Issue four of Kindred Spirit featured an interview with legendary hardcore punk band The Exploited, and of all the interviews we did this one was the most surprising. I'll expand on that a little later, but first here is some background about The Exploited.
The band formed in Edinburgh in 1980 and is still going strong today. In researching this feature my first port of call was the band's official website. There is an entire page dedicated to outlining the history of The Exploited. The author sums up far better than I could what the band has always stood for from the outset to the present day.
The band also has a very active Facebook page with over a quarter of a million followers.
Over the years there has been a number of line up changes. However the one constant throughout the band's entire career is vocalist, founder member and ex-squaddie Wattie Buchan.
Original guitarist Big John Duncan, who had not long since left The Exploited when we interviewed them went on to become a guitar tech for the legendary Nirvana. This subsequently led to him playing guitar live on stage with the band at the New York Roseland Ballroom in July 1993. I found a fascinating Brazilian website with more information about Big John's association with Nirvana. It is well worth taking the time to translate.
Original guitarist Big John Duncan, who had not long since left The Exploited when we interviewed them went on to become a guitar tech for the legendary Nirvana. This subsequently led to him playing guitar live on stage with the band at the New York Roseland Ballroom in July 1993. I found a fascinating Brazilian website with more information about Big John's association with Nirvana. It is well worth taking the time to translate.
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My first memories of The Exploited date back to 1981 when I read a feature in Sounds by Garry Bushell singing the praises of the rapidly emerging new breed of punk bands.
Other names that spring to mind from the same era are Discharge, Chron Gen, Anti Nowhere League, Anti Pasti, Vice Squad and GBH. These are only my recollections, not a comprehensive list.
Other names that spring to mind from the same era are Discharge, Chron Gen, Anti Nowhere League, Anti Pasti, Vice Squad and GBH. These are only my recollections, not a comprehensive list.
The entire genre later became referred to as UK82, named after a song by The Exploited. I found a really interesting article on the Louder than Sound site which provides much more detail.
After reading Garry Bushell's highly complimentary piece I was fascinated to find out more, so decided to give The Exploited's debut album 'Punk's Not Dead' a spin.
I have to be perfectly honest and say that to me the sounds created by the second wave of punk bands did not bear much resemblance to the first wave. This was a view I shared on more than one occasion in the pages of my fanzines. At the time we interviewed The Exploited there was a certain amount of scepticism about whether or not the new breed of punk would turn out to be nothing more than a passing fad. 
What I can say 36 years later is the energy and raw feel of the music that emerged from those times has most certainly withstood the test of time. A number of the original bands are still touring to this day and have had a massive influence on other younger bands over the last four decades.
All fanzine creators know the true meaning of the expression cut and paste. Below are three images I chopped up and used in the original fanzine article about The Exploited.
- The first was a press clipping I came across announcing The Exploited's new line-up shortly before the gig.
- The second was an advert for a punk extravaganza in December 1983 at Leeds Queens Hall. Check the ticket price!
- The third was the image of a baby wearing the famous Sid Vicious tee shirt on the cover of Punk's Not Dead.
- I'm not quite sure where I found the fourth clipping but it seemed like a good fit at the time!
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We interviewed The Exploited early in 1984 after a one off gig at Hull's Spring Street Theatre. Anarcho-punks The Varukers were supporting.
I almost bottled out but I'm really glad I didn't now.
On requesting an interview I remember the first question Wattie asked me was, "Which paper are you from?" As soon as I told him we were a local fanzine he smiled and said, "Oh that's okay then. Of course we'll do an interview."
We were immediately invited backstage and I can honestly say the band could not have been more obliging. Wattie even went as far as to give me his
address so I could send him a copy of the fanzine. It turned out to be another high spot of my fanzine writing days.
When we interviewed The Exploited the line up was as follows:
address so I could send him a copy of the fanzine. It turned out to be another high spot of my fanzine writing days.
When we interviewed The Exploited the line up was as follows:
Here is the interview...
