Slaughter & The Dogs
Encyclopedia
Slaughter & The Dogs is an English
punk rock
band
that formed in the late 1970s in Manchester
, England
. They were one of the first UK
punk bands to sign for a major label
, Decca Records
.
, Manchester
, Slaughter & The Dogs were one of the first punk rock
bands in North West England
. They supported The Sex Pistols
at their now-legendary gig at Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall on 20 July 1976. This concert, more than any other single event, spawned Manchester’s punk scene. That scene was concentrated around the Electric Circus club and gave encouragement to several bands, including Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias
, Buzzcocks
, John Cooper Clarke
, The Distractions, John Dowie
, The Drones
, The Durutti Column
, The Fall, The Freshies
, Joy Division
, Magazine
, Ed Banger and The Nosebleeds, The Passage
, as well as Slaughter & The Dogs. As one cultural commentator observed, "London had The Roxy
, Manchester had the Electric Circus".
The band befriended Rob Gretton
, later to manage Joy Division
, and with his financial help became the first band to release a single
on Manchester’s independent record label
Rabid Records. In 2001, this debut single, "Cranked Up Really High" (originally released in June 1977), was included in Mojo magazine
’s list of the top 100 punk rock singles of all time. It also appeared on Streets
, which the trakMARX website describes as an "essential" compilation album of early UK punk bands from a variety of independent record labels. In 2006, "Cranked Up Really High" re-appeared on the Paul Morley
compiled three-disc box set, North By North West: Liverpool & Manchester from Punk to Post-punk and beyond (Korova
), an overview of the punk, new wave and post-punk scene in those two cities.
The band were frequent visitors to London, and became one of the pioneering punk bands that played live in the first few months of The Roxy. They played their first concert in January of the same year, supported by The Adverts
. They headlined twice in February and once in March of some year, supported by Johnny Moped
. In April of some year they were supported by The Lurkers
. Their live renditions of "Runaway" and "Boston Babies" were included on the Harvest Records
compilation album Live at the Roxy WC2
.
After signing to Decca Records
, the band released the "Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone?" in 1978. The same year, singer Wayne Barrett left the band and they began rehearsing with new vocalist Steve Morrissey
. Morrissey recorded
four song
s with them, but did not become a permanent part of the band. For a time, the band also included Billy Duffy
who later achieved fame with The Cult
. Slaughter & The Dog's first single on DJM Records
was a cover version
of "You're Ready Now", which took it origins from Frankie Valli
's solo
chart
single of 1966.
The band shortened their name to Slaughter in the early 1980s, and drastically changed both their look and sound. They are not to be confused with other bands with the same name.
The band reformed to headline 'Holidays in the Sun' in 1996 with bass
player Nigel Mead and drummer
Noel Kay. The new line up with the French
rhythm section
of J. P. Thollet (bass) and Noel Kay (drums) continues to record, tour and headline music festival
s.
s mentioned in the text of the main article:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
that formed in the late 1970s in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They were one of the first UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
punk bands to sign for a major label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
.
Career
Formed in WythenshaweWythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Slaughter & The Dogs were one of the first punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
. They supported The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
at their now-legendary gig at Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall on 20 July 1976. This concert, more than any other single event, spawned Manchester’s punk scene. That scene was concentrated around the Electric Circus club and gave encouragement to several bands, including Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias
Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias
Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias were a comedy rock band, formed in Manchester, England in 1973. Their story is told in the book When We Were Thin...
, Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks
Buzzcocks are an English punk rock band formed in Bolton in 1976, led by singer–songwriter–guitarist Pete Shelley.They are regarded as an important influence on the Manchester music scene, the independent record label movement, punk rock, power pop, pop punk and indie rock. They achieved commercial...
, John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet"...
, The Distractions, John Dowie
John Dowie (humourist)
John Dowie is a British comedian, musician, and writer. He began performing stand-up comedy in 1969.-Career:Dowie was among the inaugural acts on Tony Wilson's Factory Records label. In 1978 he contributed three comedic songs to the first Factory music release, A Factory Sample, along with Joy...
, The Drones
The Drones (British band)
The Drones were a punk rock band from Manchester, England. For a period of time, the band were produced and managed by Paul Morley.One critic wrote: "Bonafide DIY three-chord wonders, the Drones were there at punk’s inception."-Career:...
, The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column
The Durutti Column are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 in Manchester, England. The band is an ongoing project of guitarist Vini Reilly who is often accompanied by drummer Bruce Mitchell. Other current members are Keir Stewart and Reilly's girlfriend Poppy Morgan...
, The Fall, The Freshies
The Freshies
The Freshies were a punk band from Manchester, England formed in the late 1970s and dissolved in the early 1980s, fronted by singer and comedian Chris Sievey .-Career:...
, Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
, Ed Banger and The Nosebleeds, The Passage
The Passage (band)
The Passage were a post-punk band from Manchester, UK who appeared on several record labels including Cherry Red Records, and their own label Night & Day, a subsidiary label to Virgin Records.-Biography:...
