Hagar The Womb

ByLets Go Punk
Hagar the Womb is an English punk band from the anarcho-punk scene
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Hagar the Womb is an English punk rock band, originally active in the early 1980s and part of the anarcho-punk movement. Formed in London in 1980, the band was known for its feminist stance and all-female vocal line-up, giving women a voice within the punk scene. After a hiatus starting in 1987, the band reformed in 2012 and continues to perform, releasing a new EP in 2016.

History

Hagar the Womb was formed in 1980 in the Wapping Anarchy Centre’s toilets, a venue associated with the anarchist punk bands Crass and Poison Girls. The original lineup featured all-female vocals with Ruth Elias, Karen Amsden, Nicola Corcoran, Janet Nassim, and Steph Cohen, while “Scarecrow” initially played drums. They quickly rose to prominence, performing their first gig alongside Zounds and The Mob just a week after their formation.

As part of the early UK punk scene, they toured extensively, playing shows with other anarcho-punk bands such as Poison Girls, Conflict, and Crass. Their first official release came in 1984 with the EP The Word of the Womb, produced by Pete Fender. The EP, released on Conflict’s Mortarhate label, reached No. 6 on the UK Indie Chart, where it remained for five months.

In 1985, the band released their second EP, Funnery in a Nunnery, through Abstract Sounds, which also charted, peaking at No. 9 on the UK Indie Chart. The band drew comparisons to Siouxsie & the Banshees, Delta 5, and The Slits. However, despite their initial success, Hagar the Womb disbanded in 1987. Several members went on to form new bands, such as We Are Going To Eat You and Melt.

Reformation and New Releases

In 2011, a compilation of Hagar the Womb’s back catalogue titled A Brighter Shade of Black was released, which brought the former members back into contact with one another. This reunion led to the band’s reformation in 2012, with the group performing at various punk festivals and gigs across the UK.

In 2014, they released the 7-inch EP Life of Lies / Distant War / You Never Learn through All the Madmen Records. Two years later, in 2016, the band released the Hagitate EP and a split 7-inch with UK band Anthrax titled Hated By The Daily Mail. That same year, a compilation of their earlier work was also released under the title Hagiography.

Band Members

Past and Current Lineup

  • Ruth Elias a.k.a. Ruth Rack (Vocals)
  • Karen Amsden a.k.a. Miss K. Penfold (Vocals)
  • Elaine Reubens a.k.a. Illayne Illhabopp (Vocals)
  • Julie Sorrell (Vocals)
  • Jon Attwood a.k.a. Jon From Bromley (Lead Guitar)
  • Paul Harding a.k.a. Paul Permo (Lead Guitar)
  • Stephanie Cohen (Bass Guitar)
  • Janet Nassim a.k.a. Janetti Spaghetti (Rhythm Guitar)
  • Mitch Flacko a.k.a. Mitch Jail Bate (Bass Guitar)
  • Paul Venables a.k.a. Veg (Bass Guitar)
  • Chris Knowles a.k.a. Chris Liberator (Drums)

Discography

  • The Word of the Womb (12-inch EP, Mortarhate, 1984) – UK Indie No. 6
  • Funnery in a Nunnery (12-inch EP, Abstract Sounds, 1985) – UK Indie No. 9
  • A Brighter Shade of Black (Compilation LP, Mississippi Records, 2011)
  • Life of Lies / Distant War / You Never Learn (7-inch EP, All the Madmen, 2014)
  • Hated By The Daily Mail (Split 7-inch with Anthrax, Grow Your Own Records, 2016)
  • Hagiography (Compilation CD, One Bright Spark Records, 2016)
  • Hagitate (EP, Grow Your Own Records, 2016)

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