text by Keistie Bertucci // photo by Ron Poznansky

Shitdisco is far from being your typical indie band. In place of rising to fame one small venue at a time, these guys decided to take an alternative approach to their music. Instead, they built a reputation for organizing and playing free parties and raves in the most outlandish places imaginable: squats, streets, abandoned railway tunnels, shipping containers and caravans. But forming a band was never their primary goal while getting a higher education at Glasgow Art School. “We were an art project rather than a band, making violent noise on a tour around five shipping containers at various locations in the city,” says Joel Stone, who plays bass, guitar and vocals for the band. Joe Reeves also plays bass, guitar and vocals, Darren Cullen bangs on drums and Tom Straughan massages the keyboards, while also helping out with backup vocals.

Shitdisco – 72 Virgins(The Bloody Beetroots Rmx)

The boys’ “61” parties (the street number of the building on Glasgow’s West Princess Street) are what helped them materialize into the band they are now. These were free house parties at Cullen’s flat from 2003–2005 where they played, lived and performed DJ sets…until they were evicted, that is. Building their vibe, the guys spread their mayhem to London and have since evolved their musical ambitions, making music people could dance to.

Having been compared to the likes of the Rapture and Talking Heads, Shitdisco also cites influences from electronica forefathers Daft Punk and Prodigy. “We’re big fans of those groups,” Stone admits, citing the Rapture was a big inspiration for them when they first started. “It was amazing supporting the Rapture on their UK tour. I felt like such a cunt the first time we met Luke Jenner. We were playing football in a park, and Ravey Davey—our sound engineer—booted the ball right off of Luke’s face as he came over to say hello. He took it like a man, though…they all do.”

Almost a year after their 2007 debut Kingdom of Fear, the blokes are on the verge of releasing their sophomore effort Emanator. While creating their music, the guys normally hang upside down for recording guitar parts (“It can be interesting playing outside your comfort zone,” says Stone), but their latest required a bit more unusual strategies, such as “a certificate of mental instability from the doctor, four hospitalizations, a nervous breakdown, agony, ecstasy and working dancefloors on three continents.” But seriously, fans can expect a dynamic record from Shitdisco when it hits shelves sometime in September and, according to Stone, “It’s a record you can put on when you want to get naked on PCP and ride a Kawasaki through a flaming barn. Or you could listen to the lyrics as a parable of alienation, atomization and fear.” I think we’d like the first option better.

Although they usually tour Europe and Asia more, expect a Shitdisco invasion near an abandoned railway tunnel near you. (Actually, they still try to play house parties and take requests via their MySpace page.) “Hopefully, this long awaited tour of the States will occur—and by the grace of the border police, we’ll make it through to perpetrate some horrific acts of ‘rock ’n’ roll-style’ degeneracy.”