Mark McClelland and Maja Scherman – The Diaries [https://thediaries.band/]

WHO said punk is dead? The original idea behind the movement, which found a home in Camden Town in the 1970s, was not to let record execs dictate what you did but get up and do it yourself.

And for Camden Town-based duet The Diaries, this DIY aesthetic has stretched from building their own recording and rehearsal studio at home in NW1 to writing and publishing a book chronicling their story.

The Diaries, made up of Mark McClelland and Maja Scherman, are a duet who write their own material and say it’s a rocky, poppy vibe with a punk attitude.

The musicians are playing three sets at the Werewolf Brewery on Bank Holiday Monday.

The Diaries is not just a story of rock and roll exploration – it is a personal tale, too.

“We became an item the day we met in February 2021,” says Maja. “Soon after that we decided to dedicate our lives to writing music and performing around the world. To start to make that happen we moved from Kentish Town to rural Ireland in May 2021, so we could rent a detached house where we could make noise 24/7 as we found our sound and began writing our first songs.”

While their music is wholly original, they have been influenced by stand-out names in rock music: “Among these are Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Guns’N’Roses, Oasis and The Beatles,” adds Mark.

And as well as writing music, they have put together their story so far in a self-published book, titled Music, Love and Impossibilities. The gig at the Werewolf is free – but the couple hope those coming will buy a copy of their autobiography.

The couple have toured Europe, Mexico and Japan, playing over 150 shows and now want to crack Camden Town’s music scene.

And on their website – www.thediaries.band – you can read in real time their development as a music act – and how they met and fell for each other.

“We have kept day to day diaries since the day we met and some time before,” reveals Mark.

“Made up of these same diaries, our book Music, Love and Impossibilities covers our intense and hugely eventful first three months together.”

• The Diaries play live sets at Werewolf Beer, Arch 87, Randolph Street, NW1 0SR, on Monday, April 6 at 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.