Oi Polloi

Oi Polloi are an anarcho-punk band from Scotland that formed around 1981. They started as an Oi! band and later became notable for their contributions to the Scottish Gaelic punk subgenre. Their name is a pun on the English ^{English language} loan of the Greek ^{Greek language} phrase hoi polloi (Greek ^{Greek language} : ) which literally means "the many", but is extended to mean "the masses" or "the common people".

The band has gone through 50 members since their formation, and their only permanent member has been vocalist Deek Allen who has also been involved in Gaelic television and has appeared as Moses on a Gaelic comedy programme. The band has included punk ^{punk (subculture)} s and skinheads. The members have been supporters of Anti-Fascist Action and Earth First!, and they use the motto "No Compromise in Defence of Our Earth," which is an adaptation of Earth First!'s motto. They support direct action in defence of the environment, hunt sabotage ^{Hunt Saboteurs Association} , and resistance against racism, ***ism, homophobia, fascism and imperialism.

  After numerous gigs in the Edinburgh area and the recording of the group's self-recorded first cassette demo, Last of the Mohicans, drummer Stu "Doccy" Dunn left to become a karate instructor and was replaced by Muz, who later recorded with the Apostles. Oi Polloi's first studio recording was the demo Destroi the System, which was released in 1984 or 1985. After Sounds ^{Sounds (magazine)} magazine gave their previous home-recorded demo a favourable review, demand increased for gigs. A second studio demo, Green Anarchoi followed before the release of the first vinyl album, Resist the Atomic Menace.

Apostles and Political Asylum original drummer Chris Low also did a stint for a time while various other one members went on to play in such varied bands as British Standard, Disorder ^{Disorder (band)} , The Exploited, Kling Klang ^{Kling Klang (band)} , Aberfeldy ^{Aberfeldy (band)} , Bus Station Loonies, Gin Goblins, Newtown Grunts, Divide & Conquer, Moniack, In Decades Decline, Rocka Ragnarok, Firestone: Legend of the Hawk and Austin Lucas's band The Pressmen. Drummer Murray Briggs, who played on several of the band's 7" records, as well as the Fuaim Catha LP, now plays in Scottish indie pop band Aberfeldy ^{Aberfeldy (band)} along with brother Riley, who had a brief spell as Oi Polloi's guitarist in the 1990s.

Brian Tipa was instrumental in writing a great deal of material for the band in the mid 1990s. He was a member of the American band Blownapart Bastards, who later formed Uwharria, and now plays in Robotnicka. David 'Rat' Connolly was the guitarist through much of the early years, playing his last gig and album in 1991. Connolly wrote the music for songs such as "Pigs for Slaughter" and "Boot Down The Door", and he went on to become an archaeologist ^archaeology and Middle Eastern adventurer. Former bass player Calum Mckenzie (1992-99) relocated to the United States and now plays in the New York City-based thrash/punk band Death Mold. On the "Omnicide" 7", bass and some vocals were by Morag Cruickshank from the Aberdeen grindcore band Grunge.

Oi Polloi have recently started singing in Scottish Gaelic ^{Scottish Gaelic language} , and use the language in day-to-day communications. They see the use of Gaelic and other endangered languages as important to maintaining the biocultural diversity of life. They toured Europe with Seattle-based punk band Mill a h-Uile Rud, who sing only in Scottish Gaelic, and Les Ramoneurs de menhirs, who mostly sing in Breton ^{Breton language} . The band are currently recording their second full-length Gaelic LP Duisg!, to be released in 2010.
7" EPs

*Resist the Atomic Menace 1986 (re-released 1994)
*Outrage ^{Outrage (album)} 1988
*Omnicide ^{Omnicide (album} 1991 (Words of Warning Records)
*Guilty ^{Guilty (Oi Polloi EP)} (Ruptured Ambitions Records) 1993
*Oi Polloi / Blownapart Bastards (Split) 1994
*Oi Polloi - s/t (Nikt Nic Nie Wie)
*Bare Faced Hypocrisy Sells Records The Anti-Chumbawamba EP w/Riot/Clone, The Bus Station Loonies, Anxiety Society, The Chineapple Punks, Love Chips and Peas, and Wat Tyler 1998 (Ruptured Ambitions Records)
*THC ^{THC (album)} (Campary Rec.) 1998
*Let the Boots Do the Talking (Ruptured Ambitions Records) 1999
*Carson? (Nikt Nic Nie Wie) 2003
*Ceòl Gàidhlig mar Sgian nad Amhaich (compilation with Mill a h-uile rud, Atomgevitter and Nad Aislingean) (Problem Records) 2005
*Mind the Bollocks (Kämäset Levyt Records) 2007
*Cyklopen split EP with Kansalaistottelemattomuus 2010
*3 tracks on split ep with Appalachian Terror Unit 2010


12" LPs

*Skins 'N' Punks Volume Two (Split w Betrayed) 1986
*Unlimited Genocide (Split w A.O.A.) 1986
*Mad As... (Split w Toxik Ephex) 1987
*Unite And Win (Oi! Records) 1987
*In Defence Of Our Earth (Words Of Warning Records) 1990
*You've Heard It All Before Track on The Crass Covers Compilation album (Ruptured Ambitions Records) 1993
*Fight Back! (Re-Release Of Old Split Material) 1994
*Total Anarchoi (Live/Studio Collection - CD/LP) 1996
*Fuaim Catha (Skuld Records) 1999
*Outraged By The System (Step-1 Music) 2002
*Heavenly Peace (Split 12" EP w Nikmat Olalim, Campari Records) 2006
*Ar Ceòl Ar Cànan Ar-A-Mach 2006
*Gaidhlig na Lasair' (compilation of underground gaelic punk and techno)(Problem? Records) 2006
*Total Resistance to the *** System (Plastic Bomb) 2008
*SS Politician ^{SS Politician (album)} (Chaosrurale Records) 2010
*Duisg! (scheduled for release 2010)