Sometimes life is shite. As i am continuing to scan old film i arrived at pics from the Newtown Neurotics gig at Hamburg in 1985. Only to realise that Colin (bass player) has passed away the day before.
Sighhhhhhhhh …
But for those who do remember this show i am sure they remember a great live band with tremendous song writing abilities! And that the show was at an odd place, the infamous Onkel Pö (also long gone now).
Enjoy and keep the memories of those who passed away!
Newtown Neurotics – Beggars can be choosers (Razor Records RAZ 6. 1983)
That is a fun one – in 1983 i started to turn US H/C and was fascinated with the load of stuff finding it’s way from over there, but still stayed loyal to almost anything on Razor Records: Adicts, Cock Sparrer, Splodge etc) – and especially to the Newtown Neurotics, even when they became the bad produced pop band Neurotics (as they still had quality songwriting). But they punk rock masterpiece is this one – perfect, tongue-in-check political version of the mighty Ramones.
Frontman Steve Drewitt went all the way from long haired hippie to the skinheaded punk as seen on the record cover in no time and they produced some of the background sound for Anti-War, Anti-Thatcher and Anti-Government in the UK in the early 80es. Smart!
The verdict:
1977 – sure thing, perfect Ramonescore! published by a cool label – Indeed. Razor Records UK! found in a cool shop – Konnekschen, like anything from that area! catching sound – Yes, 3-pcs masterpiece – you do not need any army for great sound? The lyrics – always political but also with a smile in the corner of the eye.
Their best known tune is either the earlier “Kick out the Tories”, “When the oil runs out” or their re-work of The Members “Living with Unemployment” but this is my fav tune:
Does anyone know where the march is?
We've been searching for hours
We couldn't get the generator started
We were on the back of a lorry
But with no power we had no sound
While we were tackling the problem
The march moved off and disappeared into town
Oh where did it go, god knows
It could have been worse I suppose
Just look at us
We're standing here in our rebel clothes
Singing rebel songs with a rebel pose
We were waiting for the traffic to clear
Stuck outside of Tesco's
Does anyone know where the march is?
We bellowed at the passers-by
They thought we were a bunch of crazies, no reply
We saw a kid clutching a leaflet
Oh this is where the march must have been
She told us we were all stupid,
It was causing the traffic jam that we were in
Oh where did it go, god knows
It could have been worse I suppose
Just look at us
We're standing here in our rebel clothes
Singing rebel songs with a rebel pose
We were waiting for the traffic to clear
Stuck outside of Tesco's
A band with a message
Going no-where
So we played to the shoppers
In the end we didn't care, we didn't care
They said "what's this, what's this, oh how subversive
(C) DREWETT 1983 - Universal Publishing
Now listen up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjMF460Iy6I
And see them live in Leeds in 1983:
And indeed the Neurotics played Hamburg once (20.10.1985 @ Onkel Pö) and i took some pics back then:
(The) Neurotics – Steve Drewett (Live Onkel Pö, Hamburg, 20.10.1985) (c) Holy War Archive
