The Backline Newsletter - Issue 25

Issue 25

Author

Allan Watson
November 06, 2025

The Backline Newsletter
Issue 25 - Thursday, 6th Nov 2025

Editorial

No Q&A last week? We know, a national tragedy. But don’t panic, The Backline is back on form and louder than ever. This week, Murder of Crows take us inside their world of horror punk, Scottish ghost stories, and soldered mandolins that refuse to die. Add a killer gig lineup (including Sunday (1994) at Òran Mór) and a reverb pedal so wild it bends time, and you’ve got everything you need to soundtrack your week.

Spotlight Q&A

This Week’s Feature Band: Murder Of Crows

1. Who’s in the band, and what do they play?
Joe McDermott and I play lead vocals, Mandolin & Penny whistle.
Neale Matthison - Keytar & Vocals
Doug Barr - Guitar
Jamie ‘Scruff’ Scrymgeour - Drums
Craig Hayworth - Bass & Vocals

2. Describe your sound in 5 words or less.
Horror Punk Meets Celtic Punk

3. What was your first gig as a band?
Bannermans, Edinburgh in 2023 alongside our pals 13 tombs & Buzzbomb.

4. Biggest show so far and how did it feel?
Not sure of the venue capacity’s so it’s a toss up between Supporting the Rumjacks at The Glasgow Cathouse in February or Supporting UK Horror punk legends Screaming Dead at their home town Christmas show in Cheltenham at the Frog and Fiddle. Both gigs were really special, sold out shows and the audiences were energetic which is a magic buzz.

5. Which Scottish venue feels like home?
We recently held our own all day fest called the Clan Craw gathering in September featuring us and loads of the bands we’ve had the pleasure of knowing through the years. It was held at a new venue in Falkirk, The Rock Bottom which is a craft beer bar owned by music fanatics and it was an insanely good day. That place feels like our ‘local home’ because our band members are split between Falkirk and Dunfermline. We also really want to support the venue because a town like Falkirk needs a dedicated live music venue.
Further afield I’d say Bloc in Glasgow is beginning to feel like a home from home. Something really special is happening there with the craziest audiences of all ages supporting the shows. Hats off to Twos up Promotions and Goblin Mode promotions who have built something really cool there.

6. If someone’s never heard of you, what song should they start with?
We write songs about Scottish Ghost stories and dark chapters on Scotlands History. I think of the material we have released so far ‘Dungeon Girl’ from our first EP sums up what we are about both instrumentation and lyric wise. We end all our sets with that song.

7. One band or artist you’d love to open for?
For me personally it would be The Damned. My kid Eloise is named after their version of the song so I’m a mega fan! Not only were they one of the first wave Punk bands but a band who pushed the boundaries of what Punk could be. They kept that rough round the edges DIY vibe, but also weren’t afraid to experiment.

8. What’s your most battered bit of kit and why do you keep using it?
Not so much an entire piece of kit but rather a feature. I own two pretty cheap Ibanez mandolins. The reason I’ve stuck with them is firstly they sound good and secondly we are pretty energetic live so I tend to bounce around a bit and I’d probably be too afraid to do that with an expensive piece of kit. For the most part they play like a dream but they have the crappiest input jack, a really poor feature on an otherwise decent instrument. I end up having to get the soldering iron out every couple of months which is a pain!

9. How do you handle criticism or don’t you?
We’ve only had one negative review and it was hilarious. Some German punk site basically said our EP was crap and we found it very funny. We think the band name made them think we’d be a hardcore band or something. The best of it was they asked us to share the review and their page for the privilege of slating us! Funny stuff. You can’t please everyone so we had a chuckle about it.

10. What do you argue about most in group chats?
We’ve never had an argument as such. Infact I don’t recall a full blown argument within the band at all. Closest thing I can think of is pre gig food. I like Taco Bell and Scruff hates it!

Find Murder of Crows @

Murder Of Crows final gig of the year will be at Bloc in Glasgow on the 21st of December for the Twos up afternoon show with Razortooth & The Ratistas. Between now and they are recording their first full length album which will be released in 2026. 

Essential Gear

EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath V3 Reverb

Why we love it:
The Afterneath isn’t your average reverb pedal — it’s like opening a black hole made of echoes. Each note dissolves into a shimmering cloud of ambience, from haunted cave reflections to interstellar washes of sound. It’s unpredictable, beautiful, and endlessly inspiring.

What it does:
Using cascading delay lines, the Afterneath V3 creates textures that feel almost alive. With the “Drag” control, you can warp your repeats in real time — stretching, smearing, and bending your sound into something cinematic.

Best for:
Guitarists, synth heads, and sound designers chasing new sonic frontiers. Perfect for post-rock, shoegaze, ambient, or soundtrack work.

Bonus tip:
Put it after your delay or fuzz pedal for ghostly swells — or run vocals through it for otherworldly results.

Gig of the Week

Sunday (1994) - Tuesday, 10th November, Òran Mór, Glasgow
This one’s got that unmistakable 90s nostalgia baked right in. Looking forward to chiming guitars, a touch of melancholy, and the kind of songwriting that feels equally at home in a sweaty club or a cinema montage. Òran Mór’s intimate setting is the perfect backdrop for a band whose name alone hints at heartache and hazy memories.

Best of the Rest

The Lilacs - Friday, 7th November, The Mash House, Edinburgh
Gritty indie charm from a band who wear their Northern roots with pride. Expect swagger, singalongs, and a healthy dose of jangly guitars echoing off those stone walls.

Gary Numan - Tuesday, 11th November, O2 Academy, Glasgow
The synth pioneer returns with his signature industrial edge. Still dark, still commanding, still proving that “Cars” was just the beginning.

Get Involved

Got a story from the rehearsal room, a feature you would like to see, a gig pick, or a gear review you want to share, or just want to plug some great Scottish music, suggest a band or get featured? Have you attended our gig pick - write a review we may feature it a future issue.

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