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On this day, 27 October 1982, street punk band GBH played Cardiff’s Top Rank. Also on the bill was Abrasive Wheels and Blitz.
Formed in 1978 by vocalist Colin Abrahall, guitarist Colin "Jock" Blyth, bassist Sean McCarthy (replaced by Ross Lomas after two years) and drummer Andy "Wilf" Williams, GBH were early pioneers of British street punk, often nicknamed "UK82", along with Discharge, Broken Bones, The Exploited, and The Varukers.
GBH have gone on to influence several punk rock musicians, but their influence has been especially far-reaching in metal, including the early Bathory albums, Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Exodus and each of the "big four of thrash metal" (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax).
Metallica frontman James Hetfield has repeatedly expressed his enthusiasm for GBH and said such bands were the beginning of thrash to him. Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM has said he listened to second-wave punk bands before starting his own band, mentioning GBH as an example. GBH have also influenced 1990s and 2000s rock bands such as Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, Green Day, The Offspring and Rancid.
