URBAN DOGS - No Pedigree (The Un-Neutered Version)

Maan! I love this album, How well played my vinyl copy has been became apparent when I attempted to rip it to the computer last year, and it was scratched and jumped in places, a total waste of time. I managed to get an MP3 version, but there was something not right; It had been neutered and a couple of tracks were missing, came across another one from a different source and this had the same 2 tracks missing, still something was better than nothing. Anyway after listening to it quite a bit over the last year it started to get on my tits that a couple of songs had been omitted, so I have revisited my vinyl version and ripped the awol tracks and added them to the MP3 version, making the album complete, fortunately the offending items haven’t come out too bad and doesn’t spoil the listening pleasure. Released in 1985 on Flicknife Records, this the second album by Charlie Harper (UK Subs) and Knox (The Vibrators) spin off group the Urban Dogs is a dark, stark foot stamping collection of Rock’n’Roll songs, slightly let down by a few too many cover versions, Monster Mash, Cold Turkey and Children of The Revolution, but made up by some other stomping tunes; Wanna World, No Pity being a couple of them. The album features some great Sax playing, especially on the missing tracks by former Waterboy and Nikki Sudden collaborator Anthony Thistlethwaite.
While researching this piece and looking for a possible explanation as to why Hard Drive and Heavy Women had been left off the album, I came across TIME AND MATTER; a fan- website which has the aim of providing a full as possible historical archive of the UK Subs. It was launched in December 2009 and is already shaping up to be the dogs bollocks of a site. The layout and navigation is one of the best I’ve seen. I strongly recommend anyone remotely interested in not just the Subs, but punk rawk in general takes a trip here! And if you’ve got any info, memorabilia, stories etc about the band get in touch, because they are on the look out for all things Subs related, and the more they have the better the site, in the true spirit of punk; it’s all about getting involved, so what are you waiting for. The site also has a subsection about the Urban Dogs, featuring the contents of their drummer Mathew ‘Turkey’ Bests diaries, gig and recording info etc. It’s from here that I found out the two tracks were left off “Due to time restrictions” Should have left the cover versions off if you ask me, but hey what the fuck do I know. Judge for yourselves! Click, Click, Click! Enjoy! this slightly patchy but compelling master piece. Here’s to waiting for the Urban Dogs acoustic album that’s in the pipeline.