Wattie Buchan

Walter David "Wattie" Buchan (born 24 July 1957) is a Scottish punk rock singer, best known as the lead vocalist for the Exploited.

Early life Buchan was born in Edinburgh on 24 July 1957. He served in the British Army as a soldier prior to joining the Exploited. He became interested in punk rock in the 1970s after hearing music by bands such as the Sex Pistols.

Career

The Exploited are a Scottish punk rock band from the second wave of UK punk, formed in 1978. Originally playing styles such as street punk and oi!, the band played styles such as crossover thrash later on. Formed in Edinburgh by Wattie's younger brother Terry Buchan, they signed to Secret Records in March 1981

Health In February 2014, Buchan suffered a heart attack on stage in Lisbon, Portugal. The Exploited had been touring with Hatebreed and Napalm Death. He was admitted to S. José Hospital in Lisbon after the show and later moved to S. Marta Hospital to recover and undergo heart surgery. The Exploited cancelled the remainder of the Tour Of Chaos 2014 due to Buchan's condition. On 29 June 2014, the Exploited's Facebook page provided an update on Buchan's condition, saying that after a successful heart operation, the band was practising new material.

In an interview with Rock Hard Magazine in May 2016, he said that he had suffered from depression, which was affecting his ability to write new lyrics.

Views and beliefs Buchan openly hates politics. Buchan has said that Blair "is a total fucking, lying fanny wank."

Buchan is pro-Palestine and has condemned Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. In an interview with I Probably Hate Your Band, Buchan expressed his pro-Palestinian views, saying: "even with Israel and Palestine, the Palestinian people are like prisoners and the world does nothing about it because America's behind them, backing them because they want bases for their airplanes in that area." One of the songs The Exploited has worked on during the 2010s is a song called "My TV", which Buchan says "is about watching the news with Israel bombing Palestine and politicians being greedy cunts." Buchan has been open about disliking Crass, saying: "People listen to bands and believe what they sing about. Crass was just words." He stated "they were full of shit. They said they believed in this and that, but bought record companies under other people's names so it couldn't be traced back to them. It was all about money with them." Buchan has also criticized the emo genre, saying "Emo's shit! They can stick it up their ass!" In May 2016, Buchan also criticised Slayer for refusing to allow the Exploited to appear on stage with them after the Exploited had allowed Slayer to cover [collaborating with Ice-T] three of their songs for the Judgment Night soundtrack for only a small payment. Buchan said about Real McKenzies: "I don't feel any special political bond with them – my brother, the drummer of the band, is a lot more conscious of Scottish politics. However, I've played with them a few times; they're total alcoholics. Good people: their gigs are always excitin'."

Feud with Conflict After the appearance by the Exploited on Top of the Pops to perform "Dead Cities" in 1981, the hardcore punk band Conflict criticized the decision to appear on the programme with the song "Exploitation". This began a long-standing feud between the Exploited and Conflict, which divided the punk community and caused occasional clashes between the bands' fans (known as The Barmy Army for the Exploited and the Conflict Crew).

Feud with Green Day At an awards ceremony for a music magazine, Buchan was presenting an award that was won by Green Day, a band that Buchan hates. He alleged that during the after-party Green Day member Billie Joe Armstrong confronted him and said, "When you die, I'm going to be standing over your grave, and piss on it." Buchan said he then responded to Armstrong, saying: "I've got something you'll never have, mate. You could have a big record company and loads of money but I've got something you'll never have, and that's respect from the punks. You cannot buy that, you have to earn it." The two then had to be separated by onlookers.

Discography with The Exploited

Studio albums Punks Not Dead (1981) Troops of Tomorrow (1982) Let's Start a War... (Said Maggie One Day) (1983) Horror Epics (1985) Death Before Dishonour (1987) The Massacre (1990) Beat the Bastards (1996) Fuck the System (2003)

Live albums On Stage (1981) Live at the Whitehouse (1986) Live in Japan (1991)

Compilation albums Totally Exploited (1984) Singles Collection (1991) Twenty Five Years of Anarchy and Chaos (2004) Complete Punk Singles Collection (2005)

Split albums Don't Let 'Em Grind You Down (with Anti-Pasti) (1981)

EPs "Army Life" (1980) "Barmy Army" (1980) "Dead Cities" (1981) "Rival Leaders" (1983) "Jesus Is Dead" (1986) "War Now" (1988)

Singles "Army Life" (1980) "Exploited Barmy Army" (1980) "Dogs of War" (1981) "Dead Cities" (1981) "Attack/Alternative" (1982) "Computers Don't Blunder" (1982)

Videography Alive at Leeds (1983) Sexual Favours (1987) Live in Japan (1993) Rock and Roll Outlaws (1995) Beat 'Em All (2004)

Music videos "Troops of Tomorrow" (1982) "U.S.A." (1982) "Sexual Favours" (1987) "Beat the Bastards" (1996) "Never Sell Out" (2003) "Chaos is My Life" (2003) "You're a Fucking Bastard" (2003)