Between 1977-80 Punk and Post Punk riled Britain's youth, creating a new identity for young people to identify with, Here, Manon Williams defects from the common fable and affirms why Scotland was the birthplace of Punk a term refused in the first place.
When the popular story of punk is normally told, it can be a little London-centric. All too often the vibrancy of provincial music scenes and the sheer volume of bands that emerged are overlooked; their role only really appreciated by those who take the time to delve deeper into the scene’s history.
Perhaps because of this trend and also its strength musically during the post-punk years, Scotland’s experience of punk barely gets a mention. Which is odd, because during the late-seventies Scotland was an effeminate scene of musical creativity; producing not just major punk bands, including the Skids and The Rezillos but also a plethora of well-regarded off cuts, such as The Go-Betweens, The Flowers and The Dreamboys.
Punk was characterised by attitude and angst of a revelling youth scene that had become despondent to day to day living. Driven by the desire to outwardly express themselves, often having strong opinions towards politics, race, religion and job prospects. Having been suppressed by the restraints of bleak 70’s agenda, Punk was the perfect outlet for rebellion, manifesting itself through music, fashion and do it yourself attitudes. 3 things that translated perfectly throughout the entire country, no rock left unturned by the desire for things to change. But, often when reciting the history of Punk and Post - Punk cultures, London becomes the central focus point, where it all happened.
But, there are significant differences when comparing the scene in Glasgow to the scene in London or Wales. Each place having their own takes on the word Punk. Categorizing Punk to London sees the words Vivienne Westwood being thrown around a lot. It’s no secret that London has always been a city built on cash flow. Expensive Punks with expensive clothing and posh Londoners pretending to be angry at almost anything, taking the phrase, “If it Moves, Kill Em” to an almost literal sense.
But, in Scotland you’ll find a truer representation of Punk and Post-Punk subcultures. A transparency that you won't find in London, harnessing a more primitive way of representing yourself. With very little money and nothing to do, formal jackets would transform into elaborately mangled pieces of fabric, severed at the hands of several heavy handed kids wielding kitchen scissors and pots of paint whereas in London, places like Seditionaries prepackaged punk for those who could afford it.
The air of despondency was what surprisingly shifted the scene in Scotland, particularly in the 70’s, a time that saw the music scene at an all time low, dominated by dull, denim clad, flare wearing bands for far too long. Most people seemed to be into hard rock, with only a few of the more knowing, slight outsiders, often found congregating in art schools, who were listening to the likes of Bowie and Roxy Music, a scene that would send a cosmic shift throughout the entire music industry; Glam Rock, would be the predecessor to Punk. Young Davy Hendersons, Edwyn Collins’s and Fay Fifes all falling under the impressionable influence of androgynous Glam Rock.
Source: Fire Engines Archive
In the early days of punk pre 1977, it was bands from England that dominated the live punk scene. The Sex Pistols and The Clash responsible for several Scottish bands. From this, the musical landscape that emerged was one characterised by innovation and creativity and also one that saw Scotland possessed of its own nascent musical infrastructure. Traditional industries such as shipbuilding were
beginning to plummet, while in 1979 a historic referendum failed to deliver devolution to the people of Scotland. The prospect of settling down and working a menial factory job becoming all too distant.
And, this change didn’t go unnoticed, soon bands pooled together after congregating around places that shared a common love for music, Bruce’s Record Store and Glasgow School of Art being two popular locations of choice. Anywhere in which you could find records imported from tropical London. A handful of bands would quickly deluge Scotland, stamping out the last of the Pub Rock bands with zero remorse.
Probably the most extreme example of this intolerance took place in Glasgow during the spring and summer of 1977. Following some trouble after a Stranglers gig in the city centre, Glasgow’s councillors decided to introduce a ‘punk-ban’. It meant that the city’s music venues, places that had helped nurture and develop the Scottish scene when it was in its early state became wary of contravening the ban and booking an act even remotely ‘punk’ in look or sound, an action that led to a significant drop in the number of bands playing the city.
One of the most surprising effects of this was the impact it had upon the town of Paisley. Musically, nothing of prominence had ever emerged out of this town, which lies eleven miles west of Glasgow. But the decision by Glasgow City Council to ban punk led to an exodus of audiences and groups to Paisley, a place that welcomed them with open arms.
But, not only did this change manifest itself in the form of music, indie labels and club nights formed. A Splash-One Happening was a monthly night created by 8 individuals, and now regarded as a catalyst for Scottish talent.
A result of adopting a do it yourself method, A Splash One Happening was structured around live music and avoided any incessant involvement with props, even opting for a handmade soundtrack on cassette as opposed to hiring out DJ’s. Hosting early incarnations of The Soup Dragons, Primal Scream and The Submarines, A Splash One Happening became the convening point for the youth of Glasgow. Between 1985-86 as the night progressively grew, even The Wire and Sonic Youth were to grace the doors of Daddy Warbucks on 46 West George Street.
