Wakes up the west coast
Anarchopunks, Oi Polloi are still "rocking hard against the system" and will be in Vancouver for the first time. “We've always had a great time in Canada in the past but we've never made it to the west coast before, so when a friend offered to set up this tour we jumped at the chance” says Deek, founding member. He points out “as a DIY punk band it certainly isn't the lure of big bucks!” The band is the same line-up the last ten years with: Zodiac on guitar, Deek on vocals and Tongs on drums as on the SS Politician and Ar Ceòl, Ar Cànan, Ar-a-mach recordings. For this tour only Davoi from Jockney Rejects will be on bass. They will be touring their eye opener LP titled Dùisg! Which is Scottish Gaelic for “Wake Up!”
After thirty years, the enduring quality of punk is a development that was totally unexpected for the progenitors. Tracing this evolution opens up a multifaceted subset of cultures and audience, befitting the expression 'hoi polloi' greek for 'the many'. Deek describes their gigs as “we've always had a mixture of punx, metalheads, antifascist skinheads, crusties and activist types at our gigs which is brilliant - we like that a lot.
It's fascinating to see how punk has progressed over the years too - although we wouldn't necessarily say that all the developments have been particularly positive. For instance, originally there were so many punk bands trying to do something different and original whereas nowadays there are so many bands whose aim just seems to be the exact opposite like all the Discharge-imitation bands or all the identi-crust clones all churning out the same kind of stuff. Likewise, we're not terribly keen on this horrible 'tough-guy hardcore' stuff - if people want to be violent then save it for the fascists etc not the fucking dance floor.
Though it's great to see now the whole worldwide network of underground DIY bands and gig organizers that didn't exist when punk first started and now provides a real alternative to commercial promoters etc - that's a really healthy development.”
With subcultures, preservation of language is fundamental. Oi Polloi is known for singing in Gaelic and Deek explains “we're keen to champion minority languages like this, not out of some weird 'Braveheart' style patriotism, but out of a belief in the value of diversity, respect for minority cultures and a desire to see people's linguistic human rights respected.” That said, all the songs on the LP are written in the indigenous Celtic language of Scotland: Gaelic with English language translations in the CD booklets and LP liners. He reveals further “the way Gaelic speakers have been treated over the years in Scotland is horrifying. Children caught speaking Gaelic were physically beaten at school up until the 1970s and even today there's still a lot of discrimination and prejudice against them. We believe in standing up against this kind of bullshit. I expect anyone in Canada from an indigenous group would also have fairly horrific tales to tell about how their languages have been stamped out too - fuck this cultural imperialism - we're for diversity and respect for different cultures.”
The music on the new album has political anarchist lyrics and is fast D-beat and “mid-paced” Oi influenced material. Deek reminds us with the band just off the european tour, “anyone who already likes the band won't be disappointed - you know what to expect!” and “we won't be hiding away backstage that's for sure - prepare to be rocked - HARD!!”
Charged/Distorted presents Oi Polloi at the Ukrainian Hall with Spectres, Total War, Kozmar and Systematik and in conjunction with No Bollocks at Funkys with Bishops Green and Brady's Problem.
- More Betty
