirt, Doom and Extreme Noise Terror). A remixed version of the band's song "This Land" was released in 2001 as a CD single benefit for the McLibel support campaign. In 2005 the Go All The Way EP was released with tracks from an aborted second album, with tracks commenting on the USA's War on Terror.
In 2007 Zounds reformed. Steve Lake recruited Paul O'Donnell (bass) and Paul Gilbert (drums) from The Evil Presleys, a "primal rock n roll" band that they were in together (with guitarist Andy Parker). The
reformed Zounds then played sporadic gigs over the next two years including "The Feeding of the 5000" at
( Wiki )
Original band line-up :
Steve Lake : vocals, bass guitar
Laurence Wood : guitar
Josef Porta : drums
Artwork : "Dr Inadequate Phuck"
Origin : U.K.
Genres : Anarcho-punk, post-punk
Years active : 1977–1982
2001–present
Discography
1. "You Can't Cheat Karma (EP, 1980, Crass Records)
2. "The Curse of Zounds (LP, 1981, Rough Trade Records)
3. "Demystification/ Great White Hunter" (Single, 1982, Rough Trade Records)
4. "Dancing" (Single, 1982, Rough Trade Records)
5. "Le Vache Qui Rit" (EP, 1982, Not So Brave Records)
6. "More Trouble Coming Every Day/ Knife" (Single, 1983, Rough Trade Records)
7. "The Curse of Zounds" (CD reissue, including all other tracks previously released as singles or EPs
Shepherd's Bush Empire in London and the Carling Academy, Birmingham (both with guitarist Dominic Dominion).
8. "This Land" (CD remix single, a benefit for the McLibel Support Campaign, 2001, Active Distribution)
9. "Go All The Way" (EP, 2005, ZNDS Records)
10."The Redemption Of Zounds" (LP, 2011, Overground/Plastic Head Records)
Zounds : Singles and EPs :
Can't Cheat Karma
A1 War
A2 Subvert
B1 Can't Cheat Karma
Demystification
A1 Demystification
B1 Great White Hunter
More Trouble Coming Every Day
A1 More Trouble Coming Every Day
B1 Knife
Dancing
A1 Dancing
B1 True Love
La Vache Qui Rit
A1 Not Me
A2 Biafra
B1 Fear
B2 Wolves
TRAXS :
The Course Of Zounds (LP)
SIDE A.
01. Fear
02 + 03. Did He Jump / My Mummy's Gone
04. Little Bit More
05. This Land
SIDE B.
06. New Band
07. Dirty Squatters
08. Loads Of Noise
09. Target / Mr. Disney / The War Goes On
Label : Base Record – Rough Trade
Format : Vinyl, LP, Album
SINGLES :
10. War
11. Subvert
12. Can't Cheat Karma
13. Demystification
14. Great White Hunter
15. Dancing
16. True Love
17. More Trouble
18. Knife
19. Biafra
20. Not Me
21. Wolves
FEAR Lyrics
Sing a song of violence and listen for the sound
All the little soldiers start to come around
Start it with a rumor, a whisper in an ear
Suspision don't take very long before it turns to fear
Said I don't I don't need a reason, they don't want to know
Who or what they're fighting, just tell them where to go
Give the chance of glory, give the chance of fame
Give the boy an enemy, give the dog a name
Keep the factions fighting, start them off the school
Keep the factions fighting so you divide and rule
Football teams are splendid and fashion just a tool
Keep the factions fighting so you divide and rule
Fear can be a bum thing
A silly and a dumb thing
Fear can be the one thing
That keeps us all apart
Frightened of the humans and frightened of their stares
Frightened of the poisons they pump into the air
Frightened of the chemicals they spray upon the land
Frightened of the power they hold within their hands
Frightened of bureaucracy and frightened of the law
Frightened of the government and who it's working for
Frightened of the children who won't know who to cope
With a world in rack and ruin from their technocratic dope, dope, dope
Fear can be a bum thing
A silly and a dumb thing
Fear can be the one thing
That keeps us in the dark
Vinyl Rip