A Splash One Happening, Sonic Youth
One of the night’s founders, Derrick Louden recalls; ‘We all had different musical tastes, and we were all really opinionated about music. It was a completely DIY thing. We’d book the bands ourselves, make the posters, choose the soundtracks and make up the tapes.’ No such high-falutin’ niceties as vinyl and turntables for the Splash One team, it was pre-recorded mixtapes all the way. And so the C86 sound, and by extension Glasgow’s indie music culture as it exists today, was born. - Derrick Louden
A Splash One Happening Mixtape
★ Godstar- Psychic TV ★ Shop Assistants- Safety Net ★ Echo and the Bunnymen- Pictures on my wall ★ Nikki Sudden- Shame on the Angels ★ The Ramones- Glad to see you go. ★ Birthday Party- Dead Joe ★ Love- Little Red Book ★ Lime Spiders- Slave Girl ★ Velvet Underground- What Goes On ★ The Doors- Break on Through ★ The 13 Floor Elevators- Splash 1 ★ Julian Cope ★ Stooges-Wanna be your dog ★ The Buzzcocks- 16 Again ★ The Jesus and Mary Chain- Upside Down
Following this, came indie labels..the likes of Zoom, Fast Product, Postcard Records, Groucho Marxist and Creation. With the introduction of the indie labels came the chance to be heard by everyone and anyone. Immediately breaking down the stereotype of signing to a major and moving down South.
Run from a flat and only releasing a handful of records, FAST Product was the idea of both Hilary Morrison and Bob Last, two people who had been hanging around the thriving scene in Edinburgh, having recently finished touring with The Rezillos.
Originally, FAST had started out as a brand after Bob had developed an intrigue with The Situationists, a small group of avant garde artists located in Paris. This ideology of becoming a provocateur translated into the beginnings of FAST. A label where the image was equally important as the sound that Hilary and Bob curated.
Over the period of two years between 1978-80, FAST would go onto release records and ignite the careers of The Human League, Gang of Four, The Mekons and The Scars. At one point, FAST even began selling orange peel in plastic bags to show that anything could hold value when placed in a different context.
The Mekons
Further West, a fellow kid on the scene, Alan Horne had the idea to start a rival label
called Postcard Records.
Postcard Records in its first incarnation lasted barely two years and released just 11 singles and one album. With an exceptional roster – Orange Juice , Josef K, Aztec Camera and (from Brisbane) the Go-Betweens – the label's bands became accidental architects for much of what would later become known as indie pop: wryly romantic lyrics; janglesome melodies; an ability to split the difference between the Velvet Underground and American soul music. For many bands Postcard were a stepping stone. And eventually The Postcard legend was even bigger than the label itself.
It all seemingly sounded great, signing to an indie, having a record made and dominating the indie charts. But, it wasn’t often the case, many indie labels ran on a combination of transparency and miniscule amounts of money, this transparency often causing conflict between band members, managers and label owners. Bob Last briefly recalls the animosity between Alan Horne of Postcard and himself;
“Somebody told me recently in a book about Postcard, I evidently sent them death threats. So it was quite adversarial.” - Bob Last, FAST, Big Gold Dream
This meant that many independents didn’t have a long shelf life. But, this quick ascend in popularity during the height of success meant that majors were quick to knock on the doors of small self-made bands.
One band in particular shared in this aim to sign to a major and move to London; The Scars were a post punk outfit from Edinburgh, having just released their now infamous Horrowshow/Adu/tery single in 1979 on Bob Last’s Fast Product label. With their angular releases topping the indie charts, soon Charisma Records, a subsidiary of EMI had set their sights on signing The Scars. Paul Research lead signer of The Scars had been captivated by the golden pavements of London, not afraid of being branded as “sell-outs” The Scars signed to Charisma, releasing their debut album, “Author! Author!”.
It was to be their only album recorded, as the band were quick to find out that it was near impossible for them to capture the same sound in the studio as it was during their live sets, a common occurring death sentence for many budding bands. Any instruction quick to fall on deaf ears, the same ears, proving to be more sympathetic in previously defining The Scars jagged sound.
The Scars, Old Grey Whistle Test, 1981.
And as soon as Punk happened, it was over with a blink of an eye the most defining
years were gone. The late 80’s rolled around, as did New Wave and Twee Pop.
In today’s society there is an irony to Punk nowadays in general, many people still keen to carry on the tradition of angst, but somehow the definition has reverted back into an almost Westernised version of the Punk, people opting to purchase their identity for extortionate prices, categorized under the word “vintage” former X-Ray Spex shirts selling for upwards of £200.
But, Punk has definitely had a lasting effect on Scottish music history, which is still evident in today’s youth culture, still as effervescent as the 70’s and with more opportunity to start your own trends, bands, blogs, zines whatever it is that you choose to represent yourself best.
