Never mind the Buckfast! Five great contemporary Glasgow punk bands (Jan 2019)
NME Feature Article on rising Glasgow punk bands and their contributions to the city's music scene and community.
Thought Dublin was the new home of punk? Well, you might have a point, but the Scots are fast catching up. Glasgow has become a hotbed for punk protest in recent years, a strong sense of community spirit key to the rejuvenation of the scene; hometown heroes Rascalton recently claimed that they’re “still to see jealousy between upcoming bands in Glasgow”, and that the currently thriving music scene is “a beautiful thing to be a part of”. Well, thanks to the likes of Idles, punk’s got positive – and here are our favourite Glaswegian punks raising hell with a smile.
Rascalton
What’s the deal? Glasgow’s punk figureheads Rascalton were featured in the NME 100, the essential new artists for 2019, where we said they sound like “The Clash were raised on Buckfast”. A band evidently brimming with confidence at the moment, they’re set to embark on a nationwide tour with Strange Bones at the end of January along with further new music to be released later this year.
What makes them so good? In their own words, vast amounts of “carnage” are to be expected at their live performances. Their old-school punk approach infused with witty insights and reflections of life in Glasgow is vigorously enticing, paving a prosperous path for 2019 for the punk four-piece.
Start with: “Lust”
The Dunts
What’s the deal? With several sold-out hometown shows already behind them, this year The Dunts are poised to appear at South By Southwest 2019 alongside a number of other rising Scottish artists such as The Ninth Wave as they prepare to take their sound stateside.
What makes them so good? Their fast-living, politically infused anthems make the band a strong force to be reckoned with. If you haven’t heard of The Dunts, you soon will.
Start with: “G53”
Baby Strange
After a brief hiatus for much of 2018, Baby Strange returned with new music late last year followed by a headline slot at Glasgow’s SWG3 in December – with company provided by the likes of The Blinders and Lucia on the night. Having released their debut album back in 2016, the band has played an integral part in the rise of the Glasgow music scene as a whole.
What makes them so good?: Luring, captivating lyrics paired with ravenous guitar lines form the foundations of their inimitable sound which has drawn in wide audiences over recent years and their successes don’t show any signs of stopping.
Start with: “Pure Evil”
Voodoos
What’s the deal? Tipped to be ‘big in 2019’ by the likes of UK promoters This Feeling and with a host of performances already lined up later this year, Voodoos are a riotous outfit to be missed at your peril.
What makes them so good?: Their debut EP “Late Night Early Morning” displays a fittingly titled account of the group’s guitar-centred soundscape, crafted with vast helpings of attitude and distortion throughout.
Start with: “Garden Ornaments”
Heavy Rapids
What’s the deal? “May I have your attention please?” These are the opening lyrics of newly released track “Going Down” from Heavy Rapids clearly shows their statement of intent for the year ahead. A firm favourite among the Glasgow punk circuit, the group look poised to imminently spread their music further afield.
What makes them so good?: Three adjectives that aptly describe Heavy Rapids’ modus operandi: unruly, boisterous, invigorating – and that’s how we’d sum up Glasgow’s punk scene, too.
Start With: “Crying Shame”
