A 66-track free/pay-what-you-want download compilation album, curated by derrick johnston of make that a take records (me!), featuring friends, loved ones, bands and artists from all parts of the extended global cowpunk family. Some have already come to visit us in Dundee, others we hope to welcome home soon. Our collective gratitude to you all is lifetime.
This comp was meant to be out ages ago but, like so many other things, shit happens, but so goes. Here we are in February 2023.
What a time to be alive. Support your local diy punk crews.
MAKE YER ANE COMP IX is a 66-track digital download compilation release in solidarity with the good folx of FANS SUPPORTING FOODBANKS DUNDEE. FSF are a country-wide voluntary organisation of footballs fans who collectively had enough of corrupt politicians, empty sentiments, corporate greed, the poverty that plagues so many communities outside of central London and southern England, the continued war on the working class and that general pitiful state of the island. Who could possibly argue with any of that analysis?
All proceeds from donations for this digital download compilation album will be split 50/50 and donated in solidarity to the Dundee chapter of Fans Supporting Foodbanks. In their short existence, they’ve forged important working relationships with both professional football clubs in the city of Dundee and work in collaboration with the volunteers and workers at the Lochee Community Larder. Unfortunately, this sort of mutual aid and community solidarity is necessary, especially following 40+ years of Tory neoliberalism; financial, economic, domestic and international crimes. Where the greed of those I charge of the state always fail, the community and people always come together.We have to survive to exist.
Local press story; The Courier, July 2022
REST IN POWER GORDON JAMES MACKENZIE
MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU.
May the fourth be with you means different things to different people, a deeply important day for many reasons. For those of us who were privileged to know, live, grow and love Gordon, it shall now forever be both a beautiful and sad day, as it represents the day he arrived on this earth in his physical form.
I had the deep pleasure of first meeting Gordon in primary two; me a gobby five year old with too many thoughts and a frustrating speech impediment, he a taller, quiet, clearly smart six year old. Miss Littlejohn sat Gordon beside me; “Derrick’s a nice boy, hold his hand and he’ll show you around”, or some words to that effect. Little did she know that Gordon, both literally and figuratively, would be holding my hand for much of the next thirty-five years.
May the force ever be with you, brother.
Gordon’s love is not something that can be described, something that can only be experienced. His greatest love, greatest achievement and greatest source of joy was the love he poured into his children, family and forever loves. Gordon always the best of us. A loyal, ferocious fearless lily of the valley; a protector, sincere, honest, brutal, discrete, stubborn, strong, beautiful; the closest I’ve ever known a person to come to purity, something he’d belly laugh at. Those who know his love know this love will never end. “Love is a dog from hell” (Chuck Bukowski)
Gordon was an artist, a watcher, a photographer, an observer, a commentator, a critic, an inspiration and a muse. Two weird kids met in ‘88 as caterpillars. One evolved into the most beautiful, engaging, enraging, consistent, persistent, compassionate sage-like butterfly who listened to too much radio. Maybe he was a moth. I’m glad he saw the world how he did, infinite shades of grey; a vision all his own. The other writes platitudes, trying to keep a promise to my first co-conspirator.
Over ten years ago now, Gordon helped clear my father’s house after he died. My dad’s departure date was April 27th 2012, same day Boab sent me the final masters of the Uniforms EP. As Gordon told me then; “love never dies and neither do spirits. Dae the ‘hings, whatever the ‘hings may be”. The EP came out on May 4th 2012, the caterpillar’s thirtieth birthday. The gig doubled as my dad’s wake.
Gordon lived. Gordon loved. Gordon will never truly die. He’ll be with us all until end of time as he knew that energy cannot die, it just transforms. Love is alive in story, song, poetry, art, blood, verse, heart, soul, thought, our bodies, our bones and everywhere at all times. That can only grow with time, Gordon the watcher ever watcheth over.
Gordon knew that “all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively, there is no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we are the imagination of ourselves” (Bill Hicks).
Thank you for lighting the way for us all.
We will love you until the earth falls into the sun.
May the force ever be with you, until we see you again.
TO ALL THOSE WE’VE LOVED AND LOST; GO EASY OR FIGHTING, SEE YOU AGAIN.
MTAT enters our seventeenth year of existence in 2023 but, and it’s absolutely no exaggeration and cannot be expressed strongly enough, we would not and could not exist without the tireless labour of all of the beautiful humans, staff and crew that work at Rad Apples. Hazel and I started the business at very short noticed with the endless help of so many people, but has since evolved into something that we could never have really imagined. All of the team; Sam, Laura, Hooligan, Calum, Matty, Eva, Alex, Mikee, Nikita, Brodie, Avril, you are all diamonds.
