Well, better late than never as we British are wont to say. Has it been three years already. Well never mind, the date is now rescheduled and the long anticipated Neurotics film 'Kick Out!' will get its premier at last at that London 'punk Mecca', the 100 Club (who needs Cannes?).
Ticket options, '£20 seated/£15 standing (Limited availability)'. That last bit on any ticket website never fails to induce in me a mild sense of panic. And what to do? What's the right option, to sit? It's a long evening with a film, a Q&A and a live performance. But to sit at a gig is an anathema to me. In the end I plumped for a standing ticket, reasoning that if I were seated my 54 year old bladder will let me down and I will disturb other seated punters on several occasions in the course of the evening's entertainment. Whatever, I am in.
The Newtown Neurotics/Neurotics have occupied a big place in my heart for 40 years now. I have stated on numerous occasions on these pages that my political awakening was down to two main things, The Miner's Strike and Spitting Image. For 12 long months over 1984-1985 Britain witnessed its harshest industrial dispute, a vicious fight between the trade unions and the government of the day. In that time invariably the evening news would lead with the latest in the strike. As the weeks went by the level of violence escalated and pitch bloody battles became common between police and miners. At this time, bands did there bit, all around the country benefit gigs were played and records released. The Neurotics were very much part of this. The track 'The Mind Of Valerie' from the 1985 album 'Repercussions' which concerns the impact of the strike on miners and their families who endured the strike, takes me straight back to that time.
With their uncompromising left wing and antifascist stance it is far to say that they drew in a fair elements intent on breaking up gigs (The Richmond in Brighton being a nasty one!). Thankfully, live I missed most of that and there were some great gigs indeed, particularly the farewell gig at the Fulham Greyhound in 1988.
Seven years later, I got a job in Harlow (home town of the band) and moved to Bishops Stortford next door. That brought me closer to the band even though they were at that time no more. Steve Drewett would often be in The Square (surely one of the greatest and most lamented venues in the south) when I was there for gigs. It was interest in the Stortbeat label (a late '70's independent label that hosted bands from the Harlow and Bishop Stortford area) that culminated in a brilliant 2005 compilation, that brought the Newtown Neurotics back.
Since that time they have played regularly including prestigious gigs such as Rebellion. And last year they released a new album 'Cognitive Dissidents', their first new material since 1988.
It should be a great night, especially since there battle cry of 'Kick Out The Tories' is perhaps closer to realisation than is has been for many years.
