David Philp is lead singer and songwriter of The Automatics, an English Punk/Powerpop band that headlined London’s Marquee Club, where the Sex Pistols and The Damned often performed in the late 1970s. Their 1978 hit “When the Tanks Roll (Over Poland Again)”, released on Island Records was one of the first records to be produced by Steve Lillywhite, who went on to produce U2, XTC, the Pogues and many others.

The original line-up of The Automatics featured Philp on vocals and guitar, along with Wally Hacon (guitar), Bobby Collins (bass) and Ricky “Rocket” Goldstein (drums.)

Thanks to the praises of influential DJ John Peel, “Tanks” reached number one in the embryonic and important, Punk/New Wave charts and remains a favourite of punk rock devotees to this day. It is listed at number 22 in the top 50 punk songs from that era by Punks Reunited.

The Automatics