To the good folx at 71 Brewing, Fierce Beer, the Health Food Store, Tempest Brewery, Cairn O Mohr Winery, Daisybakes, the Dundee Audio Social, Cirque Du Corset, Alan and all the troops from the Rad Pub Quiz, Sketchy Figs, One Love Hifi, Blood On The Clocktower, Urban Print, Helmholtz Photography, Lou Lou Reed, Coin-Operated Press, WRASAC, Scrap Antics, Dundee Music Studios, Rainbow Music, Anti Social Vegan Club, Black Lodge Press, AK Press, TNS Records, Aaahh!! Real Records, Mutual Scum, Struggltown, JCHC and anyone I missed, much love..it takes a whole village to raise a child and aw that. We couldnae dae it alone.
Much love and respect also to the rad crew at Conroy’s Basement & the MTAT crew for everything they do to not only work shows and make things happen, but collectively built and maintain care of our PA system whilst running sound, problem-solving, playing in bands, juggling lives, knives and emotions; their work is often unseen but vital and the gratitude I owe them cannot be understated. I try to be a good “leader” (lol) but I’m a nightmare; Jason, Dave, Gain, Ross, Alex, Zahra, Nic, Kev, Brian; I and the good people with ears of the Dundee music community salute your service.
We work with The Good Night Out Campaign.
Usual house rules apply.
NO BOZOS
MAKE YER ANE COMP IX
Thanks to all the sick bands, artists and labels. Please support them.
*indicates exclusive track!
01. What better band than BURNING FLAG to kick off a new comp with a track that addresses this bullshit straight out of the gate. “Broken Britain” is right, aff wi thur fucking heeds at this point. The “Matador” LP destroyed, as did the band on the Sunday night of Book Yer Ane Fest XV. Download the album and check out the video on COWPUNK TV.
02. The story of ALLDEEPENDS as the greatest love story ever told has already been documented but these “Xx_DUND0N14N VAMP1R35_xX” released the incredible “THROWING A PIT TO NOTHING” LP and ridden rough around the UK, east coast of the United States and all across the EU since last being static in Dundee. New music and peripatetic experiences coming!
*03. THE OVERBITES release their long-awaited “TIME TO GO” CDEP through MTAT on Friday 3rd February, which may well be fucking ages after some folx are reading this. They’ve never been slicker and “No-thority” is a typically cynical slice of upbeat caustic punk rock’n’roll goodness like yer granny used to make. From the gutter to the nappies, aim high. Check the music videos for “ANXIETY” and “ROTTEN”.
04. THE CUNDEEZ are a Dundee institution, containing some of the OG antifa skinheads from back in the day. “Us ‘an Them” is a typically knowing blast of traditional Cundeez ruckus, in the oary mither tongue, full boar, with a consciousness that the cultural warriors deem beneath us scum on the streets. These troops are refreshing, full of heart and open to the world, old school enough to be wise, smart enough to see through the illusions of punk “safety” found elsewhere. Legends.
*05. Exclusive version of the sick jam from the rowdiest of JUTE CITY HARDCORE crews, recorded by Black Waves Audio. In the space of a year, TRUTH RUINER have grown from an idea inside a practice room into a hulking hoods-up hardcore monster that has devastated every show they’ve been and reduced a couple of BYAFs on the bounce to rubble. This is a raucous version of “FAKE IT (‘Til U Never Make It) and it slams. Check out “PROMO ’22”, part of the MTAT HOMEGROWN SINGLES SERIES.
06. The global punk diaspora reaches some remote parts but there can’t be too many labels on earth run by two sisters in a village the size of Tomintoul. Whatever the blustery weather, BRATAKUS are sick as fuck and have been ragin’ against it all for years now, putting out their own music on SCREAMING BABIES RECORDS and playing shows all across Europe. They’re coming back to Dundee in May and we’re stoked to have them back at Rad Apples where they can tell us how “REAL MEN EAT MEAT.
07. FIT TO WORK are on the Scotland’s most important bands and it was a bucketlist ticker to finally have them play the basement just before christmas after trying book them for half a decade. “WE WILL KILL AGAIN” is a beautiful illustration of all that is amazing about this band; the intelligence, the delivery, the intensity, the islands, the otherness, the passion, the love; all things nazis hate. Figures why their getting shit, steer clear of the comments sections. Orkney’s greatest ever export!
*08; “DON’T TELL ME” is the first track taken from the very long time in the waiting debut GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY LP. Recorded by James Johnson at Tonegarden Studios in Edinburgh and mastered by Ant Booth at Kesbri Studios, this debut record is currently in the final stages of production and will be unleashed soon. Full details will emerge over the coming months but this is the first taste before world domination. I told these troops to take the record deals they were offered. They refused. True love or madness, ultimately how many copies of the vinyl we punt will decide!
*09. THIS IS A BIG DEAL. To me, to archivists, to local historians and music fans in general; “NOT AFRAID OF PHANTASY” is a previously unreleased song from Dundee alternative rock gods LAETO, one of the finest bands ever to come out of this city. Sadly no longer with us, it’s been a total pleasure getting to know a couple of the folx over the last few years and we’re absolutely delighted they felt comfortable in sharing some unreleased music with us. Get online and get to know!
