Story: Ralph Greco, Jr.
Charlie Manning is Chubby and The Gang. The 30 something year old born and bred Londoner, kicked off the project in 2019 with the intention of blending hardcore punk with the most infectious elements of ‘70s rock n roll and doo-wop. Charlie brought in a “gang” of rotating instrumentalists performing on the albums Speed Kills (2020) and The Mutt’s Nuts (2021), both released through Partisan Records. Fast forward to now and Chubby and the Gang joins long-running hardcore label Flatspot Records for the release of the upcoming album, And Then There Was…
The album is 16 songs written and performed by Charlie, produced by Jonah Falco, and recorded and mixed by James Atckinson. It’s a mix of control and chaos, love and loneliness, rage and vulnerability. The songs scream to be heard in a live setting, but feel just as at home playing over the speakers of a dimly lit local pub. “There’s A Devil In The Jukebox” is a roaring punk track. “The Bonnie Banks” storytelling nature leads to repetitive refrain that is begging to be shouted along with. There’s the raucous and simply put “Anticop.” An expansive, drawn out moment of facing mortality on “To Fade Away.” And the record ends with an emotive piano ballad in “Cocaine Sunday.” Throughout And Then There Was… Charlie exposes his prowess for melody and exposition of true self.
In the five years Chubby and the Gang has existed, the band has done more than most in the double that time frame. An extensive 65 date UK tour, sharing the stage with chief influence The New York Hounds, celebrating Christmas and Valentine’s Day with original anthems. It’s no surprise the band has garnered praise across the globe, and across media with features on Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The Guardian, NME and more. Inching towards the release of album number three, Chubby and The Gang is primed to continue to be an enthralling voice of authenticity in the world of punk and beyond. For him though, the only goal is to “Play good shows. Have good times.”
