Wonk are on fire, without question the strongest line up of musicians and silliest bunch of assholes ever. We all want this, everyone is pulling in the same direction these days. Touring is a joy. I live vicariously through “the kids”, drummer Max and Vezzy. Looking back, the turning point for Wonk was when these joined 4 odd years ago. I’ve watched the pair of them grow every fuckin gig into the bad ass professional musicians they are today. Max should be session drumming, i promise you he won’t disappoint if you use him for recording. I am so proud of Vezzy. Her songwriting makes me sick it’s so good, like, i wish I’d written those songs. Our voices work soooo well together, she makes me sound like am angel which makes me very happy. We have TWO guitars now!!! AJ is that reliable foundation that creats the rhythmic wall and Ryan is so totally insane, like TOTALLY INSANE on guitar that i burst out laughing at the absurdity of his genius most gigs. Then there’s that old reliable workhouse, my bestest, most cherished silly friend Pwosion. As long as that dusty bin keeps turning up to gigs then i’ll keep smiling. The James Bond of punk rock, the secret agent, the funniest most beautiful soul in the history of punk rock. I love you all guys. Thanks for doing this journey with me, i know I’m bonkers but I’m pretty sure we have the bestest fun ever right? Then there’s YOU, our fam. Without you we are nothing. You’re continued support of my fucked up life is NEVER taken for granted. I genuinely love you and thank you with all my heart.
WONK FAM! Great news in these lockdown times… WONK UNIT have been busy recording a new album for your lucky ears. “Uncle Daddy” will be coming Spring 2021…
‘Summertime’ b/w ‘You’re Sick’ is being released as a digital or signed and numbered limited edition 7″ single on 29 May. It’s available to pre-order here.
Wonk have teamed up once again with our very good mate and visual genious Mark Richards to make a sexy video! Those lovely people at Vive le Rock have premiered it to the world, and let Vez explain the song and what’s behind it all.
“We had an urge to put out something sexy with a big beat, something that would simultaneously work at a club but also as a punk song. ‘Summertime’ is supposed to be a sexy song whilst also being an observation of the way sexiness is harnessed in music.”
Morning everyone. Ok so here’s the bad news, I gotta pull this years Wonkfest. I’m really really sorry. As you know, Wonkfest is a representation of Wonk Unit’s year, the bands we meet on our travels. Obviously a lot of our travels have been cancelled so meeting bands and arranging the line up hasn’t happened as in the past. About a quarter of our planned line up were due to be in Europe for festival season, not anymore. Everyone is in the same boat with their tours being cancelled. I’m so sorry folks. Tickets will be valid at next years Wonkfest or refunds available from Seetickets. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to message me on Facebook. Alex xxx
Hot on the heels of the recently released live Wonk Unit album “Love in Chapan” comes … another new album!! The brand new “Odds, Sods and Uncomfortable Silences” album is about to be released on PINK VINYL. It’s a collection of never heard songs, unreleased rarities and Wonky oddities for your listening pleasure.
The album is being released exclusively for Record Store Day which is Saturday 13th April. RSD is for indie stores to have a shot at selling exclusive vinyl before digital/online people get hold of it, so you won’t even be able to get it here until some time after that date, it’s a great way for bands like Wonk Unit to support those great shops still selling music to punks like you!
A Favour Asked…
Now to help spread the word and try and get this record in the shops around the UK for “Record Store Day” on the 13th April, Wonk Unit would love our fans (that’s you that is) to wander into your lovely local independent record shops asap, and ask them if they will be stocking the new RSD exclusive release “Odds, Sods and Uncomfortable Silences” pink vinyl by Wonk Unit. If they ask more details, you could suggest they can be ordered from Cadiz Music (via Universal) and share these e-mail addresses so they can order copies; [email protected] & [email protected].
I’m sure you all agree it’s time more people got the chance to see and hear a bit of Wonk Unit, and this album could be a nice little starter course, plus we all need to help support our local record stores!
If you want to know more about Record Store Day – and maybe find a local store to visit, check out the RSD website.
Cheers, Krispy aka the Wonk Webmaster for Alex.
Odds, Sods and Uncomfortable Silences; Track List
Side A: 1. Take Me Out To Dinner / 2. Hermitage Rd / 3. Wondrous Girl / 4. Candy / 5. Bailey / 6. Mistake / 7. Anna / 8. Springtime. Side B: 1. My Nemesis / 2. Rocky The Dog / 3. The Ghoul / 4. Poem For Saturday / 5. She Was Good / 6. Mr Recovery / 7. We Came Together
“Love in Chapan” is a live album/dvd of our Wonkfest 2017 set. It’s seriously punk as fuck, serious Wonk energy. The DVD also includes all our videos and commentaries from me and Pwos and even a Rock commentary. It’s awful.
