Contrary to What SOFTPLAY Are Saying, Punk Isn’t Dead.

 Evelyn Hylands touches on the thriving world of Glasgow’s punk scene and why we need it more than ever.

Punk is a genre that has a fixed image, one that was left in the past alongside hippies and skinheads. You may have heard the SOFTPLAY song ‘Punk’s Dead’ – something that could not be further from the truth.  We are living in a time that seems to be slipping further and further into chaos, only fuelling the world of punk music. Despite concern, the current music scene can confirm that Punk seems to be alive and well, in Glasgow and beyond. Bands such as SOAPBOX and Gallus are keeping it alive locally. Whilst others such as Amyl and the Sniffers are taking the world by storm, clad in tiny bikinis on their recent world tour.

It seems all too common to believe that punk is indeed dead, with many old punks swapping their mohawks for suits, and marketing jobs. They still gatekeep the old punk music in a way, clinging to an identity they can’t quite seem to shake. But the new wave of punk is still alive and thriving, it just looks a little different. It is a scene that refuses to die and instead switches from one form to another. Glasgow is a city designed for punk, it is hardy, resilient, and thrives in the art of resistance. The heart of punk is still beating, you can hear screaming guitars from Box on a Saturday night or a thudding bassline from your inconsiderate neighbors. The music has changed its form and shape countless times, but not its essence. The politics have shifted, but by no means softened.

This year’s tenement trail took place on the weekend of 11-13th of October. It is a multi-genre Glasgow-based festival spanning across the city and countless venues, transforming the city into a haven for all music lovers. Sweat, laughter, and roaring guitar riffs were the stars of the weekend, and many of these acts proved to the city that punk is truly not dead. Glasgow’s own SOAPBOX being among the few that made major waves. The Glasgow four piece has seen an epic amount of growth in the last few years. Their gigs are notoriously feral and engage unapologetically with politics, they are a band who are never accused of a misconstrued message. They are articulate about their critique of privatization and the authoritarian drift to the far right. They are the very essence of and embodiment of punk identity. The singer Tom Rowan and Aidian, met over shared politics and beer, and were later joined by drummer Jenna and Guitarist Angus. Their music encapsulates the soul of punk, and is a way for them to express themselves and share their politics through music. They are one of many working to keep the punk scene alive in Glasgow.

Glasgow is enthralled by a deviance that comes hand in hand with punk music and mentality. There is deep rooted anger when Rowan speaks about Britain creeping toward authoritarianism, a show of authenticity that Glasgow crowds respond notoriously well to. SOAPBOX embodies class-conscious beliefs, community and solidarity. They are not the only Glasgow band doing so, as Gallus are another band who seek to convey this sentiment. 

Gallus speak openly about Glasgow’s authenticity being rooted in working class struggle, zero hour contracts, rising rents. They drew a huge crowd at the tenement trail, who were kept in the palm of their hands throughout their performance. Their sound is less aggressive than that of SOAPBOX but it carries the same sentiment nonetheless. Punk’s revival and its politics are not confined to sweat filled nights in Glasgow venues, nor is it leather, studs and platforms.

Punk is kept alive across the world, Amyl and the Sniffers’ Amy Taylor embodies this better than anymore. A one woman riot of peroxide and politics, Taylor has become one of the most compelling figures in contemporary punk: a performer who channels the raw energy of the genres  into something unmistakably modern, explicitly feminine, an often unexplored element of the genre. In her concerts she does pushups, making political statements or instigating mosh pits. She is all for authenticity, and a very refreshing form of female representation in the punk scene. She embodies what so many women in punk have always been forced to fight for, the right to exist without compromise and without permission.

Punk’s persistence can be found in all facets of life, and its engagement with politics continually transcends any repackaging or rebranding of the scene. Punk bands raise money for foodbanks, grassroots venues and hosting concerts that double as political movements. The movement has changed and grown over the years. It still is a middle finger, but just one that values solidarity over solitude. It cannot be separated from the politics of the genre.

There is a truth and identity to this persistence of punk, it never belonged in the charts alongside Taylor Swift or Addison Rae. It is community, it is chaos. It belongs in the dark dingy basements, that vibrate with a guitar riff and leak with another anti capitalist scream. It lives in acts of rebellion, it doesn’t nurture nostalgia. It is too busy surviving.

Next time that former punk turned marketing executive tells you punk is dead, tell them to come to Glasgow. Go to a SOAPBOX or Gallus gig. Force them to watch Amy Taylor snarling on stage, then ask them to try and say it again.  Punk is alive, it is political and passionately and unapologetically loud. It just isn’t restricted to safety pins, leather and 2ft hair. It is present in anger, laughter and solidarity. Punk is a way of being, it is the idea art can change something, even if only temporarily. It is here, it is shouting. So, If you can’t hear it, then maybe you need to start listening again.

Image Credit: The JBTV Blog