I’m very good thank you! April is a bit of a crazy month for me, its mine & my twin’s birthday on the 30th, so April is always a banger!

I’m actually from Essex (& still have the super strong accent that I love), & I’ve moved a lot around the UK but currently in Bath. I’ve lived here for nearly 2 years now and I love it. I moved here because I’m a massive Jane Austen fan as she’s so associated with the city. However, in 21st century terms, it’s a great place to live. It’s close to the countryside but also spitting distance to Bristol where there is a great punk and straight edge scene.

I’m a sound engineer as my day job and I love it. It’s my dream job and I feel very lucky to be able to sustain myself with my dream career. Music technology is also a very male-dominanted industry, so I feel extra lucky that I am in sound engineering and can be an example of women being in live sound especially.

I can’t remember the pinpoint, but I’ve loved punk since I was a teenager. Henry Rollins was the catalyst in me finding everything out about the UK and US scenes. My parents weren’t into music at all, but I feel lucky that my twin and I enjoyed the same music so would get the train from Southend to London to go to punk shows together and get the last train home to see our heroes. Having a partner in crime like that made it possible to go to as many shows that we wanted to.

I’ve lived in a lot of places – Leeds, Essex, Cornwall and now the South West, and I personally think the South West is best. Its very open and accepting and the queer punk community is incredible. I think some cities I’ve been in have scenes that have very strong gatekeepers which I think is wild. Everyone should be accepted and being a big fish in a small pond isn’t as cool as some people think it is!

I would say punk. If you stand up for what you believe in, are accepting and try to make the world a better place, that’s punk rock to me. A mohawk and studded clothes are the optional additions – it’s all about the mindset. I delve into the skinhead culture because people are proper friendly & the shows are completely different to punk which can be a tonic.

I have an addictive personality, and to me from a young age, straight edge suited me. I come from a working class background so it never made sense to me to spend the little money I earnt on drugs or drinking. I would save it to go to shows instead. I’ve never drunk or done drugs in my life and I’m proud of that commitment I made nearly half my life ago now. I don’t judge others that don’t though, that’s the important part. Do whatever you want to to have a good time, as long as it doesn’t hurt others.

A massive one. It’s up to us to make the world a better place for the misfits since day dot; punk has always been the space for people to truly be themselves. I really believe that the future of punk is the queer community. Being an oppressive, archaic gatekeeper isn’t punk and not what Strummer fought for.

Skeinhead is a business I started in 2019 when I moved to Cornwall for my mental health, to raise cash and awareness for various charities. I realised pretty quickly there was a gap in the market for crafters who were alternative and wanted a community. Skeinhead was born and it’s a great pun: a mix of skinhead & a skein, how yarn is presented instead of a ball. I started the business with my twin sister India and we create almost band merch with shirts and hoodies with various puns. I love it and the community we’ve built is one of the achievements I’m most proud of in my life.

I’ve started a new community called Punks Against Prejudice, similar to Skeinhead but for more music lovers than crafters. It’s brand new but I want to build it to an epicentre that punks can meet others, and have resources to learn, especially about their privilege to help others. I was heavily influenced by the Rock Against Racism movement and I feel like now more than ever, we need a resurgence of movements like that to stamp out injustice and raise awareness.

I’m cliche as it gets; give me some fishnets, bright leopard print and a Harrington jacket & I’m the happiest!

Hilariously enough, it really hasn’t. I got a mohawk when I was 16 and never looked back. I just have it bigger, bolder and brighter than before! I love the skinhead culture too and proper enjoy wearing a Relco shirt, bleached jeans, boots and braces. It makes me feel empowered and part of something that’s bigger than myself.

Before I hit the bar for all those lemonades and fruit mocktails, it takes me around 45 minutes – actually less time than it takes me to do my eyeliner and lipstick. As long as you use a super hot hairdryer and strong hairspray, you can put it up pretty quick!

I feel like I have a fair few but I think being successful in areas that are usually dominated by straight, white males I’m proud of. Drumming, punk and music technology are things I love and I’m so proud to still be in them even though I’ve had my fair share of misogynistic experiences in all three areas.

Be the change you want to see.

I adore the Exchange in Bristol, it’s had some incredible acts play and has a very exciting buzz around it. You can see punk titans there and up and coming bands – including my own band, GorZ!

1. The Ruts / Ruts DC
2. X-Ray Spex
3. The Clash
4. Grade 2
5. Black Flag

Drums, I’ve played for nearly 20 years now.

GorZ to me is all about inclusion and being the change in punk we want to see. We are a queer punk band that want to show that individuality is everything. Come to a show and find out what we are all about, and wear your most garish clobber!

We have some great gigs coming up and just recorded some songs for our upcoming EP. We are putting on a massive event at Dareshack in Bristol on May 20th, with loads of other punk bands playing, a ‘zine launch and a creative market. It’s gonna be a total blast, come along!

The Ruts will always be my ride or die. I remember seeing them support a local hero of my hometown, Wilko Johnson at KOKO & Ruts DC took my breath away. The first time I saw Staring at The Rude Boys live, I was hookes. Segs, Leigh and Ruffy are the humblest and nicest blokes too, which will always make them my favourite band. I’m glad they still make music and tour so younger punks like me are able to see them & experience their live show.

Find your peers, go to every show and wear everything you want to. Enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think!

The future of punk is queer, which is the shake-up the scene needs. The fluidity of gender and deletion of norms is what punk has needed for a long, long time. It’s important to remember the pioneers of the past, but we can’t get stuck there.