Made up of Graham Norris (guitar and vocals), Martin McClements (drums), Paul Kirkwood (bass and vocals), Tam Killean (guitar and vocals) the band formed in early 2016 having played in various other outfits. They took their name after “falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole” and finding out about the famous Polish soldier bear who was eventually promoted to a corporal and saw out the end of his days in Edinburgh Zoo.

The band have picked up fans of their beautifully crafted melodic guitar pop since the release of their debut single ‘Dead From The Waist Up’ in June 2016. BBC Radio Scotland’s Vic Galloway picked it up and it was included on the BBC Scotland Introducing podcast, and STV featured the band on national TV show ‘Live at Five’. A download followed, ‘The Drunken Sailor’, described as “2 and a half minutes of nautical-laced indie regret” and was selected as one of Tom Robinson’s ‘Fresh Faves’ on 6 Music. The band also played a headline show at Kings Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow, and supported Wintersleep and Kathyrn Joseph. Their most recent show was at Broadcast in Glasgow in January as part of the Celtic Connections festival.

The new EP was recorded with Chris McCrory of Catholic Action (as were the previous tracks) in his Shady Lane studio in Glasgow. The band described some of the themes of the songs as being about “coming to terms with being in your 30’s and realising that all your best anecdotes are about stupid things you did when you were a teenager” (‘trivial pursuit’) and “Scotland’s entirely fucked relationship with alcohol and how deep down we’re all secretly really impressed when someone can drink like a fish (‘badge of honour’).

The video was shot on VHS by Chris from Catholic Action and was filmed at Cathkin Park, the home of the now defunct Third Lanark Football team, Glasgow’s necropolis and the Voltaire & Rousseau bookshop in the city’s West End. Respected DJ ‘The Revenge’ has remixed ‘Trivial Pursuit’ and made a 5 minute blissed out version of the song. ‘Trivial Pursuit’ – The Revenge Transition Dub is released on the same day as the single.

Wojtek The Bear - Second Nature EP - Released 31 March 2017
‘Trivial Pursuit’ / ‘Badge of Honour’ / ‘Bookcase’ / ‘What’s For Ye’

1st April GLASGOW, Broadcast (with Book Group/Lional)
6th April DUNDEE, Clark’s
7th April EDINBURGH, Leith Depot (with Book Group)
8th April INVERNESS, Tooth & Claw (Lional)
.