Sonic Boom Six first appeared on the Manchester punk scene in April 2002. Some of their members were previously in the band Grimace. Their self-titled demo, recorded with Jerry Melchers, was self-released in October 2002. To promote the CD, they toured the UK with third wave ska veterans The Toasters and London ska punk/hip hop band King Prawn. They also toured with Coolie Ranx and performed as his backing band. In September 2003, they released The Turbo EP, their first release for Moon Ska Europe. This was produced by Ace (of Skunk Anansie) and Christophe. After a series of good reviews, Sonic Boom Six were invited to perform a session on BBC Radio One's The Lock Up.
After further touring with Catch 22, as well as on the Moon Ska Launchpad Tour 2004 (alongside Zen Baseballbat, Graveltrap, Babar Luck and Dumpster Pop), the band re-united with Ace and Christophe to record their second EP. Sounds to Consume was released on Moon Ska Europe in August 2004, and include the Turbo EP as bonus tracks. After tour dates with Leftöver Crack and The Suicide Machines, the band appeared on BBC2's Asian arts programme Desi DNA performing in a scrapyard, as well as being interviewed by Adil Ray for his show on the BBC Asian Network.
Sonic Boom Six performing "All In" with Itch of The King Blues. Leeds Festival, Bramham Park, 27 August 2006
In early February 2005, Sonic Boom Six replaced guitarist Dave "Hellfire" Kelly with guitarist Ben, who used to play sax, thus making SB6 a four-piece. Ben's old sax parts are now played through a sampler when performing live, or by musicians from other bands, such as Grown at Home and The Flaming Tsunamis. In 2005, the band opened the Love Music Hate Racism event on the Leftfield Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, played Belgium's Sortie 23 festival and performed at the premier of the Rock Against Racism film Who Shot the Sheriff? with HARD-Fi and Roll Deep. 2005 also saw the release of the Champion Edition of Sounds to Consume, which featured four of their original demo tracks (remixed by Tim G), three remixes, an acoustic track and a video. They also embarked on several dates on the inaugural Good To Go Tour alongside The Aquabats and Never Heard of It.
In 2006, the band recorded their second session for BBC Radio 1's The Lock Up, which was broadcast on 27 June. They were joined by Pete and Tucker from Jesse James and Itch from The King Blues. Their debut full-length album, The Ruff Guide to Genre-Terrorism, was released on 10 July 2006 on Deck Cheese Records, and in August 2006 the band played the Reading and Leeds Festivals as a last minute replacement for Paramore. They were joined again by Itch of The King Blues for a performance of "All In" (singing the parts of the song written by Coolie Ranx) and Nick 'The Blade' Horne of Howards Alias, partner of vocalist Laila, who played trombone on the songs "Bigger Than Punk Rock" and "Until the Sunlight Comes".
In May 2007, they played at the Slam Dunk Festival at Leeds University Union with Paramore and Reel Big Fish. During Reel Big Fish's set, Laila joined the band on stage to sing parts of "She Has a Girlfriend Now" alongside Aaron Barrett. She joined them again during Reel Big Fish's Monkeys for Nothin' winter tour in 2008. They played the Reading and Leeds Festivals again in 2007, on the Lock Up stage, playing not only their own material but covering the song "Sound System" by Operation Ivy. During this song, Itch from the King Blues once again joined them on stage to sing it. November 2007 saw the release of the band's second full-length CD, Arcade Perfect, on their own Rebel Alliance Recordings.
In May 2008, the band embarked on the Rude Awakening 2008 tour, alongside Big D and the Kids Table and Random Hand. 2008 also saw a second Ruff and Ready tour. This was followed by the release of a remixes, b-sides and rarities album entitled Play On: Rare, Rejected and Arcade Perfected, which the band toured in support of in late 2008. Nick Horne also joined the band as a full time member, now playing guitar and bass live as well as trombone. They played at the Hevy Music Festival on 1 August 2009.
In May 2009 Sonic Boom Six released their third album City of Thieves, once again on Rebel Alliance Recordings. August 2009 saw Sonic Boom Six open the Main Stage at the Reading and Leeds Festival.
On 8 October 2009, it was announced on the band's official website that Ben Childs would be leaving the band after the forthcoming "Boom or Bust" tour and that he would be temporarily replaced by Matthew Reynolds – current vocalist and guitarist with rock band Drawings and also formerly of Howards Alias. In February 2010 new permanent member James "Jimmy T Boom" Routh, formerly of Myth of Unity, joined the band on guitar.
Rape of Punk to Come
Sonic Boom Six Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Badly sung by someone who won a tv competition
to start a full career that lasts all of one year
Public don't shed a tear here comes another one I.
They only in it for the money but they're calling it punk-pop
Another boy band on a video in Top Shop
Forgot the message of the clash and Public Enemy
To be graduate of fucking Fame Academy
Tonight Matthew they'll be head to toe
In their skater clothes singing a song about a punker show
While punk bands count their fans on one hand
It ain't easy being independent
Question
Why do they say its a shame
That every song is the same
When they only have themselves to blame?
