Rant from Belfast is one of the best streetpunkbands I have heard in years. Buy their new LP please…here´s an interview with the band done in august 2025.

Please tell me a little about every member and the history of the band?

-Hi Peter, I am Marty I'm a 45 year old Belfast city Punk Rocker and I'm the old boy in the band. I'm the main vocalist in Rant. I also play Guitar. When I'm not slinging Guitar I work as a Chef in a rehabilitation centre. I've been active musically for about 25 years.I've played in a few Irish Punk bands I started out in hardcore spiky Punk (drunk) band Mr Nipples and the Dangleberries, from there I went on to join Belfast Antifascist Oi! Stalwarts Runnin'Riot. Mr Nipples and the dangleberries split up 2003 and we started a new Punk Rock band called 1000 Drunken Nights. Drunken Nights split up 2016. I was with Runnin'Riot for 12 years until our singer and Brother, Colin, passed away. (Aug 18th 2014) With the remaining members of Runnin'Riot we started a new Street Punk band called United Bottles. (We are still together and currently working on our second album) I was also the singer and rhythm guitarist in Ska /Reggae band Aggressors BC (we split 2017)And I played in Ska band Tonic All Stars just before we started RANT.

I’m Jamie and I’m the Bass player and backing Vocalist in Rant. I've Been annoying members of the local Belfast punk scene for a while now. I was the bassist in a band called the Tonic All-Stars. It was a Ska/reggae band. That was my first real introduction to playing in a proper band. Marty and Brendy also played in that outfit. Myself and Marty then went on to form Rant with Deane. Brendy came on board later. When I'm not playing I can be found in Attic Studios, recording lots of the local Punk bands.

I'm Brendan , and I play lead guitar for Rant. I also handle the keys-specifically the Hammond organ-for a ska group called Boss Sound Manifesto. In the past, I played guitar and sang for a band named Tonic Allstars. When I'm not making music, I work in social housing.

I'm Deane and I'm on Drums Previous projects include Wardomized and Necrofuck, both grindcore/powerviolence, class craic. Current musical project on the side are Frayed Ends (a Hardcore band, also with an album in the works) and Takers & Users, (Streetpunk Oi, just released our third album in July, check it out, it's class). Outside of music, I work in a warehouse dealing with ironmongery and some construction materials. Bitta labour to keep me limber enough to play fast and hard I suppose.

Your music is a style which came foreward many years ago, old favorites which you like today?

-Marty - I was into Rock and Metal as a young Teenager so Iron Maiden, GnR, Anthrax, Metallica and being a teenager in the 90s loved bands like Nirvana, Alice in chains , Soundgarden etc. One day my then girlfriend gave me a tape from her older brother. It had SLF Inflammable material on the A side and Dead Kennedys Bedtime for Democracy on the other side. I was hooked. I fell in love with some local Belfast Punk bands, The 77 Punk bands - Pistols, Clash, Buzzcocks, Damned Etc. Along with American bands like DK, MDC, Rancid, Operation ivy, NOFX. I also like heavier Punk, UK 82 style and bands like Subhumans, Conflict, Crass. I got more into Oi! And Street Punk bands as I got older. I love Cocksparrer, Tower Blocks, Last Resort and more recent bands like Gimpfist . The last band I truly fell in love with was Leatherface I was late to the party on that one.

Jamie – My dad is a Skinhead and my uncle is a Punk! I suppose naturally it was destined that I'd end up involved in the local scene somehow. I used to steal my dad's cassettes and records and discover bands that no one else in my friend group would have ever found.

The name Rant where did it came from? You weren´t afraid that not any other would be named so before? Was it any other names you talked about?

-We didn't really think about the name too much. The band started as a jam in the practice studio. We had no plans back then. The band just sort of happened. I Think there's a few bands that call themselves Rant. We're happy to fight anyone for the rights to the name 🤣 In all honesty we took the name from a song by the band Jessie - A Leatherface side project. We also like to Rant a lot.

Is it important to release physical things? Or can you feel that you have done a record if you only release it digitally?

-Marty - It's definitely important to release physical copies of your music, yes. We actually released our first Ep as a digital download only. We had good feedback so wanted to make sure we had hard copies pressed of our debut album. I collect records and I have done for a long time. I love album layouts and artwork of a record sleeve. I love finding other bands via the thanks list. I love the whole package. You can tell if a band has put thought into their album art. It's very important to me. I think art and design are essential to Punk rock. Digital music is easy and accessible. But it doesn't really sustain a band the way selling records and Cds does. People's should remember that.

Have you been playing outside Ireland?

-We have yet to travel off the island with Rant. Our first gig on the European mainland is at GGI festival in Groningen, Netherlands in September. We have travelled with our other bands.

Please tell me a little about the following lyrics….and who wrote it and why?

Demons

-Marty. I stopped drinking six years ago. The song is just a case study based partly on myself and my old ways and some other people's relationship with the demon drink.

