Split Dogs are the Rock N Roll Business

Split Dogs are the Rock N Roll Business

Split Dogs snap back with new single ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Business’ out now via Venn Records

New album ‘Nice N’ Rough’ set for release September 25th Via Venn Records

Pre-order HERE:

EU tour with Canadian rockers Danko Jones confirmed for October

“The sound of trouble.” Iggy Pop BBC 6MUSIC

“As a listener you are left with an unshakable feeling that this is the type of record British music has needed for some time.” CLASH

“Irrepressible, irresistible – their essential manual for street level rock thrills.” Kerrang!

Bristol punk rock ‘n rollers Split Dogs are back with the first taste of their new album ‘Nice ‘N’ Rough’, due for release September 25th via Venn Records.

Titled ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Business’, the new single sees Split Dogs hardly pausing for breath as they roar through two-minutes-forty seconds of prime heads down, no nonsense high voltage strut. Their heroic approach to touring and relentless gigging in the EU and UK over the last two years (including a massive tour with Gogol Bordello in 2025 and gigs with Bad Nerves and Teen Mortgage, among many others) has seen the band turn heads and win hearts wherever they go, and there’s no stopping them now.

2026 already sees the band heading out on their own headline tour this month, before multiple festival appearances, a headline German tour in July, a string of instore performances in September (ticket link HERE) and an EU tour with Canadian rockers Danko Jones in October, and that’s just for starters. Split Dogs do things on their own terms only and ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Business’ perfectly demonstrates that.

“Rock ‘N’ Roll Business imagines the music industry as a classic British gangster film,” states singer Harry Martinez. “Dirty deeds, big egos and people you wouldn’t trust with your last ciggie. It’s tongue-in-cheek but it’s also our big middle finger to the whole thing cus it’s mostly true. Half the time it’s run like a shady deal in a British gangster film, so that’s exactly how we made the video.

“The day before the shoot we realised we needed a proper classic motor,” continues Harry. “A mate of ours who gets tattooed by Mil linked us up with Pip and his amazing black Chevrolet Chevelle.

We asked him if he wanted to be in the video, told him the vibe and he just said, “I’m your man, you want me in black leather? The garage we used is another mate of ours. He let us use his garage in exchange for a tattoo.”

Recorded at The Station House, a recording studio based in a repurposed Victorian police station in Leeds, Split Dogs quickly discovered the studio also boasts one of the country’s finest VHS collections. Fuelled with classics like ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’, and a Tina Turner live tape, the Bristol based four-piece went to work capturing their sophomore album, ‘Nice N’ Rough’, with producer Jonah Falco (High Vis, Rifle, and drummer of Canadian punks Fucked Up) and engineer James Atkinson (formerly of seminal hardcore band Voorhees). 

The result is thirteen thumping tracks featuring lightning-fast guitar licks, raspy hooks and cues from greats like Plasmatics, New York Dolls, Motörhead and The Stooges. Front-person Harry Martinez delivers a larger-than-life, undeniable rock ‘n’ roll performance, injecting the band’s reputable live energy straight into the vocal booth. 

Despite the glam rock glimmer, the music possesses depth and soul that can easily be missed. Album opener ‘Be Somebody’ reminds the listener to shine in whatever they do, ‘Speed Demon’ highlights the importance of tuning out the noise that can plague mental health, while the Danzig-esque ‘Suffer’ tackles the lasting shadow of parental abuse. Overall, the message is clear: go out there and live your life how you want to. ‘Nice N’ Rough’ is playful yet pure, steeped in honesty and the soundtrack to all your future best days.

