Straw Dogs
History
A London skinhead band from the 1990’s. They never considered themselves an Oi! band but that is what they became known as. The band decided something to stop the the skinhead scene being hi-jacked by dress up and anti-racist so-called skinhead. These fake skinheads decided waiving a Union Jack flag was wrong and tried to inject political correctness into the skinhead culture. Straw Dogs thought bollocks to that, and made what skinhead street music was all about. See their song Cheap Imitation for example.
The line up throughout was a mix of Rob Reeves and Antonella Cavanna (Battle Zone) on guitars, Tony Falks and Pat Townsend on vocals, Pat Townsend and Antonella on bass and Mark, Chris, Danny and Pat on drums.
The band had only been together for a few months before releasing their first 7″ single Dead On Arrival and sold it mostly at their gigs. The band created their own record label via Pat to release and promote their work. These were recorded in a basement studio in Wapping, East London via an old 8-track.
The band eventually ran out of steam and Tony also wanted to concentrate on his boxing career and actually went on to challenge for the commonwealth title.
Some of the band’s tracks were released under the name “Uni-Own Jack”.
The band played some gigs together with Oi! and R.A.C bands like English Rose and Battle Zone. Pat went on to play drums for Super Yob and Aceface together with Antonella and Rob and more recently in a Anglo-centric mod band called Concrete Gods.
Discography
Official Productions
1991 – Dead On Arrival – Hammer Records – HR1 / LYN29752 – UK – 7″ Ep vinyl
1994 – Another World – Krowbar Records – KBR002 – USA – 7″ Ep vinyl
1997 – Alright Boy – Hammer Records – HR14 – UK – 7″ Ep vinyl
1998 – ’91 – ’97 – Hammer Records – HRCD15 – UK – CD
Live Albums and Bootlegs
2008 – ’91 -’97 – 84 Records – HARDCD10 UK – CD
Samplers
British Oi! Working Class Anthems (07. Justice, 14. You’re gonna die)
Skinhead Revolt (01. Keeping the Faith Alive)
The only spirit is… Unity! (03. Pride of our eyes)
White Power Skins Vol. 1 (05. Dead or arrival)
Track Lists
Dead on Arrival
01. Dead on Arrival
02. Rock N Roll Disgrace
Another World
01. Another World
02. Millions like You
Alright Boy
01. Alright Boy
02. Hope And Glory
’91 -’97
01. Dead On Arrival
02. Rock’N’Roll Disgrace
03. Little Boys In Blue
04. You’re Gonna Die
05. Another World
06. Millions Like You
07. Britain’S Burning
08. Wasted Life
09. Easy Life
10. Cheap Imitations
11. Alright Boy
12. Hope And Glory
13. Don’t Let Us Down
14. Skinheads Are Back
15. Hate And Fear
This was the CD release of all the band tracks, including the first three singles. Some songs also feature vocals from Pat and some tracks from compilations. There are also some alternative versions of Pillar Of Society which was never released and Search Or Destroy which was taken off a cheap tape recorder and is the only copy of the song made.
91 – ’97 (reissue)
01. Dead On Arrival
02. Rock’N’Roll Disgrace
03. Little Boys In Blue
04. You’re gonna die
05. Another World
06. Millions Like You
07. Britain’s Burning
08. Wasted Life
09. Easy Life
10. Cheap Imitations
11. Alright Boy
12. Hope And Glory
13. Don’t Let Us Down
14. Skinheads Are Back
15. Hate And Fear
16. Keeping The Faith Alive (’93 French Comp Track)
17. Pride In Your Eyes (’93 French Comp Track)
18. Millions Like You (Alt Version ’92)
19. Search And Destroy (’93 Practice)
20. Pillars Of Society (’92 Demo)
21. Alright Boy (’92 Demo Version)
22. You’re Gonna Die (’92 Demo Alt. Version)
23. Justice (’93 “Anthems” Comp Track)
This is a bootleg of the previous CD with an additional 8 songs not released on the first issue.
Track 1: ’91 debut 7″
Track 2: ’91 b side
Track 3: ’92 Italian comp track
Track 4 & 23: ’93 “Anthems” comp track
Track 5: ’94 US 7″ single
Track 6: ’94 US b side
Tracks 7 & 8: ’94 unreleased single
Tracks 9 & 10: ’95 under the name Uni-Own Jack
Track 11: ’97 7″ single
Track 12: ’97 b side
Tracks 13 to 15: ’97 demo
Tracks 16 & 17: ’93 French comp track
Track 18: alt version ’92
Track 19: ’93 practice
Track 20: ’92 demo
Track 21: ’92 demo version
Track 22: ’92 demo alt. version