The Blood

The Blood

The Blood are a London-based UK punk band formed in 1982. The group begins under the name Coming Blood and is led by Cardinal Jesus Hate and J.J. Bedsore, also known as Colin Smith and Jamie Cantwell. The Blood's line-up over time includes Shane Atlas, Cardinal Jesus Hate, J.J. Bedsore, Muttly and Dr. Wildthing, with J.J. Bedsore later dying in 2004. The band is active from 1982 to the present.

Style and themes

The Blood's music combines hardcore punk, oi, heavy metal, football chants and shock rock. Their songs often attack religion or deal with political and philosophical subjects. Cardinal Jesus Hate describes himself as a punk secular humanist.

Early releases and recognition

The band's first single, "Megalomania", mocks the Pope, and Doctor Wild Thing plays drums on it. Their second single, "Stark Raving Normal", appears as a double A-side with Mesrine and criticises one-dimensional patriotism, apathy and mediocrity. The first album, False Gestures for a Devious Public, features Evo on drums and reaches the UK top 30. It is also voted one of the best releases of the year by Sounds magazine. The Blood used to be managed by Garry Bushell, and their song "Such Fun" appears on the Oi! compilation Oi! Oi! That's Yer Lot!.

Mesrine and later activity

False Gestures for a Devious Public also includes "Mesrine", an anthem about French gangster Jacques Mesrine. The song is released in 1983, before the 1984 film about him. The band reforms on 10 December 2006 and releases "Kill The Pimps" on Eyeline Productions. The song criticises governments that ignore human trafficking. On the same label, the band releases the acoustic DVD Samurai Lullaby in 2007, followed by the acoustic album punk@theopera in 2008. In 2010, the band releases @thebodysnatchersball, a self-penned album by The Cardinal.

Later line-ups and releases

The Blood reform again on 8 June 2012 with The Cardinal, Chema Zurita, also known as Sonic Offender, and Jesus Ruiz. Zurita is also a regular bass player with the UK Subs, and the two Spanish members grow up in the same town in Alicante. The band tours the east and west coasts of the US, Canada, France, Spain and Japan in 2012 and 2013, playing early songs as a tribute to The Cardinal and J.J. Bedsore's work. In 2014, The Blood release "Chorus of Legends", an anthem written for the Brazil World Cup.

Other work

In 2016, The Cardinal publishes Vagabond Vendetta, an autobiographical fantasy set in the Republic of Frestonia. The novel's eleventh chapter includes the execution of Jimmy Savile, Rolf Harris and Stuart Hall.