, as well as Slaughter & The Dogs. As one cultural commentator observed, "London had The Roxy
The Roxy
The Roxy was a fashionable nightclub on Neal Street in London's Covent Garden, known for hosting the flowering British punk music scene in its infancy.-Brief history:...
, Manchester had the Electric Circus".
The band befriended Rob Gretton
Rob Gretton
Rob Gretton was the manager of Joy Division and New Order. He was also a partner in Factory Records, proprietor of the Rob's Records label and a co-founder along with Tony Wilson of The Haçienda nightclub in Manchester, England. In 1977, Gretton became a leading figure in the Manchester punk...
, later to manage Joy Division
Joy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, and with his financial help became the first band to release a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on Manchester’s independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Rabid Records. In 2001, this debut single, "Cranked Up Really High" (originally released in June 1977), was included in Mojo magazine
Mojo (magazine)
MOJO is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Following the success of the magazine Q, publishers Emap were looking for a title which would cater for the burgeoning interest in classic rock music...
’s list of the top 100 punk rock singles of all time. It also appeared on Streets
Streets (punk album)
Streets is a compilation album of early British punk rock bands from a variety of independent record labels . It was an attempt at an end of year ‘round up’ and, significantly, was the first album released on Beggars Banquet Records .The sleeve notes stated that: "1977 was the year that the music...
, which the trakMARX website describes as an "essential" compilation album of early UK punk bands from a variety of independent record labels. In 2006, "Cranked Up Really High" re-appeared on the Paul Morley
Paul Morley
Paul Morley is an English journalist, who wrote for the New Musical Express from 1977 to 1983, during one of its most successful periods, and has since written for a wide range of publications...
compiled three-disc box set, North By North West: Liverpool & Manchester from Punk to Post-punk and beyond (Korova
Korova (record label)
Korova is a record label, distributed by the Warner Elektra Asylum group of record companies.The imprint was founded in 1979 as an outlet for Echo & the Bunnymen, with its first album release being their debut Crocodiles...
), an overview of the punk, new wave and post-punk scene in those two cities.
The band were frequent visitors to London, and became one of the pioneering punk bands that played live in the first few months of The Roxy. They played their first concert in January of the same year, supported by The Adverts
The Adverts
The Adverts were an English punk band who formed in 1976 and broke up in late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to enjoy chart success in the UK, and their line-up included Gaye Advert, whom The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music called the "first female punk star".-Career:The band was...
. They headlined twice in February and once in March of some year, supported by Johnny Moped
Johnny Moped
Johnny Moped were a mid 1970s English punk rock group from south London, who once had Chrissie Hynde and Captain Sensible within their ranks.-Biography:...
. In April of some year they were supported by The Lurkers
The Lurkers
The Lurkers were a late 1970s English punk rock group from Uxbridge, West London, notable for being the first group ever on Beggars Banquet Records.-Career:...
. Their live renditions of "Runaway" and "Boston Babies" were included on the Harvest Records
Harvest Records
-References:* Harvest Records collectors guide ISBN 978-5-9622-0021-7...
compilation album Live at the Roxy WC2
Live at the Roxy WC2
The Roxy London WC2 is a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played the Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977.-Overview:...
.
After signing to Decca Records
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
, the band released the "Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone?" in 1978. The same year, singer Wayne Barrett left the band and they began rehearsing with new vocalist Steve Morrissey
Morrissey
Steven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
. Morrissey recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
four song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s with them, but did not become a permanent part of the band. For a time, the band also included Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy
Billy Duffy is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known as the guitarist in The Cult.-Early days:He grew up in Manchester, where he began playing guitar at the age of fourteen...
who later achieved fame with The Cult
The Cult
The Cult are a British rock band that was formed in 1983. They gained a dedicated following in Britain in the mid 1980s as a post-punk band with singles such as "She Sells Sanctuary", before breaking mainstream in the United States in the late 1980s as a hard rock band with singles such as "Love...
. Slaughter & The Dog's first single on DJM Records
DJM Records
DJM Records was the record label set up in the 1970s by British music publisher, Dick James, distributed by Pye Records in the UK and various other companies around the world, including the USA...
was a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "You're Ready Now", which took it origins from Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli
Frankie Valli is an American musician, most famous as frontman of The Four Seasons. He is well-known for his unusually powerful falsetto singing voice...
's solo
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
single of 1966.
The band shortened their name to Slaughter in the early 1980s, and drastically changed both their look and sound. They are not to be confused with other bands with the same name.
The band reformed to headline 'Holidays in the Sun' in 1996 with bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
player Nigel Mead and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Noel Kay. The new line up with the French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
rhythm section
Rhythm section
A rhythm section is a collection of musicians who make up a section of instruments which provides the accompaniment section of the music, giving the music its rhythmic texture and pulse, also serving as a rhythmic reference for the rest of the band...
of J. P. Thollet (bass) and Noel Kay (drums) continues to record, tour and headline music festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
s.
Reviews
- “A more consistent songwriting approach might have lengthened the Dogs' run, though their lack of airs ensured a winning team for a time. Any band cited by the disparate likes of New OrderNew OrderNew Order are an English rock band formed in 1980 by Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris...
