Giant Haystacks

Just as certainly as you’ll die and become wormfood, you will, with equal certainty, find San Francisco’s Giant Haystacks compared to the Gang of Four in just about any review of them you read in the music press. The comparison isn’t without merit, however, and that’s a good thing. The question has been asked: Are Giant Haystacks punk, or post-punk? If the music they made came out in 1979, alongside the new releases of bands like The Ex, Stiff Little Fingers, or The Jam, Giant Haystacks would have been called punk. Giant Haystacks are also comparable in many ways to the Minutemen, too. So, heck, let’s just call it punk rock for now, okay?

The vocals and musicianship are intelligent and thoughtful. Scotland-born singer Allan McNaughton, in addition to playing guitar for Giant Haystacks (yes, the band is named after a famous British wrestler), also writes for Maximum Rock ‘n Roll. Drummer Nate is a copy editor by trade. Giant Haystacks play smart punk rock for smart punk rock people.

The trio's unique blend of punk and post-punk sounds have made them one of San Fransisco's favorite bands. They disbanded in April of 2007.

If you’ve never seen Giant Haystacks perform live, the band takes its tight punk anthems and compresses them even further into great short sets bursting with melody and intensity.