Catch Split Dogs live at the following dates in 2026:

HEADINE TOUR

26-Mar-2026 UK Glasgow Hug & Pint
27-Mar-2026 UK Leeds Hyde Park Book Club
01-Apr-2026 UK Nottingham The Bodega
02-Apr-2026 UK Brighton Green Door Store
03-Apr-2026 UK London Underworld

17-Apr-2026 UK Bristol St Nicholas Market

FESTIVAL TOUR
05-Apr-2026 UK Manchester Punk Festival
25-Apr-2026 UK Edinburgh Scotland Calling
21-May-2026 UK Burton Upon Trent Bearded Theory Festival

18-Jun-2026 SP Bilbao Azkena Rock
26-Jun-2026 PL Zelebsko Ultra Chaos Pinik
08-Jul-2026 UK Cheltenham 2000 Trees
10-Jul-2026 B Gierle Sjock Fest
17-Jul-2026 NL Lichetnworde Zwarte Cross

GERMAN HEADLINE
18-Jul-2026 GER Selters Seepgo
19-Jul-2026 GER Augsburg Ballonfabrik
20-Jul-2026 GER Tubingen Blauer Salon
22-Jul-2026 GER Coolgne Sonic Ballroom
24-Jul-2026 GER Hnxe Ruhrpott Rodeo
 25-Jul-2026 GER Trebur Trebur Open Air
26-Jul-2026 GER Munich X bar
27-Jul-2026 GER Bamberg Live Club
28-Jul-2026 GER Dresden Ostpol
29-Jul-2026 GER Erfurt MuseumsKeller
30-Jul-2026 GER Hamburg Welt TurboJugend
31-Jul-2026 GER Goldenstadt Afreiht un Buten

FESTIVALS

07-Aug-2026 UK Blackpool Rebellion Fest
13-Aug-2026 Slov Tolmin Punk Rock Holiday
16-Aug-2026 UK Winchester Boomtown Festival
21-Aug-2026 DK Vordingborg Gutter Island
22-Aug-2026 UK Devon Beautiful Days

INSTORE PERFORMANCES
25-Sep-2026 UK Leeds Crash Records
26-Sep-2026 UK Glasgow Blitzkrieg
27-Sep-2026 UK Liverpool Rough Trade
28-Sep-2026 UK Coventry Just Dropped in
29-Sep-2026 UK Bristol Rough Trade
30-Sep-2026 UK Nottingham Rough Trade
01-Oct-2026 UK  Rough Trade East

TOUR W/ DANKO JONES

12-Oct-2026 GER Potsdam Waschhaus
13-Oct-2026 GER Nurnberg Löwensaal
14-Oct-2026 AT Wien Flex
15-Oct-2026 HU Budapest A38
16-Oct-2026 ROM Bucharest Quantic
17-Oct-2026 Bulg Sofia   Pirotska 5 Event Center
19-Oct-2026 ROM Cluj Form Space
21-Oct-2026 Cro Zagreb Vintage Industrial Bar
22-Oct-2026 Slov Ljubljana Kino Siska
23-Oct-2026 AT Salzburg Rockhouse
24-Oct-2026 CH Rubingen Muhle Hunzinken
25-Oct-2026 CH Zurich Dynamo
27-Oct-2026 GER Oberhausen Turbinenhalle 2
28-Oct-2026 B Ghent Handelsbeurs
29-Oct-2026 GER Frankfurt Batschkapp
30-Oct-2026 NL Haarlem Patronaat
31-Oct-2026 NL Tilburg Next Stage
01-Nov-2026 NL Leuwaarden Neusoorn

Find Split Dogs online HERE:

BRATAKUS RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘HAGRIDDEN’ FEBRUARY 13th, VIA VENN RECORDS

BRATAKUS RELEASE NEW ALBUM ‘HAGRIDDEN’ FEBRUARY 13th, VIA VENN RECORDS

PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM HERE:

Formed in 2015 by two Scottish sisters Brèagha Cuinn (Guitar and vocals) and Onnagh Cuinn (Bass and vocals) outside a small whiskey village called Tomintoul in the Highlands, Bratakus have been fiercely DIY since their inception.

Following the release of their incendiary ‘Final Girls’, ‘Tokened’ and ‘Turnstile’ singles earlier this year, which marked their first recordings for Venn Records, (the label ran by Laurent ‘Lags’ Barnard of UK punk band Gallows, and previously the home of artists like High Vis, Bob Vylan and Witch Fever), Bratakus are ready to release their new album ‘Hagridden’, which is set for release February 13th.

