“A singer that can’t sing, a mod that can’t play bass and a drummer that can’t see.”
That’s how the Derry band Touts, Matthew Crossan, Jason Feenan and Luke McLaughlin like to introduce themselves the their byline.
Of course, the city they hail from his a history of punk with the Undertones the most notable among them. So they have that going for them.
What they also have going for them is a singer who sounds like The Clash’s Joe Strummer to a scary degree.
Just press play on their new two-minute single ‘Sold Out’ and hear the uncanny resemblance as if it’s been beamed to the present with a fiery adolescent power.
Touts have a debut EP coming out on Hometown Records (Ratboy, Rejjie Snow, Yonaka).

Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.