Been working on the backer for a while, took advantage of a lull in the random jam to get it finished :D
This is my first "proper" scratch built cover :woot: Having failed to find anything that can handle EzDrummer on this puny laptop I have gone back to building a midi in Anvil Studio, and converting it in Synthfont, using EzDrummer as a VST in that. The bass is NS Jazz Bass, again it may seem odd that I used midi bass when I could have played it and everybody is going for real bass, but I wanted to practice the sequencing and conversion. Did nothing with Ozone etc as, well its PUNK innit :wtf:
I was not into Punk when it happened, and by the time I did get into it the musicians had jumped on the bandwagon and turned it into New Wave :lol: Always liked this one tho .. we used to jam it as a punk mate of the band used to turn up at practice and nag till we played it for him to sing.
Listen to the lyrics, this was released in 1980, did they see it coming or what?
I posted a question in Guitar Stuff about noise I am getting when I play, on the first solo you will hear clearly what I mean. For the second solo I dropped the pickup almost down to the holder (and forgot to adjust the volume to compensate, but I like the way it sits so left it). Better but still there. So, is it the pickups? The Boss? My damping? :dunno:
Oh, and I don't deliberately do covers that hardly anybody but the Smoggie contingent are going to recognise, honest :D

Cool tune! I've been playing a bit of punk myself lately actually. It's really fun stuff to do.
Vocals and guitars sound kickass. The drums sound good considering it's midi. But I don't really like the bass. It works ok when all the other instruments are playing at the same time, but when you hear too much of it I don't really like the sound of it. A bit too robotic.

All in all, great job! :rock:

Sounds cool mate!!especially the clever mix:lol: very pro sounding ***** for you for sure!

Great stuff steve! Though it is a taj slower than the original. I like the way you laid it back so you can actually hear the (I don't know wot it is etc) anti war rant at the end. Sounds great mate, loved the Subs back in the day, still do. A big 5*****'s :thumb:

I'll post the original for the uninitiated to compare, if you don't mind that is?

Great stuff steve! Though it is a taj slower than the original. I like the way you laid it back so you can actually hear the (I don't know wot it is etc) anti war rant at the end. Sounds great mate, loved the Subs back in the day, still do. A big 5*****'s :thumb:

I'll post the original for the uninitiated to compare, if you don't mind that is?

I knew you would know this :lol: Yeah, I realised that it was a tiny bit slower, but I was so far in by then did not seem worth restarting. Post the original if you want mate, I don't mind.

Thanks guys for commenting :thumb:

There it is! :thumb:

Nice one Steve, better than original for me

Steve I listened to this the moment you posted it and had it on replay for about 8 times. Its bloody good. nice and crunchy guitars and well played throughout!!

the programming is fine too - seems you have the skills even if you doubted it yourself. :D I hear Naifs comments on the bass but as you said - this was an exercise in building a backer from scratch and the programming is on the money.

Vocals are good too. If anything a bit too confident because there is a little bit of clipping (to my ears anyhow) but overall a really confident and competent performance.

Its a definite 5 from me. I never rated the UK subs to be honest - they always felt too much like second generation punks to me but this is a very interesting song. Maybe I should investigate further :)

But listening to this I cannot help think that you would do a fantastic version of Babylons Burning by the Ruts.. Or maybe Dancing with the Rude Boys.



But do Babylon :)

Steve I listened to this the moment you posted it and had it on replay for about 8 times. Its bloody good. nice and crunchy guitars and well played throughout!!

the programming is fine too - seems you have the skills even if you doubted it yourself. :D I hear Naifs comments on the bass but as you said - this was an exercise in building a backer from scratch and the programming is on the money.

Vocals are good too. If anything a bit too confident because there is a little bit of clipping (to my ears anyhow) but overall a really confident and competent performance.

Its a definite 5 from me. I never rated the UK subs to be honest - they always felt too much like second generation punks to me but this is a very interesting song. Maybe I should investigate further :)

But listening to this I cannot help think that you would do a fantastic version of Babylons Burning by the Ruts.. Or maybe Dancing with the Rude Boys.



