Film to air on Paisley's legendary punk scene after gigs were banned in Glasgow

The late 1970s and early 80s saw an explosion of the punk culture and music scene in the town after Glasgow banned punk bands from playing in the city.

This meant some of the best-known punk bands in the country along with emerging groups from the Paisley area played regular gigs at both The Bungalow Bar and the Silver Thread Hotel.

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Now this amazing period when punk exploded onto the psyche of young people has been captured on film by Paisley’s Brick Lane Media.

The documentary film called Paisley Punks: The Story of the Paisley Punk Scene Late 1970s to Early 1980s – was made with the support of Renfrewshire Leisure and Creative Scotland.

It will be first shown on Renfrewshire Leisure's online TV channel, Ren TV, at 7 pm, on Friday and then at the latest incarnation of The Bungalow Bar, now in Shuttle Street, Paisley, which will also be screening the movie.

Punk began in London 45 years ago and quickly caught the imagination of youth looking for an outlet to protest against the establishment and Paisley became the centre of punk culture in Scotland.

For the first time, a documentary film charts this phenomenon and interviews many of the people involved in the punk scene in the town during this period.

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Alan McEwan, of Brick Lane Media, said: “This story is an amazing part of Paisley's music heritage and has led, in many ways, to the vibrant music scene we see in the town today.

“Many well-known artists such as The Fall, Q Tips and Altered Images played in Paisley.

“With the ban on punk gigs by Glasgow City Council, big name artists struggled to find suitable venues to play. “However, only 11 miles down the road, Scotland’s largest town offered an alternative in venues such as The Bungalow and the Silver Thread Hotel.

“Paisley soon became the centre of the universe for punk in Scotland.

“The punk movement put Paisley on the touring map for some of the biggest names in the music industry and it also provided opportunities for grassroots acts to support these bands and learn their trade.”

Janis Marshall Reilly, Renfrewshire Leisure’s Performance Programmer, added: “Paisley played a crucial role in the development of punk music and culture in Scotland.

“It was a revolutionary time in the music industry and arguably in society and like many times before in its history, the town showed its radical side.

“The Paisley Punks film is a fantastic insight into an important part of the town’s social history and well worth viewing.”

Go to www.renfrewshireleisure.com to watch the film on the Ren TV online channel.