The Girobabies

Also known as Girobabies

Based in Glasgow, Scotland

Roles band · songwriters · live performers

post-punk alternative rock punk rock experimental rock

The Girobabies were a Glasgow band led by vocalist and songwriter Mark McGhee, also known for his work as Jackal Trades. Emerging from a DIY punk ethos, their music mixed post-punk, alternative rock, grunge, funk and spoken-word delivery. Early releases included Social Not Working (2010) and Bus Stop Apocalypse, followed by Who Took Utopia? and the album Dreams Are Mental (2025). Their changing line-ups included musicians such as Robbie Gunn, Gordy Duncan, Jo D'arc and Jenny Tingle. The group played venues including the Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom and festivals including Doune the Rabbit Hole and Boomtown. Morphamish recorded or worked on several later releases, including the track Landfill Culture and the album Dreams Are Mental. The band announced a farewell show at the Glasgow School of Art on 28 March 2026, alongside the release of the B-sides collection Sunday Replacement Service.

Early career

Released debut mini-album Social Not Working, recorded at Elba Studios in Glasgow.
Singer Mark McGhee described the band's origins in an interview: he and a friend started the band while between jobs.

Listen and follow

Bandcamp

Releases

Social Not Working (2010)
Bus Stop Apocalypse
Secret Animal (2013)
Who Took Utopia? (2016)
It Felt Like The End (2023)
Landfill Culture (2024)
Steal My Sleep (2024)
Dreams Are Mental (2025)
Sunday Replacement Service (2026)

Related artists

Jackal Trades — Solo spoken-word/rap project of frontman Mark McGhee
Morphamish — Recording, mixing and additional production on later Girobabies material
Sun Dogs — Solo project of former guitarist/producer Robbie Gunn
The Twistettes — Band also associated with bassist Jo D'arc
Steg G — Remixed It Felt Like The End
Wav Machine — Remixed and mixed/mastered It Felt Like The End

Festival appearances

Doune the Rabbit Hole · 2019
Boomtown · 2022
Lindisfarne Festival

Production and recording credits

Social Not Working — Songs credited principally to M. McGhee and J. Hayes; produced by Stephen Scott at Elba Studios.
Secret Animal — Written by M. McGhee and R. Gunn; produced by R. Gunn; recorded at Dixon Street Studios, Glasgow.
It Felt Like The End — Written by Mark McG and Gordy Duncan; additional production by Morphamish; mixed and mastered by Konchis/Wav Machine.
Landfill Culture — Written by M. McGhee and M. McKeown; recorded and mixed by Morphamish at Sound Sound Studios; mastered by Tom S Ray.
Dreams Are Mental — Recorded at Sound Sound Studios by Hamish Campbell.