*10. Another exclusive track from one of our city’s treasures, LITTLE ANCHORS is the solo work, recently-turned full band, of Ross Middlemiss. One of Dundee’s finest musical minds, Ross is a key member of the MTAT and music community, a renowned ecossemo recording engineer and exceptional musician in his own right, as a member of Stonethrower, Please Believe, The Blood Red Moon and countless other projects over the years. Thank you Ross, both for your exclusive song and for everything that you do.
11. DAVID DELINQUENT AND THE IOUS are the sound of a bunch of jaded punk rockers falling back in love with performing live music, based on the good old formula of gonzo rock’n’roll riffs, big choruses, big neon glow personalities, big guitars, good pals and good times. The lack of pretence can be seen and heard, joy sparkling out the speakers once again. This is a totally daft and joyous romper stomper from the MTAT HOMEGROWN SINGLES SERIES. Still a few of the limited run CD singles kicking aboot!
12. From the wrong side of the burger and straight into the WRONG LIFE, it’s a good thing that it’s only the poisoned chalice that Fraser has horsed will an albatross into the ocean, his uncanny knack for wrangling punk rock bangers from the subconscious to the turntable unparalleled. Some may mourn the demise of the previous band, but I’d rather a dead band than another dead pal. This is taken from the first couple of EPs, released on a compilation record last month. The debut full-length is coming soon on Limited Fun, Brassneck & Rad Girlfriend Records. It’s Fraser’s finest work to date, to my mind.
13. SMOKEY REAPER are one of the east coast’s best kept secrets and have quietly released two absolutely ripping EPs over the last six months. They’ve only played a handful of live shows but sometimes a band appears so perfectly formed, so perfectly complete from the get to, that ye just know everything that’s coming is going to slay. We’ll be putting out their first album this year. Think D4 / Radioactivity / Larry Arms.
14. The first of two tracks taken from the “CATKNIVES CHAUSLASH” split cassette tape released by Mutual Scum, this rager from Knives Chau Fan Club is part of why this queer ecossemo new noise crew is making pals everywhere they go, with big hearts, paint-stripping howls and more time signatures than a diCHordant clock playing late 90s euroskramz. Much love catslash, Gold Mold Records & the Mutual Scum posse!
TESTIMONY
everyone should listen to <a href=”http://laeto.bandcamp.com”>LAETO</a>
There’s a tendency, as you get older and life changes a bit – house, job, kids, partner – to stay in.
You can’t help it; you’d almost be weird if you didn’t. It happens to lots of (most?) people from all
walks of life, whatever they’re into. And more often than not, staying-in sees you cultivating a belief
that things aren’t as good as they used to be.
Dundee in the late 90s- mid 00’s was crazy. There were tons of bands. Tons of venues. Me and
my pals put on DIY shows for touring bands on labels distributed by Southern Records, who – at
the time – distributed everything on Touch &amp; Go, QuarterStick, Dischord etc. We did it at the old
Westport Bar (RIP), one of the best music venues I’ve ever been in. Scotty who ran it was
sympathetic to what we were doing so he gave us good rates, sometimes the venue paid the
sound engineer if we made enough money on the bar. They were great.
I remember June of 44 (a band that counted among its members people from Hoover, Codeine, Lungfish, Rodan, Shipping News, Crownhate Ruin) soundchecking upstairs at the Westie attic one Saturday afternoon in 1999 when there was football on the telly downstairs in the bar. Scotty brought a tray of surplus pies upstairs to give to the band. Excellent. Chicago post-hardcore veterans pausing their soundcheck to politely have a go at a Scottish Half-Time staple; “what is this?!”.
I found a wee diary in a drawer a few months ago. 2000-2001. Not a “5th Oct. Saw X across the
room again today, our eyes met. so dreamy”-diary; just a calendar. But it was so full of music stuff.
At least a couple of gigs a week to attend, most of the bands local. “ ‘sake, Dundee used to be
great” I said. More bands per-capita than any other Scottish city – I’d have put money on it. And
none of the chin-stroking or cliquiness of the other, bigger cities.
I moved away for a bit in 2002. Moved back 2015. Dundee still good, but not what it was, I thought.
Nice, but different. No bands. Nothing on. I went to the odd thing, not a lot. Conroys Basement had
gigs on; Kaddish were still going and they played there, we knew them from way back; Fat Goth
played there sometimes and they had Kevin from our old band in it, so I was aware of those
shows. Rad Apples opened and I started going in every now and then, paying more attention.
When it opened back up after the lockdowns, myself and the family went in for food a lot more, got
to know people, got chatting about music. I went to more gigs. Fucking hell, I’d got this all wrong.
The point of all of this is that – guess what! – there’s not only loads of good local music stuff going
on (which you all knew anyway, but I didn’t), there’s more than I have bandwidth to keep up with.
