"MENACE are the best punk band in England today!" enthused Sniffing Glue was back when MENACE were one of the wave of punk bands to explode out of the London scene in the summer of '76. Noel Martin (drums) and Charlie Casey (bass), two school friends from Islington got caught in the excitement of the early punk scene at clubs like the Roxy and decided to form a punk band with Steve Tannett (guitar) and the Canadian Morgan Webster (vocalist). Menace played all the main punk gigs like the Roxy, Hope and Anchor, the Vortex...They epitomised everything about that incredible year. They played all the main punk gigs like the Roxy, Hope & Anchor and Vortex.. They quickly built up a large following which was boosted by regular slots with SHAM 69. They were pure punk. Noel's energetic drumming drove their songs along at break-neck speed and there were no fancy guitar breaks, just great songs with great choruses and a wall of sound. It wasn't long before they signed a record deal with Illegal Records (the company started by Miles Copeland to release his brother's record (The Police "Fall Out") ) who quickly released their first single "Screwed up/Insane Society"(August 77). Menace's vibrant live sound transferred well to vinyl: the record was well received.
Their second single "GLC", released in March 1978, was controversial. Initial copies have the mandatory black, white and red picture cover. It was a superb rant against the Tory-run Greater London Council. The GLC had attempted to ban punk gigs in the capital. The single was hard hitting and true because, at the time, the GLC was 'full of shit!'. It was promptly banned by many radio stations. March 1979 saw their third appearance on vinyl in the guise of "I Need Nothing" and "Electrocutioner". Strangely enough, the single was recorded back in 1977 and produced by John Cale.
Two more singles, The Young Ones and Last Year's Youth appeared later. June 1979, the farewell single from MENACE is released on Small Wonder Records. The songs were recorded in October in the band's last session before splitting up.
In 1980, Tannett, Casey and Martin formed THE ACES, released one single after which Tannett concentrated on running I.R.S. Records and Casey joined Punk band The DARK.
