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Verbal Warning
Notts Premier old skool punks

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VERBAL Warning’s early eighties incarnation built themselves an uncompromising reputation in the Nottingham area and played with some of the big bands of the day.
Chumbawumba, Conflict, Flux of Pink Indians, Rudimentary Peni, Napalm Death and The Subhumans all shared bills with the original Warning.
The band began life as the tastefully-named Dead Presleys with Phil on drums, Colin on bass, Paul on guitar and Dave on vocals
But the punks v teddy boys war was still quite bitter in those days and the band were told in no uncertain terms what would happen to them if the name wasn’t changed by the local ‘quiffed community’!

The first gig as the Presleys was at Nottingham’s legendary Ad Lib Club on 7th December 1980.


By the time the band became Verbal Warning, Wayne had come in on drums and joint vocals.

A gig at the-then Trent Polytechnic on 14th May 1981, ended in a hasty exit after Dave was thought to have suggested he was glad IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was dead, infuriating a large Irish contingent in the audience.


 

Wayne then quit the band leaving the classic line-up of Paul on guitar, Adolf on drums, Colin on bass and Dave on vocals.
A gig at Beeston Community Centre on 11th July 1981 saw them on a bill with one Potential Difference whose vocalist John is now the frontman for the modern-day VW.
A big gig at Beeston Community Centre (known affectionately as The Shed) on 24th October 1981 saw Warning on the same bill as Flux, Subhumans, The Fits and Anarchist Attack.
They even strutted their stuff in Long Eaton’s dance nightclub Isabellas in May 1982.Other notable 1982 gigs included an appearance with stalwarts Resistance 77 at The Black Horse, Somercotes, on 20th August, Resistance still going strong today, one at Sherwood Community Centre with Flux, Antisect, Black Anthem, and Blasphemy and a great gig at Derby’s Havana Club.
On 22nd January 1983, Warning appeared with Conflict and Omega Tribe at Nottingham’s Union Club but were forced to leave the venue quickly after plugs were pulled on them during their set and threats made when the band suggested to a hostile audience that Conflict and Crass were ‘only rock and roll bands’.
They also played at the city’s Yorker (now the Rose of England) on Mansfield Road with Rudimentary Peni, Business of Pleasure and Vexed.
When the Apostles didn’t turn up for a gig at St Anns’ Bluebell Hill Leisure Centre on 30th April, Warning found themselves headlining, supported by soon-to-be John Peel faves Napalm Death.
Warning also supported Dirt and Heresy in Colwick, Resistance 77 at the Hearty Good Fellow, and, once again, the Subhumans at the Ad Lib.
A trip to London saw the band play with The Apostles while a gig at The Meadows Community Centre on 13th August saw the band on with Chumbawumba, Disorder and Potential Threat.An all-dayer at Colwick’s Vale Social Club on 10th March 1984 was headlined by Conflict, supported by bands including Antisystem, Icons of Filth, The Instigators, Verbal Warning, Hagar the Womb, Seats of Piss and The Scumdribblers.
But it wasn’t to last much longer and after a handful of gigs, a show with Lost Cherries at Nottingham’s long demolished Narrowboat proved to be the end.

 

 

Colin quit the band and Adolf had some of his drum equipment stolen from their rehearsal venue. So, for one last gig, Adolf replaced Colin on bass and Jam came in on drums.
But a show with Lost Cherries at Nottingham’s long demolished Narrowboat proved to be the end of the road.
Dave and Paul still occasionally worked together, although Dave decided to move to Ireland where he went on to be part of other bands.
Paul, switching to bass, decided to resurrect the band this year and, after using the modern technology of the Internet to find Ian on drums and Lee on guitar, finally turned the years back to bring in John on vocals.
Some of the old songs are still in the set as they are just as relevant today as they were back then.
But new songs are emerging all the time as the band evolve into something modern and sharp but with all the attitude of yesteryear.
That’s the history, the rest of it is the future.
Be Warned!

 

 

 

Next Gig

Sat 11 Oct 2008

Sportsman Long Eaton

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