DISCHARGE

The band was started in 1977 by the twin Roberts brothers Tony "Bones" (guitar) and Terry "Tezz" (drums). Originally a more straightfoward, '77-style punk band, Discharge had been knocking around in a few different incarnations before Clay Records owner Mike Stone moved to their stomping grounds of Stoke-on-Trent, England in 1979. Stone, a former Beggar's Banquet A&R guy and manager/producer of the Lurkers, was impressed by an intense live show and signed the band onto his label. With singer Cal and bassist Roy "Rainy" Wainwright, Discharge recorded their first EP Realities of War in 1980 with Stone producing. From the opening drum beat, nothing about punk would ever be the same. The Discharge style, emulated by countless bands since, is driving "D-beat" drums, trashed distorted guitar, high-pitched one note solos, and ultra-abrupt lyrics about the tragedies of war and death. Clad in studded leather jackets with soap-spiked hair, Discharge embodied the dirty sound the made. The band vomited out two more singles before the end of the year, and then upped the ante with the masterful 12" EP Why? in 1981. This release found Tezz replaced by new drummer Bambi and set the stage for their first UK tour, the Apocalypse Now package along with the Anti-Nowhere League, Chron-Gen, Anti-Pasti, and the Exploited. With amazing anthems like "Ain't No Feeble Bastard," Discharge struck the middle ground between the dark, angry worldview and raw emotion of underground punk and the rowdy rock'n'roll of the better heavy metal bands (when told Discharge sounded like Motorhead, Rainy replied, "they sound like us").


Never Again 7"
Decontrol 7"
Fight back 7"
Realities Of War 7"
State Violence State Control 7"

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