English Dogs

ByLets Go Punk
English Dogs formed in 1981

English Dogs is a British hardcore punk band that started in the early 1980s. Two versions have existed over time. One carried a punk and metal crossover sound led by drummer Andrew “Pinch” Pinching with Graham “Gizz” Butt and Adie Bailey. The other focused on punk with original vocalist Pete “Wakey” Wakefield. Both threads share the same roots and a long trail of recordings and tours.

How The Band Got Started

The band formed in October 1981 in Grantham. Early demos, Show No Mercy and Free To Kill, arrived in 1982. English Dogs toured with Charged GBH in Germany in early 1983, then supported Discharge across the UK. They signed to Clay Records and released the six track EP Mad Punx and English Dogs in July 1983. The debut full length Invasion of the Porky Men followed in 1984.

After the debut, vocalist Wakey departed and was replaced by Ade Bailey, formerly of Ultraviolent. The band bolstered the new direction by collaborating first with Tracey Abbott of Overdrive and Witchfynde on writing and metal riff ideas for the To the Ends of the Earth sessions. Abbott could not join full time, so former Destructors guitarist Graham “Gizz” Butt entered the lineup.

Crossover Era and Tours

English Dogs left Clay for Rot Records and released the metal leaning To the Ends of the Earth EP in September 1984. The heavier approach widened on Forward into Battle. The shift culminated in the 12 inch Metalmorphosis and the album Where Legend Began, both issued via Under One Flag in 1986. That spring, the band toured the United States and reported sold out rooms on both coasts. After returning to the UK, Jon Murray left. The group appeared on a Shades promoted thrash bill at Camden’s Electric Ballroom with Possessed and Voivod later in 1986. Pinch exited around winter 1986. Adie, Gizz, and Wattie continued with other musicians until they closed that chapter late that year.

Reformations and Parallel Paths

In 1993, Pinch and Gizz Butt reformed English Dogs with Wakey and bassist Stuart West. They signed to Impact Records and released Bow to None. Wakey left soon after and Stuart “Stu Pid” Jones took over vocals for the 1995 five track EP What a Wonderful Feeling… …To Be Fucked By Everyone on Retch Records.

The band later worked as a three piece with Gizz on lead vocals and guitar, Pinch on drums, and Swapan “Shop” Nandi on bass. They released the 16 track crossover album All the World’s a Rage on Impact and toured the UK, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In 1996, this run ended as the trio moved on to Janus Stark.

Wakey and Pinch teamed with GBH’s Jock Blyth and Ross Lomas to form The Wernt for the 1997 album Wreckin’ Temples. Gizz later served as live guitarist for The Prodigy, which revived interest in English Dogs and led to a reissue of Where Legend Began. Gizz formed Janus Stark with producer Terry Thomas. By 2000, Pinch joined The Damned. Gizz returned in 2002 with The More I See.

In May 2007, English Dogs reformed with the original lineup except for Pinch, who was then drumming for The Damned. Stuart Meadows of Resistance 77 handled drums. This version focused on the punk era and did not play crossover material. An EP, Tales of the Asylum, arrived in November 2008. After a lineup change in 2009, the group went on hiatus.

In 2011, three original members of the 1984 crossover lineup reunited to perform Forward into Battle and To the Ends of the Earth in full on a sold out tour. New writing followed in the crossover vein. The album The Thing With Two Heads was released on Candlelight Records in July 2014.

Members

  • Pete “Wakey” Wakefield, vocals, first lineup
  • Jon Murray, guitar, first lineup and Forward into Battle lineup
  • Mark “Wattie” Watson, bass, first lineup and Forward into Battle lineup
  • Andrew “Pinch” Pinching, drums, first lineup and Forward into Battle lineup
  • Adie Bailey, vocals, Forward into Battle lineup
  • Graham “Gizz” Butt, lead guitar, Forward into Battle lineup
  • Nick Wynch, guitar, Wakey lineup
  • Michael “Tat” Tatler, bass, Wakey lineup
  • Richard “Grizz” Grizzwell, drums, Wakey lineup
  • Ryan Christy, rhythm guitar, Pinch-Gizz-Adie lineup
  • Craig Christy, bass, Pinch-Gizz-Adie lineup
  • Stuart Meadows, drums, 2007 reformation
  • Spike T. Smith, drums, since July 2014

Discography, Albums

  • Invasion of the Porky Men (1984), Clay Records
  • Forward into Battle (1985), Rot Records, catalog ASS20
  • Where Legend Began (1987), Under One Flag, catalog FLAG4
  • Bow to None (1994), Impact Records
  • All the World’s a Rage (1995), Impact Records
  • I’ve Got a Gun! Live in Helsinki (1999), Retch Records
  • This Is Not a War (2002), Retch Records
  • We Did, We Do, We Always Fucking Will (2014)
  • The Thing With Two Heads (2014), Candlelight Records

Singles and EPs

  • Demo ’82 tape (1982)
  • Mad Punx and English Dogs 12-inch (1983), Clay Records
  • To the Ends of the Earth 12-inch (1984), Rot Records
  • Metalmorphosis 12-inch (1986), Under One Flag, catalog 12FLAG101
  • Sei Was Du Bist (1995), Impact
  • What a Wonderful Feeling to Be F**ked By Everyone (1995), Retch Records
  • Tales from the Asylum (2008), Retch Records
  • Get Off My F***ing Moon (2011)
  • Dog Sick split with Sick on the Bus (2012)

Compilation Appearances

  • Have a Rotten Christmas Vol. 2 (1985), Rot
  • Driven to Death (1990), Clay
  • Angry Songs and Bitter Words (2003), Ruptured Ambitions

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