Our Scene - Issue 1

Issue One May 2021

editor’s note Our Scene is a zine based in Glasgow, with the aim of bringing together various local music scenes across the UK by celebrating what makes them unique and exciting. We want to support artists, fans, creatives and music industry workers by providing a platform to discuss our experiences, share our thoughts and promote up and coming music. We want to emphasise the importance of local music and celebrate the diversity and community these spaces hold as well as discussing issues, aspirations and sparking conversations on how to make our music scenes more welcoming and inclusive places.

Thank you to all our contributors and to everyone who has supported the zine so far!

Isabella

photo by @picturingsoph 1

contents page Editor’s Note 1 A Stereo Love Letter 3 Brat Coven Interview 5 Sexual Harrassment at Gigs 7 Photography by Dâna Dunbar 8 Photography by Sophia Natasha 9 Dissenter Interview 11 Saving Local Welsh Music 13 Collective Playlist 15 Photography throughout by Sophia Natasha and Dâna Dunbar Designed by Isabella McHardy @ourscenezine 2

By Liam Menzies Choosing your favourite Scottish venue is the closest I’ll ever get to understanding the appeal of being a die-hard football fan. You’ll have your classics supported by generation after generation (Barrowlands). A club that’s had money equal to a small country’s GDP pumped into it (Hydro). A team that’s glory days are well and truly behind them (REDACTED).

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venues yet feeling all the better for it - it’s like hosting a show in a basement, just if your dad so happened to be Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

And then there’s the underdog.

The one that you give a passing thought about here and there, but when it comes to match day, you realise just how wrong you are to have underestimated it.

I haven’t even gotten around to the roster of dynamic artists that make going to a Stereo gig, even on a whim, essential. While every venue will host eclectic acts here or there, Stereo, more often than not, finds itself a haven for artists pushing boundaries and speaking truth to power. Acts include Dorian Electra and Hannah Diamond, both staples of the PC scene that have been pivotal in pushing the envelope in the 2010s.

Located on Renfield Ln, opposite Old Hairdressers - yet another underrated venue - you could go to 100 gigs in Glasgow and never step foot in Stereo. When the day finally comes where you descend that spiral staircase into the unknown, it will stick with you throughout your gig-going lifetime.

In addition to experimental outfits, acts like Jeff Rosenstock and Touche Amore have embellished these walls with their cathartic confessions. If ever a basement flood were to happen, it would be at emotional gigs like these - thank god DNA isn’t found in tears, else you’d be able to attribute 99% of them to me.

Part of this comes down to the look and feel of the place. I could go into a tangent about the venue’s design origins, but that context isn’t necessary to appreciate Stereo’s aesthetic. Vertically spacious but bordering on claustrophobic when it comes to a bustling show; little nooks and crannies to reclude into during intermissions; the pipes and other bits of plumbing on display.

All of this contributes to a venue lacking the polish of other Glasgow

Thankfully being forward-thinking and accommodating goes further than the acts that play the venue with toilets being gender-neutral, which, while hardly groundbreaking, are noble enough due to not being incorporated more widely.

In addition to that, whether it’s by design or not but I’ve never once struggled to get a good view of the stage even at a sold-out show - big praise coming from someone who’s just barely considered 5ft 7.

Could Stereo as a venue be doing more? No place is perfect, and Stereo is no different. While the main bar is accessible via a lift, those using a wheelchair will be disheartened knowing no such elevator exists to access the venue and no space allocated to them either.

That’s not to say Stereo are active in turning away disabled music fans, stating on their site that they are “happy for all patrons and their party to attempt to access the basement venue in any manner they feel comfortable with”. However, it would be encouraging to see some steps taken so that less responsibility was on those with mobility issues

who already face enough hardship with accessibility in their day to day lives.

It’s not lost on me that Stereo is only one venue in a vast sea of them in Glasgow who play their part in keeping the live scene fresh and exciting.