We would officially like to welcome Spike to the Wonk Family – as he is stepping into Tommy’s shoes as the new Wonk drummer!
Spike is a bloody legend in the drumming world – there’s hardly a band he’s not played for, across loads of genres. He will be an awesome addition to Wonk – and we hope you all welcome him to the family when you come to our shows! He’s a lovely man too – make sure you say hello.
Some bio from his website init…
Spike – Drummer Extrordinair!
Spike could well be described as the British version of Josh Freese with regards to his varied & colourful drumming career to date. Well known for his work with massively influential singer MORRISSEY, with whom he toured & recorded with between 1999 & 2003.
Spike played previously with punk legends THE DAMNED before being poached by the above-mentioned singer. Before this Spike cut his teeth playing for hardcore/dub reggae crossover act WARDANCE, recording two albums & numerous singles & extensively touring Europe & North America in the mid 90’s.
There have been many sessions that Spike has contributed to & many remixes. Some to mention as follows: an album with British rockers SONA FARIQ, THE MOTIVATORS (featuring Alain Whyte & Gary Day of Morrissey) Chinese pop singing superstar Ai Jing & THE T4 PROJECT which features some of the biggest names from the past 20 years of the U.S./U.K. punk scene, including members of BAD RELIGION, PENNYWISE, STRUNG OUT, BUZZCOCKS ,THE SUBHUMANS & PORNO FOR PYROS. The album was released summer 2008.
Gizz Butt, former guitarist of THE PRODIGY & now fronting his own metal band THE MORE I SEE has also had Spike contributing his drumming skills to his bands albums THE UNHOLY FEAST [2008] and the follow up TREAD THE DARKER PATH. This saw the light of day in spring 2010.
There is also plenty of touring both in Europe & America where Spike is an “in demand” player. The summer of 2010 he was stepping in for the mighty KILLING JOKE culminating in their first visit to China headlining the 2nd Inja festival. Time was also spent occupying the drum throne for the legendry NEW YORK DOLLS which once again saw Spike reunited with his old rhythm section brother Gary Day.
September 2010 to November 2011 was spent performing with STEVE IGNORANT (former front man of CRASS) with his live band. The world tour was billed as THE LAST SUPPER. it was to be the one & only time Steve would perform songs by his former band & as such, played sellout shows throughout the UK, across Europe, America & Canada, Australia & New Zealand culminating in the final show at London’s Shepherds Bush Empire. This was also filmed for a live dvd release.
In 2013 & after a four year hiatus Spike is once again going to be performing & touring with CONFLICT with whom he has played since 2006 . There are dates currently being booked for the UK & Europe to keep the band busy until the end of the summer, after which they will return to America & Canada in October for further dates.. their first in 5 years.
On the recording front… DESTROY DC a Band formed By Spike & Gav King of Fields of the Nephilim have just signed a deal with Reverance Records. Their first ep entitled “The Pride of the Asbo Generation” is due for release in March.
In-between all this Spike has taken part in numerous clinics, demonstrating his wide-ranging styles & influences. He also runs his own drum school, recognised as one of the most prestigious schools for aspiring drummers in Cambridgeshire. He has also been the featured artist on the “Pearl Drum Vision” advertisements that have been appearing in all the top drum magazines & will also appear in their forthcoming 108 project video.
And now the journey continues – he’s joined WONK UNIT!
Bonjour naughty seahorses! Ok so guess what, we are looking for a new full-time drummer. You need to be in rehearsing distance of London and available to tour (and be prepared to be broke). I also can’t deal with big drinkers or big drug users (because I’m in recovery so bare that in mind before getting in touch. You’ll get to travel the world, you’ll get to laugh your tits off. You’ll be looked after. You’ll also get paid a bit but best of all you’ll be in a band with Pwosion!!! We start a huge year of touring in March 2019 so plenty of time to learn the 100 odd songs we play. We are an incredibly serious band but we don’t take ourselves as people seriously ya get me. Being in Wonk is genuinely the best thing in the world. Look forward to meeting you! Get in touch.
Alex x
My time with wonk unit has come to an end! Perfectly amicable, and still friends! Going to dedicate my time to other things, like following wonk unit around and heckling them from the front ? But seriously, it’s been brilliant and iv’e had a great time, and wish the band the best of luck in the future! Some things just naturally come to an end I guess! See you at all the punk gigs starting with Jeff Rosenstock this Thursday ? Peace Tommy xx
ATTENTION WONK UNIT FAM!! TERROR CD PRE – ORDER! Gotta get some dosh together real urgent to pay for the last month of mixing, mastering and production of our new album Terror which gets released April 20th.
PRE ORDER the CD now and you’ll get it as soon as it arrives at Plasterer HQ (i reckon at least a week in advance of release date).
