Silence is no Reaction Forty Years of SubHumAns – Ian Glasper

PM Press, Usa, Earthisland Publishing, 22 Church Road, Turnbridge Wells, TN1 1JP, United Kingdom, www.earthisland.co.uk

This book came out in 2023, in February 2024 I wrote a very short review in Trust # 224, after reading like 10 pages. Announced I would read the rest of the book over the next couple of months, now it is March 2025 and I finally finished the monster. So here is part two of the review. If you are a SubHumAns fan and like the writing of the author, this is of course a must read. If not, be careful, it is VERY detailed and long-winded! For me it was sometimes only possible to read 2-3 pages, then I had to put it away again. Some of it is a good read and entertaining and it does contain a lot of information, but, most of it is just happening while you read and it is all forgotten after seconds, it is just too much information.

I remember two things, the singer Dick had a bicycle accident as a kid or youth – which might explain why he is how he is. And on their first USA tour they worked with a scene of bookers/promoters that worked with the Dead Kennedy’s before – that might explain why the band plays very commercial venues as well as cool diy places. But, that would go to far. And, the band did not exist 40 years, since they had a break between 1985 and their comeback in 1998, only playing two gigs in 1991 in London – but a lot of bands make that „mistake“ and in the end, it does not matter. You find everything in here, from great tour story’s to record label, to politics to personal info’s – you name it, all here. Did I say it is a drag to read? Yeah, I did. There is also tons of photos in here as well as a lot of gig flyers and a list of 1263 gigs the band played in the past. Awesome, really. Saw them the first time in Liverpool 1983 and many times after that, but we never „made friends“ or worked together for an interview or something. Bettina (my wife who booked the band several times at Schlachthof Bremen), said, the reason for that is, even with a lot of similarity’s, they are punk and we are hardcore punk – that is a bit simple put. But maybe true, who knows. Anyway, it is a really great band and of course Culture Shock and Citizen Fish also get their share of the story, that is what some of them did during that big break. But compared to the rest, not so detailed. I have one little anecdote I like to share: thousand years ago (back in a time when it was uncool to date digitized photos) at a punk gig in San Francisco, I can’t remember what bands played, but at that gig where the SubHumAns singer Dick Lucas, the singer for Crass, Steve Ignorant as well as the singer of the Dead Kennedy’s, Jello Biafra. I asked the three legendary singers to take a photo of the three of them, since I thought that is not going to happen so often that that combination will be in a audience. We did print the photo in Trust, but of course I forgot in which issue. Go have a look. Back to the book, by now you will know if you want to get this or if this – thick as a phone book – piece is not your cup of tea. I think I said this before, but I don’t think I want to read another book from the author, but probably will do again some time in the future, who knows and who cares. Great job, fat book! 640 pages, paperback, 25,00 $, (dolf)

Isbn 978-1629635507

[Trust # 232 June 2025]