However, when it comes to the venue that I’ve missed the most over the past year, the one I’ve dreamed about during lockdowns 1-3, the one which I cannot wait to sway side to side in which watching one of my favourite acts perform.

It’s been Stereo every time. @liamthemusicreviewer on youtube

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photo by @ugly_rae

a chat with brat coven Brat Coven are an up and coming riot grrrl band based in Glasgow. The band is Beth on guitar, Luce on keys and SJ on bass. We had a chat on zoom about their aspirations and their thoughts on Glasgow’s music scene.

You guys started Brat Coven over lockdown, how did this come about?

It started on twitter, we were like let’s start a band, it came from mutual interests of making the music scene a more inclusive place. It was a dream that we’re finally trying to make true even in this year, we’re trying!

What are your main inspirations for Brat Coven?

We’re going for not the typical riot grrrl, more like electronic punk and we’re not gonna have a lead singer or a front person. We’re gonna have all of us doing a bit, it’s a better dynamic. We love like PJ Harvey and Patti Smith, but yeah Bikini Kill is probably a main influence at least that’s what I was thinking when I was like ‘Oh I want to do music like this’. Riot Grrrl was middle class white women and we want to take it to a more inclusive level and involve everyone. Growing up and even now no one that I looked up to music looked like me. Bands are expected to look cool first before they’re expected to sound good. And that’s something I struggle with, especially as a woman. I can’t rock up on stage wearing a tshirt and leggings, no one would take me seriously. Men can do that, men can basically look like they dont care. We dont want to care about that, we want to be people other people can look up to.

Do you think being women in music has affected your experience at all?

When I started learning guitar I was automatically put into the classical guitar class rather than the rock class which is what I wanted to do. And playing gigs and stuff it’s literally happened where whoever was doing sound would only talk to the guys in the band rather than me. People assume we dont know how to work all our amps and pedals and stuff, we have to work extra hard to be taken seriously.

There’s no space for women to be mediocre, we shouldnt have to amaze people to be taken seriously, we should have space to learn and it’s not like everyone’s gonna automatically know how to shred on guitar. Men are allowed to be alright at stuff, women have to be amazing to be treated like the alright men.

Have you guys ever faced any issues working in local music?

It’s very cliquey, like extremely cliquey, all the bands are pals and I think that’s good to a point, but if you’re not in the group it’s harder to get anywhere. It’s extremely middle class and extremely white and all the aesthetics are the same. I think now is the time to change that.

I think class is the biggest issue, in all the indie bands it’s very much like you have had the time and money to do this.

Could we afford to quit our jobs and quit uni and do music full time? Absolutely not. I don’t get the feeling that they want to involve everyone. They all have platforms, and they don’t use them enough. I was always con-

fused when people would say that the Glasgow music scene is amazing. I would always be like ‘what Glasgow music scene? Oh, you mean the same four bands that play every gig.’

What would you like to change about the music scene?

We kind of want to bring back the feeling of riot grrrl, not just women but everyone who feels oppression in the music industry and start the conversation.

I feel like it’s been lacking recently, especially in Scotland.

We want to bring up the topics of class, gender, not just women but non-binary and transgender people as well, and race, we’re not going to speak over people of colour, but it’s important to support those people as well. I just don’t think there’s a lot of that going on right now.

A lot of the music I like I dont feel safe at the gigs, we want to make it a safe space for people to be creative but also a safe space in terms of people arent going to get assaulted. It’s all about just amplifying the other voices as well. Not just our points of view but other people’s, we dont want to be speaking to other people, we want to be speaking with other people. We’ve created a safe space between us where we can get really vulnerable and we want to give that safe space to other people.

Brat Coven’s debut single White Noise is out now. @BratCovenBand

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sexual harrassment at gigs

By Isabella McHardy Trigger warning for sexual harrassment.

