The Prats embodied the spirit of punk as much as any band. They looked like schoolkids, they sounded like schoolkids. Because they were.

The group was founded in 1977 at St. Augustine’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive in Edinburgh by Paul McLaughlin, David Maguire, Greg Maguire and Tom Robinson, whose ages at the time ranged from 12 to 15.

While their instruments were basic – including a cardboard drum kit – they were able to quickly produce a demo tape which they sent to local indie label Fast Product.

Inspired by The Slits and Mekons, The Prats debuted with three tracks on the Fast EP Earcom 1. In 1979, the band recorded a session for John Peel, who offered his fee from a DJing appearance in Edinburgh to finance a single release by the band.

A series of 45s then followed, including an EP containing the song Disco Pope – later to appear on Rough Trade’s first post-punk compilation – and lineup changes that brought in another Maguire brother, Jeff, and Elizabeth McLeod on guitar.

But the end of school in 1981 meant the end of the Prats. Paul McLaughlin was quoted as saying “Bands are like marriages between four people. You just stop getting on with each other.”

They had a final fleeting flirtation with fame in 2004 when their single General Davis was featured in Jonathan Demme’s remake of The Manchurian Candidate. On the back of that came a 2005 compilation CD of their best tunes called ‘Now That’s What I Call Prats Music.’

Since then, McLaughlin, now living in Chelmsford, has released one solo single, Party Girl before becoming an employment law executive with Acas. Dave, Greg, Tom and Elspeth all live in the Edinburgh area, while Jeff Maguire died from cancer in July 2020.

One of his last days was spent with his old friends singing Disco Pope.