The Exploited

Riot starting, bouncer bashing, cop baiting, hotel trashing, foul talking, noise making, chaos causing, venue wrecking, government hating, rule breaking, piss taking, unrelenting, punk rocking. Clearly we're not talking about Pepsi adverts here, or indeed the many so-called punk bands that would gleefully sell themselves to such corporate giants for a palm full of silver.

But maybe we should put that into context since it means so many different things. It's early 1980 and 'entertainment' on a Saturday night (or any other night of the week) consists of sitting around at home watching crap on TV or sitting around in a bus shelter drinking cider or sniffing glue. Unless, of course, you're old enough to drink in the same pub as your dad. Oh the thrill of it all! Punk rock is all you have. It's your lifeblood, the only thing that makes sense and the only thing to look forward to in a world with 'no future'. And it's fucking exciting! The next single, the next gig, the volume coursing through your veins to remind you that you're alive. Punk rock is a dangerous business. The mere act of looking like a punk will earn you a night in casualty if you're not careful, and getting to and from one of the few venues that will let punk bands play can literally be a matter of life and death. So, you can cop out and be a part time punk (flatten your hair down for school, work or more likely the dole queue) or follow whatever trend you're told is 'in' this week. The other option, the only other option, is to give to punk rock what it has given to you -- everything! If you're going to be unemployed, then be unemployable! If you're going to get beaten up, then go down fighting! If you've got something to say, then shout it! And most of all, if you're going to be in an obnoxious punk rock band, then be in a really obnoxious punk band!

This was the route chosen by ex-squaddie Wattie Buchan (vocals), Big John Duncan (guitar), Dru Stix (drums) and Gary McCormack (bass). Right from the start (early 1980, if you were paying attention) there was no toning these Edinburgh punks down, no diluting their music for public consumption. The Exploited were punk rock.