Growing up going to gigs I always thought harassment was something that just went along with it. An inevitable low to the high I felt witnessing music up close. A sacrifice me and my friends had to make in order to scream along to our favourite songs.

Sharing eachothers sweat and singing into eachothers faces seems like an unfamiliar ordeal at the moment, but as a teenager I adored it. Gigs were my happy place but I never had the chance to mistake them for a safe place.

I knew being at the barrier or in the pit always carried the risk of someone elses hands creeping onto me.

Thinking ‘if you ignore it, keep your head forward, convince yourself it was an accident, it will go away’.

But it rarely does, and when you don’t react they laugh and push further, toying with how much they can get away with until you make a scene or simply shuffle away into the crowd.

I was 16 when I saw Fidlar play at The Garage in Glasgow in 2015. We’d skived school in the afternoon to get the megabus down.

I was so excited. We got there early and managed

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to reach the front as doors opened. I was thrilled. But soon enough, a man behind us made us aware he was more focused on harassing us than the music itself. He towered over us, insisting on placing his arms over onto the barrier, not only trapping us between him but seperating us from one another. It was one of many instances that I could not desperately try and ignore.

Security spotted it and asked if we were okay, but they were soon occupied with other things, leaving him to do as he pleased. I dont remember much from the rest of the gig, but I can recall the sick feeling at the pit of my stomach as we sat on the night bus home.

I thought that adulthood might make it better. Surely now I’m older and more confident within myself, men won’t try to take such advantage? I know I belong here, they must too. But I was wrong and the risk of being groped was now also supplemented with the risk of drinks being spiked.

Maybe if I am accompanied by other men they will keep their distance? But nothing seemed to deter it. I was 20 when I was groped at a Drenge gig at King Tuts in 2019. I was with a male friend, we remained next to eachother throughout the

night, chatting, laughing.

But the men behind me didn’t care. I had a panic attack and escaped outside to calm down, missing my favourite songs.

It happens at every venue, big and small, in every genre, and at every age.

The perpatrators vary too, teenage boys desperate for laughs from their friends, lads in their twenties and thirties who never grew out of the assumption that we are at their disposal and middle aged men, who sway at the sidelines unimposingly, until they’ve had one too many pints and strike.

The older I get the more aware of it I become, each one of my friends has a story, multiple usually. I watch closely over teenage girls at gigs, as if I can protect them somehow. Knowing even the ‘good guys’ will turn a blind eye given the chance.

As musicians announce tours for post-covid, I feel excited at the idea of returning to some of my favourite venues with my favourite people. But the thought of being assaulted when gigs are revived looms over. If we want our music scenes to flourish; sexual assault can no longer be tolerated.

Live music should not come with a hazard warning.

@dldphotos

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photography by dâna dunbar

photography by

I’m Sophia, a 23-year-old hobbyist photographer from London. I absolutely love music and photography, so I decided I’d put the two together! I shoot a lot for my friend’s band, Project Culture, who I was first introduced to at the Alternative Music Society at uni, and I now shoot for them at small venues across London. I love the excitement and fun of shooting gigs as it allows me to express myself and have fun at the same time, all whilst capturing fun moments which can be shared with everyone and enjoying great music.

Follow Sophia on Instagram @picturingsoph

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a chat with dissenter We had a chat with Dissenter, Glasgow based alternative musician and poet.

Can you tell us about Dissenter?

I was a DIY musician, writing, recording and producing independently for four years, but in 2019 I signed on to a management contract with local label Legion. I play a few instruments, but ukulele is my main. I cover songs from a variety of genres but I do have original music too, three albums, an EP and a new EP titled Innocent Until Proven Guilty which is out now.

All my works can be found on all major streaming platforms, but Soundcloud for my full discography. Genre wise, I would say I was a bedroom grunge artist, but since being with Legion I have been challenged to diversify and create my own style which I am excited to display on my new EP. Overall, I am an artist striving to express myself and pass on my passion to others in a variety of ways!

