Information/Write-up
Released in 1980 on Vancouver’s influential Quintessence Records, Firing Squad b/w No Productivity marked The Subhumans’ third release and further cemented their reputation as one of the most politically charged and uncompromising acts in Canadian punk. At a time when punk was splintering into new wave and hardcore offshoots, the Subhumans doubled down on furious urgency and fierce social critique.
The A-side, Firing Squad, is a relentless indictment of authoritarianism and the moral panic it breeds. Driven by Mike Graham’s razor-wire guitar and Jim Imagawa’s taut drumming, the song captures the volatility of a world tipping toward repression, with Brian “Wimpy Roy” Goble’s vocals delivering both rage and clarity. It’s a blast of anti-fascist protest rock sharpened into two-and-a-half minutes of righteous fury.
Flipping the single reveals No Productivity, a biting takedown of capitalist grind culture. The track rails against societal expectations of efficiency and output, exposing the soul-crushing monotony of modern work life. Gerry “Useless” Hannah’s bass locks into a tight groove that mirrors the mechanical repetition the song decries, while Goble sneers the refrain with bitter precision.
More than just a punk single, Firing Squad b/w No Productivity showcases the Subhumans at their creative and ideological peak. Recorded during a period of heightened political unrest, these two tracks distill the band’s ethos: direct action through distortion, satire as strategy, and volume as a tool of resistance.
Essential listening for fans of agit-punk, this 7-inch is not only a defining moment in the Vancouver scene, but a timeless protest record whose relevance echoes decades later.
-Robert Williston
On this release, the Subhumans were:
Wimpy Roy (aka Brian "Sunny Boy Roy" Goble) vocals
Gerry Useless (aka Gerry Hannah): bass
Koichi Imagawa (aka Jim Imagawa): drums
Mike Graham (aka Mike Normal): guitar
I had a firing squad dream, I saw it all clearly
I heard the headless people scream, I saw it all clearly
I saw the holy man
Blood on his holy hands
I saw the justice of god
Police and priests and prophets all in one
The new order soldiers taking aim on holy orders
People bowing at the call
Rebels standing at the wall
It’s called the justice of god
I saw their justice
I saw the word of god
I saw their mercy
It was the firing squad
Innocent and guilty behind bars, locked up together
Madness and confusion of this kind could last forever
The minister of execution
Calls for a retribution
Calls for the justice of god
Crowds of disciples running wild, under control
While desperate people hide inside, wait to explode
Another week, another year, who knows who’ll feel the fear
Who’ll feel the justice of god
I saw their justice
I saw the word of god
I saw their mercy
It was the firing squad
I saw their justice
I saw the word of god
I saw their mercy
It was the firing squad
It was the firing squad
It was the firing squad
It was the firing squad
It was the firing squad
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