Charlie Harper (singer)

Charlie Harper (born David Charles Perez, 25 May 1944) is a British singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the punk band UK Subs.

Charlie Harper
Harper at Hellfest 2017
Harper at Hellfest 2017
Background information
Birth nameDavid Charles Perez
Born (1944-05-25) 25 May 1944
Hackney Central, London, England
GenresPunk rock, Street punk, R&B, garage rock, rock and roll
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter
Years active1964–present

Biography

Charlie Harper was born in London but moved to the Sussex countryside when he was eight years old. Harper is reportedly a nephew of actor Cesar Romero.[1] Harper attended a "radical secondary school" where he was the Chairman of the Young Farmer's Club. He left school at the age of 15 to start a hairdressing apprenticeship. Following the apprenticeship, Harper began busking, playing the guitar and harmonica. In 1970, Harper got married and began working as a hairdresser at his sister-in-law's shop.[2]

A former hairdresser,[3][4] he was already a veteran of the London R&B scene at the time of the UK Subs being formed in 1976. His first band in 1964 was named Charlie Harper Free Press Band.[5][6] Prior to performing as the UK Subs, he was the frontman and founder of The Marauders who were a pub rock band. After seeing a couple of punk rock shows at The Roxy, the band changed their name to the Subversives and started playing punk rock. The name was eventually shortened to the U.K. Subs.[2]

In 1980 his solo single release "Barmy London Army" spent one week at #68 in the UK Singles Chart.[7] He has also recorded with his side project The Urban Dogs and released a solo album entitled Stolen Property and a second solo single "Freaked". As well as singing he also plays the harmonica and bass, he played rhythm guitar on the UK Subs album Diminished Responsibility. He still typically performs between 150 and 200 gigs per year with the UK Subs.[8]

Discography
Harper performing in 2013

Albums
  • Stolen Property (1981), Flicknife

Singles
  • "Barmy London Army"/"Talk Is Cheap" (1980), Gem
  • "Freaked"/"Jo" (1981), Ramkup - UK Indie no. 17[9]

with UK Subs

see U.K. Subs discography

Albums
  • Urban Dogs (1983), Fall Out - UK Indie no. 18[9]
  • No Pedigree (1985), Flicknife
  • Wipeout Beach (1998), Raw Power
  • Bonefield (2012), Time and Matter
  • Attack! (2016), Time and Matter

Singles
  • "New Barbarians" (1982), Fall Out - UK Indie no. 15[9]
  • "Limo Life" (1983), Fall Out - UK Indie no. 16[9]
  • "(We Don't Want No) Millenium Dome" (1999), Raw Power
  • "Rebellion Song" (2014), Time and Matter
  • "Trick or Treat" (2016), Time and Matter

with Charlie's Harbour Rats
  • "Rollin' In My Sweet Baby's Arms" single (2012), Punkerama

with Captain Sensible
  • Too Much Reality EP (2013), Time and Matter

Compilations
  • New Barbarians: The Best Of Charlie Harper And The Urban Dogs (1999), Captain Oi!

Recorded tributes
  • "Charlie Harper" - a track by The Bus Station Loonies appeared on their "Bare Faced Hypocrisy Sells Records" EP on the Ruptured Ambitions label in 1998. A different version was on their 1999 Mad Frank's Zonal Disco album.
  • Charlie Harper a song recorded and written by Demob. Unreleased to date. A live version on YouTube.
  • "Uncle Charlie" is a tribute song by Anti-Nowhere League from their LP The Cage.

References
  1. "UK SUBS - Inland Empire Weekly". Ieweekly.com. Archived from the original on 11 July 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  2. Fortnam, Ian (5 August 2016). "U.K. Subs frontman Charlie Harper looks back on four decades at punk's frontline". Louder. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  3. Charlie Harper - Music Artist Band Bio Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  4. Miami New Times - Grandpa Punk
  5. Biography Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Biography, artistdirect.com; accessed July 11, 2018.
  7. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 244. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  8. Cult heroes: UK Subs' Charlie Harper is less a punk than a heroic old soldier - The Guardian. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  9. Lazell, Barry (1997) Indie Hits 1980–1989, Cherry Red Books, ISBN 0-9517206-9-4, pp. 109, 243
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