The Exploited

1979–1989

The original line up was Terry Buchan (vocals), Stevie Ross (guitar), Alan Paget (bass) and Andy McNiven (drums). Formed in the West Granton area of Edinburgh, a large grey council estate on the north side of the city. The band's politics was reflected in its name, coined by drummer and song writer McNiven, whose father was a Korean War veteran and a communist. While in the early stages as a band, with little equipment, the band were invited to play their first gig at Craigmuir School. The band seemed to be a victim of their own publicity here. They had spray-painted their band name locally and had stolen Sunday papers, milk and bread rolls in the early hours of Sunday morning and redistributed them outside peoples' front door, with a note saying, "a gift from the exploited". Their first gig was on Friday 15 December 1978. The date was recalled by McNiven as it coincided with a performance by the Doomed (the Damned by another name) at Clouds in Edinburgh to which they went after their own gig. The gig was attended by Terry's older brother Wattie, who had recently left the army and was a punk in London. Wattie soon replaced Terry, and Andy McNiven and Colin Erskine were dropped from the line-up also. After a few gigs in and around Edinburgh, Stevie Ross left after an appearance in Aberdeen supporting the UK Subs. A few months later, he and Terry Buchan formed The Exposed. The Exposed split in 1980 after a gig supporting The Exploited. While Terry left for London, Stevie was prominent in the Edinburgh band scene during the 1980s and fronted bands like Strychnine and Burlesque before becoming lead singer with blues band Roadside Medicine. Now based in West Lothian, he still sings and writes original songs.

Influenced by 1970s punk rock music such as music by the Sex Pistols, the quartet created a simple, no-frills sound characterized by speed and aggression. In 1980, the group founded its own independent record label, Exploited Records, and released their debut EP Army Life, which was number 6 in the indie/independent charts for eight weeks, then was in the top 20 for 18 months. They then released another single, "Barmy Army", which jumped into the independent charts and remained there for 53 weeks, peaking at number 4. Their single "Dead Cities" peaked at 31 on the national chart. Their single "Exploited Barmy Army" peaked at number 4 on the independent/indie chart.

In March 1981, the band signed to Secret Records, and took a month to record their debut album Punks Not Dead. The Exploited released the single "Dogs of War", which peaked at number 2 in the independent charts and number 63 in the national charts. Also in 1981, the band released their first live album, On Stage, recorded during a concert in Edinburgh. Thereafter, the band performed, along with Discharge, Anti-Nowhere League, Anti-Pasti and Chron Gen on a tour called Apocalypse Now, which was recorded and released as a live album. Their album Punks Not Dead, released in April 1981, went to number 20 in May, then number 1 on the Independent Charts. During this time, The Exploited appeared on the mainstream TV show Top of the Pops. A lot of fans of The Exploited were unhappy with the band's decision to appear on the show.

The band released the album Let's Start a War in 1983 and Horror Epics in 1985. The period between these albums was marked by severe discord over the band's musical direction: guitarist Big John Duncan and bassist Gary McCormack both left to form new bands – "bands with disco beats and guitar solos, total shit", in Wattie's words – and the band went through a rapid succession of drummers, one of whom allegedly left after a "nervous breakdown". The band was driven away from the Secret label by new management who demanded unrealistic changes in style and personnel. Their next label, a tiny enterprise named Pax Records, folded after its owner fled with all its assets.

The concert album Live at the White House was recorded in Washington, DC in 1985 at the 9:30 Club and was released in 1986. They also released the studio EP Jesus Is Dead in 1986, following up with Live and Loud, a videography of The Exploited performing around Europe and in the United States. "Sexual Favours", a single from the album Death Before Dishonour, was released in 1987. The album only ranked in the top 200 of the Britain Alternative Music list. The album sold out quickly, however.

1990s

In 1990, The Exploited released their album The Massacre. The album is a crossover thrash album. This album was by far one of the band's most commercially successful. The band went on to release a Singles Collection album in 1993. The Exploited also released the videography Live in Japan in 1993. Their album Beat the Bastards was released in April 1996.

2000s

In January 2003, the band released their album Fuck the System on Dream Catcher Records, and also in 2003, they toured in the UK and US. On 14 October 2003, about 500 fans of the band started a riot in Montreal, Canada after an Exploited concert was cancelled due to the band not being allowed into the country. Rioters destroyed eight cars and set them on fire; broke 11 store windows and caused other damage. The band were banned from playing in Mexico City due to the riot.

2010s

In a 2012 interview, Wattie Buchan claimed that a new album was being finished. In February 2014, Wattie Buchan suffered a heart attack on stage during a performance in Lisbon on the band's Taste of Chaos Tour with Hatebreed and Napalm Death. He was taken to a hospital, where he was expected to receive treatment for at least a week. The band signed a deal with Nuclear Blast Records, and was to have many of its albums reissued in March 2014. The band has also confirmed that its first album in a decade will be released during the 2010s. It is currently unknown when the band's next album will be released.

Legacy

The Exploited are one of the iconic bands of the UK 82 punk movement along with Charged GBH and Discharge. The term "UK 82" came from The Exploited's song "UK 82". AllMusic described The Exploited as "one of most riveting British punk rock units of the early 1980s".

The Exploited have influenced multiple bands such as Discharge, Stormtroopers of Death Agnostic Front, The Virus, The Casualties, Anti-Flag, and Blanks 77.

Musical style

The Exploited has been categorized as punk rock, thrash metal, speed metal, crossover thrash, punk metal, anarchist punk, hardcore punk, street punk and Oi!. Originally playing street punk and oi!, The Exploited moved to a more aggressive style featuring elements of both crossover thrash and hardcore punk with their album Death Before Dishonour.

Lyrical themes and gigs

The Exploited has been controversial for their aggressive lyrics and rowdy gigs. They were considered "cartoon punks" by Ian Glasper. Glasper wrote: "For many, The Exploited were the quintessential second wave punk band with their senses-searing high-speed outbursts against the system, and wild-eyed frontman Walter 'Wattie' Buchan's archetypal orange mohican." The Exploited are known for their lyrics about anarchy, politics and anti-authority. As a band with lyrics that have anarchist themes, The Exploited's vocalist Wattie Buchan is an anarchist and openly hates politics. The Exploited have made songs about former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and have expressed a disdainful view towards Thatcher. The Exploited's song "Maggie", a song from the band's album "Horror Epics", is about Thatcher. The Exploited's third studio album, "Let's Start a War... (Said Maggie One Day)", focuses on Margaret Thatcher and the Falklands War. Other topics of the album are police-driven riots, war, unemployment and hopelessness.

Current lineup

Vocals

Guitar

Bass

Drums

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Split albums

EPs

Singles

Videography

Music videos