We Don't Serve Your Kind 'Ere: The real autobiography of Nick Animal Culmer

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They still can’t handle us, the people around here, even knowing me, even though I’m a respectable citizen now. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Every time I put a song out… It’s funny, people like the idea that you’re an anti-band and that you’re against people – as long as you don’t say anything against them: ‘You’re fine saying what you like about people, but don’t talk about me. I think if I put the book out a few years ago, it wouldn’t be a problem, but now they’re a bit scared.

Nick: Because we got signed to Cleopatra Records in California, they want to put the book out [in the US], but my manager is still waiting until the legal teams are finished pawing over it, I think, and then we’re going to approach people. This is … because it’s my 60th birthday, three anniversaries: it’s the 40th year of punk [in England], of course this year – it’s a big year in the UK for Punk. Hopefully they’ll bring their whole show – more theatre than punk rock – as they wheel out classics like Joker In The Pack, Smart Alex and Viva La Revolution. refused to sanction the release of these two songs because of fear of litigation, so Nick (Animal) eventually relented and let the album be released with the two disputed songs omitted.I don’t think you’ll solve any problems with it, there’s been demonstrating songs forever, it don’t change fuck all.

Copies of this single were seized from indie distributor Pinnacle by the Metropolitan Police's Obscene Publication Squad shortly after release. It’s in the pipeline: we want to get along there, but you know, it’s all down to [booking] agents, isn’t it? Because, obviously, we came in when punk music came back in with its second wave – should we say – of 1980, with The Exploited and GBH and all this, the aggressive, grungy side of punk. Our sets are slightly restricted, as there are certain songs we simply can’t play due to Nick’s restricted vocal range, and thus will likely be a little shorter than we normally do.

ROCK: [laughter] Well I was going to ask what did you do to deserve it – but it just came from that song? I read Viva La Rock Magazine recently, and I saw your name splattered all over these gig festival line-ups celebrating the 40th anniversary and everything. It’s got a very simple ending to it, but really I think it’s that punk rock music stopped me from a life of crime, if you know what I mean? However, after the 25 October show, Mark joined that year on lead guitar, and 1993–1995 was spent playing gigs in the small venues the band had started out in. Whether I was looking for something to affect me, because as you said earlier about being in the bike gangs and stuff, I just… I was the youngest member of the bike gangs and my club name was Old Nick – being the devil – because I was the young pup of the gang.