Gobsmakt were a Wellington-based Oi punk band formed in 1996, rooted firmly in old-school street punk with a splash of ska swing. The band was founded by Craig ‘Bilbo’ Frost (bass, vocals), Brent Jenkins (drums) and Daniel ‘Guv’ Cavanagh (lead guitar), with Tristan ‘Triz’ Knowles (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Magoo (vocals) joining the lineup in 1997. Jenkins was already a seasoned figure in the local scene, having played drums in long-running Wellington punk band Flesh D-Vice since 1983.

Gobsmakt quickly made their mark overseas, releasing the Police State 7-inch EP in late 1997 on UK label Helen Of Oi. Recorded by Carey Moore, the four-song EP captured their blunt, chant-along style and set the template for what followed. In 1998 they released their debut album You Wot! on UK label Step-1 Music, a 15-track CD that included re-recorded versions of four Police State songs. Lyrically unapologetic and musically tight, the album earned a reputation for no-nonsense “yob Oi!” that prized energy and attitude over subtlety .

Visually, the band’s identity was shaped by artwork from local tattoo artist Steve Droog of Underground Arts. After a busy first couple of years of releases and shows, the band went on hiatus in 1999. They reformed in late 2004, returning to the stage in early 2005 at a Capital Kaos show at Valve alongside Flesh D-Vice and Hamilton Oi punks The Bludgers.

Further hiatuses followed, but Gobsmakt resurfaced again in 2009, playing shows with The Bludgers, Vicious Rumour and Ferndale Stranglers, and supporting UK street punk heavyweights The Business and Sham 69 in May that year. Their final performance took place at Bar Medusa in October 2012, sharing the bill with Flesh D-Vice, The Bludgers and several other local acts. Their legacy lived on in name as well as noise, with Auckland Oi band Lager Louts taking their name from a Gobsmakt song.

Origin	Wellington
Genre	Oi punk
Years Active	1996-1998/ 2003-2012
Labels	Helen Of Oi Records, Step-1 Music
Associated Acts	Flesh D-Vice, Sub-Dominants
Past Members	Craig ‘Bilbo’ Frost (bass, backing vocals) Brent Jenkins (drums) Daniel ‘Guv’ Cavanagh (lead guitar) Tristan ‘Triz Knowles (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) Magoo (vocals)

Releases

Title	Date	Label	Type	Format
Police State	1997	Helen Of Oi! HOO37	EP	7″
You Wot!	1998	Step-1 Music	album	CD
Eruption Vol.1	2000	Jonah Records	compilation	CD
This Is Punk, This Is Oi! This Is Step 1!	2019	Step 1 Music	compilation

Timeline

1997, April 4, Intensified Bar

Skapa, Lemon, Gobsmakt

1997, July 11, Intensified Bar

Gobsmakt

1997, August 3, C.Moore Sound

Recorded “Police State”

1997, Police State

1997, December 5, BNU Hall

1998

1998, You Wot!

1998, June 4, Bodega

1998, September 12, BNU Hall

Sadius Fiend, Gobsmakt, The Offbeats

1998, September 25, James Cabaret

2005

2005, March 26, Valve

2006

2006, February 1, Bar Bodega

Gobsmakt, Captain Sergeant Major, Gugonix

Gobsmakt

Releases