The Heretics
The Heretics were a London punk squat band (an underground scene, largely undocumented) from the late seventies who, but for an interview in fanzine Toxic Graffiti and a rehearsal tape rediscovered by Chris Lowdecades later, might have languished as a footnote in punk history.
“We were interviewed by Toxic Graffiti back in the day with some great pics. We had the look, took shit for it & did a couple of gigs, but never got it sorted to record.” Jake Saltiel (aka Jake Obvious) Punk77 email, June 2025
Jake picks up the story as he meets Sam & Si – June 2025
“I was in a band called The Shit in 1978 who were short lived; maybe 6 months tops. The best thing was the name! We played two gigs, but I can’t remember where or the other band members. Sam & Si’s band was called Fetish. Fetish had a song called Victim that we played but then dropped. Unsure who was in it besides Sam & Si.
I was originally from Cricklewood / Kilburn area & they were from Swiss Cottage / Kentish Town but we were squatting in Archway, where the pics were taken. That’s also where I met Sniper, ‘ Sgt H ‘, our completely useless drummer in the pics. Scarecrow was previously in a band from Harrow called Chaos who later released records I think. He was a brilliant drummer from South London somewhere but we knew him from squatting . He’s on the record, but not in the pics. Both our drummers didn’t make it past 21.
Our influences were The Damned, The Saints & Slaughter & The Dogs plus of course The Stooges & Pistols. I never got to see the Pistols or SPOTS but we saw The School Bullies (Damned) & The Clash in secret too, which is why The Damned were more influential I guess.
Almost all The Heretics songs were written by Sam ‘Aggression’ Morrow our guitarist & Si our bassist. Our set also included I Don’t Need You & What Did I Do which was possibly our best number but of which no recording exists I think.
The two exceptions were I Hate Flowers which I contributed to & No Character which I wrote.
The Heretics tapes were recorded at our rehearsals in Acton and featured Stepping Stone, Nazi Born And Bred, Mania, Napalm Babies, Death Or Glory and No Character“
Nausea Records The Heretics | Kill Your Pet Puppy Heretics
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