Punk in Scotland, Edinburgh, Glasgow/Paisley Although one of the most important and influential bands in the British and global punk scene, The Exploited, formed in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh punk scene, which emerged in 1977, distinguished itself from that of Glasgow and London with a darker, more gothic approach, reflecting the city's atmosphere. The Edinburgh scene quickly evolved into post-punk, with Edinburgh bands creating their own unique, experimental sound, influencing Scottish post-punk as a whole. The independent record label Fast Product, founded in Edinburgh by Bob Last, his partner Hilary Morrison, and Tim Pearce in December 1977, propelled the scene forward. Their first release was the Mekons' first single, released on January 20, 1978. The Mekons are a British post-punk band formed in 1976 as an art collective. At their second show, opening for the Rezillos at the F Club, they were approached about a recording contract by Bob Last of Fast Product and became the first band to sign with the label. Their first single was "Never Been in a Riot," a satirical version of the Clash's "White Riot." The release was named Single of the Week by NME. Their second single, "Where Were You?" was released in late 1978 and sold out 27,500 copies. Around this time, Last persuaded the band to sign with a larger label—Virgin Records. Fast Product released the first albums of several influential post-punk bands from the north of England, including the Human League and Gang of Four. Fast Product also released the first singles of Scottish post-punk bands Scars and The Flowers. The label also released compilations of several new bands, called "ear comics." Many of the label's releases were also produced by Bob Last, with Morrison producing photographs and visual elements for the album covers. Fast Product's releases challenged pop music conventions (hence the label's nicknames: "hard fun" and "mutant pop") and, through their releases and marketing, invoked a DIY punk spirit and a general socialist political outlook. Often presenting records with a caustic yet subtle critique of consumerism (for example, the image of a wall of gold records on the cover of the Mekons' second single), Fast Product attempted to show that every aspect of the music business, from musicianship to design and distribution, could be taken out of the hands of major labels. Bands like The Rezillos, considered Edinburgh's first punk band, formed in 1976, released their first single, "I Can't Stand My Baby," in 1977 and quickly achieved national success. The Valves, who released their first single on Fast Product, "Robot Love" (1977), released two more singles before disbanding. They gained notoriety for their ironic lyrics and fast-paced sound. The Scars, a post-punk band with striking guitars and dark lyrics, rose to prominence in the early 1980s. Fast Product became a post-punk icon alongside Glasgow's Postcard Records. The punk scene in Glasgow is an important part of the city's musical history, marked by a period of concert bans. After the Sex Pistols' infamous interview with Bill Grundy in December 1976, the legendary Apollo canceled a Sex Pistols show. But it was after a chaotic Stranglers show at Town Hall in June 1977, where a stage invasion was interpreted as a riot, that Glasgow City Council banned punk bands from performing in the city. Despite the controversy, the Ramones were allowed to play to a limited audience at the Apollo in 1977. The ban on punk in Glasgow hurt many bands, one of which was Exile. Formed in February 1977, they were one of Glasgow's first punk bands, although they classified themselves as rock or "new wave" and, like many others, were sucked into the punk maelstrom. Over the course of their career, the band released two singles—"Don't Tax Me" (Boring Records) and "The Real People" (Charley). However, like many other Glaswegian bands, hampered by the lack of venues and the inability to secure gigs in London, they only managed 14 shows in nine months in Scotland. The Glasgow ban led the scene to flourish in the neighboring town of Paisley, seven miles away. Paisley became the "center of the universe" for Scottish punk. Glasgow punk fans took buses to see bands like The Clash, The Buzzcocks, The Damned, The Exploited, The Skids, Siouxsie and the Banshees, as well as Billy Idol, who played at now-legendary venues like the Bungalow Bar and the Silver Thread Hotel. Despite the ban, some Glasgow venues, like the Mars Bar and Doune Castle, continued to host punk shows. Other notable Glasgow bands included The Jolt, one of Glasgow's first punk bands, known for their aggressive sound and short career, and Johnny & the Self-Abusers, whose initial lineup included members who would go on to form the internationally successful post-punk band Simple Minds. But Paisley also had its own local punk scene, fueled by young people forming their own bands. Punk performances took place at venues like the TUC club in Orr Square, where local bands such as Fire Exit, The Sneex, XS Discharge, The Pencils, The Mental Errors, and The Modcrons performed. In addition to live shows, the city was also home to independent labels. Activist Tommy Kayes, leader of the local Socialist Workers Party, founded Groucho Marxist Records and organized events such as Rock Against Racism. Alex