This is for CD only (LP coming in June). Paypal £11.50 (uk) £13 (EU mainland) £15 (rest of world) to [email protected]. Send friends/fam payment option. Include address and “terror pre order” in Paypal note. Thanks my dudes! Very excited for you to hear the record!
We’ve got so many fantastic new songs we just had to release ANOTHER new album. Alex woke up this morning, and suddenly the name has come to him, like the baby Jesus but no manger.
In a nod to his old band Flying Medallions…. “We Hate Everybody and Everything is Rubbish!”
Of course a new album needs a new tour, so come and join the great bunch of lads who are touring with The Raging Nathans from the good old US of A! Bangers guaranteed!
April 2018 18th – London Black Heart 19th – London Black Heart 20th – Manchester Punk Festival 21st – Cardiff 22nd – Keighley Exchange 23rd – Edinburgh – Bannermans 24th – Inverness 25th – Workington Lounge 41 26th – Sunderland Independent 27th – Nottingham – Maze Sat 28th – Stamford, Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge – 7 band and BBQ all dayer 29th – Selby The Venue
We got a new album coming! Christmas in a crackhouse should be ready for April release. The Raging Nathans are our family from over the pond. We’ll be showing them the delights of the UK as they did for us in the USA. Following that we will be heading into mainland Europe with the Murderburgers.
April 18th – London Black Heart 19th – London Black Heart 20th – Manchester Punk Festival 21st – Cardiff 22nd – Keighley Exchange 23rd – Edinburgh – Bannermans 24th – Inverness 25th – Workington Lounge 41 26th – Sunderland Independent 27th – Nottingham – Maze 28th – Stamford – Mama Liz’s 29th – Selby The Venue
In the spirit of the DIY scene, we won’t be announcing the running orders of the gigs until the night of the event. We want to encourage crowds to check out bands they may already love and bands they may be less familiar with. TNS believes in supporting gigs from the start to the finish and checking out new music wherever possible.
Here is an introduction to the bands on the TNS tour:
Faintest Idea are a band who featured on TNSrecords’ very first release, which was a 20 track compilation CD. They have since released three fantastic full length albums. This years ‘Increasing The Minimum Rage’ is probably their best to date. They bring together infectious two-tone ska and politically fuelled street punk and are guaranteed to have you dancing. They are truly establishing themselves as one of the most exciting ska bands around.
Roughneck Riot have built a reputation as one of Europes finest live acts after relentlessly touring for the past few years. With a banjo, a mandolin and an accordion alongside your traditional punk instruments, they have really nailed the folk-punk sound and they will blast out a set list which offers one infectious anthem after another.
Wonk Unit are one of the most exciting bands in punk rock right now. Fresh from touring with Slaves, they are beginning to fill venues across Europe and the USA at their own headline gigs. They offer a truly eclectic sound that borrows from indie, punk and ska and much, much more. Their 2016 ‘Mr Splashy’ album is getting rave reviews from the underground press and more mainstream publications. They also host ‘Wonk Fest’, which is one of the highlights of the punk rock calendar.
Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man play fast… very fast. Bassist, Andy co-runs TNS and like Faintest Idea they featured on the very first compilation and have released three critically acclaimed albums on the label. These including this years Alan Partridge referencing ‘Colossal Velocity’. You can expect human pyramids, walls of death and wheelbarrow walls of death. The possibilities are endless.
We hope you are as excited by this lineup as we are. We truly believe that these are four of the most exciting bands in the UK right now and we hope you can make it out to see some of these dates. We have many more awesome bands on the label and hope that this will be the start of many more TNS tours.
Tickets and info about local supports available from individual venues/promoters. We will post the individual events as soon as we have them.
TNS release bundles will be available at all gigs.
Those lovely chaps the Slaves have released a new single and invited us to join them on the B side, so hot off the new Mr Splashy album, “We are the England” has been released on vinyl.
Slaves are of course the darlings of NME at the moment, so it’s got a mention here. Limited to 1500 copies on Black Vinyl and available in record shops! There’s also a very silly Wonk Unit video for the single.. mostly featuring our great friends Pizza Tramp! Come and see us on tour over November and December – we’ll bring copies of the single with us!
Slaves have released a video for new single ‘Take Control’, the title track from their new album set to be released on September 30.
This track will be released as a limited 7″ with “We Are The England” by Wonk Unit acting as the B Side.
The video is inspired by the old school vibes of VHS tapes and sees Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent riding around on a tandem with a boombox.
We are dropping a ridiculous new video in the morning. TNS rereleased our debut Album Flying the Japanese Flag recently on lovely white vinyl (splatter long gone). The video is for the opening track – Murderers Shoe. We didn’t have a clue what we were doing and it literally came together this afternoon when i was writing the captions. Mark Richards has come up with the goods as always!! Amazing one brother! He’ll be sharing it with everyone at breakfast. Yay! xxx
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