“You can always go to a goth bar and have a decent time laughing,” says Max, guitarist for punk rockers the Swingin’ Utters. “They can point at you, but they’re the ones with the makeup.”

Despite this criticism, the Utters are more than happy with the new fans they’ve been playing for, Goth and otherwise. Easily one of the driving forces behind this “real punk rock” movement, the Swingin’ Utters also get recognition for making the Pogues look fashionable again. They now find themselves sharing a stage with true punk rock legends on a current tour with the Damned.

“It’s funny because one of the first albums I owned was a Damned album,” Max told the Varsity at their recent Toronto performance.

That Celtic folk rock that made the Pogues famous is perhaps the most recognizable trait for the Utters, one which has found a permanent home in a side project known as Filthy Thieving Bastards which involves all members of the Utters. “They don’t play shows or anything, but they have a new album coming out and they may play then. FTB is basically Swingin’ Utters without all the punk elements.”

The band is quick to avoid being given the Oi! label. For this guitarist, there is more to the band than shaving heads and lifting pints. “We do bring in that oi street punk crowd, but we’re not into Condemned 84. We’re all freaks about the Pogues, though.”

As for the Utters, they plan on hitting the studio in February in anticipation of a spring release that will hopefully avoid past pitfalls. “We’ve never been satisfied with the production on our record,” explains Max.

“It’s one thing when a producer doesn’t add anything to an album, but it’s another when he actually drags it down.”

Yet excitement should build around this next release, as none other than legendary punk rock maniac Blag Dhalia of the notorious Dwarves will fill the studio chair.

“We’re lucky because we’ve always wanted to work with him,” explains Max, “Blag is creative and he’s a good friend of ours. I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun. Hopefully everything will work out.”