Citizen Fish

by Steve Huey Citizen Fish is essentially a reconstituted version of Englands Subhumans, except with a marked tendency toward ska-punk rather than straight-ahead punk rock. Growing out of vocalist Dick Lukas previous ska project, Culture Shock, Citizen Fish features two other ex-Subhumans — guitarist Phil and drummer Trotsky — plus bassist Jasper. The group debuted in 1990 with Free Souls in a Trapped Environment, following it with Wider Than a Postcard; Flinch appeared in 1994. Signing a distribution deal with Lookout Records, Citizen Fish issued Millennia Madness in 1995 and Thirst in 1996, returning in 1999 with Active Ingredients. Life Size, released in spring 2001, marked the bands first for Honest Dons Hardly Recordings. In early 2007, they appeared on a split with Leftöver Crack entitled Deadline and issued via Fat Wreck Chords (the vinyl, however, came out on Alternative Tentacles).