LP EXPLOITED: Live At The Whitehouse

Formed on a grim council estate in Edinburgh in 1979 by singer Terry Buchan and guitarist Stevie Ross with bassist Alan Paget and drummer Andy McNiven, The Exploited became one of the most popular and notorious of all hardcore punk bands. When they signed to Secret Records in 1981 for debut LP Punks Not Dead, Terry had been replaced by his ex-soldier brother Wattie, with guitarist Big John Duncan, drummer Drum Stix, and bassist Gary McCormack; by the time “Let’s Start A War…” was released, the group featured Wattie’s brother Willie on drums and Billy Dunn on bass, while “Horror Epics” had Wayne Tyas on bass and Karl ‘Egghead’ Morris on guitar. That same line-up is featured on “Live At The Whitehouse”, a riveting and lengthy performance recorded in Washington DC in April 1985; highlights include the opening “Let’s Start A War,” a take of “Rival Leaders” aimed at Reagan and Thatcher, “I Hate You” (with a reverse Jello Biafra reference), a castigating “Daily News” aimed at Maximum Rock n Roll, and a rousing “Punks Not Dead” encore.