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Exploited formed in early 1980,all the members were from Edinburgh. Danny who took over the drums when Dru Stix left the band shortly after the Dead Cities tour came fom London. In March '81 they signed to Secret and shortly after they released the classic Punks Not Dead wich became the No.1 independent album of '81. Their first headlining tour was Apocalypse Now wich they did with Discharge,Chron Gen and Anti Pasti. Then they released a new single Dead Cities and went on the Dead Cities tour,wich in U.K. started off with the road manager breaking his arm in 5 places and finished with a riot at the Rainbow in London. The tour then went on to Holland,Germany,Finland,Sweden and Norway,the Dutch tour ended in the band being banned from the country. In germany they got banned after riot troops broke up a gig with teargas and Finland saw an over enthusiastic girl fan biting the end of Wattie's tongue off. In Norway they had their shortest gig ever,3 minutes before the stage was invaded and the equipment smashed. Their next single Attack/Alternative was released 26th April and shortly afterwards they released Troops Of Tomorrow wich reached No.17 in the National album chart.

1981 :Don't let 'em grind you down Exploited record company(exp 1003) An EP they shared with Antipasti,the songs with the Exploited are taken from the On stage LP.

1981 :Don't let 'em grind you down Exploited record company(exp 1003) An EP they shared with Antipasti,the songs with the Exploited are taken from the On stage LP.


Legendary! It's the only word for them, really. Legendary for all the right reasons, of course. Like smashing hotel rooms, beating up bouncers, inciting rabid Eastern European crowds to riot (or British ones, for that matter). Mention the name 'The Exploited' to anyone even remotely involved with the band, and you'll be provided with a litany of stories about their worldwide trail of destruction. The one about when they made an appearance on Top of the Pops is a good one, when Wattie apparently took a fancy to one of the dance troupe and spent the entire afternoon chasing her. Or the one where they had a pillow and fire extinguisher fight in a hotel resulting in the entire building needing refurbishing. As you can imagine, these are not the sort of people one would want to get on the wrong side of, or, judging by the reaction of the poor Pops dancer, even the right side of.
In actual fact, main man Wattie is both considerate and coherent in his approach to life, with a very definite ethos. His outrageous instinct arises from a healthy disrespect for authority and the establishment, coupled with an uncontrollable urge to get up people's arses. Guardian journalists would say that each piece of equipment they smash or steal, each hotel room they deface is a statement. We say they're just having a laugh. Of course, they wouldn't think to do it unless that disrespect existed, so maybe the journalists are right.

The Exploited are the one true punk band to have lasted the distance without breaking up, beating up, O.D.-ing or being dropped. Their discography reads like a roll-call of some of the most poignant memories from punk history. Records like Punks Not Dead and Troops of Tomorrow established them as major players in the scene (and the Top of the Pops appearance didn't do them much harm either) whilst their healthy, regular output of records over the last fifteen years has proved that unlike some of their peers, they never really went away. In any case, they are certainly in a position to teach some of the new generation of 'punk' bands how it's done. Image, yes, but in their case it's real. They aren't looking to be perceived as some kind of designer do-nothings in a world that embraces The Offspring as the spokesmen of the new generation, and they don't like the possibility that some kids might listen and say "They sound just like Rancid!" No, no, NO!!! This isn't some kind of diluted establishment idea of youth rebellion, this is for real. So, to their new album. Entitled Beat the Bastards, it continues the long trail of destruction...it's true punk at it's best. It's The Exploited--the original and the best!


"PUNK'S NOT DEAD ?"
"PUNK'S NOT DEAD ?" the cynic laughed, and how they choked on their hysterical false laughter as the new wave of real Punk smashed into their faces. By late 1979 / early 1980 the trendy Art students and their ilk were tired of their fashion as they moved from Punk onto the New Romantics craze. For some though punk had always been more than just a fashion and style, it had been a way of life, a way of changing a decrepit music scene, so much for "Punk is Dead"... wishful thinking maybe ?
The Exploited, more than any other band typified punk of the time, and confirmed and gelled toghether the strands of punk in the early 80's, hence why many people view this album as THE punk album and if not, only second to the Sex Pistols "Never Mind The Bollocks". The album sold over 150,000 copies... Punk is Dead... are you sure mate ??

On it's initial release amid the trendy scoffing the album did actually receive a five star review from Sound's Gary Bushell, and a healthy spell in the indie charts, as well as making NO.20 in the UK album chart. Today this album is still relevant as it was when it was released, if not more so, and has earned The Exploited a place in rock and punk history, like it or not, but nevertheless true. This album and The Exploited will be more important in ten years than any of their now so called 'trendy-indie' peers... take my word on it chum... Punk is Dead ? ... Only time will tell !!!

Garry Fielding, "Beat Of The Street" Magazine (talking about the Punk's Not Dead album)


Troops Of Tomorrow album
At the time of this albums original release the anti-punk brigade were convinced that The Exploited were simply Johnny-come-lately's who wouldn't last more than a couple of months. "Dogs Of War" the band's third single and first after their debut chart album "Punks Not Dead" hit the UK top 75 singles chart making the way for the bands next single "Dead Cities" which got to number 31, and earned the band an appearance on "Top Of The Pops"...the last real punk band on that show. (Fans may like to know that the BBC received more complaints about The Exploited in a day than they had about any other act in months...it's amazing how many wimps get freaked out by loud guitars, and a mohican!).
The bands success, had been one of the major reasons for Virgin Records picking up Secret Records (the band's then record label) for distribution. In a strange deal which left Secret's old Independent distributor Stage One supplying the 'pre-sale' delivery, the album still shot straight in to No. 17 in the album charts, and subsequently with Virgin's distribution stayed in the charts for 12 weeks, sealing the band and this album a place in British rock music history.

The albums original sleeve design was pure Heavy Metal imagery, as the bands sound got equally heavier, and it is undoubtably true that The Exploited were a major influence on the thrash metal scene, which is somewhat ironic as rock 'experts' of the time claimed punk and metal could never mix!...and it seems mad that these same 'experts' do nothing but dismiss a band that created the scene they now follow...Troops of Tomorrow ridiculed by the yo-yo's of yesterday?

Garry Fielding, "Beat Of The Street" Magazine (talking about the Troops Of Tomorrow album)