Biography
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Years Active
2002 – present (22 years)
There are at least two artists with the name Subs. There is also a Belgian band called The Subs, not Subs.
1. At the centre of the China’s burgeoning rock scene is Beijing, and at the centre of the capital city’s rock scene is another Subs, whose screaming garage-punk rock is the most sought after live experience in the country. Subs have risen quickly through the rock ranks based on their riotous live sets that are explosions of pure energy rare to the Middle Kingdom.
Inspired by bands such as the Hives, the Sonics and Fugazi, Subs brand of garage-punk rock makes a distinct musical mark. The band’s live performances feature vocalist Kang Mao's jumps, wails, dives and screams supplemented by the rest of the band’s equally abundant energy.
Thanks to an invitation to play at Oslo, Norway’s Øya Festival and the small tour that followed in 2005, the band has won over a new European audience and garnered interest from local and international print and broadcast media. A sampling of the international press coverage: NRK (Norwegian Public Broadcasting); American Public Radio International, The South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Nylon (Australia), Roadtracks (Germany), BA and BT: two of Norway’s largest newspapers, and more, including a range of documentaries from around Europe. A second trip to Europe followed in October 2005, following an invitation to the Amsterdam China Festival. The summer of 2006 saw the band play over 30 festival, club and bar shows in four countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark), picking up a new following across the region and garnering coverage in a range of media (Radio Helsinki, BT, BA, PopMatters.com and more). In Copenhagen, Sonic Studios recorded the band at the end of the tour.
Meanwhile, at home, Subs self-produced and -released two albums: Subs Life EP (2004) that quickly sold out, and, in September 2006, the seven-track Down. The band has been on several extensive China tours and has been crowd favorites at each of the annual Midi Music Festivals at which they have performed. In January 2007, they were featured on the cover of Rolling Stone (China).
In 2010, Subs released their first full-length album, Queen of F*cking Everything, featuring 12 tracks.
2. Subs were a Scottish punk band that released just one single ('Gimme Yourt Heart' / 'Party Clothes') on the legendary Stiff label in 1978. Band member Charlie Forbes would go on to join Simple Minds.
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