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- It’s 50 years since Glasgow ban made Paisley the centre of punk in west Scotland
- Broadcaster to host major names in Scottish music at Punk to Paolo event, celebrating town’s amazing contemporary music story
- First Paisley Arts Festival takes place from March 27-29
Punk music has been a major influence in Vic Galloway’s life.
And Paisley was the home of much of Scotland’s punk scene.
So, where better for the broadcaster and musician to bring together major names in Scottish music to mark the 50th anniversary of the movement taking hold of the nation – and much more?
From Punk To Paolo, being staged on Sunday March 29, is one of the headline events of the first Paisley Arts Festival, the theme of which is The Sound of Paisley.
As the name suggests, it will be a live celebration of the town’s contemporary music story – from punk and its iconic sounds and scenes to the ongoing worldwide success of Paisley superstar Paolo Nutini.
BBC Radio Scotland presenter Vic, who is both curating and hosting the Paisley Town Hall show, said: “I was a bit too young for punk the first time around. In 1976 I was only four years old.
“I got into punk a bit retrospectively. The first band I ever saw live was The Damned in 1985. I was only 12 years old.
“It completely changed my life. It’s had a huge impact on me in terms of music, but also in terms of attitude, sensibilities and mistrust of authority.”
For a town so closely associated with radicalism, Paisley’s place as a home of punk should perhaps come as little surprise.
Its emergency followed controversy a little further along the M8.
Political concerns around anarchy and the fallout from a raucous gig by The Stranglers in 1976 led to Glasgow City Council banning punk bands from performing in the city.
Promoters seized the opportunity to keep gigs relatively close by – taking them just a few miles to Paisley instead.
The likes of The Buzzcocks, Elvis Costello and Siouxsie and the Banshees all performed in the town as venues including The Bungalow Bar and The Silver Thread Hotel found themselves becoming homes of punk.
“I love the fact that Paisley had to become punk HQ in the west because of the Glasgow ban. That drew me to this event straight away,” added Vic.
Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake is the latest performer confirmed for From Punk To Paolo, joining Richard Jobson of The Skids, The Rezillos, Kathryn Joseph, King Creosote, Emma Pollock, C Duncan, kitti and Linzi Clark.
The 10-piece house band will be led by Admiral Fallows’ Joe Rattray, with the collective covering songs by everyone from The Buzzcocks to Altered Images, Aztec Camera and, of course, Paisley performers including Gerry Rafferty and Paolo.
Arts festival organisers OneRen, say it’s an event that will “chart the evolution of Paisley’s recent musical history, capturing the creativity, resilience, and identity that have defined Paisley through the last few decades”.
Vic added: “We’ve a fantastic line-up of singers. We’ve got some original punks – The Rezillos and The Skids – you’ve got the generation which followed with Norman and King Creosote, and Emma Pollock, through to Kathryn Joseph, C Duncan, then the ongoing Paisley link through kitti and Linzi Clark representing young and emerging artists.
“We’ll feature lots of hits from Scottish bands that played in Paisley – Aztec Camera, Orange Juice and The Bluebells. There will be punk and new wave acts who played in the Silver Thread and The Bungalow.
“If you’re a diehard punk you’ll enjoy it. If you got into music through new wave, you’ll enjoy it. If you’re into post-punk Scottish pop, you’ll enjoy it. If you’re a Paolo fan, you’ll enjoy it.
“We just want people to come along for a knees up and a night out – a celebration of good music and paisley.”
The opening evening of the festival (Friday March 27) will see Trainspotting creator Irvine Welsh lead a tribute to his friend, the globally-renowned Paisley-born designer, musician and artist Pam Hogg, who died in November.
Pam Hogg: Style, Defiance and the Art of Being Seen will be a reflective conversation on her life, legacy and cultural impact. It too is being held at Paisley Town Hall.
Paisley Arts Festival, organised by OneRen and supported by Creative Scotland, takes place from Friday March 27 until Sunday March 29. To see the full programme – and to buy tickets – go to www.oneren.org/paf. Events are being held at Paisley Town Hall and Paisley Arts Centre.
