No trace of them appears on the internet, and I would certainly love to find out more if anyone else knows about them.
Many years ago, in the early 1980s, there was apparently a punk band from Corstorphine called Nocturnal Vermin. They released one short record, which was named after an STD.
However, I have come into possession of a single track from that EP. It's named after one of their pals, at that time a young and enthusiastic SNP activist, now better known as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth. Warning: it's not very good, and that's from someone who likes a little bit of punk.
The wee song thing isn't working
As James Slippyunderfoot McCready I was the bassist in Nocturnal Vermin. Always a threesome, my cohorts were Arnold Bastard (guitar) and Isaac Brutal (vocals). The 'drums' were a Casio VL Tone mini childs keyboard/toy thingy. Swinney and many other forgotten legends were written during Higher History classes at Craigmount High School. The EP with Swinney also featured Urine Sample, Dingo Baby and Rabies,all live favourites at our few (2) live shows at the then Waterloo Bar in Edinburgh's East End. Isaac Brutal is still in the 'business' as bassist with Shock and Awe. A feature in 'The Scotsman' a while back printed a verse of Swinney which was less than complimentary. I'm sure they invented this because we actually liked John and the song,uniquely for a Vermin creation, was totally inoffensive. Thanks for your interest!
I remember Nocturnal Vermin well. To say their music is "not very good" is criminal. Slippy Underfoot McCready and Issac Brutal were pure genious as the chorus to "Dingo Baby" will attest:
"What happened to my baby, by jingo!,
Got dragged off by a great f@cking dingo." - class.
One famous moment in the Vermin history books involved winning top billing in the letters page of The Sunday Post with a made up letter entitled "They Brought Shame On Scotland". After meeting the lads one drunk night and ending up in the Traverse Theatre Club (sneaky late license - back in the days of tight licensing laws). We decided over an ale or two that a letter in the Sunday Post was the ultimate accolade. Issac had tried on numerous occassions with tales of soiling himself in supermarkets with no lavatories, but to no avail.
I proceeded to write a letter telling how I had seen the Vermin perform in Amsterdam and high on a cocktail of drink and drugs they had caused a riot that I felt brought shame on our great nation. (I am sure John Swinney would have been horrified - him being at BB's with us and everything).
The Sunday Post weren't happy with my outrageous story and proceeded to spice it up even more before publishing it with letter of the week status.
Icing on the cake was Issac Brutals "right of reply" the following week.