Officer Down

Officer Down

Officer Down are a punk group from Evesham, England. The band forms in February 2005 after the split of its earlier projects and develops a sound rooted in hardcore punk with ska-punk leanings and crack rock steady influences.

Early releases and line-up changes

The original line-up is Gammon on vocals and guitars, Will on vocals and drums, Alistair on guitars and vocals, and Loz on bass and vocals. After spending a year writing material together, the band records its first album, Led By Lies...., which is released in late 2006 on EHC Records. After a short tour of Ireland with The Lobotomies, Loz leaves and Shay, also known for work with EHC Records and The Cunts, joins on vocals and bass.

The new line-up records three tracks at The Waiting Room Studios in Worcester with producer Jim Turner. Time To Break Your Fall receives repeated plays on Mike Davies’ Radio 1 Punk Show. In October 2007, the band returns to the studio to record tracks for a compilation release on Tent City Records in the United States.

Touring and later recordings

By 2008, Officer Down have toured the UK, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg, and play regular weekend shows including appearances at City Invasion and Rebellion Festival in Blackpool. They support Agnostic Front, US Bombs, A Wilhelm Scream and Strike Anywhere. In 2009 they again appear at Rebellion Festival and play shows with Leftöver Crack and other bands.

In 2010 the band releases the What It Takes EP, a split 7-inch with The Infested, and then a second album, Thrown To The Water. After the release of What It Takes, drummer Will leaves and Alex Harley joins on drums. The band tours Europe to promote Thrown To The Water. In 2012 they take a break, and in 2013 Niall Jones becomes the drummer as the band continues writing a new EP and booking shows.