Way more. Dundee is at least as not-shit as it always had been. Good people are making things
happen. The bands are great; Portable Heads are pretty much my favourite thing I’ve heard in
years; Andrew Wasylyk is working at a rate of knots and putting out great award-nominated serious
records like it’s no biggie. The ‘scene’ is more welcoming, more diverse, the general quality bar is
higher.
There’s a thing that skateboarders say; “you don’t stop skating cos you get old, you get old cos you
stop skating”. Well maybe that, but maybe music too. I mean, while I definitely would rather be
playing Hot Wheels with the wean than carrying a bass cabinet up a flight of stairs in December, it
has been too easy for me to lapse into ignorance; just unawareness of the stuff going on this week
that’s as exciting as 20 years ago.
All things considered, there is still room to get out to a show just cos I’ve seen a poster of it, in support of a solid local music scene, propped up by good folk.
Right then. Thanks MTAT. More gigs for me in 2023. DIY punk babysitters wanted!
15. FRACTAL are another incredible band to freshly emerge from the fertile Dundee underground over the last year or so, combining crushing post-hardcore / metal riffery with theatrics, unparalleled impassioned skyscraping vocal delivery and a canny knack for discomfort and nuance. “GIANT” is one of the songs taken from the debut double A-side single, released as part of the MTAT HOMEGROWN SINGLES SERIES at BYAF XV, a broody example of darkness, light and ever-unraveling mysteries.
16. GREENBACK was been blowing our minds for a couple of years now, since this reclusive shire-dwelling multi-genre bass-driven dark metallic doom-folk with a deep hooks, pop structures and haunting melodies to swim in your head for days. Equally at ease on a folk-punk & country bill as slipping onto a hardcore show, THE COLLECTION offers a glimpse into the wisdom, history and unwinding narratives within. There is a comfort to be found in between the jars and screams, within dreams.
17. Thirteen years since their last full as a full-time band, the sand has run through the hourglass and the time has arrived for the return of JOEY TERRIFYING. There will be only TWO SHOWS (this year, never say never ever again; life is short, death is forever; a hometeam ruckus on Arpil 1st at BUYATICKETFORTHISFEST and the next weekend at MANCHESTER PUNK FESTIVAL. “BOMB ‘EM BACK” was recorded in 2010 and originally released on the “TRIPLE THREAT” split on SKA MUTINY RECORDS.
18. FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS are genius, beloved friends and one of the greatest, most chanllenging and, ultimately, unfuckwithable hardcore punk bands ever to come out of the Manchester punk scene. We’ve known these troops forever but, genuinely and unbiasedly, I’ve seen them wipe the floor with bands many years their senior in both years and experience. They stepped up where Shai Hulud were babies at MPF last year and they deserve yer deference, not washed up yankee posers.
19. WITHOUT LOVE are a melodic hardcore band from the south of England brought to my attention by Gary at JCHC. They reached out to us about possibly helping with a release, but understood that we weren’t in a position to help at this time. We continued our chats and they’re a rad band, crafting the bangers and doing the graft, more skate-influenced Propagandhi-esque progressive thrash punk than mindless dudebro mosh.
20. NEXO were one of the absolute highlights in Conroy’s Basement last year, their razor-sharp ultra-tight militant antifascist hardcore punk the perfect antidote to the bleak winter in Dundee. Their “FALSE FLAG” LP on TNS is an absolute ripper, one of last year’s finest europunk releases, and they’ve torn it up all across the continent. We were very lucky to have welcomed them here. The record lives on, ever relevant, devastatingly so, like Refused finally making their hardcore skate LP.
*21. This is the first recording from south east english hardcore feminist punks COMEBACK CLIT and we could not be more stoked to unleash their first banger. Coming from the same hostile environments that has produced the mighty HAEST and the TOXIC WOTSIT DIY COLLECTIVE, these folx are not fucking and are definitely a key band to keep an eye on in 2023. Would suggest catching them at Manchester Punk Fest a priority.
22. WREAKING JOY have been a breathe of fresh air for JUTE CITY HARDCORE and have already ripped it up across Scotland with much love since their first show a couple months ago. The debut EP is fire, the live show an incendiary immersion of pure guttural queercore joy.
*23. FINAL DAY are a vegan straight edge hardcore band from Dundee who simply do not fuck around. Their self-titled tape flew out when it was released via JCHC last year and, whilst yet to perform live, ye can virtually feel the sweat of the mosh dripping off the walls with this mammoth slice of zero compromise metallic hardcore, Earth Crisis style.
24. Much beloved ferocious fuzzy felines THE SEWER CATS are not only one of our favourite bands but two of our favourite humans. Their debut “CUTE AGGRESSION” LP on TNS Records is a wall-to-wall slammer and there is barely a venue in the country that haven’t had their foundations shaken by this noisy-ass don’t fuck with us two-piece punk gang. Having toured EU with fam ALLDEEPENDS, they’re set to destroy again in 2023.