How has the covid pandemic impacted your career during the past year?

It was a bit of a pain at first, I will not lie! I had just signed on to a further two years with Legion so our second year working together could not go as planned! I did not want this to stop the progress of any releases though, so got to work writing, recording, and making a demo of a six songs.. I am lucky to have my experience in bedroom-recording. It was a shame it could not be done in the studio, but it displays my standpoint that anything is possible

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if you have the passion. I have budget equipment and only an HNC in academic music but look what I have made possible over the past six years with passion and determination alone! I want others to know they too can succeed at doing what they love if they love it enough.

It has been a massive challenge during Covid times, but a valuable experience and lesson in adapting to any circumstance. I had only just got into gigging the year prior so again, it was a shame to have that lifestyle come to a halt for a while.

Though home gigs are a bit less nerve – wracking it is not the same energy as a live performance, not to mention the social side of things! I really miss all the talented people I have met at open mics and gigs.

Again, I am thankful for my experience in home recording, as the pandemic has been particularly tough on studio artists.

Learning this skillset has been positive aspect for some though as I have saw a rise in DIY artists and bands when lockdown commenced last March.

What are your thoughts on the music scene in Scotland?

It is full of life and remarkably diverse. I have met artists from every genre across all ages. Us Scot’s are bold anyway which makes our music scene more outrageous, but Glasgow is a particularly artistic city. It is big though, and I would not have known where to start if I was

making my way into it without Legion, I am thankful for the connections and networking opportunities they have gotten me into! I love how every musician I have met so far has their own vibe, sound, and aesthetic.

We’ve all got to work together now to re-build what we had before the pandemic. Though our music scene is vast, Music is sill not taken seriously as a career path in Scotland, and throughout Covid we’ve been offered little to no support when it comes to paying our bills. I really hope things can change in the next few years because the arts have kept everyone entertained throughout lockdown it’s only fair we should be classed as frontline workers too.

Do you think there are any issues in Scottish music?

The arts are still pushed to the side in education and initial opportunities for youngsters to get involved are scarce. We know music helps so many deals with their mental health, and with the rise in suicide rates over the past year, it is a shame more is not being done. Covid has been a spanner in the works, but action needs to be taken, not just in providing more opportunities for artistic involvement, but equal opportunities too. Sexism’s still heavily present in our music community, and a lot of predators lurk at music venues to prey on young women.

It is not fair us women have to be so cautious at gigs and deal with harassment in venues that is not taken seriously.

What do you like most about being a musician?

The ability to express myself! I have always struggled to deal with my emotions, but music has become the one way I can process everything I feel.

A lot of pressure is put on disregarding negative emotions when you are trying to get ‘better,’ but in my eyes they make you stronger if you use them in the right way - thereby creating my musical approach of

‘celebrating your pain’! My music covers dark themes / situations but the point of releasing the songs is to show I made it through them and that others can too. ician overall is being able to share your vulnerabilities in the form of victories with a bunch of cool folk who relate.

What is next for you?

This new collection of songs is incredibly special to me and I hope it can help others the way

it has helped me. Who knows when, but I will be taking these songs to the stage when I can to have a physical celebration of a nationwide year – long pain! I also have some ideas for a couple of music videos to bring the EP to life even more. Lots more music to be released though as lockdown’s given me bountiful writing, so keep your eyes peeled for an album when the world of Innocent Until Proven Guilty is over.

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saving local welsh music

By Emily Kocan Wales is a beautiful place, considered the Land of Song. We have really amazing folk roots, choirs and embed a lot of music and poetry through the likes of Eisteddfod ‘s which is a Welsh event that showcases music and poetry. I remember doing them in school and I drew a lot of inspiration from other singers in my school. Wales has a history of using singing as a form of communication, which I think is fascinating!

