Back in '94 we drove down to Kirkcaldy to see Bob Tilton and Fabric and the opening band were The Newtown Grunts from along the road in Glenrothes. We arrived just as the Grunts were about to play (after taking some bizarre meandering route through Fife) and I thought they were going to be awful based on the fact they were wearing bin liners and toy army helmets. I think it was the peely-waly skinny legs on show that really disturbed me. Anyway after a lot of talking pish and joking around they actually started to play and they were totally amazing. Fast, tuneful punk with a wee splash of ska. Two vocalists a big yin (Brian iirc) and a skinny yin (Roddy). Lots of swearing; last song Ballad of a Newtown Grunt was based around the line "ya cunt, ya cunt, ya cunt, i'm a newtown grunt!" repeat until stuck in your head for ever. They also had a song about drinking Buckfast and liberally doled the stuff out during the song. They were really energetic and totally infectous and I fell in love with them and immediately bought the demo off them when they finished. I got two covers as there was originally some kind of a fuck up with the colour cover so they had a temporary one with a starfish on the front. They blame the drummer. I wonder who they blame for missing the last song of the tape? Two Pint Boring Bastard is listed on the cover but fails to materealise on the tape. Was this just my copy? I don't know...
Some time after this point the big singer buggered off to America and was replaced with Norrie and Lynn to make it three singers, they released a couple of albums and some singles and were on numerous compilations. They were the best live band in Scotland (or anywhere else for that matter!) but sadly fizzled out around 2002 leaving memories of great gigs and a slight aftertaste of tonic wine.
Some time after this point the big singer buggered off to America and was replaced with Norrie and Lynn to make it three singers, they released a couple of albums and some singles and were on numerous compilations. They were the best live band in Scotland (or anywhere else for that matter!) but sadly fizzled out around 2002 leaving memories of great gigs and a slight aftertaste of tonic wine.
The Newtown Grunts - Three Second Memory demo