Before seeing The Exploited play live I would have been the first person to criticise them for "what they did" to Punk.
Their music never has and never will bear any resemblance to any of the sounds which made '76/'77 such an exciting time musically. And with titles such as 'F**k the Mods' and 'Sex and Violence' for moral support, anyone with half a brain would be forgiven for choosing to ignore their lyrics also.
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So, feeling practically speechless and partially deaf, we trotted backstage to find Wattie stood in one corner pouring himself a glass of fresh orange juice (!). Karl, Willie and Rat (from the Varukers) were talking to a group of fans in another corner and Billy was wandering around somewhere in the middle.
And seeing as this particular gig had been a one-off we inevitably began by asking why they had chosen Hull as the venue.
Wattie: The last time we played Hull was two years ago. We'll play anywhere except for Ireland.
Why not Ireland?
Wattie: We do a song called 'Blown to Bits' which is slagging Bobby Sands. I'm a Catholic, but I hate the I.R.A. We were offered £1000 to play a gig in Armagh once but we wouldn't do it. We've played there once before but never again.
Why is it that your line-up has changed so much over the last couple of years?
Wattie: I don't know. We never really want to have to change unless it's for the better. Having said that John was a great guitarist. He could have played in any band.
How long has this line-up been together?
Wattie: Four or five months. We've only done about five or six gigs with this line-up.
Which record company are you with at the moment?
Pax. Our last record company tried to make us really commercial. We don't mind making money but we're really in it for a good time. We've no directions. We do it 'cause we enjoy it.
What do you think of the current punk scene?
Wattie: Pretty shit. I like the UK Subs and Urban Dogs but most of them are too political.
Have you got a message to pass on?
Wattie: Anarchy and chaos. We're definitely a working class band. Our songs are about every day life.
We then wandered across to Willie, Karl and Rat, Karl being the only English member of the band and therefore easiest to understand (joke!)
Karl: You're not from one of those hippy vegetarian rags are you?
Jill: No. We're more into preserving the dandelion.
Willie: I'm a vegetarian! (Whoops!)
Are there many up and coming bands in Scotland who are worth watching out for?
Willie: No. Most of them are the same. You don't get that many bands who are worth listening to. The trouble is there aren't any decent venues in Scotland. There's no scope for new bands.
Did you notice some of the audience fighting amongst themselves tonight?
Willie: The lights are so bright that you can't see anything apart from the front few rows.
Karl: I haven't noticed any violence at the gigs I've done so far with this band, but you sometimes get about six or seven people who come to a gig just to do somebody over. Personally I think fighting is pathetic! Will you please print that?
Do you agree that a lot of the individuality has disappeared amongst punk followers now? This was what punk was originally all about.
Karl: Our audience are individuals in their own right. I know a lot of them look the same, a lot of them look exactly the same as us but when you think about it, there is only one thing which makes us any different to them and that's the fact that we get up on a stage and play.
What do you think punk should be all about?
Karl: It's all about putting your own ideas forward and enjoying yourself, not like Crass.
Willie: So many bands try too hard to create some sort of image, like Bauhaus. They try to be mysterious.
Do you think of Oi as a separate movement to Punk?
Karl: Not at all. Everyone tried to make out that it was something totally different, when really it was just a word that Garry Bushell created.
What is your opinion of Garry Bushell?
Karl: He's just a fashion follower. He did a lot of good for punk at the beginning but he's into heavy metal and Big Country now.
What about the charts?
Karl: Shit!
Rat: It's all fixed.
Do you think Dead Cities was hyped?
Wattie: No. Punk was a lot stronger then than it is now. I don't think we'll ever get into the charts again.
At this point I would like to say a massive thank you to two of my Twitter friends - vinyl collector extraordinaire Pete for providing all the photos of Exploited discs included in this post, and Norman for the tour posters and rare photo below.
Why not Ireland?
