Those of you wanting to understand the dynamics of Scotland’s nascent – and for the most part forgotten – indie music scene in the aftermath of punk could do worse than read Grant McPhee’s Postcards From Scotland, Scottish Independent Music 1983-1995. Lovingly cataloguing a host of groups from across the country, one characteristic defines nearly all of them, that of a desire to make art whilst on the dole sound as good as possible.
McPhee recounts in it how Edinburgh stole a march on rivals Glasgow because of the latter’s closed off local politics, along with the foundation by entrepreneur Bob Last of the short lived but hugely influential Fast Product label. For the members of Fini Tribe, although their home city was then cash poor, it was conversely culturally rich, a backdrop which along with an abundance of cheap rehearsal space in the Old Town allowed them to creatively indulge on a shoestring.
The Sheer Action Of The Fini Tribe captures the essence of their first iteration, one in which they transformed from arty post punk to experimenting with proto-industrial and techno sounds. It’s centrepiece remains DeTestimony‘s haunting sampled bells, but lined up amongst material from early EPs, a 1985 John Peel session and live work, their rave classic is just another step on a rich journey. Always proudly native, the sound of cash strapped Scotland was rarely this fascinating.
You can read a full review here.
The Voice Of Unreason 