Dara Brown

Vocal Technique

Formed in South Shields in 1977, Angelic Upstarts are an English

Punk Rock/Oi! band. Angelic Upstarts supported an anti-fascist and
socialist working class lifestyle and philosophy, and are associated with
the skinhead subculture. The original band members were Thomas
Mensforth, also known as Mensi, on vocals. Ray Cowie, or Mond, was
on guitar, Steve Forsten was on bass guitar, and Derek Decca Wade
was on drums. Keith Bell was the manager of the band until 1980,
when he was arrested and jailed for four and a half years for arson.
The band has broken up and reformed a few times. Former members
include Ronnie Rocke and bassists Ronnie Wooden, Glyn Warren, and
Tony Feedback who is now in Long Tall Shorty and Kirias live band.
Former drummers have included Stacks Warrington, Paul Thompson,
Chris White, Evo, and Max Splodge. Derek Wade rejoined the band for
a few years before he left again. Hayes originally joined the band as
the second guitarist until Mond left, and Hayes was left as the only
guitarist. At this point, Mensi was the only original member left in the
band.

In August 2006, Mensi publicly announced that he was resigning,

and requested that the band continue with Chris Wright, from Crashed
Out, on vocals. The new lineup became Chris Wright on vocals, Dickie
Hammond on guitar, Neil Newton on guitar, Gaz Stoker on bass, and
Derek Wade on drums, In late 2007, Mensi rejoined and the lineup
became Mensi on vocals, Stoker on bass, Hammond and Newton on
guitar, and Brett Mulvaney on drums. Their main influences have been
The Clash, Sex Pistols, and The Jam. They are similar to The Damned,
D.O.A., and UK Subs.

There has been much debate over whether or not Angelic

Upstarts are racist, and they often wear Swastika armbands. They
explain it as something they do to make people angry, but there are
many signs that point to the idea that they are racist. Some of their
members have had shaved heads, which points to the idea of them
being skinheads.

Angelic Upstarts music is much like any other punk band. They
have a very muffled-sounding instrumentation and their vocals are
mainly yelled. Their subject matter is mostly about anti-fascism and
the government.