Snuff

Snuff embody a rowdy strain of classic British punk through their rapid tempos, catchy and straightforward melodies, communal sing-along refrains, and lyrics laced with eccentric humor, yet they maintain an unmistakable identity that sets them apart. Throughout their history the sole unchanging figure has been Duncan Redmonds, who handles both drumming and lead vocals; the group’s brisk pace draws from American hardcore alongside lesser-known U.K. acts such as the U.K. Subs and the Exploited, while the presence of a trombonist lends an occasional ska flavor. They burst onto the scene in 1989 with the debut album Snuff Said—its name a Cockney twist on the phrase “enough said”—followed by the 1992 release Reach, after which the band entered its first extended break. Re-forming in 1995, they reaffirmed their vitality with 1997’s Potatoes & Melons Wholesale Prices Straight from the Lock Up; a second pause lasted from 2004 until 2007, yet their 2019 effort There’s a Lot of It About stands among their strongest studio achievements.

Originating in the Hendon district of North London—the group’s name itself a Cockney shortening of “That’s enough”—Snuff began in 1986 as a trio comprising Simon Wells on guitar, Andy Crighton on bass, and Duncan Redmonds behind the kit. Early recognition came chiefly from energetic live performances, leading to a partnership with the U.K. punk imprint Workers Playtime and the 1989 EP Not Listening. Later that same year they issued their first long-player; although commonly referred to as Snuff Said, its full title unfolds as the extended phonetic East London outburst Snuffsaidbutgorblimeyguvstonemeifhedidntthrowawobblerchachachachachachachachachachachayouregoinghomeinacosmicambience. An EP arrived in 1990 titled Flibbiddydibbiddydob, offering the band’s reinterpretations of material by Charged G.B.H. and Simon & Garfunkel as well as jingles from popular television advertisements. This recording also marked the arrival of Dave Redmonds on trombone. The quartet followed with their second album, Reach, in 1992—their initial American issue, handled by the idiosyncratic Pacific Northwest label K Records—yet shortly afterward Snuff dissolved, with members dispersing into Leatherface and Guns N’ Wankers.

The band resurfaced in 1994, reuniting Simon Wells, Andy Crighton, Duncan Redmonds, and Dave Redmonds while adding keyboardist Lee Murphy. Wells departed before the next album could be recorded, so 1996’s Demmamussabebonk introduced guitarist Loz Wong. Fat Wreck Chords licensed the record for U.S. distribution and it garnered favorable notices; the following year’s Potatoes & Melons Wholesale Prices Straight from the Lock Up earned even stronger praise within punk circles and documented a further shift when Lee Erinmez, also known as Lee Batsford, replaced Andy Crighton on bass. Tweet Tweet My Lovely appeared in 1998. By 2000 the lineup had expanded to six with the addition of rhythm guitarist Paul Thompson and the replacement of Lee Murphy by keyboardist Terry Edwards, alongside the existing members Duncan, Dave, Batsford, and Wong; this configuration produced that year’s Numb Nuts. In 2001 Sarah de Courcy assumed keyboard duties while Terry Edwards joined Dave Redmonds on brass. The 2003 album Disposable Income restored Edwards to keyboards after de Courcy’s exit, and Greasy Hair Makes Money followed in 2004 before the group again disbanded.

After Duncan Redmonds concentrated on outside endeavors for several years, Snuff staged a 2008 return to live performance as a five-piece that no longer included Terry Edwards, with Dave Redmonds now covering both trombone and keyboards. Their next studio album, 5-4-3-2-1-Perhaps?, did not emerge until 2013; by then Dave Redmonds had left and Oliver Stewart had joined on trombone. Another six-year gap preceded the 2019 release There’s a Lot of It About, which proved well worth the wait. Consistent with past practice, the album reflected ongoing personnel adjustments, most notably Wes Wasley assuming bass duties after Lee Erinmez departed.