The Babes were formed in 2015 in London and originally started as a three-piece band consisting of Mao Holiday (bagpipes and lead vocals), Matt Ren Ex (bass and lead vocals), and Marvin (drums). The band plays a mix of Hardcore, Crust, Punk, with bagpipes, and are now based in Paris. The members met at a sound engineering school, where they were known as a group of misfits who wanted to play what they called "happy punk." They started rehearsing in a garage in Twickenham (Southwest London), after a while began rehearsing at Overdrive Studios in Deptford, London, and before long, The Babes were ready to take their music to the world.

The band's journey began with the release of their debut single "Tomorrow Seems So Far Away," and since then, they've toured extensively across England, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, Wales, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Lebanon, Mexico in 2019 and 2024 (Until now, the only country in the Americas to welcome The Babes).

The Babes have released two full-length albums, both recorded and produced by Mao Holiday. The first, Greetings from London (2017), was an experimental album featuring only bass, bagpipes, and drums, which now feels distant from their current sound. Their second album, Joint (2022), is a split with British punk legends Disorder, and marks the introduction of guitar into their compositions.

After a COVID hiatus and the loss of their brother Matt Ren Ex, Mao Holiday reformed The Babes in 2023, and they’ve been touring with a new lineup: Adrien de Mieux on drums (Skarface, The Toasters, Nausea Bomb), Oscar Herbas on bass (Blitz, Scandals), and Jimmy Fox on guitar (Kriminal Pogo), They were on the road again, playing 20 cities across 5 Countries in 3 weeks.

2024 kicked off with a tour in Mexico, including performances at the Ecatepunk Festival, Tianguis El Chopo, Oaxaca, a surprise show at Discos Venas Rotas, Gato Calavera, Discos Denver, and Bam Bam Records. In May and June, the band toured Ireland and France, including a special performance at the Catacombs of Paris.

The Babes have shared stages with a long list of legendary bands, including The Varukers, Icons of Filth, The Exploited, Disorder, Agathocles, Warwound, Anthrax, The Restarts, The Kids, Disturbance, Total Chaos, Omega Tribe, Blatoidea, Solución Mortal, Acidez, Human DogFood, Breakout, The Adicts, Mau Maus, Conflict, Hagar the Womb, Nausea Bomb, Lobotomía, Left for Dead, Jabul Gorba, Grand Collapse, Rebeld'punk, Rabies Babies, The Nilz, Vómito Nuclear, Excluded, Anti-Clockwise, and many others. They’ve also played at major festivals such as the Rebellion Festival, Bearded Theory’s Spring Gathering, Convoy Cabaret, No Dirty Rules Fest (BL), Morecambe Festival, Tianguis El Chopo (MX), Strive for Live Fest, Borderline Fest (FR), Punks n’ Freaks (FR), Día Internacional del Punk (MX), and many more.

See you in the pit!

Mao Holiday

The Babes

XXX

Photo credits: Maciej Bąkowski 

Top to bottom

*Matt Ren Ex: Bass, vocals

*Marvin: Drums

*Mao Holiday: Bagpipe, vocals

Original photo for album cover “Greetings from London” (2017)