Although their first gig – at The 100 Club’s ‘Punk Fest’ in September 1976 – was with The Sex Pistols, The Clash and Siouxsie and The Banshees, Subway Sect would later name check Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer.
The astute-minded Vic Godard (real name, Napper) liked ABBA and Debussy and cited his interests as “reading and listening to Radio 2” – and most of his lyrics were derived from his essays.
Subway Sect stood out from the pack. Their roots were sixties mod – The Who and more obscure bands like The Sorrows – and guitarist Rob Symmons was a sixties British beat freak.
At the height of punk, Subway Sect (who were managed by Bernie Rhodes who also managed The Clash) would wear school pullovers on stage.
According to legend the band played in Paris lying on their backs with Vic dressed as a dolphin!
Godard broke up and re-formed Subway Sect three or four times between 1976 and 1980. After the last break-up in 1980 the band got sick of being messed around and went off to become JoBoxers.
Godard eventually got a job at an East Sheen burger bar and married the manageress. Most famously, he became a postman.
Subway Sect were undoubtedly the most intriguing of the original punks.
Vic Godard
Vocals
Rob Symmons
Guitar
Paul Myers
Bass
Paul Packham
Drums
Mark Laff
Drums
Bob Ward
Drums
Rob Marche
Guitar
Dave Collard
Keyboards
Chris Bostock
Bass
Sean McLusky
Drums
