Channel: Britclip

Category: People & Blogs

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Description: The UK Subs frontman, who will be 78 in May, is one of Britain's musical cult heroes and is fast becoming a national treasure. Charlie was born in London but moved to the Sussex countryside when he was eight years old. Harper attended a "radical secondary school" where he was the Chairman of the Young Farmer's Club. He left school at the age of 15 to start a hairdressing apprenticeship. Following the apprenticeship, Harper began busking, playing the guitar and harmonica. In 1970, Harper got married and began working as a hairdresser at his sister-in-law's shop. He first started making music in London’s R&B scene in the 60s: he chatted to the Stones at their gigs and was taught to play harmonica by Rod Stewart. His first band in 1964 was named Charlie Harper Free Press Band. Prior to performing as the UK Subs, (they were formed in 1977) he was the frontman and founder of The Marauders who were a pub rock band. After seeing a couple of punk rock shows at The Roxy, the band changed their name to the Subversives and started playing punk rock. The name was eventually shortened to the U.K. Subs. In 1980 his solo single release "Barmy London Army" spent one week at #68 in the UK Singles Chart. He has also recorded with his side project The Urban Dogs and released a solo album entitled Stolen Property and a second solo single "Freaked". As well as singing he also plays the harmonica and bass, he played rhythm guitar on the UK Subs album Diminished Responsibility. He still typically performs between 150 and 200 gigs per year with the UK Subs. His band scored four top 20 albums and seven consecutive top 40 singles (Stranglehold, Tomorrows Girls, She’s Not There, Warhead, Teenage, Party in Paris and Keep on Running) between 1979 and 1981 and have long outlasted most of their punk peers. Charlie and his band to this day remain one of Britain’s best-loved punk bands.