Formed in 2006, Wonk Unit is a vibrant and energetic punk band from London. Their songs are incredibly varied, some full of humour and wit with others packing an emotional, even devastating, punch. I was fortunate enough to talk with Alex, Pwosion, Max, and Vez from the band ahead of their show at The Joiners on November 3rd where they will be supported by Everyone Lies and Fractures.
Alex, you formed Wonk Unit after your time with The Flying Medallions – why did you want to start up again?
Alex: Because I like writing songs and playing live music.
Why punk and what does punk mean to you?
Pwosion: I started playing punk because in the early 90s, when I was a teenager, with British bands like Snuff, punk had moved to more melody, sounded less aggressive and had more of a sense of humour which really struck a chord with me. You could still speak your mind, make a social comment without the traditional anger and spitting etcetera. Not that I don’t like angry spitting – it just showed me a different way to approach it. A lot of the American bands brought that too. I especially loved bands like Propagandhi. I loved their musicianship. That’s what made me want to play punk.
Alex: I actually thought about this on the school run the other day and made a note on my phone. “Punk to me is about being true to yourself without hurting others”. It made sense at the time.
So we obviously know that Alex started the band but how did you guys get involved?
Max: I was a big Wonk fan for a few years before I joined the band – would go and see them every time they were in London. Occasionally, would chat outside to Pwos in the smoking area. I saw a post on Facebook saying they needed a new drummer, and after the next gig I saw them at, I very, very drunkenly was asking Pwos and Alex if they still needed a new drummer. And for some reason they gave me a shot. I think they knew I was taking it seriously when I showed up to the second ‘audition’ with my fingers bloody and covered in plasters.
Vez: It probably won’t surprise anyone to know I obviously haven’t been in Wonk Unit since the beginning – I think I was busy doing my year 6 SATs when the band started out. I was a fan to begin with, my ex-boyfriend got me on the Wonk wagon and they soon became a favourite band. In 2017, I went to see them at Rebellion Festival with Soft Play (then Slaves). I was absolutely spellbound and ended up chatting to Alex after their set. We stayed in touch and he found out I could play keyboards (OK not keyboards…piano, as a child) and before I knew it I was on stage at the Melkweg in Amsterdam the following June playing my first ever gig in front of 1,000 people. I cried and did an anxious poo before and after, and as they say, the rest is history.
Pwosion: I started playing in bands at school with my mate Barry. He’s a very gifted musician so I was very lucky. In the 90s, we had a thrash band and did pretty well, played the Marquee and the Astoria etcetera. From there, we formed Loophole – we did well too. Alex managed us. I knew Alex from our mutual BMX/skateboard youth but got to know him properly from there. He was in The Flying Medallions… my favourite band. Alex was our hero! I was lucky enough to join a reformed Medallions before Wonk; I have been in several bands with Alex – we’ve both been at this for a long time!
I often wonder why musicians pick the instruments they play. When I played a little bit of piano as a child, I only did it because my older sister had done.
Max: Yeah, I started getting drum lessons in school when I was 11. Not really sure what drew me to drums in particular, but I was beginning to get obsessed with AC/DC, Metallica and Green Day then so I think I was just desperate to play in a band.
Whenever I have seen you perform, it’s been an enjoyable time. I remember seeing a kid, I think he was maybe 16 or 17, at one of your shows and it was his first time going to gig. He got to do his first crowd surf at The Joiners. A really memorable moment for him and it made the rest of the crowd smile to see it. Have you got any highlights or memorable moments of your own?
Alex: Wonkfest 2019 was pretty special. I think that gig/line up was one of the best punk shows to ever happen in the UK.
Vez: My first summer with Wonk in 2018 was incredible, I made so many friends I’m still close with today and got to ‘see behind the curtain’ for the first time – aka discover what actually happens backstage (men standing around with their arms folded). Travelling to Germany for the first time and being asked to sign autographs, it was nuts. The best gig I’ve ever played was the O2 Forum in Kentish Town with Descendents. The best part was being surrounded by friends who were just so happy for us. When you have such a strong community, it’s the best feeling in the world.
On a similar note, what makes Wonk Unit different? Why should people come to see you?
Pwosion: What makes Wonk different is for the reason anything goes. We’ll always be a punk band but it is, effortlessly, what it is. We don’t constrain ourselves to any particular sound. Obviously, there’s a definite Wonk sound, but if a song feels like it should be in a certain style, that’s what it will be, whether it’s sounding like 808 State or Slayer – if it feels right, that’s what happens. We aren’t obliged or restricted to anything. I love that!
What about the challenges and low points of being in the band? I don’t think we talk about this kind of thing enough but it’s not all sunshine and roses.
Max: At first, it was the daunting task of having to learn about 100 songs from the back catalogue, which Alex may call out to play at any time during the gig. Nowadays, it’s pretty smooth sailing and the main struggle is just to fit everything in around working full time to be honest.
Alex: Low point? I got to number 3 in the Amazon health and sexuality book charts (basically the porn chart) with a book I wrote on sex. I wrote it in the language of the building site and, in hindsight, I shouldn’t have expected it to translate to everyone. A tiny minority of people took offence and I experienced an early “trial by Facebook”. You live and learn. At the time, I had friends and lovers in the sex industry so graphic content had become quite normalised to me (hence the front cover of our first album). I should have known better!
Vez, can you tell me a bit about your project X-ray Vez? How does your experience on this separate project differ from being in Wonk?
Vez: I was bored in lockdown and in a weird limbo period living with my family after university. I’ve always done a lot of writing but I decided to try putting my poems to music for the first time. I showed Alex my early songs and he gave me bucket-loads of encouragement, so I carried on. How it differs from Wonk Unit… I take criticism a lot more personally for starters – when you’re fronting something with your own words and image it’s a very vulnerable position to be in. But I’m also fortunate that Wonk Unit fans have been incredibly supportive of my solo output – I probably wouldn’t be bothering if it wasn’t for them!
Finally, I’ve always wanted to know… does the name Wonk Unit have any significance?
Alex: I guess it subconsciously sprang from those “work unit” signs you sometimes see on motorways. I was having a bad day on a building site and I referred to myself and my labourer as a “Wonk Unit”.
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