, The Stone RosesThe Stone RosesThe Stone Roses are an English alternative rock band formed in Manchester in 1983. They were one of the pioneering groups of the Madchester movement that was active during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
and Smiths frontman MorrisseyMorrisseySteven Patrick Morrissey , known as Morrissey, is an English singer and lyricist. He rose to prominence in the 1980s as the lyricist and vocalist of the alternative rock band The Smiths. The band was highly successful in the United Kingdom but broke up in 1987, and Morrissey began a solo career,...
surely deserves another look”.
- “More often mentioned for the big name connections rather than their actual music, Slaughter & The Dogs nevertheless remain one of the key players in the early punk scene”.
- “They did have a fairly glittery sounding approach to their brand of punk rock... They never achieved much popularity, which is probably mainly because they didn't sing with pronounced English accents as was the hip style then. But this has tons of energy and three really great tunes”.
- “Opinion on Slaughter is divided; glam chancers or punk? Who cares! What can't be denied is their songs are full of style, speed and tunes which coincided with punk and the Pistols. They deserved more but that's music for you... Check 'em out on Don Letts 'Punk Movie' doing Cranked Up Really High”.
- “Cranked Up Really High, Where Have All The Bootboys Gone and You’re Ready Now... (are) their enduring punk classics”.
- “Slaughter played with a rare conviction and power, soul-stirring napalm guitars that laid the groundwork for an entire generation of future punk minimalists”.
Studio albums
- Do It Dog Style (Decca Records, SKL 5292, May 1978)
- Bite Back (as 'Slaughter', DJM, DJF 20566, March 1980)
- Shocking (Receiver, May 1991)
- Beware Of... (Captain Oi, October 2001)
Selected live albums
- Live Slaughter Rabid Dog (Rabid, December 1978)
- Live at the Factory 1981 (May 1989)
- Where Have All the Boot Boys Gone? (LiveLive albumA live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
) (March 1994) - Barking Up the Right Tree (Amsterdamned, 1998)
Selected compilations
- The Way We Were (Thrush Records, 1983)
- Slaughterhouse Tapes (1989) – Studio outtakes, demos, and live recordings
- Cranked Up Really High (1995)
- Punk Rock Singles Collection (2000)
- Anthology (2001)
- Best of Slaughter & the Dogs (Taang Records, 2002)
- A Dog Day Afternoon (TKO Records, 2003)
Appearances on various artist compilations (selective)
Listing of those various artist compilation albumCompilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
s mentioned in the text of the main article:
- "Runaway" and "Boston Babies" are featured on the Live at the Roxy WC2Live at the Roxy WC2The Roxy London WC2 is a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played the Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977.-Overview:...
compilation albumCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
(24 June 1977: Harvest Records SHSP4069) # 24 UK Albums ChartUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... - "Cranked Up Really High" is featured on the StreetsStreets (punk album)Streets is a compilation album of early British punk rock bands from a variety of independent record labels . It was an attempt at an end of year ‘round up’ and, significantly, was the first album released on Beggars Banquet Records .The sleeve notes stated that: "1977 was the year that the music...
compilation album (End of 1977: Beggars Banquet BEGA1) - "Where Have All The Bootboys Gone?" ("Cranked Up Really High" on some later CD pressings) is featured on the first Oi!Oi!Oi! is a working class subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads and other working-class youths ....
compilation, Oi! The Album (EMI, 1980) - "Cranked Up Really High" featured on the limited edition three disc box-set version of North By North West: Liverpool & Manchester from Punk to Post-Punk & Beyond 1976-1984 (2006: Korova)
Singles
- "Cranked Up Really High" / "The Bitch" (Rabid Records, June 1977) (both sides appear as bonus tracks on on the 2006 CD re-release of Do it Dog Style
- "Where Have All The Boot Boys Gone?" / "You’re A Bore" (Decca Records, September 1977)
- "Dame to Blame" / "Johnny T" (Decca Records, November 1977)
- "Quick Joey Small" / "Come on Back" (Decca Records, February 1978)
- "It’s Alright" / "Edgar Allan Poe" / "Twist and Turn" / "UFO" (TJM, March 1979)
- "I Believe" / "It Isn't Me" (as 'The Studio Sweethearts', DJM, June 1979)
- "You're Ready Now" / "Runaway" (DJM, November 1979)
- "East Side of Town" / "One By One" (as 'Slaughter', DJM, February 1980)
- "I'm the One" / "What’s Wrong Boy?" (Live) / "Hell in New York" (as 'Slaughter', DJM, June 1980)
- "Half Alive E.P.: "Twist and Turn" / "Cranked Up Really High" / "Where Have All the Boot Boys Gone?" (Trush, February 1983)
- "Where Have All the Boot Boys Gone?" / "You’re A Bore" / "Johnny T" (Damaged Goods, 1988)
- "Saturday Night Till Sunday Morning" (TKO Records, 2001)
See also
External links
- Official site
- Slaughter & the Dogs on www.punk77.co.uk
- Slaughter & the Dogs on Punkmodpop
- Interview with band member