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Chaos UK | |
|---|---|
 Chaos UK performing live in Arnhem, Netherlands in 1995 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Portishead, Somerset, England |
| Genres | Hardcore punk, anarcho-punk, street punk |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | HG Fact, Century Media, Riot City Records, Children Of the Revolution Records, Cargo Records, Desperate Attempt Records, Cleopatra Records, Discipline Records, Black Konflik Records |
| Members | Chaos Mower Gabba Chuck |
| Past members | Simon Greenham Andy Farrier Richard Potts Beki Vic Steve Phil Thudd |
Chaos UK is an English punk rock band formed in 1979 in Portishead, near Bristol. They emerged as part of the anarcho-punk scene, developing a fast and aggressive hardcore punk style.[1] The band recorded two EPs and a full LP for Riot City Records.[2] In the process, they, along with fellow Bristolians Disorder and Stoke's Discharge, revolutionized the hardcore punk scene. In particular, the Japanese '80s hardcore punk bands were heavily influenced by Chaos UK and Disorder's brutal take on punk. Chaos UK's debut LP was notable in the fact that the band's label claimed it was the "fastest, noisiest LP in the cosmos" in the short-lived "Punk Lives" magazine. Vocal duties on this recording were also handled by bassist Chaos.[citation needed]
The original line-up consisted of Simon Greenham (vocals), Andy Farrier (guitar) and Adrian Rice (bass, aka Lice and later Chaos/Kaos) finally joined by Richard Potts (drums, aka Potts).[3] The mid-1980s saw an almost new line-up, with Chaos remaining the only original member. He was joined by Mower on vocals, Gabba on guitar (previously with Nottingham's The Seats of Piss), and Chuck on drums.[citation needed] Over the rest of the 1980s, Chaos UK were the mainstay and lynchpin of the UK hardcore punk scene playing many hundreds of shows around the world, including Japan (the first English punk band to do so, but with a stand-in drummer: Blackmore of Bristol punk band Lunatic Fringe), the United States, Mexico, and all over Europe.[4]
Mower eventually left the band and Gabba would go on to use new songs in new band FUK.[1]
- ^ a b Glasper, Ian (2004). Burning Britain : The history of UK Punk 1980-1984. Cherry Red. ISBN 9781901447248.
- ^ O'Connor, Alan (2008). Punk Record Labels and the Struggle for Autonomy: The Emergence of DIY. Lexington Books. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-4616-3408-9.
- ^ "Chaos UK". Blown to bits #1. June 1983. p. 13. Retrieved 28 June 2023 – via UK Zine Library.
- ^ Webb, Peter (10 June 2010). Exploring the Networked Worlds of Popular Music: Milieux Cultures. Routledge. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-135-91079-2.