Subhumans - Evolution

SUBHUMANS - EVOLUTION

Running concurrent with all the problems of living in Thatcher's Britain was the whole issue of animal rights that like the campaign for nuclear disarmament was seeing an upsurge of people wanting to get involved so as to put an end to the cruelty. Within the realm of Punk, interest in the subject was initially sparked by Beki Bondage, lead vocalist of Bristol Punk band Vice Squad, who would often talk about it in interviews. Within the realm of Anarcho Punk specifically, Flux Of Pink Indians had placed the issue firmly on the agenda with their Neu Smell EP, causing large numbers of people to search out more information on alternatives to eating meat and on ways to combat vivisection.

Traditionally, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty against Animals (RSPCA) had always been the organisation to get involved with and to donate money to but increasingly they were being perceived as lacking any sense of urgency and of being rather safe. A more modern and more direct approach was felt to be required, leading to the rise of such groups as the Hunt Saboteurs Association (HSA) and the Animal Liberation Front - the ALF, both of whom openly advocated direct intervention.

Acting as a gesture of solidarity with all those who care for animals and as a wry critique of all those 'benefiting' in any way from experiments on animals, the title track of the next 7" single release by the Subhumans concerned itself with the topic of vivisection in their by now familiar Wiltshire Punk buzz.

Released on their own Bluurg label, the Evolution EP contained four songs, the title track being an infectious blast of sped-up twelve-bar Punk blues over which Dick Lucas blurted out his words: "Out in the garden there's a little white cat and you're catching cancer as you smoke that fag. 'When will they find the cure?' you choke. When enough cats have died of smoke? And they say that animals go for the throat."

Adorned with the same eye-catching style of artwork that graced their debut album, the sleeve contained a list of addresses of where to purchase cruelty-free cosmetics, which was amusing in a way simply because the Subhumans weren't really a band that looked as though personal grooming and hygene were major priorities of theirs.