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OMS presents The Samurai Seven Single Launch ‘Punching Down’ 29 May at The Bullingdon OMS presents - Oxford's surf-popping punksters The Samurai Seven are back on the main stage for an all-ages EP launch extravaganza, touting sharper suits and higher kicks than ever. The original line-up of Oxford’s legendary fantastic four return with their first release in 25 years - new single ‘Punching Down’ is out on 29 May, combining Beach Boy harmonies with power-punk pop that made them popular with John Peel and audiences across the country. Joined by Oxford/Witney’s up and coming alt punk-pop party vibers, The Kokroachez - a young four-piece renowned for their electrifying performances, currently making waves; and emerging local rocksters, Suspire. Bring your mum, your kids, your date or your granny, and get ready to rock.
‘Punching Down’ was recorded with Grammy winning producer, Hugo Nicolson (Primal Scream, Radiohead, Bjork), at Runway Studios and mixed at Fairport Convention’s Woodworm studios in Oxfordshire (Frank Turner, Garth Hudson, The Nubiles). Lyrically, Punching Down is a call for unity, tolerance and open heartedness in an increasingly fractured and polarised society. The band explain:
“The media narrative – controlled by a tiny and very wealthy fraction of 1% of society - seems to encourage us all to turn against each other; other ethnicities, backgrounds, beliefs, classes, identities. It’s a classic divide and conquer strategy; when we are all distracted by fighting and distrusting each other, we are less likely to notice as more and more wealth is sucked into billionaire’s pockets and our human and labour rights – and quality of life - are eroded. We all have more in common with each other in terms of our day to day lives, motivations and struggles. Who should we really direct our frustration towards?”
The Samurai Seven formed in 1997 in Oxford, toured relentlessly and rose to prominence during that year’s Radio One Oxford Sound City event, where they impressed both John Peel and Steve Lamacq. The band recorded five sessions at Maida Vale Studios for John Peel, as well as recording the theme tune to Peel’s Channel Four TV show, “Sound of the Suburbs”. In 2025 the boys returned for some classic shows including Truck Festival, Charlbury Riverside Festival and a sellout show at Oxford’s famous Jericho Tavern, with new material being released in 2026.
“It might easily turn out that we love The Samurai Seven” – John Peel, BBC Radio One
“Speed-crazed pop bunnies making like The Buzzcocks ripping through The Beach Boys’ book of summer hits” – NME
“The Samurai Seven are the punk rock band you can take home to mum; the scuzzy indie stars your kid sister can pin on her bedroom wall and adore.
Quite possibly perfect, in other words” – NME
“Pristine velocity pop… Spanning the distance between The Beatles first flourishing and the pop-centric nous of The Undertones” – Nightshift Magazine
Follow The Samurai Seven here:
https://www.facebook.com/the.samurai.seven/
https://www.instagram.com/the_samurai_seven/
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Event Venue
The Bullingdon, 162 Cowley Road,Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
Tickets
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