Rising like a phoenix from the ashes of the early eighties band, the new-look Verbal Warning spluttered into life in 2005.
Paul, switching to bass, decided to resurrect the band, and, after using the modern technology of the Internet to find Ian on drums and Lee on guitar, finally turned the years back to bring in John on vocals
Trying to keep the spirit of old school punk rock alive, the band retained some of the old songs as well as writing some new ones, as the new line-up took the band, having actually learnt how to play with their instruments, off into a slightly more melodic direction, making sure to retain the energy of Punk Rock. The comment at practices often being “Are we sure that’s fast enough?”
The nerve racking first gig for the new line-up was supporting Smother and the Peer Pressure Puppets at Mansfield's Town Mill on Friday, 27th May 2005.
Gigs in Nottingham and Bishop's Stortford followed before the band took to their first outdoor festival stage, courtesy of Blyth Power, at the Tallington Ashes in July of that year.
A mix of Politics and humour rub shoulders, and the band always try to make live shows as entertaining as possible, often doing two hour sets with new songs mixing with the old plus a selection crowd-pleasing covers.
By October 2005 VW had ticked one of their boxes by doing a gig at the Victoria Inn, Derby supporting Punk Rock pioneers the Vibrators and were beginning to build themselves a loyal following in the Nottingham, Derby and Mansfield areas.
The debut album A Kick in the Verbals was released in 2006 and regular live shows continued.
Since then they have supported a host of punk rock legends including the the UK Subs, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Penetration and the Lurkers.
They have also played a string of top festivals including Rebellion in Blackpool, the world’s biggest punk fest, Strummercamp, Glastonwick and Concrete Jungle along with some CAMRA beer festival appearances, another cause dear to the band’s hearts!
Finally, after a four-year wait, you can’t rush quality as they say, Verbal Warning have finally released their 2nd Album, the stunning Red Star Radio this summer (2010), which has been very well received, getting the thumbs up from Big Cheese magazine.
Both CD's are available at their online shop at http://verbalwarning.bigcartel.com/
VERBAL Warning’s early eighties incarnation built themselves an uncompromising reputation in the Nottingham area and played with some of the big bands of the day.
Chumbawumba,, Conflict Napalm Death, and The Subhumans all shared bills with the original Warning.
The first gig as the tastefully named Dead Presleys was at Nottingham’s legendary Ad Lib Club on 7th December 1980. After it was discovered the local Teddy Boy community didn’t share the bands sense of humour, the name was changed to Verbal Warning.
A gig at the-then Trent Polytechnic on 14th May 1981, ended in a hasty exit after Singer Dave Smith was thought to have suggested he was glad IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was dead, infuriating a large Irish contingent in the audience.
The “classic” line-up of Paul on guitar, Adolf on drums, Colin on bass and Dave on vocals then evolved.
A gig at Beeston Community Centre on 11th July 1981 saw them on a bill with one Potential Difference whose vocalist John is now the front man for the modern-day VW.
On 22nd January 1983, Warning appeared with Conflict and Omega Tribe at Nottingham’s Union Club but were forced to leave the venue quickly after plugs were pulled on them during their set and threats made when the band suggested to a hostile audience that Conflict and Crass were ‘only rock and roll bands’.
But it wasn’t to last much longer and after a handful of gigs, and more personnel changes a show with Lost Cherries at Nottingham’s long demolished Narrowboat proved to be the catalyst for prolonged sabbatical
Paul, switching to bass, decided to resurrect the band, and, after using the modern technology of the Internet to find Ian on drums and Lee on guitar, finally turned the years back to bring in John on vocals
Trying to keep the spirit of old school punk rock alive, the band retained some of the old songs as well as writing some new ones, as the new line-up took the band, having actually learnt how to play with their instruments, off into a slightly more melodic direction, making sure to retain the energy of Punk Rock. The comment at practices often being “Are we sure that’s fast enough?”
The nerve racking first gig for the new line-up was supporting Smother and the Peer Pressure Puppets at Mansfield's Town Mill on Friday, 27th May 2005.
Gigs in Nottingham and Bishop's Stortford followed before the band took to their first outdoor festival stage, courtesy of Blyth Power, at the Tallington Ashes in July of that year.
A mix of Politics and humour rub shoulders, and the band always try to make live shows as entertaining as possible, often doing two hour sets with new songs mixing with the old plus a selection crowd-pleasing covers.
By October 2005 VW had ticked one of their boxes by doing a gig at the Victoria Inn, Derby supporting Punk Rock pioneers the Vibrators and were beginning to build themselves a loyal following in the Nottingham, Derby and Mansfield areas.
The debut album A Kick in the Verbals was released in 2006 and regular live shows continued.
Since then they have supported a host of punk rock legends including the the UK Subs, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Penetration and the Lurkers.
They have also played a string of top festivals including Rebellion in Blackpool, the world’s biggest punk fest, Strummercamp, Glastonwick and Concrete Jungle along with some CAMRA beer festival appearances, another cause dear to the band’s hearts!
Finally, after a four-year wait, you can’t rush quality as they say, Verbal Warning have finally released their 2nd Album, the stunning Red Star Radio this summer (2010), which has been very well received, getting the thumbs up from Big Cheese magazine.
Both CD's are available at their online shop at http://verbalwarning.bigcartel.com/
VERBAL Warning’s early eighties incarnation built themselves an uncompromising reputation in the Nottingham area and played with some of the big bands of the day.
Chumbawumba,, Conflict Napalm Death, and The Subhumans all shared bills with the original Warning.
The first gig as the tastefully named Dead Presleys was at Nottingham’s legendary Ad Lib Club on 7th December 1980. After it was discovered the local Teddy Boy community didn’t share the bands sense of humour, the name was changed to Verbal Warning.
A gig at the-then Trent Polytechnic on 14th May 1981, ended in a hasty exit after Singer Dave Smith was thought to have suggested he was glad IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands was dead, infuriating a large Irish contingent in the audience.
The “classic” line-up of Paul on guitar, Adolf on drums, Colin on bass and Dave on vocals then evolved.
A gig at Beeston Community Centre on 11th July 1981 saw them on a bill with one Potential Difference whose vocalist John is now the front man for the modern-day VW.
On 22nd January 1983, Warning appeared with Conflict and Omega Tribe at Nottingham’s Union Club but were forced to leave the venue quickly after plugs were pulled on them during their set and threats made when the band suggested to a hostile audience that Conflict and Crass were ‘only rock and roll bands’.
But it wasn’t to last much longer and after a handful of gigs, and more personnel changes a show with Lost Cherries at Nottingham’s long demolished Narrowboat proved to be the catalyst for prolonged sabbatical