The Scratch

The Scratch are a group based in the United Kingdom and associated with Irish rock, folk rock, Dublin and folk. They are a four-piece band that combines heavy metal, punk and traditional Irish folk music. The band begins in Perrystown, Dublin, where former Red Enemy members Jordan “Jordo” O’Leary, Daniel “Lango” Lang, Conor “Dock” Dockery and Peter Keogh start playing together after becoming dissatisfied with the limits of the heavy metal scene.

Style and formation

The band develops its sound from acoustic guitars and a wooden box, with the members first jamming together in a kitchen. Their music mixes traditional folk melodies with thrash-metal energy, creating a style that draws on both Irish folk and heavier rock forms.

Line-up changes

Jordan O’Leary leaves the band in late 2024. Gary “Snakeskin” Regan replaces him on guitar, while Daniel Lang takes on expanded lead vocal duties. The current line-up also includes Conor “Dock” Dockery on guitar and backing vocals, Cathal McKenna on bass and backing vocals, and Gary “Snakeskin” Regan on guitar and backing vocals.

Recordings

The Scratch release the EPs Old Songs and The Whole Buzz in 2018 and 2019, followed by the albums Couldn’t Give a Rats in 2020 and Mind Yourself in 2023. Pull Like A Dog is also listed as an album.