In this conversation, members of the Dutch Oi/punk band Young Ones talk about how they got into the scene, the state of the local punk and Oi world, their favourite venues and festivals, upcoming plans and the great news of new recordings, plus the records that still matter most.
How did you get involved in punk, Oi or the skinhead culture back then?
For Merijn it starts with The Offspring. When that band exploded, he bought the records like everyone else. Then an older local kid — the son of family friends — set him straight. “That’s not punk,” the kid told him. “This is punk.” He pointed him toward Dead Kennedys and Seven Seconds. Not long after, he walked into a Free Record Shop and spent five guilders on a cheap compilation. Suddenly the real names were staring up at him: The 4-Skins, The Business, Cockney Rejects. The commercial gateway had done its job. The education started right there.
Elmer, his younger brother, picks up the thread almost immediately. There was no big discovery for him. He simply followed the older one, the way little brothers do. He still remembers the boots, the records, the sudden seriousness that filled the house. The whole thing arrived through the bedroom wall and the shared living room.
Marlon shifts the focus away from records and onto people. For him, the defining moment wasn’t a particular album. It was at MVV, the local football team, where he first got into the local scene. The first festivals and shows followed quickly. That’s how he met Elmer, and The Young Ones were born.
Which bands shaped you most in the early years?
Cockney Rejects, for sure.
How is the punk and Oi scene doing in your area?
We come from a region with a solid hardcore scene in the past and there used to be a skin scene as well. Nowadays gigs and festivals are being organised again and they’re well attended, like at the Muziekgieterij, which is a really cool location. Some of the old veterans are showing up again too. It seems to go hand in hand; maybe in the long run that will also bring more punk and Oi! bands. You do see the occasional guy with short hair and a bandshirt of the likes of The Last Resort or Cockney Rejects, but whether that immediately means a new scene… who knows.
Which bands should we keep an eye on according to you?
Claimed Choice, Esprit de Corps, An Slua, The Reapers and Collaps.
What’s your favourite festival or venue, and is there a show that stands out?
Beach, Beer & Chaos is great. In the Netherlands we like the small, cool spots, like Oi! At the Pub or Occii, or just a small town where people sing along from the old days or from the records. That’s exactly what you want: people who know the stuff from their time or from their vinyl collection.
What’s on the planning? New recordings, shows, tours?
End of this year we’re hitting the studio to cut three or four new tracks for a split LP, set to drop in the first half of next year. That half is already almost fully booked with shows, and we’re planning studio time for a new full-length later next year. Plenty on the agenda!
What are each of your all-time favourite punk albums?
Greatest Hits by the Cockney Rejects.
Same Meat, Different Gravy by Hard Skin.
In Search of The Crack by The Crack
End of interview. One of the band members finishes by sending a shout-out to his mother. 😅
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