GBH, also known as Charged G.B.H, are a hardcore punk band from Birmingham… Read Full Bio ↴GBH, also known as Charged G.B.H, are a hardcore punk band from Birmingham, England. The band formed in 1978, and were known as Charged GBH from their formation until 1984. The band's original lineup was Colin (Col) Abrahall on vocals, Colin (Jock) Blyth on guitar, Ross Lomas on bass, and Andrew Williams on drums. The band mostly toured in England during the 1980s, however they did make several excursions out of the island, including several tours to the United States. Some of their most famous shows that they played during the 1980s were at the 100 Club in Oxford Street in London. They are considered by many to be pioneers in the UK punk rock genre, specifically in hardcore.

1982 saw GBH's first LP, City Baby Attacked By Rats. The album was marked lyrically with harsh criticism of British and European culture, typical of UK punk. It was also full of violence, morbidity (especially in reference to the song "Passenger On The Menu", which describes in graphic detail the experiences of the passengers on the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571), atheism, nihilism, social anarchism, and generalised absurdity. However not political, the album's lyrics do seem remarkably socially aware. This kind of content would later follow up in later GBH releases. Musically, the album was loud, and fast, with most songs staying under three minutes, typical of the hardcore punk genre. This is also a trademark of future GBH releases.

In 1983 the band changed their name to simply GBH, arguably just because the word "Charged" in front of their name had dropped from the lingo of many of their fans. (The name change was announced at a gig in the now defunct 'Golden Eagle' public house, where GBH were playing along with ex-Hawkwind sax player Nik Turner's 'Inner City Unit').

GBH are known to be pioneers of the UK82 second wave of British punk rock in the 1980s, along with fellow pioneers Discharge, Broken Bones, The Exploited, The Varukers. and The Skeptix.

The band has, for the most part, kept true to its original punk rock roots since its formation, unlike many other former punk bands, especially hardcore bands, who later formed the Post-Punk genre of the mid to late 80s. However the band has experimented with, alongside many other hardcore punk bands, notably The Exploited, a bit of what is known as metal crossover. Metal Crossover is when punk bands use riffs of heavy metal in their music, usually just as a break in the monotony of the traditional two and three chord, punk rock sound. Some punk rock purists argue that when punk bands do this they break from the original punk sound, and therefore become simply metal bands. The band, though, maintains that they are, in fact, still a punk rock band. However, the band has done this quite a lot, especially experimenting with it heavily in their 1992 release Church of the Truly Warped. This sound carried over even into their latest LPs. However, they have been falling back more on their original punk rock sound roots recently.

The band is still active and touring, even among many circulating rumours about a break up. The band maintains a strong cult following both in England and the rest of Europe, as well as in America and Japan, where some say that punk is still in its elementary to mid-stages.

Lost in the Fog
GBH Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the boys and girls from round the world are gathering here today.
They're gonna' run and jump, dance and sing and play.
But you'd better think twice on the merchandise.
Lost in the fog and no way out ..
Lost in the fog and no way out ..
Lost in the fog and no way out ..
The gate's been shut.
The flag on your chest don't mean thing as long as you're having a go, go.

The colour of your skin or the shape your in,
Do as you're told, you've gotta' go for gold.
Drowning in commercials, washed up as a joke.

Contracted all the sponges, due for a soak.
Let's all run with the number one.

Overall Meaning

The GBH song "Lost in Fog" is a commentary on globalism, commercialism, and cultural homogenization. It opens with a description of a gathering of people from all over the world who are coming together to participate in various activities. The lyrics suggest that there is a sense of homogeneity among the participants, as indicated by the line "The flag on your chest don't mean thing as long as you're having a go, go." This line suggests that individual identity is subsumed within the larger collective, and that it is more important to participate than to express one's own uniqueness.

However, the following line, "The colour of your skin or the shape your in," suggests that there are still divisions and hierarchies within this larger group. The lyrics go on to suggest that this gathering is also a commercial enterprise, with participants being urged to purchase merchandise and "go for gold." The lines "Drowning in commercials, washed up as a joke / Contracted all the sponges, due for a soak" suggest that the participants are being exploited for profit and that their individuality is being eroded in the process.

The repeated refrain of "Lost in the fog and no way out / The gate's been shut" suggests that this gathering is a trap, and that the participants are not free to pursue their own paths. Overall, "Lost in Fog" is a critique of the ways in which globalism and commercialism can contribute to the erasure of cultural differences and the exploitation of individuals.

Line by Line Meaning

All the boys and girls from round the world are gathering here today.
Children from all over the world are coming together to participate in sports, dance, and music.

They're gonna' run and jump, dance and sing and play.
They will engage in various activities such as running, jumping, dancing, singing, and playing.

But you'd better think twice on the merchandise.
Be cautious while purchasing the items for the event.

Lost in the fog and no way out ..
Being confused and trapped with no visible escape route.

Lost in the fog and no way out ..
As before.

The gate's been shut.
The entrances have been closed, and there's no exit visible.

The flag on your chest don't mean thing as long as you're having a go, go.
Competing and doing one's best is more important than any symbol or emblem on one's clothing.

The colour of your skin or the shape your in,
Your complexion or body type is irrelevant.

Do as you're told, you've gotta' go for gold.
Follow instructions and try your best to win the competition.

Drowning in commercials, washed up as a joke.
Consumed by commercialization, turning into a laughing stock.

Contracted all the sponges, due for a soak.
Having collected all the available resources, waiting for the next wave of opportunities.

Let's all run with the number one.
Everyone should strive to be the best and win the competition.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW PAUL WILLIAMS, COLIN DEREK ABRAHALL, COLIN ROBERT BLYTH, ROSS ANDREW LOMAS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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