But do Babylon :)


Or "Into The Valley" by The Skids :)

Nice one Steve ... I remember the Subs too, tho' they were only present in my life for a couple of weeks before I heard UFO's "Lights Out" for the first ever time off the Strangers In The Night live album, back when I was 15!

Into the valley??? NAHHHHHHHHHHH :)

But listening to this I cannot help think that you would do a fantastic version of Babylons Burning by the Ruts.. Or maybe Dancing with the Rude Boys. But do Babylon :)

Anyway to egg Steve on in that direction I'm gonna upload The Ruts The Crack album to My Great Stuff thread in file share. Yeah Porty I hear wot you're meaning by 2nd generation punks but they actually got an album out in the 70's. (allbeit 79) and wern't as distanced as bands Like G.B.H. Discharge, Broken Bones etc. and like our Steve, the Subs and the Ruts guitarists both used SG's :thumb:

The second gen thing sounds cruel but it is apt from my way of thinking. I regard GBH et al as the 3rd generation, which I personally believe robbed punk of any remaining musicality, and the natural precursor to OI! Something I have little time for. The Ruts and UK Subs still maintained the punk ethos but were actually more capable musicians, a little like Stiff Little Fingers. Its only my personal account and not based in any historical fact (I was 11 in 1977)

But the Subs and the Ruts felt more musically adept - in fact the Ruts should have been huge barring the intervention of fate.

Babylons burning I remember, great punk song! Cheers mate, will grab it when you upload :thumb:
Thanks again for the positive comments, I was pleased with this one myself, despite the clipping on the vocal, had very limited time do get the vocal parts done while the kids were in school....
I was wondering what to tackle after the random jam too :D

Babylons burning I remember, great punk song! Cheers mate, will grab it when you upload :thumb:
It's there mate. :thumb:

very clever cover , fantastic pro sounding mix. Loved the vox and outro solo ,,,all was good on this one Steve:bowdown:

5 for sure

Punk escaped me in general but I like this mate. The vocals are what struck me the most...very attitude and well recorded. That bit of clipping could be the needle on a 45 :) Guitars are crunchy as hell also. I think the mix works great but try one with the real bass also just to see if it makes it more punktastic. I think you did great with this one Stevie boy.

My fave track of that era was the Stranglers version of 'Walk On By' mainly cos of the bass line!

Cheers guys :)
Good thought that Chris, it had not occurred to me to redo it with real bass. All the tracks are still on the Boss as I work up the 8 (x4) virtual tracks as I bounce stuff. Will give it a shot when I have an hour to spare :thumb:

Bewrare I´m gonna listen AFTER I´m posting this.....(As if anyone cares, lol)

:woot:No clue bout these guys, I´m a flamenco dude :lol:. Drums, great,....puaff! (talkin punk here right?) absolutely shitty drums and bass, but I envy you, man, you sang and played wonderful here! (Bit sappy for my punk tastes, but oh well, lol!)

:woot:No clue bout these guys, I´m a flamenco dude :lol:. Drums, great,....puaff! (talkin punk here right?) absolutely shitty drums and bass, but I envy you, man, you sang and played wonderful here! (Bit sappy for my punk tastes, but oh well, lol!)

Yeah Tony, midi, crap, I know :lol: I am in the process of remixing with real bass (Which will probably sound worse :eek:). Just to keep you happy mate :D Not much I can do about the midi drums I'm afraid. Once I get my head around doing it this way I will snag some loops and try it your way, see if that works for me.

Yeah Tony, midi, crap, I know :lol: I am in the process of remixing with real bass (Which will probably sound worse :eek:). Just to keep you happy mate :D Not much I can do about the midi drums I'm afraid. Once I get my head around doing it this way I will snag some loops and try it your way, see if that works for me.
What?!!? :confused: You better keep me happy dude! :lol: You know I´m laughing about, :)

What?!!? :confused: You better keep me happy dude! :lol: You know I´m laughing about, :)

Yeah mate, I know :thumb:

Well i thought you did fantastic work on this Steve , the vocals were the thing that grabbed my attention the most, they really sound excellent, the guitars are also nice and crunchy , they complimented your vocals lovely , to the bass, well theres only so much you can do with programming bass on a comp, it will always sound robotic whoever does it, so you just have to do your best , or play it for real mate :D
Still fantastic work on this Steve , 5 stars :)

Due to overwhelming popular demand I redid it with the bass :lol: Redid the first solo while I was at it cos it was crap. (A bit of Freebird managed to sneak it's way in there :lol:) Mixed it a bit different too. A hell of a difference I must agree, think I have done with midi bass anyway, can do that. Work on improving the drums and getting my head round keyboard's next.

