A rocking, revitalising, must-listen for fans of early Buzzcocks!
Hailing from Medway, Kent, UK, Dead Star Boys bring their own twist to punk and post-punk. “Our style is how we spin the type of songs that came out in late 1970’s Britain. We’re fast but not too fast and we have tunes (and lyrics) that aren’t the usual type of clichés that most bands are turning out.”
Their second album ‘Rats‘ is scheduled for release on Monday 13th April, just 8 months after their self-titled debut, which was praised by Vive Le Rock saying “This band have a great sound and are definitely going places”.
We concur – these boys can turn out seriously good sounds!
Dead Star Boys are:
Viv Tucker – Lead vocals & bass
Ash Jordan – Guitar
Pat McGinn – Drums
Viv “jumps up and down and often gets confused as being Pete Shelley’s reincarnation” say the band. This album will certainly appeal to fans of Buzzcocks‘ early output, with effervescent guitar and bass keeping each song bounding along while the drums add sparks!
‘Rats‘ opens with a fabulous cover of of the Buggles’ ‘(Living in the) Plastic Age’ – it had to be done – which sounds as relevant now as it did back in 1980:
The remaining 10 tracks are originals. “We’re trying to create something fresh. Yeah, we know it’s all been done before, but we hope that our music isn’t just another case of riffs blatantly stolen and passed of as a homage…” Covering topics from internet dating in ‘Lonely Boy‘ to falling through the cracks of society in the title track ‘Rats‘, to the existential threat to the working class in ‘Waiting For A Bomb’ and a none-too-optimistic look into the future in ‘Dead Star Boys‘ and ‘Summer’s Gone’, you’d be forgiven for thinking this must be a gloom-ridden record…
In fact, ‘Rats‘ showcases Dead Star Boys‘ talent for phenomenal blasts to the ears of the grooviest and catchiest rock’n’roll! It’s wild, it’s writhing with earworms, and it’s an absolute must-listen – go get it in your ears asap!
A final word from Dead Star Boys; “If you came from Medway then you’d understand how cut off we are from the oxygen we need… it’s frustrating, but we are starting to get better offers on the back of rave reports from gigs, and independent radio play.”
Maybe so, but word is certainly spreading that Dead Star Boys have something remarkable to offer. Pre-order ‘Rats‘ on CD from Detour Records HERE, and you can pre-order a digital copy from HERE
Dead Star Boys next play live on Saturday 11th April in Gravesend – Tickets are available HERE
- Plastic Age
- Lonely Boy
- Jet Fighter
- Rats
- The Soldiers Are All Broken
- Don’t Turn Off The Light
- Waiting For A Bomb
- The Dead Star Boys
- Summer’s Gone
- Johnny’s Got A Gun
- Killed By Dreams
Follow Dead Star Boys on Their Socials:
Need more Punk In Your Life?
Video premiere: Punk trio Gulls come out fighting on new single ‘Womb Raider’!
Brighton trio Gulls bring their own brand of Punk-Rock-Poem-Pop to new single ‘Womb Raider’, which highlights the struggle for bodily autonomy and the political forces
Punk Rock Creatives Podcast – June 2026 Update!
June was a month of getting out there and supporting the Punk community for Punk Rock Creatives Podcast, alongside special guests Trystan O’Connell of Bullitz23
EP Review – By the power of the coffee bean, Thronk! unleash ‘Kick Me While I’m Down’ to the masses
Self-described power-punk trio Thronk! are Newport/Weston-Super-Mare based, and their drummer, Rich Brown, was the original Split Dogs drummer. New 5-track EP ‘Kick Me While I’m
Interview: London’s Healthy Junkies on new single ‘Oh La La’ and their 2026 plans
On the eve of their latest single – ‘Oh L La’ – launch, Ruth caught up with London Alt-punks Healthy Junkies to discuss the single,
Compelling new ‘50 Years of Punk’ documentary captures the full controversy of the time!
A fascinating, thought-provoking and sometimes shocking insights into the 1976-7 Punk explosion, Mark Sloper’s documentary film ’50 Years of Punk’ hits a screen near you
Explode The TV, London Water Rats, 3rd July 2026
Explode The TV are clearly in a playful mood tonight, throwing a handful of covers into their set, including a superb rendition of David Bowie’s
Usually found jumping around down the front at gigs, I also relish taking photos and videos, singing, speaking with fellow music fans, and asking musicians the questions nobody else does. Writing about my favourite bands and connecting with people who love music too keeps me more-or-less sane! I’ve worked for over 25 years at a video production company, mainly filming live music events, therefore I have an additional backstage perspective on the scene.
Did you know that we are 100% DIY? We run our own game. No one dictates to us, and no one drives what we can or cannot put on our pages – and this is how we plan to continue!
