#shitpunk

Checking out a band at a festival isn’t a new thing is it? Well, our chance encounter with our new favourite band was at a festival but not in the traditional sense. Given we’re all in lockdown due to a global pandemic and let’s be honest, the likelihood of going to a festival this year is slim to none, the good folks at Dork Magazine curated Homeschool Festival; a virtual gathering across 3 days and multiple ‘stages’ where acts had pre-recorded their sets for them to be enjoyed from the comfort of your sofa. No crowds, no praying the weather doesn’t piss it down; the only worry was whether our wi-fi would hold up and if we had enough beers in. Amongst the delights of the Naked and Famous, The Amazons, Tim Burgess, Do Nothing, Indoor Pets and a shedload more, a name caught our eye on the ‘First On’ stage; Joe & The Shitboys. How could we not be lured in by such a kick ass name?!

Smack bang in our living room we were greeted by an explosive yet hilarious performance by the four piece from The Faroe Islands. Starting with Joe rubbing himself down with anti-bacterial gel, then hobbling into a garage set-up, with the use of crutches and a knee in a brace, as the Shitboys (that’s Ziggy Shit – guitar/choirboy, Sammy Shit – bass/choirboy and Johnny Shit - drums/not a choirboy) were churning through an intro of psyche-tinged punk; Joe popped himself down on a wheelchair, announcing the act with “we are Joe & The Shitboys and we’re bisexual vegans!” What followed was a blitzkrieg of sardonic punk, with a touch of garage rock and a hefty dollop of salacious grooves, crammed into 16 minutes. In the video below from their ‘Quarantine Special’, you’ll find 13 whip-cracking songs and the occasional intermission, where the band are either messily eating oranges or taking part in a bit life drawing (as you do).

With the impact of a smiling knife, Joe and his poop inspired pals aim their ire at a whole host of targets; toxic males on ‘Macho Man Randy Savage’, the bone-idle ‘Life is Great You Suck’ and errr….everyone, as ‘Fuck Everybody’ finds Joe yelping “you may not like me / that’s ok / I just have one thing to say / fuck everybody.” There’s time for the 1 second blast of ‘Fuck’, a song introduced as ‘Wonderwall’ that’s just feral noise, like the Oasis classic is being ripped apart from the inside (look away now Radio X devotees your gods are being destroyed), and of course the quartet have their own theme tune; ‘Shitboys Theme’ plays out like the opening credits to a dodgy detective show from the 70s, crossed with wrestling entrance music as Joe lets us know that “you just got fucked up by the Shitboys” if we hadn’t already realised that?

Having been inspired by some artwork discovered at an old abandoned school, Joe & the Shitboys live by the manifesto of ‘The Reson for Hardcore Vibes’ and a compulsion to baulk against the overtly conservative Faroe Islands (quick geography and history lesson: the Faroe Islands are a self-governing nation under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. Their population is nearly 50,000 and this is spread out across 17 of the nation’s inhabited islands – with 1 island completely deserted.) Given the country’s conservatism, especially it’s attitude to gay marriage (legalised only 3 years ago), Joe & the Shitboys have plenty to be angry about and it would seem, nothing is out of bounds.  

2020 has been ruined by Covid-19 but it might well just have been saved by Dork, and Joe & The Shitboys.

 For Fans Of: The Stooges, Minor Threat, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, Bad Breeding, Protomartyr  

Most Likely To: Fuck Shit Up

Least Likely To: Take Any Shit

Key Track(s): Macho Man Randy Savage, If You Believe in Eating Meat Start With Your Dog, The Reson for Hardcore Vibes, Drugs R’4 Kids

 Links:

https://www.facebook.com/joeandtheshitboys/

https://www.joeandtheshitboys.com/

https://www.instagram.com/joeandtheshitposts/