The Yobs

The Yobs were the alter-egos of The Boys. Having released an album and two singles on NEMS, they decided to rearrange the 'B' and 'Y' and became The Yobs for their Christmas 1977 single "Run Rudolph Run" c/w "Worm Song". Following the release of "Alternative Chartbusters" The Boys went into dispute with their record company and bootlegged themselves as The Yobs for their Christmas 1978 offering of "Silent Night" c/w "Stille Nacht".
After signing for Safari in 1979 "Little Drummer Boy" was given The Yobs treatment and appeared as "Rub A Dum Dum" in time for Christmas. To promote "Rub A Dum Dum" The Yobs appeared live at the Safari Christmas Party on 29 November 1979 at the Music Machine with ex-Heavy Metal Kids vocalist Gary Holton as MC. They were supported by fellow Safari stable mates Toyah and The Boys!
The Yobs came on with stockings over their heads to conceal their identities but only managed to play a few songs before the stage was invaded by punks. The over-enthusiastic stage invaders wrecked all the equipment including the hired tubular bells and PA system, so the gig had to be abandoned. Understandably, it was to be the only time the five original Yobs appeared live on stage together although they have made a few live appearances in recent years featuring different line-ups. The most notable being as support to Die Toten Hosen in Germany.
After Baron von Bratboy had left the band they released "The Yobs Christmas Album" in 1980, adopting the names of H J Bedwetter, Noddy Oldfield, Ebenezer Polak and Kid Vicious. In true Yobs style the album was written, recorded and mixed in two days at Pete Townsend’s Eel Pie Studios.
In 1981 H J Bedwetter and Noddy Oldfield recorded a mickey take on the then popular "Stars on 45" singles which were flooding the charts of the time. The result was the ultra rare "Yobs On 45". The Yobs resurfaced in 1991 with "Xmas II" and also supported Die Toten Hosen on their German tour. In 1995 they released a live and unplugged album "Leads 3 Amps Utd 0".
Due to popular demand The Yobs began considering releasing a "Best Of" collection in 2000. Unfortunately as their albums have been released on three different record labels it was not possible to have all their best songs released together on one album. To get around this they decided to re-record the best of their old material. Consequently the five original Yobs were re-united in the recording studios during September/October 2001 alongside new drummer Johnny Hosepipe. They re-recorded 15 old classics alongside one new song, "Who Had All The Christmas Cake?".  The resultant album, "The Worst Of The Yobs" was released in time for Christmas 2001.
Steve Metcalfe
Yobs CDs available from The Boys Website
Yobs Downloads available at Music Blink
Yobs Xmas Message
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