Paddy´s Curse

-Marty. This song is about a toxic member of my family. They destroyed everything they touched. Driven by addiction, greed and paranoia. "Paddy's curse" is a reference to the curse of the Irish man - Alcohol and money.

All day negative long

-Marty, Deane, Jamie. It's a song about how hatred and intolerance have now become mainstream. How vile people can be online and how indifferent people can be to the suffering of others. "some people laughed when the children drowned" - was a reference to the death of Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi. A three year old child that drowned in the Mediterranean. When local news reported it online some people were commenting with laugh react emojis and racist comments. Disgusting inhumane behaviour.

Who does the lyrics? Which is most important is it the lyrics or the music?

-Marty - I penned a lot of the lyrics on the debut album . Some of those songs, Demon, Two bottles down, Forgotten Rd were old songs I'd forgotten in the back of a notebook. Jamie suggested we revisit those songs and change them a bit. I'm glad we did. We experiment a lot in the studio. It used to be that we had some lyrics written and we would try to come up with a riff or rhythm for it. Nowadays we start with the riff and build from there. Any lyrics inspiration gets noted in my phone diary. If we can work and lines around a riff or progression we take it from there. We feel that lyrics are very important. It gives music purpose. I helps spread a message and reach out to people. Like storytelling. If you can catch someones ear with a tune then you can tell them the story.

Is there any subject you never will sing about?

-We will never sing songs celebrating colonial apartheid. We will never sing songs advocating for the downfall of humanity. We will never sing songs from an ultra nationalist view.

How is it to live in Northern Ireland nowadays, racists, politic?

-Marty - Well, we live in the North. It has a long, sad, old history. Traditionally it has been under British rule but the demographic is changing fast. A lot of people are leaning towards the unification of the island. I'm just glad we have a type of peace. Unification could be a good while yet. Belfast has all the same problems as every city. We have high levels of addiction and poverty. The old paramilitary gangs became criminal gangs and they still control a lot of areas. There is still bigotry, racism and intolerance. The South of Ireland is also witnessing a rise in racism and intolerance. There is a few anti immigrant organisations. A lot of it is funded by religious fundamentalists in America. I think with the rise of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement has made it seem acceptable to be a racist intolerant asshole. I mean, IRISH people protesting IMMIGRATION? Crazy. The Irish immigrated EVERYWHERE. A lot of these racists don't even know their own history. A lot of them are like social media influencers - making money from morons and spreading fear and hatred in the process.

Is it better to live in Northern Ireland nowadays if you compare for say about 25 years ago? Or is it not so good?

-Marty - Belfast has changed a lot. On one hand We're glad there's no bombs and sectarian murders anymore. The British army and the miltarised police are no longer here. On the other hand we just have the same societal issues that many people face. Poverty, addiction, homelessness and a lack of social housing. These issues are hard to tackle when we still have active paramilitaries engaging in drug trafficking and extortion. Many of the working class areas are divided into territories. With people divided it can be hard to build a cohesive social movement to fight for better conditions. In a lot of ways people are their own worst enemy. The old city is being gentrified. Old building and venues torn down for fancy apartments. We lost our social centre a few years back to developers. It's a high rise now. This drives up rent and prices in the city.

What is typical for people in Northern Ireland, and what is typical for people in Sweden?

-Marty-I read in an Irish Post article - "Both Swedish and Irish languages stem from the Indo-European language family. Swedish being Germanic and Irish being Gaelic, they can sound very similar to the untrained ear. With an increasing number of Irish people relocating to Sweden, some 2,500 Irish citizens live in Sweden. Maybe there are more similarities than meets the eye." (Irish Post - Gerry Mc Cathy 19/5/21) Aside from that I think both people's love Football, walks in the countryside, Good music and GETTING PISSED!

Beer is expensive in Sweden. I have a very big interest in beer and brew myself? Your favourite beerstyle ? You don´t have an own Rant-beer? If you do that or will do that what is it going to be called? And which style? Or maybe you are straightedge?

Marty - I retired from drinking so I'll let the guys answer

Jamie - It would need to be heavily caffeinated and would have a similar texture to battery acid

Is there any good bands from Ireland worth to mention? Old and new bands? Old bands?

-Shameless plug of our other projects? Runnin'Riot, 1000 Drunken Nights, Aggressors BC , Tonic All Stars, Boss Sound Manifesto, Wardomized, Frayed Ends, Takers and Users, An slua, Easy Company, The Jollars, Nomatrix, The Nilz, AoA,The Freebooters, Striknien DC, The Hacklers, Sympos, Scundered, Scuntz, The Hoakers, OSG, Trashcat.... Way too many to name.

What is your strength when you play live? What is the most difference between playing nowadays and if you compare when you started to play?

-Marty-My strength nowadays is probably my sobriety while playing. Years ago I wouldn't have went near the stage without at least a bottle or two of Buckfast tonic wine in me. Live performances could be a bit erratic. I also have better equipment these days. I remember touring Germany in 2003 with a Westfield Telecaster I bought for £15 and a lump of Hashish. Such a shit guitar but I was pissed most of the time so it didn't matter.

