Hagar the Womb

The band was formed in London in 1980, in the toilets of the Wapping Anarchy Centre, established by the efforts of seminal anarchist bands Crass and Poison Girls.[1] The original line-up was all-female, reflecting the band's purpose of giving women a voice in the anarcho-punk scene: Ruth Elias (vocals), Karen Amsden (vocals), Nicola Corcoran (vocals), Janet Nassim (guitar), and Steph Cohen (bass guitar).[1] One week after forming they played their first gig with Zounds and The Mob, with 'Scarecrow' playing drums.[1] They soon recruited a second guitarist, 'Jon From Bromley', and a permanent drummer, Chris Knowles, formerly of Cold War. Prior to joining Hagar the Womb, Chris Knowles had already recorded the dystopian single 'The Machinist/Illusion' with Cold War, playing bass and providing vocals, creating a sound akin to the work of Antisect and Amebix. A rare demo tape of Chris Knowles work with Cold War exists, containing music that still remains unreleased.[1] Corcoran left, leaving two vocalists.[1] The band's first demo included the track "For the Ferryman", which was released on the Mortarhate label compilation LP Who? What? Why? When? Where? in 1984.[1] Cohen was replaced by Mitch Flacko (also of The Mekons) prior to the band's first release proper. The band toured the UK punk circuit for five years, releasing two 12-inch EPs and recording a Peel Session for BBC Radio 1 on 11 February 1984.[2] Their first EP The Word of the Womb was produced by Pete Fender ( son of Vi Subversa and guitarist in Honey Bane's Fatal Microbes ) and released on Conflict's Mortarhate label, which was a hit on the UK Indie Chart during 1984, peaking at number six, and staying in the chart for more than five months.[1][3] Elaine Reubens joined the band in time for the recording of their Peel session.[1] The band released a second EP, Funnery In a Nunnery (UK Indie No. 9) the next year,[3] now on the Abstract label, drawing comparisons with Siouxsie & the Banshees, Delta 5 and The Slits.[4] Flacko left, his replacement being Paul "Veg" Venables, and Julie Sorrell was brought in to replace Amsden.[1] They continued for another year, but there were no further releases and the band split up, with Knowles, Sorrell, Venables, and Harding forming We Are Going To Eat You, who signed to Junior Delgado's Big Cat Records after their 1987 début EP and went on to release the album Everywhen in 1990.[4] They later changed their name to Melt, releasing a sole EP before splitting up.[1]

The band's drummer Chris Knowles (a notable figure in the Stamford Hill punk rock anarchist squatting scene in the 1980s) has a degree in Hegelian Dialectics, Continental Philosophy and Russian Literature and went on to become a cult DJ under the name Chris Liberator.[1] Bassist Mitch Flacko has been playing bass in avant garde ensembles, and works as a tour manager.

During its lifetime the band's line-up fluctuated regularly, but often included:

• Ruth Elias a.k.a. Ruth Rack or The Hon. Ruthless Savage (Vocals)
• Karen Amsden a.k.a. The Karennipoo or Miss K. Penfold (Vocals)
• Elaine Reubens a.k.a. Illayne Illhabopp (Vocals)
• Julie Sorrell (Vocals)
• Jon Attwood a.k.a. Jon from Bromley or JFB (Lead Guitar)
• Paul Harding a.k.a. Paul Permo or Paul Centipede (Lead Guitar)
• Stephanie Cohen (Rhythm or Bass Guitars)
• Janet Nassim a.k.a. Janetti Spaghetti or El Janetti Ravioli (Rhythm Guitar)
• Mitch Flacko a.k.a. Mitch Jail Bate (Bass Guitar)
• Paul Venables a.k.a. Veg (Bass Guitar)
• Chris Knowles a.k.a. Chris Elephant Face, Mr. Chris Engelbert Funkadink or Chris Liberator (Drums)