Island’s Punk Scene is Here to Stay: Interview with Mad Daddy
A small island in the middle of the Irish sea doesn’t immediately seem like the ideal place for a thriving punk scene. Although we may be one of the only places in the British Isles (indeed in Europe) to have any kind of scene over the past year, the island’s dedicated punk crowd had been steadily growing long before then. Local collective Manx Punx have been putting on gigs on the island since 2014, promoting local punk bands alongside talent from the UK and Ireland. Manx punk band Mad Daddy released their debut album to acclaim and radio play from Australia, Germany and beyond. Global pandemic or not, these Manx punks aren’t going anywhere.
To give us more insight into this underground scene, we caught up with two members of Mad Daddy: lead singer Dolyn Clucas-Morris and drummer Matt Twist. Both of them, especially Twist, also play a part in the Manx Punx collective.
Mad Daddy on stage, via Isle Photo
When you think about punk, the average person might picture spiked hair, piercings, safety pins… and while you don’t have to have a mohican to be punk, this imagery actually gives us some important clues. The essence of punk, Twist tells us, is that DIY attitude: beyond just spraying your own hair or pinning on your own badge, it’s going out and creating the band, the event ー even the subculture ー that you want. Aesthetics are secondary: it is the independent drive ー and the equality, the acceptance and the welcoming spirit that comes with it ー that define punk.
With such a small population on the island, you can struggle to find your people. And yet, the independence of the self-governing Isle of Man lends itself to punk; if something doesn’t exist here, the place is small enough that you can create it from scratch. Before Manx Punx existed, there was no punk scene to speak of on the island at the time. Over here, to get something to happen, you have to make it happen. So they did.
It shouldn’t be surprising to hear that Manx Punx doesn’t operate in a corporate capacity: it’s a non-profit organisation, continually reinvesting money from one successful night into paying for the the next. And it seems to have worked so far ー in fact, many bands they’ve brought across the Irish Sea say they’re better paid on the island than they are in the UK or Ireland.
Twist started the initiative alongside fellow punk musician Mike Cowley. Since the project’s genesis, the collective has evolved, bringing other players on board ー Jenni Smith, for instance, SoundCheck manager and lead singer of QueerCore punk band Half Naked Headline. In the last couple of years (again, lockdowns aside), Manx Punx have been weaving a web of connections with venues, music fans and bands on-island and beyond.
Mad Daddy on stage at the Promenade Suite at the Villa Marina as part of the Arts Council’s Made in Mann series
Mad Daddy at Dark Horse Festival, via Martin Critchley
One such band, naturally, is Mad Daddy. Formed by frontman Dolyn Clucas-Morris and his actual dad (hence the name), Mad Daddy are major players in the Manx music scene. Blending punk with rockabilly and blues, the group recently released their self-titled debut album (whose vinyl pressing was funded by The Isle of Man Arts Council) to rave reviews. Three music videos and countless gigs later and they’re kicking these new tracks out into the world at full throttle.
Dolyn told me he’s noticed a change in Manx attitudes to local bands of late: at one of Mad Daddy’s gigs in Ramsey, people were travelling from the south of the island to attend. It may just be a few extra miles, but it’s encouraging to know that the effort is being made. Mad Daddy have their sights set wider too: they had gigs booked in the UK before the pandemic, and are hoping to reclaim their spot on the circuit. Realistically, this will probably be in early 2022, considering the huge backlog of postponed gigs over there. Until then, they’re keeping busy: making and releasing music videos is one thing that has helped them maintain their momentum after the album release.
With influences ranging from ‘40s John Lee Hooker to early rock ‘n’ roll Elvis ー as well as punk godfathers such as The Stooges and The Ramones, of course ー Mad Daddy produce a hard-driving, addictive sound. Their album, recorded locally with Gyp Buggane at Ballagroove Recording Studio, is an intense, quickfire explosion. They said they wanted “a good time that's over too soon”. Harsh critics could call it messy, but it’s intended to be so raw. It’s a testament to the band that Mad Daddy can give you so much so fast (ten tracks in just over half an hour) but still leave you wanting more.
By bringing bands over to the island, Manx Punx ended up creating connections that only became more crucial during the pandemic. A few months ago, Manx Punx were working on Locked in the Dressing Room, a collaborative project between RiverStudios in Belgium and Advance Records/Rotator Vinyl in Dublin. The project produces compilation albums to raise money in support of venues around Europe that have been forced to close over the past year. The Isle of Man now has its own Locked in the Dressing Room vinyl, now available to order, with all proceeds going to support Manx Punx. The compilation features beloved tracks from local bands like Mad Daddy and Slow Decay, as well as from acts that Manx Punx has brought over the water like Blitzkrieg and Unholy Alliance.
Manx Punx’s Locked in the Dressing Room compilation on white vinyl is available now
Just as UK-based bands are making connections to the island, so is Mad Daddy reaching across the Irish Sea ー and beyond. They’ve shipped physical copies of their album to the USA, plus France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and all over the UK. Self-releasing an album, you have to do all the promotion yourself. Dolyn reached out to DJs and critics all over the world ー of course, you’ve got to target (Mad Daddy wouldn’t be getting played on Radio 1) and most don’t reply, but even a few is an achievement.
That is how lead single Ride or Die got to be played on radios from the UK to Germany to the US and even Brisbane in Australia. Legendary American DJ, club owner and friend of Elvis Presley Rodney Bingenheimer even played their track on his show on The Underground Garage in Los Angeles ー twice! Perhaps most impressively, Iggy Pop played their track recently on BBC Radio 6 Music. How’s that for a name drop?
Dolyn tells us that Iggy was a particular highlight, since he was of course a big inspiration for Mad Daddy: Ride With Me’s chorus even takes its chord sequence from Iggy & The Stooges’ track Raw Power. There are few other direct nods to their musicals idols in there too: Real Bad Day adapts a riff from Muddy Waters’ Mannish Boy, and there are spoken references to punk bands like The Cramps and The Ramones sprinkled throughout.
And so, if you’ll excuse the pun, it seems that the punks of the Isle of Man are making waves beyond our shores. In an increasingly digitised and connected world, the spirit of punk travels far and wide. They aren’t forgetting about their roots, though: with tentative travel apprehension still lingering, Manx Punx continue to put on gigs with our amazing wealth of local band. And Mad Daddy are still loving playing on-island and are selling their vinyl in Sound Records ー out now! After all, the punk is in the people, and the people certainly aren’t going anywhere.
Written by Owen Atkinson
On Saturday 28th August, Mad Daddy will be playing at Heavy As Balls, a fundraiser Isle of Man Anti-Cancer Association organised by Indie Howl. All the details are on Facebook.
Mad Daddy’s self-titled debut album is out now, streaming on Spotify and on CD via Bandcamp. Limited edition green vinyl will are on-sale now in Sound Records.
Manx Punx’s Locked in the Dressing Room compilation is available to pre-order on white vinyl via Advance Records. All proceeds go to support Manx Punx.