Another sound to consume
Get ready for another one
But we be dancing to a different tune
They've hardly even begun
To manufacture the rape of punk to come
Boo!Record company Mandem tell me
That radio need music be a little friendly
Just like Di-bi-de de want to change we
But Laila got de individuality, check this
Another number one is by a group that once
Had something good that's gone and then they took the money and run
That woman used to be a role model for females
Until the boom in trucker cap and baggy jean sales
And now she's just representative for retail
And never dresses independent
Question
Where is the anger that burned
Against the wheels that turn
I won't believe that its dead and gone
Get ready for another one
Another sound to consume
Get ready for another one
But we be dancing to a different tune
They've hardly even begun
To manufacture the rape of punk to come
Yeah, must be the money
So stand be proud, of this underground
That we have found, this is out sound
Inside
We see them in their videos this room
We see them on the TV shows
We are parading in their stolen clothes
As one its rebellion for six year olds
Beyond
The public is addicted
The rape
To homogenized pop-crack
Of punk
They pump it in your living room
To come
ITS TIME TO TAKE IT BACK
Another sound to consume
Get ready for another one
But we be dancing to a different tune
They've hardly even begun
To manufacture the rape of punk to
Rape of punk to
Rape of punk to
Rape of punk to come
The song "Rape of Punk to Come" by Sonic Boom Six is a commentary on the state of punk music in the early 2000s. The lyrics criticize the rise of commercial pop punk and the exploitation of punk music by record labels. The first verse talks about a cover version of a song that is badly sung by someone who won a TV competition. This person's career will only last for a year, and they are in it for the money. Sonic Boom Six compares this to the punk bands who are independent and have a message behind their music.
The song goes on to criticize the lack of originality in pop punk music and the forgetfulness of the message behind punk music. The lyrics reference The Clash and Public Enemy as examples of bands that had an important message behind their music. The chorus repeats the phrase "Another sound to consume, get ready for another one, but we be dancing to a different tune." This line encourages listeners to support independent punk bands instead of the commercialized pop punk music that is being pushed by record labels. The song concludes with a call to action to take back punk music from the record labels that are exploiting it.
Line by Line Meaning
And now at number one is a cover version
A poorly sung cover is at the top of the charts
Badly sung by someone who won a tv competition
A contestant from a reality show won and is singing badly
to start a full career that lasts all of one year
The contestant's career will only last a year
Public don't shed a tear here comes another one I.
The public doesn't care, there will be another one soon
They only in it for the money but they're calling it punk-pop
The musicians are only doing it for money, not punk
Another boy band on a video in Top Shop
A boy band is in a Top Shop commercial
Forgot the message of the clash and Public Enemy
The message of punk has been forgotten
To be graduate of fucking Fame Academy
Being a graduate of Fame Academy
Tonight Matthew they'll be head to toe
The musicians will dress the part for the performance
In their skater clothes singing a song about a punker show
They will sing a song about punk, but dressed in skater clothes
While punk bands count their fans on one hand
Punk bands have few fans
It ain't easy being independent
Being an independent punk band is not easy
Why do they say its a shame
Why do they criticize punk music
That every song is the same
Every punk song is not the same
When they only have themselves to blame?
They are to blame
Another sound to consume
Another sound is being marketed
Get ready for another one
Get ready for another sound to consume
But we be dancing to a different tune
We are not following the mainstream
They've hardly even begun
The musicians have barely started
To manufacture the rape of punk to come
To create a manufactured punk sound
Record company Mandem tell me
The record company tells me
That radio need music be a little friendly
Radio stations want friendly music
Just like Di-bi-de de want to change we
Diversity is being discouraged and mainstream culture is being imposed
But Laila got de individuality, check this
Laila has individuality
Another number one is by a group that once
A group that was previously good
Had something good that's gone and then they took the money and run
The group is now selling out for money
That woman used to be a role model for females
An influential woman is no longer a role model
Until the boom in trucker cap and baggy jean sales
Until the commercialization of punk fashion
And now she's just representative for retail
She is now a spokesperson for a retail brand
And never dresses independent
She no longer dresses independently
Where is the anger that burned
Where has the punk anger gone
Against the wheels that turn
Against the established order
I won't believe that its dead and gone
The punk spirit is not dead
We are parading in their stolen clothes
We are wearing mainstream clothes, not punk clothes
As one its rebellion for six year olds
It is not true punk rebellion
Beyond the public is addicted
The public is addicted to mainstream music
The rape
The commercialization
To homogenized pop-crack
The commercialization of punk music
Of punk
Of punk music
They pump it in your living room
Mainstream music is ubiquitous
ITS TIME TO TAKE IT BACK
It's time to take punk back
Another sound to consume
Another sound is being marketed
Get ready for another one
Get ready for another sound to consume
But we be dancing to a different tune
We are not following the mainstream
They've hardly even begun
The musicians have barely started
To manufacture the rape of punk to
To create a manufactured punk sound
Rape of punk to
The commercialization of punk
Rape of punk to
The commercialization of punk
Rape of punk to come
The commercialization of punk is still coming
Contributed by Benjamin E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.