First, something for people who still don't know what a U.K Subs live gig is. Written by Birgitte from Harlem, after she saw them at the Marquee: "The kids were losing their minds. The front rows, including me, got crushed. Charlie, the singer was laying on top of the audience. Nicky Garratt stood beside me on top of a box. He was climbing higher and higher, guitar still round his neck. Then he suspended himself from the lighting. Of course he fell to the ground. The guitar cord got a very real "stranglehold" on my neck. Someone got the guitar and Nicky out of the crowd and they just played on. They had to do three encores. I went to the dressing room after the show.

Charlie: "We can't do an interview like this, can we?
Pete Davies(drums): I could have a bath inside myself.
Paul Slack(bass): Anybody for a swim? He gets his slip out. Girlfriend Carol hands him the deodorant for his armpits+arse.
Paul: It's sweaty too!

Four months later I meet the Subs at Amsterdam Paradiso club. Tonight they'll support the Ramones.
How was the U.S tour?
Nicky: "Good, we only played in the East Philadelphia, Canada, Syracuse, Boston. In New York CBGB´s, Hurrahs and another one. Hurraha´ was best. But New York really was worst, Philadelphia was better"
Charlie: "CBGB´s was great!"
Nicky: "The biggest audience was when we played with the Police in front of 3000. We have a record deal in the states now. "Tomorrow's Girls" out and the 1st LP will be out soon".

Seen any U.S bands?
"One of our support bands, Steel Tips from Philadelphia was real good."
Charlie: "I remember Birgitte very well. W.War Rockerz lost their rehearsal place. We dont rehearse either now. We have so many gigs."
Nicky: "I like the Ramones, good to play with them"

Any other favourites?
Nicky: "Wire, Pink Military, the Pack".
Charlie: "The Damned. I think Captain Sensible´s better than Brian James on guitar, he's the best guitarist in the world. The Slits are great. I saw'em last time with Palmolive still on drums. But the albums also great, in a different way. It's a pity they have so few gigs with their drumming problem.
Nicky: "Didn't hear the new Ramones album yet"
Charlie: "There'll be a Ramones song on our new album".
Nicky: "We recorded it after the U.S tour, 14 songs, both new and written a long time ago".

Why did you do "She's not there"?
Charlie: "That's a long story...we did it a joke at sound checks and kids at the sound check wanted us to include it in the set. Then we thought we might do it as a b-side, but now it's a-side. But I think it's awful." Yes. Its been done over+over again...but so's "I fought the law" and I like the Clash version.
Charlie: "So do I. We hate the press, but we got good relationship with fanzine."

You know the Ruts?
Charlie: "Malcolm, yes. Did you know punk got banned in Germany after there were riots at a Ruts gig?. We get lots of fan mail from Poland. We look forward to playing Belfast in a few weeks time." In "Allied propaganda" fanzine you got stick for having records out in coloured vinyl.
Nicky: "Well, it´s the same price any colour.

Do I have to tell you the Paradiso stage was full of pogoing kids when the Subs did "Stranglehold" as an encore?
"PUNK will survive, cos its not dependent on the machine, on the music industry"
Charlie Harper, U.K subs in Rotterdam(ned). Yeah you all "heard it before" -I dont give a fuck!! No one´s forcing you to read this Subs bit. I just happens to think they're right on most points. It´s O.K if you think different (Let us know).

This was the second time Subs were in Holland.
Nicky: "Last time supporting the Ramones was Paris. We also went to Italy with 'em, very good. Thousands of people, in stadiums. Ramones are very good. Though we didn't get the same sound quality they got. That's always the same if you're support act":
Charlie: "The British press calls us old-fashioned, cos we still wear leather and bondage gear. But I think real punk bands what the future's about. Punk's a different way of living, not superficial, not fashion. The whole energy, the idea of getting things done. Not Fashion":

Fashion, you mean power pop?
"Yeah, power pop, that was the fucking music industry"

Question by world famous Delft bass player Terry: How about mod? (She has Mod´s stinks badge on, later she lost her other "nasty" badge pogoing).
Charlie doesn't reply: "Punk´s are intelligent people, they know they hate the straight world, they hate the machine. They don't take it if bands acts like big stars". Generation X...
Charlie: "Billy Idol realised the errors of his ways. We're like you, not stars. We think it's very important to talk to the audience before+after the gig. I know lots of bands like that. The music's not that important. Take Crass, musically they're a terrible band, but they know what to do, and that's what's important! (Penny Rimbaud of Crass told me more or less the same thing bout the Subs in '78...) In Holland they're thinking, we're glad the Dutch people understand (not really al of 'em, but fortunately more+more, ed.)

A pounter: "You're a good singer."
Charlie: "I don't even consider myself a singer."

How did you like the Dutch tour?
Charlie: "Good to play small clubs again. If we do that in England, lots of people have to stay outside, which means trouble, we don't want that either. Kaasee here in Rotterdam´s good, like the Roxy (after the gig: better!!) This was the first time on European continent, much better than expected.
......The disco plays: "Where were you"
Paul Slack's girlfriend Carol: "The Mekons are favourites of Paul and me, we know 'em well".

How was Nymegen?
Nicky: "I like our support bands there, the Squats. Like early Wire. I like all of Wire, they’re not stuck in a rut. If they finish an album, next gig they play all new songs! Pity I never saw them live. What was the first punk gig you saw?
Nicky: "Don't quite remember...guess... 4 bands on one evening in the Roxy. Saw Sham 69 at the Vortex too. Paul saw the first Sex Pistols gig. We had played the Marquee before playing the Roxy. Heard second Stiff Little Fingers album-even better than the first! New Ramones LP not yet though."

You're going a bit more reggae on the 2nd album...
Nicky: "Only in 2 songs really. We did have the idea of going in a bit different direction, not in a big way though". Sound check. A bluer instrumental.
Paul: "Bit of trouble at the sound check. My boxes and Nicky´s are shaking day after day. The valves are bad. We need new gear to make more noise".
Charlie: "When we played South London with Crass in ´77, 20 people turned up. Glad they're popular here in Holland. In England they've everything against them, the press...the National Front tries to stop their gigs, they tried that with us too, but just once. In the summer I wanna go to Holland again, without any publicity: so people in England will ask themselves: where are the U.K Subs? I do get songwriting inspiration on tour. Real punk bands will survive: like Slaughter and the Dogs, another band that gets attacked in the press".
Amsterdam support band Infexion play....
Charlie started a great Subs set thanking Infexion. He didn't finish it. A roadie took over vocals in the last song "I live in a Car".
Nicky handed over his guitar for one song to Charlie and later on smashed a light tube with it...!