Underground punk legends English Dogs have reunited and will launch their first North American tour since 1985. The tour kicks off February 10th in Baltimore and criss-crosses the country winding up on February 25th in Santa Clara, CA. Support on the tour comes from The Casualties, Toxic Holocaust and Havok.
Founding member and Drummer Pinch cannot wait to return to North America: "Touring this lineup from this period in English Dogs history has been long overdue and I'm pumped to be playing our best album with them. It's exciting to know that English Dogs legacy has been significant enough to influence some of today's best bands, and I'm honored to be touring with them. This is a perfect thrash punk bill, guaranteed to rip it up every night. If you don't feel this one, you really are undead!!!"
Guitarist Gizz Butt added: "It's an understatement to say I feel blessed that I've been reunited with my old English Dogs partners Pinch and Adie and that this tour has been given to us. I hoped for years it could happen but started to accept the chance had gone. The legendary USA tour we did in 1985 was a distant memory until YouTube bought it back and the man responsible for filming it uploaded the songs. I've been in some big bands since then, noticeably THE PRODIGY, but despite the number one singles and albums there was definitely something missing. I'd go out on tour then feeling I'd lost something. While we've been rehearsing for this tour I've found exactly what it was. There is a daring excitement, a youthful energy, a wildness that actually feeds the spirit that is contained in these songs that were crafted by teenagers feeling the need to fuse together punk rock and heavy metal and find a music form that suited THEM. So 2012 , WE ARE BRINGING IT BACK HOME !!!! USA and CANADA , HELLO AGAIN, THIS IS THE ENGLISH DOGS AND THIS TIME LET'S TRULY GO FORWARD...INTO BATTLE XXXXXXXXXX"
ENGLISH DOGS formed in 1981 and their first release was "To The Ends of The Earth" 12 inch, featuring four tracks of crossover punk/metal that had never been heard in the UK and the foundation of a soon to emerge UK thrash scene. This was released on Rot Records, a small label from the midlands, and once again charted highly in the indie charts, proving that the DOGS had tapped the vein of their fans musical craving. Next up was the ambitious "Forward Into Battle" full length LP, showcasing the bands metal leanings more furiously and becoming an influence to such bands as Metallica and Sepultura, both already leaders of this exciting hybrid. Mixed with the ever increasingly violent live scene, the band called time on their gigging soon after the LP release in 1986, even though they had completed a successful coast to coast tour of the USA for the first time. Since then the band has reformed with various lineups and also been involved with many side projects.
Fast forward to present day and The lineup of Pinch, Gizz and Adie, having recruited a pair of manic tattooist twins, Craig and Ryan Christie from Dana Point, CA , are once more going "Forward Into Battle" around the United States, ably supported by the freshest talent on the American Punk and Thrash scenes, both of which were heavily influenced by the ENGLISH DOGS' legacy. The wheel has fully turned, and the "Forward Into Battle 2012" US tour is going to complete the punk/thrash union, born over 2 decades previous.
ENGLISH DOGS On Tour:
2/10: Baltimore, MD @ The Ottobar
2/11: Cambridge, MA @ Middle East
2/12: Brooklyn, NY @ Club Europa
2/13: Montreal, QUE @ Les Foufounes Electriques
2/14: Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
2/15: Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's
2/16: Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club
2/17: St. Paul. MN @ Station 4
2/19: Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall
2/21: Seattle, WA @ Studio Seven
2/22: Portland, OR @ Branx
2/23: Oakland, CA @ The Pound
2/24: West Hollywood, CA @ Key Club
2/25: Santa Ana, CA @ Galaxy Theater
