Biography
Punishment Of Luxury, also known as Punilux, emerged from involvement in radical English experimental theater collectives aligned with leftist politics. Their sound blended punk aggression with progressive rock complexity to deliver pointed attacks on capitalist structures in the West. For their initial John Peel session in August 1978, the performers included Brian Bond handling vocals and keyboards, Jeff Thwaite on drums, Malla Cabbala contributing guitar and vocals, Nevill Luxury on guitar and keyboards, plus Jimmy Giro on bass. By the time of their follow-up recording the next year, Steve Secret, otherwise called Steve Sekrit, had taken over drumming duties from Thwaite while Cabbala departed the group. This configuration laid down the tracks for The Laughing Academy, an effort later placed by Mojo magazine among its 100 worst albums ever in the Hall Of Shame section, though such judgment seems excessive. Fabricated elements pervaded their output, yet it contained a standout track in the energetic ‘Puppet Life’ single, where punk and progressive rock fused into a surprising success reminiscent of Sparks. In other areas, their intense political messaging combined with deliberate eccentricity often alienated listeners, particularly due to the awkward integration of keyboard and guitar sounds. A CD reissue arrived only in 1996, underscoring the limited regard the band enjoyed both critically and commercially.
Albums