Now that's the stuff! :rock: Great bass.
I love it how you live, breath and eat freebird, haha :lol:

Never really got into punk apart from the Dickies who are more of a novelty group anyway, but I think you have just about depunked this one good and proper. Nice one. (the title comes fromJulies comment)

Never really got into punk apart from the Dickies who are more of a novelty group anyway, but I think you have just about depunked this one good and proper. Nice one. (the title comes fromJulies comment)

Depunked? Hmm, know I slowed it down and sung a bit different, but don't think it was that watered down. Diid you listen to the original?

Yes I listened to the original and played both versions to Julie (the wife). So to defend the depunked comment your version sounds like it is played with care, while your vocals show you are not happy with the situation that base rage is not there. And of course you sang rather than screamed not very punk that. This is by no means critisism, sorry this obviously is critisism "The practice of analyzing, classifying, interpreting, or evaluating literary or other artistic works." this is my opinion. Punk deliberately avoided sounding too profesional and in that you failed brother.

(please allow the double negatives as I am busy celibrating the Grand slam)

Oh ... OK then :lol:

As if my grand slam headache wasn't bad enough!! Then i have you screaming out of my speakers!!:lol: Cracking vocal Steve. Loved the guitars and the real bass was much better. Don't know the original but this sounded damn good.

Due to overwhelming popular demand I redid it with the bass :lol: Redid the first solo while I was at it cos it was crap. (A bit of Freebird managed to sneak it's way in there :lol:) Mixed it a bit different too. A hell of a difference I must agree, think I have done with midi bass anyway, can do that. Work on improving the drums and getting my head round keyboard's next.
Yeeh haw! That´s it man! :woot:

I think the vox are smoking on this too, the guitars sound real big and yeah midi bass is the antichrist ;) much better without ..the whole thing is excellent.:thumb:

The live bass makes a difference, but both versions sounded smokin' hot. Guitar tone is very crunchy and crispy and as someone else mentioned, the vocals in this are killer. Drums sound very live and you captured a lot of energy in the performance. Excellent job.

SOMEONE'S DONE THE UK SUBS!!!!!!:woot: Killer stuff, great choice and a great band!! I've seen these guys many times live and when they played my home town years back they didn't have a guitarist and were asking punters if they could play any of their songs!! The only one I knew was this but sadly someone from the support band had beat me to it:maddance:
A little slower than the original and it has a real Theatre of Hate feel which is cool!

Please someone do something by The Damned!!

Please someone do something by The Damned!! Don't hold your breath though mate!

I don't know it, but I loved it. Killer guitar tone and the vocal effects sounded ace. Great job. 5 from me!

when they played my home town years back they didn't have a guitarist and were asking punters if they could play any of their songs!! The only one I knew was this but sadly someone from the support band had beat me to it:maddance:


Bummer!! That would have been something to tell your grandkids :D "Uk who Grandad????" :lol:

Never got into the punk movement myself!!!:wtf: But, I agree that your vocals here are gr8, bro!!!! Killer guitar tone!!!!! And my respect for tacking the scratch backer....something I've yet to do!!!:maddance: And yeah....sounds much better with a real bass!!!:thumb:

Bummer!! That would have been something to tell your grandkids :D "Uk who Grandad????" :lol:
Tell me about it:upset: It wasn't the first time they were without a guitarist Giz Butt of English Dogs had to fill in at another gig I saw them at. I spoke to Charlie Harper at the end of the night and suggested he should have a guitarist in every town on standby just incase!:lol:

Excellent work mate, i know nothing of the song itself, but hearing everything you've built here and from scratch too, just superb work, and a big milestone in your productions and future productions too, 5 for that alone.
Guitars are great too, lots of crunch, tight tones, and vocals with attitude, 5 star work from the ground up, well done mate :thumb: :yourock: