FORMED IN DEPTFORD, SOUTH - EAST LONDON IN 1999 BY A PUNCH OF PUNK SURVIVORS AND MISFITS WAITH A LOVE OF RAW ROCK N ROLL AND A SICK OF A SMUG AND COMPLACENT MUSIC SCENE.
THEY'VE SOAKED IN THE BLOOD OF ROCK N ROLL, BLOW TORCHED THE SACRAMENT AND WRITTEN THEIR SONGS IN THE ASHES. ENOUGH KILLER TUNES, HOOKS, SARCASM, AND RIFFS TO WAKE UP THE JADED AND SHAKE UP THE GOGGLEBOX GENERATION.
THE PHOBICS ARE : PAUL MATHIE - GUITARS, TONY MOYNIHAN - BASS, TOM CROSSLEY - VOCALS, CHARLIE GURNEY - DRUMS AND JEFFREY WALLACE -GUITARS
Deptford’s finest punk survivors The Phobics celebrate their 26th year with the release of their new album, Gimme Cyanide. And as we all find ourselves being subsumed into an every increasingly dystopian and uncertain world, this is a collection of songs that comes with a welcome blast of explosive noise and punk infused rock’n’roll energy which is exactly what we all need to re-ignite our purpose in life and passion for survival. So strap yourselves in and lets go…..
It has become increasingly disheartening over recent years to recognise that there are so few artists remaining from all those vital influences which supercharged the punk revolution back in the 1970s, especially with the latest news of the tragic loss of the last man standing from the New York Dolls David Johansen. However, at the same time it is gratifying to know that all will not be lost. One of a number of bands keeping the legacy alive, very much with the spectre of Johnny Thunders, The Stooges, and The Ramones looming very large in the sonic stratosphere, are Deptford’s very own punk missionaries The Phobics. And now in their 26th year, six years on from their last album Burnt Rubber which literally scorched the airwaves, The Phobics release their third album, Gimme Cyanide.
And even more than just preserving this legacy, I reckon we all need something to re-energise ourselves in the face of the endless stream of adversity that is constantly relayed to us by the news channels. What with world politics continuing to spontaneously combust in a tsunami of misinformation, lies and egotism, the UK getting ever more marooned in a haze of dysfunctionality and apathy, world leaders heading down a path of almost certain environmental destruction, and the Orwellian prophecies in 1984 seemingly edging ever closer to reality, we need a mighty blast of cultural enlightenment to fire up our cylinders and give us all a kick up the pants. And I reckon The Phobics are a band to do just this, as the gig posters around London declare that they are now celebrating “26 years of guitar slinging punk’n’roll.”
The Phobics comprise Paul Mathie on lead guitar and occasional piano, Tom Crossley on vocals, Jeffrey Wallace on guitar, Charlie Gurney on drums and Tony Moynihan on bass. As for the motivation, Tom explains, “We wanted to cover more ground musically, as we’d done on the last album but more ambitious and a bit further back into the roots of punk and back again. I like to think there’s a twilight zone where proto punk has been influenced by punk and here’s the bastard offspring!” And make no mistake, this is a band who always wear their hearts on their sleeves, as one listen to this album will so clearly testify.
Title track Gimme Cyanide opens the album in a somewhat unexpectedly theatrical fashion with a short piano intro before normal service is quickly resumed with an explosion of energy and blistering rhythms as if Mick Ronson, Johnny Ramone and Johnny Thunders had all collided at the crossroads. As guitarist Paul explains, “It was a bit of an obsession to come up with a grand piano opening and create a Mott The Hoople sort of feel. The intro began as a separate piece of music. The idea of sticking it on the beginning of Gimme Cyanide came later but the fit was perfect.” And I for one am not gonna argue with that.
Hang Ten, which is described by the band as “a surfing analogy to the aesthetic moves of an object bof desire,” roars out of the traps with a huge Stooges vibe before hitting its stride with a strong rock'n'roll rhythm, big melodic chorus lines and raging guitars. Meanwhile Really Gotta Listen drips with fractured rhythms and a sense of resignation about an imploding drug-addled relationshipas Tom sings, “You're being destructive, are you insane, from what I've seen you're not all there.”
Dreamworld follows in a similar vein about the inevitable consequences of a communication breakdown, driven along by chugging riffs, strong melodies and electrifying guitar breaks imbued with the spirit of New York's Bowery. Sick And Tired Of The 21st Century heads off at a frenetic rock'n'roll pace whilst focosing on society's tendency to focus on vanity and stupidity as opposed to the big important things around us. But all of that is then put to one side with the sheer bravado and raw garage infused power of Give It A Go which is very much a call to arms for us all to get out there and essentially do anything you wanna do, as Eddie And The Hot Rods put it so succinctly back in the 70's. If no one takes any notice then why the hell should we care!
I Want You once again takes us down the path of heartbreak in a bombastic blast of power-pop with a Rotten style sneer exclaiming “now it seems that all I've tried has proved to be in vain.” Brand New Jag ingnites with a pounding rhythm and sqalling guitars as the song full of attitude and swagger unfolds just as any thoughts of paying the bills are extingguished by the bragging rights of having a brand new jaguar sat on your drive.
Another World destroys all in its path as a vibrant and explosive blend of The Jam, Peter Perrett and The Buzzcocks crashes and burns through a wall of social consciousness in this “dog eat dog” world in which “people owning all the wealth in fact are just a minority” which is definitely “not for us”. News From The Sun dances with strong melodic interplays underpinned by hard driving Steve Jones style riffs and a Thunders style solo with a narrative inspired by the J G Ballard short story of the same name.
The album closes with two songs immersed in emotive topics with the ragged rhythms of On Fire delving deep into a world of insecurity and paranoia underpinned by love and desire, and the Ramones style romp of My Best Friend Has Died being a heartfelt tribute to the loss of Moyni's boyhoos pal and bandmate from the Icons, Derek (Doe) Lynn.
Gimme Cyanide proves beyond all reasonable doubt that the legacy bestowed upon us all from the likes of the Dolls, Stooges and Pistols, and all that fed into their souls, is very much alive and kicking and still in very good hands with bands like The Phobics. This is music to inspire. This is passion. This is music to inspire. This is passion. This is punk-infused rock'n'roll with serious attitude and a call to arms for us all to rise above all that is happening around us and pull together in the church of rock'n'roll. Above all else, this is music to dance to.
So embrace it all whilst you still have breath in your lungs and get out there to your nearest independent venue or boozer , support all the bands, buy the merch including albums like this and have a blast! Gimme Cyanide is a glorious escape from the world around us and the very definition of a damn good time which we all deserve right now, so don't tell me I did't warn ya!
IAN CORBRIDGE - LOUDER THAN THE WAR
The Phobics were great when we saw them back in April at The Trinity in Harrow, and this time the Deptford quintet are back with a banger of a new album in ‘Gimme Cyanide’. It’s actually quite difficult to write hook-filled gems like ‘Give It A Go’ and ‘Brand New Jag’, let alone to play them with this much glorious abandon, but The Phobics make it all look as easy as eating ice cream. ‘Don’t Lay Your Flowers On My Grave’ – tonight dedicated to Johnny Thunders – remains our favourite, but there are no weak links on show tonight, and we implore you to check out that new album as soon as possible.
The Phobics |
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CD Tracklisting : Gimme Cyanide - Hang Ten - Really Gotta Listen - Dreamworld - Sick & Tired of the 21st Century - Give It a Go - I Want You - Brand New Jag - Another World - News From The Sun - On Fire - My Best Friend Has Died
"DOWN AND OUT IN DEPTFORD"
"DEPTFORD CALLING"
"BURNT RUBBER"