Which type of people comes to your concerts? Which type of people do you miss?

-We have a good crowd in Belfast. It's a mix of people. Skinheads, Punks, metallers. The Belfast Punk scene and the Irish Punk scene is mainly fascist free. It's a safe space for all people. No room for homophobes, transphobes, Nazis or creeps. What people do we miss?

Marty - Our dear friends who have passed on. Friends like Colin McQuillan, singer of Runnin'Riot. He was such a huge figure in Belfast Punk rock. He brought so many bands to Belfast. He really revived the local Punk scene in the late 90s. He's very missed by all of us. We miss all the people who once lived in Belfast but have moved away. We get a lot of Punk people moving through. We've met great people from France, Barcelona, Germany and the US. They stayed in Belfast for a few years then moved on.

Do you buy much records, or is it only Spotify and those type of things to listen to music? Any good record store in your town?

-Marty - I collect records though not as many recently. I don't really use Spotify. If I download an album I normally do it from the bandcamp page of the band. That way the band will get some payment. There are a few good record stores in Belfast - Dragon records, really good for Punk and Reggae. You will pick up some old Belfast Punk 7"s there. -Life's a Riot is run by Billy McConnell singer of Crackhead control. It's a good store. Lots of local Punk cds, vinyl and tees. Billy is a great man to talk to about local Punk. He knows everyone. -Voodoo soup - Is more of a mix of music. Mostly vinyl records. Good to pick up local Punk 7"s All are worth visiting in Belfast.

Are you selling any merch on your gigs, do people buy it? What sells best?

-We sell T-shirts the most. We've only had the vinyl from February and we havent gigged much since the launch. We sell that on Bandcamp. We strangely sold a lot of Cds. People are still buying them despite it being a "dead format".

Which is your own favorite song among your own songs? And which song is the people choice?

-Marty - Probably Forgotten Rd. People seem to like Paddys curse

Jamie - Demons 20.

You have played with many band I presume, is it only harder bands or what sorts of band do you play together with? Which is the dreamband to play with?

-It's mostly bands on the Punk music spectrum. Although we aren't adverse to sharing the stage with other types of bands just as long as they don't mind things getting a bit fast and heavy. We'd love to play with the 1980s version of Poison Idea.

Do you care about reviews? Which is the most peculiar you ever had, with this band or any other band you have been to?

-We normally have decent reviews. I remember coming out of the toilets after playing one of our early gigs. I heard two guys bigging Rant up saying "that last band were great, the remind me of GREEN DAY".

Jamie – Got told once my bass playing was great as I knew when to not play. Still trying to figure out if it was a joke or serious.

How would you describe your music in there words ?

-Hard, Fast, Melodic

Is music a good way to get out frustration and become a nicer person outside the music?

-Oh definitely. The practice studio is to us what the gym is to others. We meet every Thursday night without fail. It helps exorcise the demons from that week. It works the stress out for sure. It might be bad for the ears but it's good for the mental health.

Politics and music, does it belong together?? Which is your most political song or do you not want to put politics into your music?

-Music is Art. Art is political. I think politics effect everything. All the choices we make etc. All our songs are political to an extent. Even the songs that are about people or the songs that tell stories, they all have a message embedded somewhere. I am very wary of bands that say "NO POLITICS" Because 9/10 times those people ARE political and their politics are normally very, very dodgy. The other 1/10 are comedy bands.

Any good Swedish bands you like?

-Marty-I've been a Perkele fan for a long time. I got to play with them a few times when I was with Runnin Riot. Bombshell rocks ain't bad either.

Is it boring with interviews? Is it much interviews? What do you prefer Telephoneinterviews, face to face or as this one via e-mail?

-We're just happy someone cares enough and likes our music enough to be curious. We LOVE YOU PETER. CAN WE COME AND LIVE WITH YOU!

Jamie - I prefer talking face to face and having a beer. Best way to converse. We are happy to do interviews whatever the medium or media.

Futureplans for the band?

- We play GGI Festival in Groningen September 20th. We have some local shows then next year we play Forever Young Festival in Derby. We are planning on a German tour too. We're currently putting the final touches on the second Album (Title "The end of Humanity?") we recorded 17 tracks earlier this summer. As I type this I've just my vocals to do. It sounds BIG. We brought in Brendy on lead guitar two years ago and the second guitar really enhanced the sound. We hope to have that out next year, if there's any labels interested, get in touch.

Futureplans for yourself?

-Marty-I'm finishing my degree next year. Any bands want a graphic designer or artist? Look me up

Wisdomword?

-It might seem like the entire world is burning right now . It feels like evil has taken over. Remember. There are still good people out there. Never lose hope. Keep the faith.

Something more to add?

-Just a big Belfast Dia Daoibh to everyone reading this. Thank you massively for the interview, Peter. It's people like yourself that help keep the global Punk rock scene pushing forward. We salute you! Oh, and the guys want to try some of your brew lol.