SLEAFORD MODS – The wild British electro-punk duo is another confirmed foreign name of the next year’s festival.

Few bands consider themselves fucking shit. Maybe just SLEAFORD MODS, no matter what others think. The provocative lyrics spewed into monotonous electro-punk rhythms beyond the limits of acceptable vulgarity with the power of anger certainly do not represent a musical ideal, and yet not only Britain listens to the Nottingham duo today. Singer, rapper and songwriter Jason Williamson, said to be reminiscent of Richard III. during the wasp attack, with music composer and producer Andrew Fearn, they have become another of a series of unlikely punk heroes from below who will cut you off without touching you.

I like the idea that I am unreasonable. I like to say things that can be criticised. Of course, except for opinions that should not be said – about minorities or insulting women. But for a lot of things like attacks on human integrity, why not?

Jason Williamson

Authentic fifties with real ideas about life and harsh humour cannot be pushed by the anarchy of the Sex Pistols, they know all too well what they are talking about and to whom on the celebrated albums. Brexit-divided British society, the rise of the far right, rising racism, an uncertain future and the impact of global problems have charged them with a cannon, yet they are still turning to people for whom “visiting a supermarket is like a trip to Mars” and keeps annoying the UK’s work like fuck ‘culture. “That sadness and anger will never go away. It stays in your music all the time because you encounter it on the street every day. Everything is going for the worse. The same people are still so disgusting. Anger appeals to people.

It is not entirely certain why SLEAFORD MODS have a bed of roses in our audience, when they have never performed here and are angry critics, especially of the British system. Perhaps behind it will be an eternal admiration for London’s punk riots with a left-wing ethos and a typical Czech quality to cheer on anyone who can’t deal with the nobility and doesn’t even trust politicians with a nose between their ears. The non-existent distribution title of the documentary film Bunch of Kunst by the German director Christine Frantz – in our country a Bunch of Shit from Kumšt – also speaks volumes about us.

Who knows, anyway, they love SLEAFORD MODS just as much in Germany, the USA, Ireland, or even Australia, so in the end we’re talking about a more far-reaching political-pop-cultural phenomenon with influential supporters. Mark E. Smith spoke of them just before they died as “the only good thing.” And although Iggy Pop said he gets lost in Jason Williamson’s accent and doesn’t understand everything, he still plays them on his BBC radio show: “I love Sleaford Mods. I think they’re the most trusted new band that doesn’t rely on using old habits to make their music enjoyable.”