The stainless Wattie Buchan, the last punk figure, who at 67 lives to the limit and survived five infarctions

Without a doubt, it is a true survivor. And, at this point, also of A world punk legend.

Wattie Buchanthe frontman of The Exploited Since 1978, he survived five heart attacks. Even after his last visit to Argentina in 2022, In full show he collapsed on stage and ended hospitalized. It almost does not count it later: the forecasts in those days were very reserved. But still, the singer survived and later returned to the stage.

At 67 and despite the tracheteo of excesses and life to the limit, Because it is one of the most extremist punk on the planet and the “Old School”, as it is called in the environment, Wattie always gave it and continues to give everything when it is time to sing anywhere in the world.

These days, this veteran vocalist, spokesman for radicalized punk through his songs, is at home in Edinburgh, taking a respite after an extensive tour, and before embarking for South America, in which he promises to be Your last visit to the continentwhose list of shows includes one in Buenos Aires this Saturday, May 3 in Groove, In Palermo.

But it is not alone at night that the interview is produced via zoom with Clarionbut well accompanied. After a long marriage to Gena, with whom he had two children, he separated and did not spend time to give love to love: seven months ago he is a boyfriend with Mana, a model, actress and makeup artist with whom he has marriage plans, although he must still finish the divorce procedures with the mother of his children.

“My girlfriend lives in the United States, more precisely in Los Angeles. He got on the plane two weeks ago to come to Europe with me, and returns home to Los Angeles tomorrow. Then he joins the tour of South America on Saturday. But we try to spend as much time as we can together,” reveals the leader of The Exploited.

And he adds: “Seven months today we are together. We are very happy. Although I still have to resolve the affairs of the divorce of my ex -wife. We have marriage plans; we want to marry.”

This positive present at the sentimental level shows the radiant musician, denoting joy on his face. It is not reflected in him features of an extremist punk, such as when he has to climb a stage.

Much has been said on social networks about a final tour of its historical band. However, the musician clarifies something important: “It is not about the last exploited tour, but only the last in South America. That region has lost this English tourist, but because it is too far for me; it is too far to travel for my health, so this is the last tour of Latin America.”

In that sense, the vocalist You don’t plan to leave the stageeven demonstrates the trajín of recent months: “We have been occupied this year turning through Europe and then in the United States. Then we returned to Europe for two weeks, having been in the United States five weeks. And now it is the turn of South America: we do not stop.”

Regarding the health and care it requires, the Scotsman considers that he is alive of a miracle. And that is why it appeals to meticulous care.

“I am happy to be alive. I should be dead. The doctors told me that I should be dead for the five heart attacks. They told me that I had a square by the square heart, a pacemaker, a gastric bypass, among others.

But the tracing of his lived reality does not end there: “Every day is a good day. And when I can’t do it physically, if I can’t do my music gags, if I can’t do 100%gags, I would call it an incomplete day. I don’t consume more drugs, I don’t drink anymore. I have finished it a long time, ”he confesses, already with his serious face.

-Do you recognize something of the night when you almost morbid in Colombia, after the show you offered here in Buenos Aires?

-Yes, it was on stage and it was a tremendous attack. I remember that I stayed with my head open, as if I was going to die. I felt ashamed because I thought: “Fuck, something is wrong. I can’t breathe.” The place was closed and spent the last time I went to Colombia.

The last song collapsed me, but I went to the hospital and they wanted to do a study of the heart. But they told me I had to withdraw my piercings. And I told them no. So they told me to fuck me. Now I remember it! They wanted to withdraw my piercings or they didn’t help me. “I don’t care! I will die with my piercings on!” I told them. And I left.

That approach so uncompromising would fit perfectly with the popular phrase “to die with the boots put”: something very chest by Wattie, a survivor of the agite, who despite everything experienced, is still a language, but always with precise foundations, as when he expresses that he is “the last great survivor of the old school of punk.”

“I am the great survivor. Totally. No, there are many, and that there are many people, there are many bands. I have been one of them, when I started the band, 45 years ago, they all said that the punk was dead. And look at me, here I am,” he says proudly and sketches a chopped smile.

Then he takes up: “Everyone laughed that punk was dead, but I have shown everyone that punk is still alive. Punk is what I have done most of my life. So punk for me is more than music, It’s my lifestyle. And unless we don’t have corrupt governments, punk will never die, it will always be here. ”

Apartial paragraph is what the red crest artist explains about punk within the social and what concerns at the social level:

“Punk music really has a serious message, gives voice to people who work talking about real problems in the world, wars, poverty, corrupt governments. So punk will never die!

Abocated awareness in this section of the interview, he continues to deepen his basic ideas and denies what many say that punk is something for teenagers: “In fact I am an older man,” he sharpens and continues to spit intense phrases.

“People like me are a minority, but everyone has an opinion. Punk means living your life as you want to live it. Being your person, being yourself. It doesn’t matter if someone thinks you are shit about what you do or whatever. If you enjoy yourself, go and live your life. It doesn’t matter if you are a bus driver or whatever. If you want to be something in life fights to enjoy them.”

After A reflection of old man escapes him: “Life is too short to be damn sad and worry about what other people think. The opinion of other people does not matter to me. The only thing that matters for me is that my friends tell me the truth. Not everyone has the same point of view. I do have my point of view. And sometimes it is wrong. But it doesn’t matter to me. I still stay with that! He throws a laugh.

In this sway of concepts, suddenly the remembrance of a golden age of the scene of his, the end of the seventies and early ’80s, in addition to a comparison with today.

“So now the punk is cool? When we started in the eighties, the punk was massively different. It was like ‘much poverty.’ And punk clubs were very violent. Today, they are people who are in their 60 years and have children. They are no longer so violent. It is different. People look older, look smarter. Because when you look older, your fear is reduced.

And it continues: “You do not get so angry. Because you find that you have other things in life that are more important. Many things are irrelevant, but when you are young, you think they are. When you are old, you are see wisely and sometimes you change your opinion about things. The important thing is honesty. I told my two children a while ago: you can be a murderer and I will still love you. But I do not love you.

On his gaze of the world and of war and economic conflicts, Buchan also brings his gaze:

“The world stops and sees Russia killing and killing Ukraine, which is bad. I was in Ukraine and Russia first. And I have colleagues in both countries, many of my friends came from Russia, since they cannot speak against the war and they can be killed. The Russian government is an idiot. Just like the Israeli government: what happened in Palestine? Unido, the United States and Germany, all of them offer weapons to Iraq.

Although he does not end there with his criticism: “Governments begin war, but governments do not fight in the war, they send the workers. Governments do not take their children to fight against the war. Let’s see, Donald Trump is an idiot. He is the greatest idiot and the greatest fascist in the world. The same the same Israeli prime minister: another idiot. All ”, sentence.

Then to his many observations, the musician becomes more leisurely, although he does not overlook the issue of the return of the Sex Pistols sin Johnny Rottenannounced just a couple of weeks ago.

“Well, if it hadn’t been for Sex Pistols, there would be no exploited, Clash, Damned, Upstarts, Banshees or punk bands today. The pistols was the model band. So respect Johny Rotten. What do the sex pistols do now? They come again with a different singer and it is like a karaoke band, a tribute band. He concludes, smiles and the farewell greeting comes through the laptop screen.