Special Duties
History
A band that already had one of the earliest form of Street Punk, without having a clue that 15 years later it would change the sound of Punk Rock. ‘Special Duties’ was formed in October 1977 in Colchester, Essex by schoolfellows Steve Green (Arrogant), Steve Norris (Duty) and Nigel Baker. They were punks at school, but the idea of forming their own band came when they saw The Adverts in Colchester. They couldn’t play and didn’t own any instruments. They decided to put Arrogant on vocals, Duty on guitar and Baker on bass.
The band was originally going to be named X-pelled, but they switched to Special Duties when a box of around 200 badges with “Special Duties” printed on them which had been stolen from a school in Colchester came into their possession. The band deciding that they could save money on getting badges made by simply changing their name to match the stolen ones. For their debut live show the band spread the word through the underground punk grapevine that they would performing a free gig underneath the shopping precinct in Colchester. Hundreds of people turned up to see them play a fifteen-minute version of the only song they knew, “There’ll Be No Tomorrow”, performed in the Marks & Spencer loading bay.
In 1980, Bart Povah joined the band and they recorded their first demo, which got them a record deal with Charnel House Records. Released their debut single ‘Violent Society’ and ‘Colchester Council’ in 1980 by Charnel House Records. After a few more singles and their second EP for the label, Police State spent two months in the indie chart, prompting Rondelet to get the band into the studio to record their debut album, 77 in 82 and soon after recruited drummer Stuart Bray.
In 1982 Arrogant declared war on hippy anarchist band ‘Crass’, accusing them of destroying the music scene. Which led to the released of the ‘Bullshit Crass’ EP in 1982. Which became their biggest selling single. It even came with a Crass-style sleeve and the lead track began with chants of “Fight Crass, not punk” which parodied one of Crass’s songs. Steve Green said “It was the fact they (Crass) said that punk was dead and they played this really tuneless music. I saw them as almost a religious cult.” The EP was censored by many distributors and refused to stock it. Their leading distributors Rough Trade and Small Wonder both refused to stock any of the band’s material. In 1983 the band released their last single ‘Punk Rocker’, and it was not well distributed. That same year the band split up.
Twelve years later, ‘Captain Oi! Records’ reissued ’77 in 82′, and encouraged by the response to it, the band got back together, playing at 1995 “Fuck Reading Festival” at the Brixton Academy. In 1997 the band released Wembley Wembley! to celebrate Colchester United FC reaching the final of the Shield Cup. Also on the CD was a version of Up The U’s! a song written about the football club. The third track included interviews with some of the team players and former captain Duguid. In July 1998 the band travelled to New York, USA to play at CBGB’s and making that into a live album. In 1999 ‘Captain Oi! Records’ released this fantastic CD ‘The Punk Singles Collection’, containing the bands best songs from 1977 till the late 1990’s.
In 2007 the band re-recorded Up The U’s! with local band Koopa alongside a song called Stand Up For Col U by Koopa with the vocals by some of the Colchester United players and was released to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Discography
Official Productions
’77 in ’82(1982) Rondelet (#15)
’77 in ’97(1997) Captain Oi!
1999 – Live at CBGBs
1999 – The Punk Singles Collection
“Violent Society” b/w “Colchester Council” (1980) Charnel House
“Violent Society” b/w “It Ain’t Our Fault”/”Colchester Council” (1981) Ronndelet
“Police State EP”‘ (1982) Rondelet (#23)
“Bullshit Crass” b/w “You’re Doing Yourself No Good” (1982) Rondelet (#7)
“Punk Rocker” b/w “Too Much Talking” (1983) Expulsion (#37)
“Mutt” b/w “London Town” (1996) One Stop
“Judge and Jury”/”Shadow” (1997) (split with Red Flag 77)
“Wembley! Wembley! b/w “Up the U’s!”/”Interview” (1997) Captain Colchester
“Split with Violent Society” (1998) Soap And Spikes
“MRR Rules”/”Lost Cause or Not” (1998) (split with The Creed)
“I Wish It Could Be ’77 EP” (1999) Data
“Up the U’s!” / “Stand Up For Col U” (2007) (Collaboration with Koopa)
Track Lists
The Punk Singles Collection
1. Violent Society
2. Colchester Council
3. Violent Society
4. It Ain’t Our Fault
5. Colchester Council
6. Police State
7. We Gotta Fight
8. It Just Ain’t Me
9. Special Duties
10. Bullshit Crass
11. You’re Doing Yourself No Good
12. Punk Rocker
13. Too Much Talking
14. Mutt
15. London Town
16. Judge and Jury
17. Shadow
18. Wembley! Wembley!
19. Up the U’s
20. Lost Cause or Not
21. MRR Rules
22. I Wish It Could Be ’77
23. Gary Gilmore’s Eyes
24. Johnny Won’t Go to Heaven
25. Sid Vicious Was Innocent
26. Tommy Gun