As the grassroots gig circuit continues to weather landlord greed, financial collapse and the death-by-developer gauntlet, Opus Kink are doing more than just shouting into the void. Their latest project, ‘A Hideous Collective’, is a 24-track, vinyl-only compilation album raising funds for Music Venue Trust and the UK Artist Touring Fund - two lifelines for a scene under threat.
Corralled by the band themselves and released via their own label Hideous Mink Records (in partnership with SO Recordings), the compilation features contributions from the likes of Wunderhorse, English Teacher, Katy J Pearson, Lambrini Girls, Warmduscher and many more. The first single? Opus Kink’s own anarchic ode, ‘Thank You Satan’.
When we catch up with Angus and Jed, they’re in the middle of what you might call a typically chaotic stretch. Jed’s multitasking as a record label boss while fielding band business, and Angus is scrambling with friends to get a video shoot over the line. Despite it all, the love for the independent scene - and the people who keep it alive - is what fuels them.
You guys have a fun new project on the go, raising funds for Music Venue Trust and the UK Artist Touring Fund: why are these causes in particular so important to you?
Angus: Because we live inside those causes. Small venues and the grafters therein enable this whole circus… it feels important to try and repay a fraction… also, in a fiendish, selfish way, we want those places and people around to bend to our will and let us perform our rites in their space forever.
Do you have a favourite grassroots music venue, to either attend or play?
Angus: Living where we do there are obvious choices like The George Tavern, The Windmill, Dash the Henge etcetera who we know, love and do serious business with all the time. Not just in this band but in all our various endeavours and side projects. I’d also be remiss not to shout out and lament those who’ve left us… Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar in Brighton, where we played our first show; Base Camp in Middlesbrough where we had a transformative time and met loads of recurring characters; what feels like hundreds more, sadly. I guess this is the crux of the whole thing.
Who first floated the idea of ‘A Hideous Collective’? Was there a particular moment or event that kicked it all off?
Angus: Jed, of course. The mastermind.
Jed: This is actually the third compilation album we’ve done for Music Venue Trust. The first two were cassette only — May 2021 and September 2022. Across those two, we had Heartworms, Hotel Lux, Saloon Dion, English Teacher, Langkamer, BULL, Black Bordello. But the current ‘A HIDEOUS COLLECTIVE’ is its own beast. The first on vinyl, and double the size.
What actually cemented the idea of doing the third one was when, at a recent Opus Kink show, we were told the venue (can’t say which as not sure it’s public knowledge yet) wasn’t going to last the rest of the year because a fancy brewery had just opened next door and took all their customers. The venue was run by a couple of legends, a real DIY spot. We were welcomed on arrival and fed home-cooked meals — sad to see it go.
How did you go about curating and corralling all the acts involved?
Jed: There was no real method. Started with mates, and it snowballed from there. We’ve toured relentlessly with so many of these bands so it was a simple IG message or asking them at the pub. Others we had to gruel the task of going through labels and managers and publishers to sometimes get a no at the very last minute.
"Started with mates, and it snowballed from there"
Any personal favourites on the tracklist? What are the real standouts for you?
Jed: Has to be the cumgirl8 track.
Angus: The Katy J Pearson for me. Or ‘Yakuza’ by Warmduscher… ‘Turkish Delight’ by Los Bitchos. So many hitters.
‘Thank You Satan’ is the first track out – what’s the story behind that one? And what makes it the right track to lead with?
Angus: The original French version by Léo Ferré is one of my favourite songs. I couldn’t believe nobody had poached it for an English translation yet so I tucked into that with pleasure. It was a lot of fun to try and make it work and keep the anarchic sentiment. In the midst of all the bureaucracy and deadlines of building this band we did this off our own backs in a fittingly ramshackle and DIY way — recorded in a rehearsal room, mixed in bed, a beautiful music video by Jacob Ray and Maisy Banks shot in a friend’s house for £300. I guess the way it was produced and put out makes it the right kind of track to lead this album, by the skin of one’s teeth, for the love, man.
Were there any artists you asked who couldn’t be involved this time, but that you’re hoping to get on board for a second volume?
Jed: The Maruja boys were working on a tune, but too busy on their huge US tour — fair enough. Last Dinner Party also in a similar position, we’ll snatch them both for the next one. Yard Act, CMAT, Kate Nash were almost on too.
There’s clearly a lot of love and chaos fuelling this thing. What did you learn about yourselves, and about the wider scene, in pulling it all together?
Jed: Definitely learnt that a lot of bands hold independent venues very close to their hearts, they’re grateful to the platform the grassroots circuit allows a band to launch from. There’s also a wider feeling of ‘fuck you’ to all the demons about this compilation, with everything that’s going on currently in the world.
Angus: Yeah. Fuck it all. With grace and compassion. Can’t topple the prevailing world order without grassroots heart and a dose of chanson.
What else are you guys working on at the mo?
Angus: We’re in the end stages of our debut album. Code red. Seven years in… it’s taken the blood of a thousand fools and the first-hand horrors of sniffing around this industry to get to this point, but when it all surfaces I’ll be so pleased that it’s been shaped and honed by endless hard work, hard knocks and the invaluable input of so many people, venues and gurus whose business it really wasn’t but they pitched in anyway.
We’ve also got much more extracurricular stuff and charity or passion projects in the works too. Sam’s got another album coming, mine is on the way, Jazz and Fin are crafting their own masterpieces, Jack is juggling his Snackwall project with being the most sought-after horn player in England, and Jed is expanding his record empire of bliss. We’re all fucked forever in that regard, but it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Taken from the September 2025 issue of Dork. Opus Kink's compilation album ‘A Hideous Collective’ is out now.