25. With a moniker of perfect misnomer, Glasgow noise punks COMFORT are back with a scintillating new record and are making enemies in all the right places. One of the most beguiling bands to puzzle to the fringes of the mainstream and hispter venn diagram, it’s been beautiful to witness their transformation from oddball nihilists to social commentators whilst staying absolutely true to themselves, compromising nothing. Ace.
26. More weegie noisemangling, this time of a more metallic persuasion. Truth being told, MONI JITCHELL have probably forgotten they sent me this track, having done so in the first planning of this comp in the spring of last year. They’re recorded and released new music since, and I’ve a naggin suspicion they’ve sent about a dozen unanswered emails. Please don’t let my inherent shittiness put ye off, this shit is filthy.
27. The self-titled album from Edinburgh post-metal heroes CODESPEAKER may well be my favourite debut Scottish metal album of all time. Having been friendly with some of their previous bands, I knew this band would be great, but from the first riff to the last blood-curdling scream, lasy year’s eponymous debut ripped out my heart and left a juddering mess in it’s place. The live show is beyond intense, immersive, meditative shit. In a world with any justice, they’d be euro metal festival headliners.
28. Representing North East Hardcore and introduced to us by the JCHC, WISE UP are a radge metallic hardcore band from Newcastle who just got done stomping all over Dundee and Glasgow during their first visit to Scotland. They’re two EPs on Nuclear Family Records (shout out to all the celtic diy hardcore & punk crews scattered across this criminally mismanaged archipelago; fuck the tories from the islands to the channel). If ye like yer mosh with a side-serving of rap metal swag, here’s yer bag.
29. If there’s one thing Scotland has in spades, it’s existential misery and what better soundtrack for the bleak winter time than some excruciatingly nihilistic Tory-hating black metal? ORDER OF THE WOLF has been blowing minds across the underground red & anarchist black metal scenes for a few years now and contributed to the new movement-defining BLACK METAL RAINBOWS compilation / book project released last year. Dive deep into that shit, there’s treasure in the hills. It’s rumoured that 2023 will see the debut live performances. Keep ’em peeled.
30. From Arkansas via the road to the desert to service to death to the shires of highland perthshire, it’s been a hard traveled road for GRAVEDANCER. While we ain’t in Fayetteville anymore, we can find ourselves amongst kindred spirits anywhere we travel, so long as we’re all doing the dark lord’s work. Where others fear to roam is a kindness and a love unknown. Don’t hide yourself in the darkness, step into your true light. Just let somebody treat ye right the night.
31. <strong>FROM THE VALLEY TO THE SEA, PALESTINE MUST BE FREE.</strong>
Hassan is my friend so no apologies for the unashamed bias, but the work of LOUNAR and the representation of it is something I take with the utmost seriousness. The ongoing genocide and illegal occupation of Palestine are war crimes, crimes against humanity and what should be a source of utter shame and disgust for any “civilised” human, country or society. LOUNAR talks about identity; disapora, violence, culture shock, under-representation in a “scene” often keen to pay lip-service but never give a platform, save for building social capital, clout or liberal backslapping.
All proceeds from all LOUNAR releases will be donated 100% in perpetuity to <a href=”http://www.map.org.uk”>MEDICAL AID FOR PALESTINIANS.</a> Download both the <a href=”https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/daye3-ep”>“DAY3” EP</a> and the <a href=”https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/track/keemtak”>“KEEMTAK”</a> single from the MTAT Bandcamp. More music coming.
<a href=”http://www.map.org.uk”>www.map.org.uk</a>
32. KAPIL SESHASAYEE is a genius and a polymath; an incredible musician of dizzying talent, an intrepid vocalist and wonderfully complex singer/songwriter, a historian, a teacher and political activist, a philosopher, a friend, a driven consciousness doing the work of a thousand generations. His second full-length, from which “HILL STREET EPITHET” is taken, is a further bewitching sonic alchemical weave of tradition, narrative-driven storytelling and sick polyrhythms. It’s called “LAAL”, is out now across all platforms and worthy of love.
33. RED KING is a Dundee-raised Glasgow-based musician and rapper who booked Conroy’s Basement for a show back in the summer of 2022. We’d never hosted a hiphop show in the basement before but it’s a little known secret that hiphop was actually my first musical love, alongside literally bonkers happy hardcore and pop music, long before I found punk. RED KING killed it that night, introducing me to a whole new underground movement of scottish diy hiphop into which I had no window, full of incredible artists like LYNX, KOUK, JURNALIST & CULTURE CLAN, not to mention some of the more well-known rappers enjoying airtime. If ye need a primer on the relationship between punk & hiphop, read some!
34. Celebrating ten years of making music together, cowpunk originals BROKEN STORIES became a full live band at BOOK YER ANE FEST XV after a decade treading the boards as a fiddle-driven two-piece, breathing new punk rock fire into these “FORGOTTEN SONGS”. Singer/songwriter and artist Kev Thomson is the truest of true believers, being the only other ever-present in the MTAT story from the night we drunkenly to put pen to long-misplaced manifesto paper (notebook!) back in the shire in 2006. Sometimes it seems no matter how far we go, we truly never leave here.
