Formed in Great Yarmouth East Anglia in 1974 when the band's average age was only 15, the band were originally known as Cosmic Love and then Teezer.
The Crabs were born at a Norwich gig where they played the first set as Teezer and the second set as the Crabs.
Original line-up was vocalist / guitarist Tony Diggines, guitarist Ronny Rocka, drummer Ricci Titcombe and bassist William Strang.
They reformed in 2005 to play at the Morecambe Punk fest Wasted without the full line-up, so who knows, they might be playing again?
Back in the 70's they supported the likes of X-Ray Spex,The Lurkers, Sham 69, The Jam & Siouxsie & The Banshees and many others and regularly played most of the famous punk venues including The Roxy & Vortex and the Music Machine.
Also known as The Fulham Furies on a sideproject where they played on the backing track (A punk version of These boots are made for walking)and wrote and performed the b-side for the team to sing along to, many years before football teams made half decent records.
In 1979 The Crabs became the backing band for Gary Holton (who played Wayne in TV's Auf Wiedersehn Pet and lead singer with the Heavy Metal kids). Material was recorded at Spaceward studios in Cambridge and is due to be released soon.
On New Year's Day 1980 this lead to the band joining Max Splodge just after he had a hit with "Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps" as Splodgenessabounds.
This infamous union was planned to be a one off tour but lasted for over seven years, some members still gigging with Max to this day. During the eighties Ronny Rocka joined and played with The Angelic Upstarts and The Godfathers. and the other members went their separate musical ways.
Its a sad fact but like so many bands at the time The Crabs never got the breaks nor the recordings out they deserved. Quality songs like Lullabies Lie show a tuneful quality while Victim shows them as punk rock as the next. Their sole recording output is a solitary live track Lullabies Lie on the mixed bag that was the Farewell To The Roxy album. They signed to Lightning in February 1978, home of the flotsam & jetsam of punk like The Mirrors, Cane & Horrorcomic who were going nowhere.
Allegedly a single exists - Victim /Blue Unction/ Save My Skin - but probably was never released as no one has ever seen a copy. Tracks in their set in the 70's included Dull Kid, C.R.A.B.S,For Us & Wartime Memories. They got very little publicity, mind you their 'Catch The Crabs slogan' was catchy!
The Crabs
on Harry Hill's TV Burp
The last time the Crabs were seen together was on T.V.'s Harry Hill's TV Burp. They got together with old stable mate Max Splodge and performed Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps while Harry Hill ran around dressed as Gene Simmons.
As to why? I have yet to find out, something to do with a school band and Gene's driver. I am baffled.
Send your answers on a postcard to yourself. Here is a clue! Some photos of the day's filming.
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Its The Crabs hear! All the best bands are called "The Crabs", you guys are great and braver than most to put up a live recording. The charts would be pretty empty if they all had to play live, lets hope that day comes soon! All the very best lads, thanks.
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