It’s definitely a place where music can thrive. Newport was once considered “The New Seattle” However, over the years, especially with covid, we’ve seen a decline of opportunities and the typical venue closures happening very close within each other. This has been quite bizarre to a lot of us, as in 2017, council had unleashed plans to make Cardiff the first Music City, with plans to create opportunities, protect grassroot businesses and venues and establish a music board among plenty of other plans, obviously this sounds really thrilling! But a lot of these promises have fizzled out, and several other venues were closed down to build flats. Among those are Gwidihw, Buffa-

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lo, Ten Feet Tall and Undertone. All of which have created amazing experiences for local musicians.

It can make independent musicians feel quite powerless, thousands marched for Gwidihw including our local MP, but it was still knocked down. The funny thing is, it’s been 2-3 years since it was knocked down and not a single thing has been built. The remains have just been left there. For what?

It’s frustrating imagining all the opportunities and experiences that could be given to new bands looking for places to perform, I’ve had some amazing memories in Gwidihw, I played my first ever gig there. It’s a shame that there are people here now who will never get to experience it.

We are incredibly lucky to have Womanby Street, instantly recognisable with its beautiful portrait of Gwenno painted on the side of Clwb iFor Bach. It does build an incredible sense of community, there’s nothing that gets my adrenaline going more than walking through Womanby and hearing several bands blasting from different buildings, but that doesn’t erase the fact that all the venues

on that street have been threatened with closure.

Porters is another venue which is under threat of closure once their lease is up, to build (you guessed it) student flats! It’s just so disheartening. I love this city, I want to stay here for a long time, but it would be unbearable without the flow of live shows.

Live music really means a lot to me and everyone I know. It’s how we’ve built our name, it’s how I’ve made some of my bestest and dearest friends, it’s therapy for some of us. We NEED protection of our venues, Wales has so much to offer, we need these facilities to protect our culture so we can keep showcasing amazing acts like Adwaith, SHREDDIES, Rosehip Teahouse, Private World and so many more.

I would recommend you check them all out, and if you ever visit Cardiff and love live music then Womanby Street is the one, tourists come to see it all the time, which is the kind of support we love to see for our country and its venues.

Follow Emily’s band @clwb_fuzz

photo by @picturingsoph

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collective playlist We asked on instagram for suggestions of small artists from around the UK to add to our playlist page - the response was amazing. We’ve fit as many as we could onto this playlist, thank you to everyone who submitted a band or song! If you’re looking for some new music, check out the artists below:

Scotland 500 & ANIMA You Are A Very Radiant Star Glasgow Syzygy Juice DJ Set Glasgow Zoe Graham The Anniesland Lights Glasgow Kodak Ghosts Till The Morning Comes Glasgow Neev Tunnel Vision Glasgow Brat Coven White Noise Glasgow Dissenter Doorbell Glasgow Dear Asteroid Happiness Glasgow Madderam Pound A Week Rise Glasgow King Ugly Delight There Is A Light Inside You Glasgow Stoned Immaculate Plastic Notes Glasgow DETER Underneath Glasgow Owen Gibson Two Left Feet Aberdeen KAVARI Vessel Aberdeen The Stoals Something Controversial Shetland Yellow Helen Spooky Edinburgh Polly I Should Be Yours Edinburgh

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England Bug Teeth Mr Bigfoot Dylan HAAL Wildcat Boozy Tom Robertson Lemondaze King Violet Bryony Williams TV Face

Emily Mould Sour Milk Memorial Lake Keep Time Art Form October I Can Be Work Hard Have Fun

Norwich Teesside London Bristol Bristol Bristol Cambridge St Albans Wolverhampton Lancaster

No Heaven Let Me Down Stitches Change This Place Welsh Girl Hypnagogia Through The Rain

South Wales South Wales South Wales Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff

Wales Clwb Fuzz

French Alps Tiger Motel Thieves Yasmine & the Euphoria Plastic Estate

Blue Amber

Private World

Blackelvis

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@dldphotos