35. From the blustery beaches of the cold north-eastern coast, ARSENIC ANNIE are a burst of light and warmth in an often jaded and cynical diy pop-punk & emo scene. A family affair, ARSENIC ANNIE play super-infectious catchy lofi indie pop-punk with big emo kid hearts, somewhere between the classic weirdo anarcho pop-punk of X-Ray Spex and the halogen glow on C86 through a retrospective post-modern grunge lens. Whatever the descriptors, it’s charming pop music from wonderful humans, which is more than enough to shatter the grey skies of a granite city.
*36. The first of two exclusive covers, this is a love letter from west coast girlgang FLINCH to their beloved besties in the most dangerous band in Scottish pop-punk. The aforementioned existential nihilism sometimes transcends genre, morphing into defiant shapes of sugar and sweetness, inherent melodies and uplifting major keys, be damned!
37. If yer lucky, ye dinnae ken about the narrative shift and the 7am fear, but ABSOLUTE MELT sure as fuck does. Another peerless haunting smash mouth punk rock ripper from the collective subconscious of one of our generations greatest songwriters. Taken from the ABOLUTE MELT lathe cut 10” released through LIMITED FUN RECORDS, this is a pretty special record and a delicious slab of a bleak experience turned into high art.
38. It’s no secret that THE LAST MILE are some of my best friends in punk, Chris Snelgrove an inspiration and hero of mine, and I couldn’t have been happier to be asked to be part of the international coalition to release the CD version of the sold-out on RAD GIRLFRIEND RECORDS’ LP version of the amazing “RESPECT THE FREQUENCY” record. We got to add bonus 7” tracks. Much love and huge respect to all the ace humans in the band, our bonds run deep, and to KEEP IT A SECRET DIY, KEEP SAFE PRODUCTIONS & WATERSLIDE RECORDS for sharing the love and keeping the dream alive.
39. Another ongoing metamorphosis, TRIPSUN are transforming from a cheeky melodic emopunk band from London into a more comfortable role as outspoken punk rockers taking no more shite from a scene that thrives on likes, comments and instagram. There’s no substitute for getting in the trenches and going the graft, these internationalist punks have the motivation in spades. Their new album is going to rip posers heads off.
40. A shining light of east coast pop-punk energy, A LIFE WITHOUT YOU are a young queercore emopunk band who’ve charmed all and sundry with the upbeat and infectious modern pop-punk hooks and melodic skate punk riffery. They’ve DIY released a couple of absolutely banging singles and “RAT RACE” represents one of their finest three minutes of massive guitars, saccharine sweet melodies and biting cynicism, wrapped up in gangchants, rainbows and a desire to smash their the binaries in glory.
41. Dundee-formed east coast meets west coast Scottish pup-punk’n’roll from this bashful three-piece moving from nervous jitterers into stadium-sized anthemic melodic punk rockers in the space of a couple of years. It’s been a pleasure to witness their evolution in front of our very eyes in the basement and we couldn’t be more proud of everything they’ve done in support of last year’s awesome “OUR BORING LIVES” EP. Here’s hoping that the debut full-length appears in 2023, get on board!
42. Long-time celtic punk comrades QUESTION THE MARK from the valleys of south wales have been down the with cowpunk antifa clowns from day one. We’ve been in the wars together, from the dark days of Newport and shows with The Flatliners, to Gainesville to Cardiff interventions, northern overdoses and the gutters of many a punk festival across this wretched island. There may bo no justice or peace, but we’ll always have each other. This banger was taken from the “NIGHTMARE ON MISERY STREET” 7” released by our much loved boat captains at LITTLE ROCKET RECORDS.
43. From Leiden in the Netherlands, screaming through the ashes of Black Volvo, comes BATWOLF; an outrageous punk rock’n’roll riot in the best tradition of THE SUPERSUCKERS, ZEKE and THEDANGERFUCKINFIELDS. One of the first bands to play live at the newly-christened Rad Apples back in 2019, only the weak fear the bat. These troops are long-time collaborators and european allies, first introduced to by TNS RECORDS way back in the day. They’ll be back with THE MARX on THURSDAY 6TH APRIL, pre-MPF, ken? Still a couple 7” records in the distro, be quick and grab one.
44. THE MARX should be the new country dance band for the new independent people’s socialist republic of Scotland. Their string of Eps have been total bangers and their self-titled album released at the tail end of lockdown is one of the finest rock records that nobody has heard from the east coast in many a moon. Certainly the tightest band currently active in Dundee, 2023 is the year that album finally makes it to physical release and THE MARX take their manifesto island-wide.
