Alcohol Licks

Alcohol Licks

Alcohol Licks are a punk group from Birmingham, United Kingdom, active from 2006 to the present. The group forms in spring 2006 after the disbanding of General Winter, when ELAINE on vocals, SCOTT on drums and SPUD on bass are drawn together by S@M on guitar and vocals. S@M also has previous links to Cupid Stunt, Dogshit Sandwich, Eastfield and Sensa Yuma, while ELAINE comes from Eastfield, SCOTT from Spithead and Anorexia, and SPUD from tr-aterestrial!.

Style and lyrical themes

The band describes its style as “Alco-Punk”, a mix that brings together punk with ska, reggae, dancehall, rock and roll, metal and blues. Their lyrics focus on punk themes such as politics, including anti-racist and anti-homophobic views, and drinking. They also write about supporting good people, staying true to yourself, treating others well, and following the principle of doing what you want as long as it does not harm other people, animals or the environment.

Line-up and recording

Elaine leaves after a small number of gigs because she is pregnant, but her vocals remain on the group’s 2007 four-track demo, Licks 4 Kicks, on which she appears on mob vocals. After her departure, Alcohol Licks continue as a three-piece and are described as one of the few female-fronted punk bands from Birmingham. They play gigs across the country and record an album.