EP cover for About F***ing Time by Troy

If (like me) you’re in the 55 to 65ish age bracket, into punk in your teens and early twenties, you probably are still, or will at least have fond memories and a soft spot for the genre. You may still have a copy of “Never mind the bollocks” or something similar somewhere. If that’s the case, then when you went to local gigs, there was usually a band that stood head and shoulders above the rest of the three chord thrash hopefuls, the band that spent a bit of time and thought on their songs, spent most of their spare time rehearsing and shone out as a result. They were the band that headlined all the local gigs and got to support any big bands that came into town, eventually signing a minor record and management deal and in a few cases went on to much bigger and better things.

Reading their blog makes me feel that Troy should have been that band. They may well have until they turned down the Angelic Upstarts gig, which could’ve been the break they needed to propel them forward. Sadly, neither they nor anyone else will ever know now. However, the songs are still there and sounding good. It’s very basic punk but with catchy tunes and even the odd harmony which works, even over the vocal, which in classic punk style, are more talking in tune than actually singing.

Cell Beating, a punchy, angry track protesting police brutality. Teenage Boredom, describing the feelings of being skint and relying on Corrie for entertainment. UXB, the riff and vocal line being a blatant rip-off of the Pistols’ Submission which is fine by me, as every band pinched at least one Sex Pistols riff in those days. Finally a cover of The Ruts H Eyes, very well played.

I suppose it makes some sense to wait 40 years before recording your best songs, by then you’ve learned to play them properly!

By: Jim Heal

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