45. A Scottish diy punk rock institution, THE KIMBERLY STEAKS continue to effortlessly knock out the Gilman Street-inspired snotty pop-punk rock’n’roll like the last twenty-five years of gentrification never happened. This zinger is taken from their recent split 7” with northern irish punks NO MATTER on BRASSNECK RECORDS and is a classic example of the power of simple, infectious, driving melodic punk rock. Genuis shit.
46. I first had the pleasure of meeting guitar wizard Ray Waters whilst accompanying my good friend TIM LOUD on his final Scottish dates back in October. I was blown away by his musicianship and multi-instrumentalism before being introduced to the true ace up his sleeve; his band ZIPHEADS. If there’s a finer punk rock’n’roll zombie surf band in the south of england, I’ll eat my hat, but this is maximum grade rock boogie up there with the likes of X-RAY CAT TRIO for Gretsch-swinging guitar psych!
*47. THEERAGNOBONEMAN is the sonic terrorist that the rock’n’roll history books have warned us about. Like GG Allin let loose on the bible of blues history armed with nothing but a cheese-grater guitar, a screwdriver, a fuzz pedal and a kit drum. Shit is so fantastically simplistic that it simply deconstructs the basic tropes of rock music and twists it into filthy shapes of choral guttural nursery rhyme smooth pop genius. If there was ever a time to kill a hipster to save rock’s soul, it’s now.
48. Primal Italian rockers are joyous in the purest sense of the term; veteran journeymen from Bologna educated in the anthropological and historical importance to the etymology and dominant ideologies of rock music, these scholars go straight to source to channel the memory of Sister Rosetta Tharpe through The Stooges’ backline whilst feasting on the post-punk back catalogues inspired by Zappa, Wire & Joy Division at their most sonically uplifting. Like sense deprivation, shit is gnarly.
49. CONCEPT CAR is a passion project born from pain, loss and trauma from one of the finest musical minds from this generation of homegrown singer/songwriters. Having fronted many a beastly rock project, this something completely different whilst remaining true to the tone gods. The “metal box” cassette album was a stroke of creative genius, each subsequent release revealing greater depths and commitment. With first live show happened recently and was a beautiful affair. We await more.
50. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times; NOSEBLEED are the single greatest three-piece party punk rock’n’roll band to ever emerge from the rolling hills and shitty industrial cities of Yorkshire. With a live show to rival Rocket From The Crypt and the new “DANCE WITH THE DEVIL” LP on TNS Records finally capturing their live energy, I’d bet my last pound (i’ve got seven left) they’d move any ass on this land. Heaven awaits those who dare dance with the devil and stare down his gaze, the type of thing that must be learned, experienced and overcome in order to understand. Most of us never make it, NOSEBLEED shall ever prevail. The new album is essential listening, get it doon ye.
51. GRADUATION PARTY began life as a bedroom emo project from a good pal in Fife that has grown arms and legs, as these things tend to do. There is no need to justify acts of creation, nor should we necessarily judge them. I’ve got a super sweet spot for well-written emo-pop with a punk rock heart and this shit tickled me ever-present GET UP KIDS bone, in a way that THE GET UP KIDS didn’t even really muster live back in the day. Before what ye wish for an all that. Still a couple classic records tho.
52. From the ashes of Sofa Time and more stop/start projects emerges CROCODILE TEARS, a super-tight queer emocore pop-punk three-piece from Dundee that represents the coming together of kindred spirits and like-minds to make joyful, unapologetic and unrepentant screaming punk rock with mixed indie/emo flavours and an antifascist cowpunk heart. This is their debut recording and they’ll be releasing new music as they continue to spread their wings. We have them back from MTAT on Monday 10th April when they open for english punks FRESH and CHEERBLEEDERZ.
53. SAVAGE DINK are a bunch of charming young punks with a deep love of skateboarding, video games and pizza, much like every generation of roaster pop punkers that have gone before them. Their youthful playfulness belies a cynicism of their so-called peers and the whitewashed dudebroing of modern pop-punk culture, leaning more into the fun and good times of Tony Hawk’s games than toxic bullshit neck deep in pop, forgot all about the punk. Defend pop-punk. Kill pop-punk.
54. Glasgow ska-punk rock’n’roll party time has always been as appealing as a face full of cold sores to posers who don’t know any better, but there’s nothing wrong with some crusty horn-driven punk rock’n’roll mayhem when it’s entrusted to the care of those that ken the craic. THE GUILLOTINES are one such band, ripping up the underground and playing 100% full-blast high energy punk rock to anyone who’ll listen. Each visit to the basement has been a thoroughly good time and we expect it’ll be an absolute riot when they come back on Sunday 30th April in the company of TNS Records’ latest rock’n’roll tearaways BRUISE CONTROL. Get yer tickets!
55. One of yer lads from POLAR BEARS IN PURGATORY used to be in a band called THE DEAD FRETS (I think) and, if my drunken memory serves me correctly, they were the first band I ever saw cover a Uniforms song at a live show in Edinburgh. Maybe it’s my drug-addled and decaying mind, but I’m sure that’s true. Either way, Theo is a good dude and a true lover of the punk rock, endlessly supportive, and hit me up with some new PBIP jams, of which I thought “PARA” one of the stand-out jams.
