Subway Sect were one of the few bands who were there right at the beginning of the punk revolution. Vic Godard, the band's singer-turned-postman, was reluctant to record any material, and Ambition was only released because Richard Boon made it a condition of them getting a Buzzcocks supporting slot on their big national tour of 1978. The song is the most conventional rock song Subway Sect wrote, even though the b-side (which is just as fantastic as the a-side, and contains whistling!) is wishful thinking of a universe without rock music - "We all oppose rock 'n' roll". Three albums were made; the first was never released and eventually the tapes were lost in a flood, and the second, What's The Matter Boy? is much gentler sounding and absolutely wonderful. Album no. 3, Songs For Sale, I am unable to get hold of, and it might just be a compilation? More information needed here. Godard began to record music again at the turn of the century, and a third album, Sansend, was released under the name 'Subway Sect'. In 2006 he re-recorded the lost album as he remembered it sounding with the title 1978 Now. Godard was named one of NME's "important people", alongside John Lydon, Howard Devoto and Mark Perry.
1978, Rough Trade
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