Wattie: We do a song called 'Blown to Bits' which is slagging Bobby Sands. I'm a Catholic, but I hate the I.R.A. We were offered £1000 to play a gig in Armagh once but we wouldn't do it. We've played there once before but never again.
Why is it that your line-up has changed so much over the last couple of years?
Wattie: I don't know. We never really want to have to change unless it's for the better. Having said that John was a great guitarist. He could have played in any band.
How long has this line-up been together?
Wattie: Four or five months. We've only done about five or six gigs with this line-up.
Which record company are you with at the moment?
Pax. Our last record company tried to make us really commercial. We don't mind making money but we're really in it for a good time. We've no directions. We do it 'cause we enjoy it.
What do you think of the current punk scene?Wattie: Pretty shit. I like the UK Subs and Urban Dogs but most of them are too political.
Have you got a message to pass on?
Wattie: Anarchy and chaos. We're definitely a working class band. Our songs are about every day life.
We then wandered across to Willie, Karl and Rat, Karl being the only English member of the band and therefore easiest to understand (joke!)
Karl: You're not from one of those hippy vegetarian rags are you?
Jill: No. We're more into preserving the dandelion.
Willie: I'm a vegetarian! (Whoops!)
Are there many up and coming bands in Scotland who are worth watching out for?
Willie: No. Most of them are the same. You don't get that many bands who are worth listening to. The trouble is there aren't any decent venues in Scotland. There's no scope for new bands.
Did you notice some of the audience fighting amongst themselves tonight?
Willie: The lights are so bright that you can't see anything apart from the front few rows.
Karl: I haven't noticed any violence at the gigs I've done so far with this band, but you sometimes get about six or seven people who come to a gig just to do somebody over. Personally I think fighting is pathetic! Will you please print that?
Do you agree that a lot of the individuality has disappeared amongst punk followers now? This was what punk was originally all about.
Karl: Our audience are individuals in their own right. I know a lot of them look the same, a lot of them look exactly the same as us but when you think about it, there is only one thing which makes us any different to them and that's the fact that we get up on a stage and play.
What do you think punk should be all about?
Karl: It's all about putting your own ideas forward and enjoying yourself, not like Crass.
Willie: So many bands try too hard to create some sort of image, like Bauhaus. They try to be mysterious.
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Do you think of Oi as a separate movement to Punk?
Karl: Not at all. Everyone tried to make out that it was something totally different, when really it was just a word that Garry Bushell created.
What is your opinion of Garry Bushell?
Karl: He's just a fashion follower. He did a lot of good for punk at the beginning but he's into heavy metal and Big Country now.
What about the charts?
Karl: Shit!
Rat: It's all fixed.
Do you think Dead Cities was hyped?
Wattie: No. Punk was a lot stronger then than it is now. I don't think we'll ever get into the charts again.
What better way to round off this trip down memory lane than with some more Exploited related memorabilia and vinyl?
At this point I would like to say a massive thank you to two of my Twitter friends - vinyl collector extraordinaire Pete for providing all the photos of Exploited discs included in this post, and Norman for the tour posters and rare photo below.
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| The Massacre on orange vinyl |
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| Race Against Time on blue vinyl |
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| Let's Start A War on red vinyl |
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| On Stage on clear vinyl |
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| This poster was for a 1981 extravaganza featuring some of the second wave of punk bands who were headline news at that time. |
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| Another earth shaker of a gig from late 1981 |
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| The Exploited with The Defects |
This is a great blog, Jill. It brings back so many happy memories of my misspent youth! Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Neil, much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteGreat article. I'd like to add Stevie Ross was the first Exploited guitarist, the original singer of the band was Terry Buchan (Watties brother) I've know the guys since day one because they Rehearsed in the place I managed in Edinburgh.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this. Would you be prepared to share some info for The Exploited section of the 40th anniversary fanzine I’m currently putting together. It would be great to hear from you. The email address is kindredspiritfanzine@gmail.com if you would like to talk further.
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