56. The second track featured from the CATKNIVES CHAUSLASH split released in collaboration with the MUTUAL SCUM collective, this ecossemo skramz ripper comes from the now-defunct catslash. A noisy grunge three-piece from Glasgow, they ripped through their brief existence in a flurry of mangled guitars, blood, sweat, scuzz and noise. Whatever comes next is bound to be equally as fascinating, perhaps not quite as self-destructive. GOLD MOLD RECORDS handled the cassette release, gold dust!
57. More east coast pop noise from the art school comes KULLNES, a new four-piece noise rock fresh from the west end. Taking the MY BLOODY VALENTINE approach to songwriting and impenetrable walls of guitars, there melodic nuance of maybe TEENAGE FANCLUB or maybe PUP can’t help but shine through, likely in spite of themselves, like J Mascis ripping all over some impassioned oft-kilter scottish post-hardcore of yore.
58. PORTABLE HEADS are something special. The track they sent me for this comp was too big to fit on bandcamp, a magnum rock opus taken from their forthcoming debut album, but the powers that be weren’t having it. As such, we serve you a hefty slab of “GUCK”, one of the first four tracks taken from the album. Lockdown was good for Portable Heads; they’ve honed their vision, sharpened their tools and chops and set their sights on sheer evisceration and devastation of perceptions. They achieve this with aplomb, their record destined to take them into parts unknown!
59. SLOW RENEWAL is a painful project in self-reflection, loathing and the cognitive dissonance of humans and our eternal search for something. Meditation can sometimes provide keys to provide insights, other times ye merely waste hours staring blankly at a wall. Other times yet, ye need lead-heavy guitars, deadened emotions and the darkness. For other times still, there are riffs to be explored, demons to exorcise.
*60. Another exclusive cover and love song to GOODBYE BLUE MONDAY, this time for prolific west coast singer/songwriter, musician, poet and artists LOVERS TURN TO MONSTERS. A lofi deconstruction of a modern pop punk classic, like Evan Dando demoing Lemonheads tracks after a few too many iron brews with a nylon-stringed guitar and a laptop with basic interface lying around. What else ye gonna do with an hour to kill?
61. CERAMICS feature the troops behind Aberdeen-based punk collective PUNCH FACE CHAMPIONS and play rambunctious noisy indie punk with one eye on the door and the other squinted in disdain at the feedback-soaked posers with their hands over their ears. The granite city has proven fertile ground in the past, CERAMICS fighting for life through concrete.
62. Damaged filthy JUTE CITY HARDCORE of the bleakest possible variety from the shattered blackened recesses of d-beat, anarcho punk and sheer hardcore disorder & chaos in the finest tradition of self-recorded mangled noise. A vital part of the community and the man behind the pen of legendary punk zine ENZK and lens of CAPACITOR PHOTORAPHY, put yer preconceptions on the SHELF and investigate the darker side of the sunshine pop punk train so many people seem keen to jump aboard.
63. Once purveyors of the most caustic blackened hardcore noise, now transcended to the great digital anarchist graveyard beyond the cloud beams INSUFFERABLE and their truly unique brand of twisted, distorted noise. Equal parts sonic bath, Guantanamo Bay-style torture and the desperation of howling at a midnight moon, stripped of patience, tolerance and light, the darkness the unconquerable abyss to swallow us.
64. Occasionally, if we’re very lucky, we get to tie together two hands of time before it’s too late to do so. Better to bury beef than bodies and aw that. So it goes with POUR ME and their inclusion on this comp; something in the simplicity of it all; the three chords, the self-loathing, the yearning, speaks to me deeply; like a new beginning from a shitty old ending. Either way, part of me will always be an east coast folk punk.
65. Delicious lo-fi indie pop gold from GOSSIPER, recorded exclusively for release on this comp.. One of the most driven, creative and hard working bands on the fertile east coast estuary, Gossiper have been carving out a sound, work ethic and maintaining high levels of increasingly incredible creative output, quietly gaining the attention and respect of their peers and eyes that see. We expect their evolution to continue into the indie pop stratosphere.
66. VAETGLOS are something special, this unpronounceable jam from the “KAKAFONI” 7” pretty much everything I’ve ever needed from music; a journey, a progression from the light of life to the terminal decaying darkness of death and eventually surrender into the void. As stated before, energy doesn’t die, it just transforms, like the burning of a long boat set alight out at sea, we watch our dreams disappear, with love.
THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING. IF YE HAVE JOY, SPREAD IT. xdkrx.
<a href=”https://makethatatakerecords.bigcartel.com/product/e-tickets#”>all gig tickets here</a>.
<a href=”https://makethatatakerecords.bandcamp.com/”>all music here.</a>
<a href=”https://www.youtube.com/c/CowpunkTV”>Cowpunk TV here.</a>
