Chubby and The Gang - Coming Up Tough

 

1. Who are Chubby and The Gang?

Chubby and The Gang are a punk rock band from West London, England, and formed in 2019. The band members have played in hardcore punk bands and Chubby and The Gang have Oi and pub rock sensibilities to boot. Coming Up Tough (June, 2021) is the third single from their second album The Mutt's Nuts (August, 2021). 

2. What has Coming Up Tough got?

Coming Up Tough has a rock riff that wouldn't embarrass an early Acca Dacca (AC/DC) album and hardcore vocals that are furious about the brutal injustice of the prison system. A relentless rhythm reminiscent of a street beating pounds the message home but it's far from one dimensional. 

3. Who do Chubby and The Gang sound like?

The Chisel of course (Chubby and The Gang singer Charles "Chubby Charles" Walker is the guitarist in The Chisel) but also Motörhead, Blitz, Conservative Military Image, and The Chats.

4. Which bands have influenced Chubby and The Gang?

The Ramones, Dr. Feelgood, Coloured Balls.

5. What have other people said about Coming Up Tough?

“A fist-pumping punk rager” – Louder Sound.

“A prickly take on the older, more melodic genres that punk derives from”- Tune Of The Day.

“A ripper”- Stereogum. 

"They sent you down for far too long"

8. Anything else?

Listening to Chubby and The Gang and The Chisel remind me of this Australian punk gem by Royal Headache. Royal Headache were a garage punk band from Sydney, Australia. They were critical darlings and released two albums, Royal Headache (2011) and High (2015). The band remind me of Cloud Nothings. But Royal Headache never achieved any mainstream success and imploded in 2017. Little Star is a low-fi scuzzy song that has gained punk anthem status among some and has remained one of my all time favorites if only for the lyric...

"What's the point of living if we can't understand the truth?

Not worth it!"