The Templars : Poor Knights of Acre

The Templars are arguably the best American Oi! band around. At least my mate Don and myself think so. Give these guys a little more time and I'm sure if you haven't heard anything about them (what fucking rock have you been under?!) you will soon enough. Their driving street punk sound is so unique that you can easily distinguish a Templars song from other bands' music by the time the first chorus comes around.

The Templars formed in April of 1991 and played their first show in 1992. The current line up has Phil Templar on drums, Perry on bass, and Carl Templar on guitar and vocals. You may know Phil from Oxblood and Perry from Carry No Banners zine. Their old bassist Don is in a Skinhead HC band called Sub DK, but I'm not sure if they're around anymore or not. The band 's songs deal with such down to earth topics as unemployment, police harassment, and life on the streets as well as puttting out a release celebrating A Clockwork Orange.

Carl Templar describes his main influences as '77 style punk like "the Clash, Count Bishops, Gorillas, etc. and early British rock like the Animals, Rolling Stones, the Who." His tastes also delve into other genres of music like "Black Sabbath, Slade, Rose Tattoo, and folk music." Such ecclectic musical taste can only translate into the highly original sound (as far as I'm concerned anyway) that are the trademark of The Templars.