Special Duties are a British punk rock band from Colchester, Essex.

… Read Full Bio ↴Special Duties are a British punk rock band from Colchester, Essex.

Special Duties was created in October 1977 by friends Steve Green (Aka Arrogant), Steve Norris (Aka Duty) and Nigel Baker. They were punks at school, but the idea of forming their own band came when they saw The Adverts in Colchester. The fact that the three schoolboys couldn't play and didn't own any instruments didn't discourage them. They decided to put Arrogant on vocals, Duty on guitar and Baker on Bass. The band was originally going to be named X-pelled, but they switched to Special Duties when a box of around 200 badges with "Special Duties" printed on them which had been stolen from a school in Colchester came into their possession, the band deciding that they could save money on getting badges made by simply changing their name to match the stolen ones.[1] For their debut live show, the band spread the word through the underground punk grapevine that they would performing a free gig underneath the shopping precinct in Colchester. Hundreds of people turned up to see them play a fifteen-minute version of the only song they knew, "There'll Be No Tomorrow", performed in the Marks & Spencer loading bay.[1] In 1980, Bart Povah joined the band and they recorded their first demo, which got them a record deal with Charnel House Records. The band moved to Rondelet Records soon after and recruited drummer Stuart Bray. Their second EP for the label, "Police State" spent two months in the indie chart, prompting Rondelet to get the band into the studio to record their debut album, 77 in 82.[1]

In 1982 Arrogant decided to declare war on the anarcho-punk band Crass. Their debut LP was followed by their biggest selling single "Bullshit Crass", an attack on a band that they saw as destroying the traditional punk scene. It came with a Crass-style sleeve and the lead track began with chants of "Fight Crass, not punk", parodying one of Crass's songs. Green explained: "It was the fact that they said 'Punk was dead', and they played this really tuneless music. I saw them as almost a religious cult".[1] However, after that, their music's leading distributors, Rough Trade and Small Wonder, refused to stock their material. This censorship made life a burden for the band. In 1983 they released the single "Punk Rocker" which was not well distributed. In the same year, the group broke up.

Twelve years later, Captain Oi! Records reissued 77 in 82, and encouraged by the response to it the band got back together, playing at 1995's Fuck Reading at the Brixton Academy. After that the group didn't split again.

In 1997 the band released "Wembley Wembley! (Wembley here we come)" to commemorate Colchester United reaching the final of that year's AutoWindscreens Shield at Wembley. Also on the CD was a version of "Up the U's!" a song written about the football club and still sung there today. The third track contained brief interviews with players, such as Garrett Caldwell, Joe Dunne and former club captain Karl Duguid.

In July 1998, the band travelled to New York for a gig at CBGB's, releasing the performance on the Live at CBGB's 1998 album.[1]

In 2007 the band re-recorded the "Up the U's!" with local band Koopa with a song entitled "Stand Up For Col U" by Koopa and with the vocals of Colchester United players Jamie Cureton, Chris Iwelumo, Wayne Brown, Karl Duguid, Kevin Watson, Pat Baldwin, Kevin McLeod and Dean Gerken. The single was released to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

In 2012, Steve Arrogant left the band and Steve Duty took over from his friend on vocals and Dave Sadler took over on Bass.

In 2014 they signed to the Jailhouse Records label.[2] which produced two discography releases. They began regularly gigging and recording, with multiple festival appearances, shows, and a U.S tour in 2016 and US festivals headlines since.

In 2020 the band recorded their new 14 track album “Seven Days A Week. The band are in discussions with Record Labels about the release date...

Depression
Special Duties Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sitting at home with nothing to do
Feeling part of a human zoo
Got no future,nothing for me
I wanna go out but I ain't got no money

Depression! it's all around me

I'm in the pub with a beer

Closing time is getting near

Nothing to do at closing time
Is having fun some kind of crime

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Depression" by Special Duties portrays the feelings of helplessness and despair that can be experienced by a person who is going through depression. The lines "Sitting at home with nothing to do, Feeling part of a human zoo" signifies the feeling of being trapped or being unable to break out of the cycle of sadness and isolation. The person feels that they have no purpose and struggle to find something meaningful to do in their life. The line "Got no future, nothing for me" represents the lack of hope or aspirations the individual may have for the future.

The next lines in the song, "I wanna go out but I ain't got no money, Depression! it's all around me", signify the financial struggle that depression can bring along with it. The person wants to go out and have fun, but the lack of financial resources prohibits them from doing so. The repetition of the phrase "Depression! it's all around me" highlights the entrapment and pervasive nature of depression, as it can seep into every aspect of a person's life.

In the second verse, the line "Nothing to do at closing time, Is having fun some kind of crime" portrays the perceived judgment and isolation that a person who is battling depression might experience. They may feel that society doesn't understand their struggle or that having fun is not allowed for someone who is depressed. The song effectively captures the feelings and experiences of those who are going through depression and the struggle of trying to break free from its grip.

Line by Line Meaning

Sitting at home with nothing to do
My current state is one of idle boredom and I have no activities or tasks to occupy my mind.

Feeling part of a human zoo
I feel trapped by societal norms and expectations, like I am being observed and judged, rather than being able to be myself.

Got no future,nothing for me
I see no opportunities or prospects in my life, and I feel hopeless about my future prospects.

I wanna go out but I ain't got no money
I desire to leave my current situation and enjoy recreational activities, but I lack the financial resources to do so.

Depression! it's all around me
My emotional state is defined by depression and it pervades every aspect of my life and environment.

I'm in the pub with a beer
I am trying to escape my negative emotions by seeking solace in alcohol and a social setting.

Closing time is getting near
The end of the evening is approaching, and I will soon be forced to return to my bleak reality.

Nothing to do at closing time
Once the pub closes, I will be left with no further distractions or entertainment for the night.

Is having fun some kind of crime
I feel guilty for seeking happiness and enjoyment in life, as if it is wrong or against the rules to do so when surrounded by depression and negativity.

Contributed by Miles P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS