Scars

1977–78: Formation and the Edinburgh Circuit

Scars formed in Edinburgh in February 1977 when guitarist Paul Mackie, later Paul Research, recruited brother John Mackie on bass and added singer Robert King and drummer Calumn Mackay through an advertisement at Hot Licks on Cockburn Street.

Paul took piano lessons from childhood and studied violin at school. The Mackie brothers made multiple band-starter attempts since their early teens. John switched from guitar to bass at Paul’s request and built an early instrument after the brothers heard the first Ramones album. King secured the vocal slot with “Anarchy in the U.K.” at the audition.

Scars entered a small Edinburgh punk circuit in February 1977, three months ahead of the concert that enlarged the city scene. The Clash brought the White Riot package to Edinburgh Playhouse on May 7 with The Jam, Buzzcocks, Subway Sect, and The Slits. The audience also included the nucleus of Orange Juice (Edwyn Collins, James Kirk, Steven Daly) and future Fire Engines founder Davy Henderson. Subway Sect made a particularly strong impression on several Edinburgh musicians through their stripped-down stage presentation.

Early Activity

Scars made their live debut on October 7, 1977, at Balerno Scout Hall near the Mackie family home. Their early sets included “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “I Wanna Be Me,” “No Fun,” “Substitute,” “You Really Got Me,” “Rebel Rebel,” and “Suffragette City,” placing punk material beside songs by The Who, The Kinks, and David Bowie.

Scars moved into Edinburgh venues over the following months, including the Wig & Pen, White Hart, Nite Club, and Clouds. On February 24, 1978, they joined the Skids, the Freeze, the Monos, the Subs, Cuban Heels, Berlin Blondes, and Groper for a multi-band show at Clouds in Tollcross. On August 22, Scars supported The Rezillos at the Kinema Ballroom in Dunfermline.

Scars appeared on August 5 at the Edinburgh Carnival Against the Nazis, a Rock Against Racism and Anti-Nazi League event in Craigmillar. Marchers left the Scottish Trades Union Congress offices on Hillside Crescent for the concert site at the Peffermill School sports ground. The bill included Aswad, the Deleted, the Freeze, Scars, the Monos, the Valves, the Fakes, and Cryptic Clues. Organizers also advertised the Clash, but the band did not appear.

Part of the Scars set ended after bottles and cans reached the stage. A recording from the appearance preserves “Sweet Dreams/Psychomodo,” later issued on the expanded edition of Author! Author!.

1979: Fast Product

In December 1977, Bob Last and Hilary Morrison established Fast Product, and Edinburgh indie with initial acts from Leeds (Mekons, Gang of Four) and Sheffield (2.3, the Human League). 

On January 8, 1979, Last took Scars to Cargo Studios in Rochdale, where John Brierley engineered “Adult/ery,” issued in March 1979 as FAST 8 (b/w “Horrorshow”). Scars based “Horrorshow” on A Clockwork Orange and used Nadsat in the lyric. Fast later included both sides on the 1979 compilation The First Year Plan.

1980: PRE and the Singles Phase

For their second single, Scars moved to PRE, the short-lived Charisma subsidiary. PRE issued “They Came and Took Her” in February 1980 (b/w “Romance by Mail”). On February 20, they played their first session for BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, whose March 6 broadcast aired “She’s Alive,” “So Strong,” “Author! Author!” and “Je T’Aime C’Est Le Mort.”

Scars toured with the Human League across Britain in May, with an Edinburgh return at George Square Theatre. PRE followed with “Love Song” in May backed with “Psychomodo,” a Cockney Rebel cover. 

As album sessions loomed, Calumn Mackay cleared out for Steve “Chic” McLaughlin, the former Cubs drummer. At the start of 1981, the Scars live track “Your Attention Please” appeared as a one-sided gold flexi through i-D. The band adapted the song from a 1961 poem by Peter Porter.

Paul Research met former Penetration bassist Robert Blamire through demo sessions with Pauline Murray. Scars first recorded with John Verity and PRE staff, then worked with Blamire as producer. PRE issued “All About You” on March 20, 1981 (b/w “Author! Author!”), the final Scars single ahead of Author! Author!.

On May 20, 1981, Scars taped their second Peel session for the DJ’s June 4 broadcast, which aired “Remember Me,” “Turn Me On,” “Vanishing,” and “They Came and Took Her.”