Despite Bratakus’ staunch resistance to mainstream music industry practices, the young band quickly built up a following. Their unique approach to creating their art drew the attention of BBC Scotland who featured the band in two documentary shorts, Hidden Lives’ and ‘TUNE’. Author and musician, Ian Glasper wrote about the sisters in his book The Scene That Would Not Die, a deep dive into post-millennial punk in the UK. Meanwhile in the USA, legendary punk zine Maximum Rock’n’Roll wrote about the band and even BBC radio DJ Vic Galloway added the duo to his “Ones to Watch” list.

Word was spreading, and before they knew it, Bratakus were being booked for live performances in countries as far as Japan. Support slots for bands like Propagandhi, Bis, and Discharge helped the sisters turn into a ferocious live combo. If there was ever any doubt that a punk band could pull off not having a live drummer, these two sisters are here to prove you wrong.

Once described by the BBC as “the most remote band in the UK”, the isolation of their surroundings made it impossible for the duo to find a drummer in their small hamlet, let alone the neighbouring villages mostly inhabited by Highland cattle, as Brèagha explains.

“We programmed some drum tracks, plugged in for our first practice and instantly it just felt like we already had a band, so we’ve been playing like that ever since! What started out as a logistical issue now feels like a big part of our identity and we just love playing as a two piece.”

Heavily influenced by the garage rock scene and bands like The Distillers, The Donnas and X-Ray Spex, Bratakus went on to perform their first ever gig at a fundraiser for the Glasgow Rock ‘n’ Roll School for Girls in the Glasgow School of Art. 

“As this was a kid friendly show there were lots of young girls in attendance, which meant the front half of the venue was filled with little girls spinning around in dresses during our set. It was unusual for a punk gig but made for a really fun atmosphere.”

From that moment, Bratakus were a real band, and with that, Screaming Babies Records was born. Unlike other record companies, Screaming Babies Records would be a family run DIY label, not only a platform for Bratakus to launch new music but also a place to revisit their father’s catalog, Angus Quinn of the influential Scottish Anarcho punk band Sedition. No publicists, no streaming services, no photo shoots, just straight up word of mouth, limited edition vinyl releases, and anti-establishment anthems for generations old and new as Brèagh explains the label’s origin.

“Our Dad was always in punk bands when we were growing up, so we were raised in the DIY scene. When we started the band, it just seemed like the most natural step to start the label with him and put our own releases out. He thought of the idea of calling it Screaming Babies Records after the Crass lyric because our logo is a screaming baby.”

Fast forward to the start of 2026 and the band are thrilled to be finally getting ‘Hagridden’ out into the world. They originally recorded the album themselves some three years ago, then lost everything they’d worked on when their laptop broke. From there they just decided to make a fresh start and go back into the studio again to finally get it finished, emerging with ten songs of essential and beautifully cathartic punk rock.  

“We decided to call the album ‘Hagridden’ before we even recorded it, but it’s been a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy because so many barriers came up when we were trying to get it recorded and released that it turned into a bit of a nightmare, so the next album might be called  ‘Smooth Sailing’ to avoid cursing ourselves again,” laughs Brèagh. “It definitely sounds way better than the first version, so in a way I’m glad it worked out this way, but we were so gutted when it happened,” exclaims Brèagh.

Lyrically, the album’s ten sharp songs cover a wealth of subjects close to their hearts; feminism, animal rights, media brainwashing and how normalised sweatshops have become in our society are all tackled on ‘Hagridden’ with raw, raging vocals, barbed-wire guitars and pounding rhythms.  

Whilst the band still play live with programmed drums, ‘Hagridden’ features live drums for the first time. 

“Our first record is all programmed drums, and that’s what we were planning for this album too,” explains Brèagh. “We actually recorded every song with a drum machine, but our producer Tommy Duffin (renowned Scottish drummer and recording engineer) played with us and drummed on the album. He recorded our first album, so it was great to work with him again.” 

‘Hagridden’ is released February 13th via Venn Records and the band tour the UK this February. 

