Chubby and the Gang have decided to call it quits, sharing their farewell on Instagram with a heartfelt message: “Every dog has his day, ours came and went away. Thank you for the good times sorry for the bad ones and for a great six years. Who fuckin loves ya? Chubby does “.
Back in 2019, this punk band from London burst onto the scene with roots tied deeply to British post-hardcore. Charlie “Chubby Charles” Manning-Walker led them, having been part of groups like Violent Reaction and Arms Race. Other members hailed from Vile Spirit and Gutter Knife in Brighton. Their first album, Speed Kills, produced by Jonah Falco of Fucked Up fame, debuted in February 2020 under Static Shock Records.
The band later stabilized with Manning-Walker joined by guitarists Ethan Stahl and Tom “Razor” Hardwick, bassist Maegan Brooks Mills, and drummer Joe McMahon. They moved to Partisan Records, releasing The Mutt’s Nuts in 2021 followed by an EP titled Labour of Love. But then came a twist—right after they dropped their holiday special A Christmas Extravaganza, Manning-Walker announced he’d swapped out all other members but himself. Their last album together was And Then There Was…, released just last October.
Fans might feel mixed emotions about this sudden change.
Speed Kills even made it onto “The 25 Best Rock Albums of 2020.” And if you’re curious about Static Shock Records’ place in the UK’s DIY punk scene, Madison Bloom’s column is worth revisiting!
