Blitzkrieg (punk band)

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Blitzkrieg was an English punk rock band, based in Southport and formed in 1979.

Blizkrieg made a distinct contribution to the UK hardcore punk scene and were a powerful antidote to the neo-Nazi punk/skinhead 'Oi' bands that rose to prominence in the early 1980s. The band never achieved major success, and are considered by their fans as one of the most underrated bands on the British punk scene.

[edit] History

The original line-up was Mic 'Spike' Rophone providing vocals, later of the groups Parasites and Paradox UK, Gary 'Gaz' Sumner on guitar, later of Insane, Chris Hind on bass, later of the UK band Mayhem, and Phil Din on drums.

Blitzkrieg played a number of gigs in the North of England as a support group. The song "The Future Must Be Ours" appeared on the Country Fit For Heroes compilation album, released in January 1981.

Despite the Nazi connotations of the name Blitzkrieg, German for "Lightning-War", they took a fiercely anti-Nazi stance, which was reflected in their first vinyl release, a four track EP on No Future Records, entitled the Lest We Forget EP, which reached #11 in the Indie Charts in 1982. In the same year, the band parted company with John McCallum and their record label, signing to Sexual Phonograph Records, who released their Animals in Lipstick EP. The band chose ex-Discharge drummer Bambi to replace McCallum, Bambi was later to join the bands Insane, and Parasites. The EP featured an aggressively anti-vivisection theme, and their most popular recorded song to date, "Conscience Prayer", an anti-society polemic, it reached #30 in the Indie Chart in 1983. This line-up split up soon afterwards, reforming in late 1987 with Spike, Gaz, Bambi & ex-Insane bassist Trev.

1988 saw Spike form Paradox UK with renowned Liverpool guitarist Martin "Ales" Walker, releasing several vinyl offerings and the now "cult" EP single "Charmed Existence"

Another line-up change in 1990 combined Gaz Sumner and Martin "Ales" Walker on guitars, Freddy Doyle on drums, Mal on bass, while Spike remained on vocals. This line-up supported Discharge on a UK Tour.

When Punk became a spent force in the UK, the group disbanded, reforming in the 1990s as part of a 'punk package' series of dates in the UK.

Then group reformed yet again in 1991 and recorded the LP Future Must Be Ours on Retch Records. A retrospective joint LP with Insane was released on Capt Oi! Records in 1997.

[edit] Discography notes

• "Lest We Forget EP"
• "Animals in lipstick EP"
• "The Future Must Be Ours LP"
• A Country Fit for Heroes - No Future Records' 12" sampler features a track of theirs.

CD'S

• "The Future Must Be Ours CD"
• "Back To No Future CD"