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Scottish punk rock band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oi Polloi are a punk rock band from Scotland that formed around 1981. Starting as an Oi! band, they are now generally more associated with the anarcho-punk genre. The band has become notable for their contributions to the Scottish Gaelic punk subgenre.[1] The name comes from the Greek expression "οἱ πολλοί", Anglicized hoi polloi, meaning "the masses" or "the common people".
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (May 2012) |
Oi Polloi | |
|---|---|
Oi Polloi playing at Augustibuller in Sweden, 6 August 2005. | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | Campary Records, Ruptured Ambitions, Words of Warning, Oi! Records, Green Vomit |
| Members | Deek Allen Cameron Tongs Oigridh Olsen |
| Past members | Ade (drummer) Matt Finch (guitar) Dirty Dave Campbell (guitar) Yaga (guitar) Derek Reid (bass) Riley Briggs (guitar) Murray Briggs (drums) Grant Thorburn (drums) Chris Low (drums) Kev McInally (drums) Grant 'Muz' Munro (bass) Chris Willsher (drums) Goz (bass) Calum Mackenzie (bass) Brian Tipa others |
The band has gone through about 50 members since their formation, and their only permanent member has been vocalist Deek Allen, who has also been involved in Gaelic-language television.[2] The band has included punks and skinheads. The members have been supporters of Anti-Fascist Action and Earth First!, and they use the motto "No Compromise in Defence of Our Earth," which is an adaptation of Earth First!'s motto. They support direct action in defence of the environment, hunt sabotage, as well as resistance against racism, sexism, homophobia, fascism and imperialism. They are also supporters of Linux and criticized Microsoft in their song, L.I.N.U.X.
After gigs in the Edinburgh area and the recording of the band's self-recorded first cassette demo, Last of the Mohicans, drummer Stu "Doccy" Dunn left to become a karate instructor. A second studio demo, Green Anarchoi and their first vinyl EP, Resist the Atomic Menace, followed.
Oi Polloi started singing in Scottish Gaelic in 1996, recording the Carson? EP, (2003), then recording and releasing the full-length LP Ar Ceòl Ar Cànan Ar-A-Mach in 2006.[3] The band members also use Scottish Gaelic in day-to-day communications.[4]
In 2013, they collaborated with CLÀR, a Scottish Gaelic publisher, to launch Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach, a Gaelic science fiction novel by Tim Armstrong, the singer of Mill a h-Uile Rud, at events at Elvis Shakespeare on Leith Walk and on The Cruz Boat at the shore in Leith.[5]
In an interview with The Guardian in 2016, the band was citied along with a number of other British Anarcho-punk bands of the early 80s as being an influence to the American avant-garde metal group Neurosis.[6]
Oi Polloi: The Movie[7]
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