[x] Subhumans (UK)/Citizen Fish/Culture Shock

We could get the seminal UK punk band Subhumans in, along with its offshoots Citizen Fish and Culture Shock, if we could figure out the real name of drummer Trotsky. He's already in the db (alias only) for The T4 Project:

[bandtoband.com] http://bandtoband.com/index.php?Page=Search&AlbumId=16809

Anyone have any leads? Or would it make sense to enter him with "Trotsky" as his primary name so that we can get the other bands in?

Wow, that would be something ... a serious foot in the door into the 80's festival scene in the UK ...

Kamala Parks contributed some things, one of which is a band called Ten Naked Fish, which i think just existed on a Crass tribute album. Dick from Subhumans/Citizen Fish was also in this band.

This should be an easy way in. We can ask her Trotsky's real name as well.

I also sent an email to Shannon Saint Ryan, creator of The T4 Project, to see if he'll divulge Trotsky's name.

(Shannon is a he, by the way...
[www.twolegsbad.org] http://www.twolegsbad.org/blog/index.php/category/2 )

Yeah, I tried and tried to find Trotsky's real name when I submitted the T4 Project release last year hoping I could also get the Subhumans in that way, but no dice. Maybe someone else will have more luck.

Well, thanks to scott's info from Kamala Parks, we now have another route via Ten Naked Fish. Subhumans (UK) and related bands are now queued up awaiting verification.

^Yes, indeed. Maybe one day we'll find Trotsky's real name in order to lengthen that whole tree by connecting them with the T4 Project.

Phil Trotsky:

[www.boredteenagers.co.uk] http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk/WHAT.htm

[punkmodpop.free.fr] http://punkmodpop.free.fr/what_pic.htm

[www.myspace.com] http://www.myspace.com/exit77

[www.drummerszone.com] http://www.drummerszone.com/artists/artist.php?artistNR=171baf6355409ac03eea20fc...

Are these really the same person?

[www.southern.com] http://www.southern.com/southern/band/SUBHM/biog.html

I think Drummerszone might be conflating two drummers. The one in Exit/The What appears to be older than the kid who joined Subhumans c. 1980. Plus, the first site says Exit reformed in 1981 with the original lineup, when single-named Trotsky would have been busy with Subhumans.

Further evidence

Trotsky of The Subhumans has been involved with
[www.myspace.com] http://www.myspace.com/eccentricsvideodude
"Eccentrics are a punk band based in Lincoln"

The What were indeed 'East Coast Kids' from Lincolnshire
[www.boredteenagers.co.uk] http://www.boredteenagers.co.uk/WHAT.htm

[www.lincolnbands.co.uk] http://www.lincolnbands.co.uk/bands/eccentrics.htm :

Sandra & Trotsky are currently taking time out from The Eccentrics, having recently moved to Germany with their new baby.

[www.lincolnbands.co.uk] http://www.lincolnbands.co.uk/profiles/eccentrics.htm

Sandra Leithauser had come to Lincoln to study Architectural Restoration, and in the spring of 2000 walked into The Planet Of Sound Record Shop asking if I (Vincent) knew of any bands wanting a ‘punk’ guitarist. She had previously played in a German hardcore band called Korrupt - which released a couple of singles and a couple of albums. I thought that it would be a good idea for the Suburban Toys to have a second guitarist again, and after a lot of drinks, and listening to each other tapes etc., she joined.
...

At the beginning of December, after a few weeks of rehearsing without a drummer, Sandra offered the services of her boyfriend. She said that he could drum, and because we had a gig booked supporting The Vibrators only 8 days later we thought it prudent to take the offer up. The 'boyfriend' was Trotsky – awesome drummer with the legendary Subhumans – a band that Sean and I had grown up idolising, and we now had him 'standing' in on drums until we could find another drummer.

Huh. Guess it is the same guy! The photos do look similar, and the rest of the Lincolnshire evidence is compelling.

Can we just assume it's his last name in the absence of evidence to the contrary? Would be nice to finally link The Subhumans to The T4 Project...

I agree with bgz.

Phil Trotsky (The What) and Trotsky (Subhumans / eccentrics) are not the same person. The link to Lincolnshire is a big red herring. Sandra Leithauser came to study in Lincoln from Frome (near Bath / Warminster etc - home of The Subhumans), where Trotsky still lived. He travelled up every fortnight to either gig or rehearse.

Trots joined the Subhumans aged 15 - his first proper gigging and recording band - has done various guest slots drumming on recordings, spent some time with Citizen Fish (though no longer due to living now in Germany), played with Eccentrics for about 4years...and now just sticks with The Subhumans.

Trotsky recorded 16 tracks (across 3 mini albums with us.

- Vincent (The Eccentrics)

ps - I do know his real name but don't think he would like to to divulge it

If you want a basic family tree of The Suburban Toys & The Eccentrics to connect to the Subhumans / T4 project tree then let me know In the meantime I will check with Trots to see if he minds his name being given out.

It also connects to bands like The Lurkers / 999 etc.

- Vincent

email at vincent@planetofsound.freeserve.co.uk