You can pre-order ‘Hagridden’ HERE

See Bratakus live at the following dates:

18/02/2026 – Supersonic, Paris (FRANCE)

19/02/2026 – The Grace, London

20/02/2026 – The Exchange, Bristol
21/02/2026 – Star & Garter, Manchester
29/02/2026 – McChuills, Glasgow

Find Bratakus online at:

FACEBOOK

INSTAGRAM

YOUTUBE

Club Brat – ‘Four Songs’ EP (Venn Records)

Club Brat – ‘Four Songs’ EP (Venn Records)

The latest band hitting our collective ear drums on the Venn roster are Club Brat and what a punch to the ear drum they are. Joining the impressive Aerial Salad, High Viz, Split Dogs and Bob Vylan to name a few Club Brat have a pop sensibility about them but they wrap it in a velvet glove inside a boxing glove holding a sledge hammer.

’25 Cameras’ opens up this rapid four-track EP, and it’s everything you want to hear. Cool lyrics wrapped inside a hard-hitting, sharp guitar-driven song, is it indie post punk? Who knows who cares, it’s full of energy and packs a punch, that’s all you need to know, and once it’s in your ear, it’ll take something special to dislodge it.

A rich bass-heavy thump and volatile rhythmic urgency is the MO here. ‘Goodbye Pop Culture’ has the warm, rich Bass thump and those angular guitars chopping away through a twitching, crowded backdrop, excellent stuff and very accessible. Originally from Peterborough and now split between Bristol and London, the five-piece formed in 2023 and quickly earned a reputation for unpredictable live shows and a relentless DIY ethos, while still working with some of underground music’s most respected engineers. Club Brat has a statement EP, no question about it, now to follow it up with more live shows and then the album. On this evidence, they have nothing to worry about. ‘In It For The Money’ might not be what they’re about, but it’s like if Jane’s Addiction were from inner city UK and not Hollywood, California. It has the energy and drive, and most importantly, it has the tunes. The final cut is the rapid barking dog of a track, ‘Watch’ it’s heavy, fast but you can dance to it. Go pick up a copy and find out for yourself.

Fantastic EP buy it!

Buy Here

Author: Dom Daley

Tour Dates – September

18 September — Leeds, Headingley Social Club

19 September — Stamford, Mama Liz’s Voodoo Lounge

20 September — Bristol, The Golden Lion

25 September — London, Hope & Anchor

26 September — Nottingham, JT Soar

October

2 October — Sheffield, The Washington

9 October — Birmingham, The Rainbow

10 October — Brighton, The Pipeline

Split Dogs – ‘Here To Destroy’ (Venn Records)

Split Dogs – ‘Here To Destroy’ (Venn Records)

We’re just heading into March, and already I’m reviewing my second potential album of the year. And both albums are virtually EP length, which may raise some eyebrows. The (slim) link to prog is that ‘Here To Destroy’ is the same length as ‘Supper’s Ready’ and they’re both fantastic, in very different ways.

The Dogs’ second album literally kicks off with ‘Stay Tuned’ and doesn’t let up for a moment of its 22 minutes, their intention is clear from the start. You should be familiar already with the likes of ‘Monster Truck’, which, on listening today, reminds me of the mighty Sick Livers. Now that would have been a great double headliner! ‘Lafayette’ has been on repeat chez moi since release, showing the band have range and a love of Northern Soul. What’s not to like? Similarly, ‘And What?’ and ‘Precious Stones’ are pleasingly familiar by now, the latter a ferocious tune and hypnotic video.

‘Animal’ is two minutes of focussed fury, “I’ll hunt you down and bite it off”, but what I love is that the band never lose sight of the tunes. Noise has to have great tunes to keep you hooked, and they’re all over ‘Here To Destroy’. ‘Be A Sport’ is like a rabid Giuda, while ‘Meg’ is one and a half minutes of pure adrenaline. ‘All In’, complete with cowbell, is even danceable, should you have the level of energy required. I’m there in spirit! You should have ordered this already, it’s vital, raging, inspiring and a lot of fun. Catch them on tour.

Buy Here

Author: Martin Chamarette