Black Wax

Black Wax and Vive Le Rock present:

KICK OUT – The Newtown Neurotics Story

Documentary Screening with live performances from Newtown Neurotics, Attila the Stockbroker and more, hosted by Steve Lamacq.

Saturday 25th April 2020 Leytonstone Ballroom, The Red Lion, Leytonstone High Road, E11 3AA Doors 7pm

On sale Thursday 31st October 9am

Bored of new town life and inspired by the first wave of punk, Steve Drewett, Colin Dredd and Tiggy Barber (later Simon Lomond) formed the Newtown Neurotics.

Kick Out is the story of that journey, from the concrete slabs of Harlow, Essex, to the bombed-out streets of East Germany. Along with the likes of Billy Bragg and Attila the Stockbroker, the band became the voice of the disenfranchised and the social conscience of a country in flux.

The aim of Kick Out is to capture the essence of the time, explore the events which molded the band’s worldview and examine their place in British music history.

With the current backdrop of austerity and Brexit, The Neurotics are as relevant as ever. With their impending fortieth anniversary, now seems the perfect opportunity to both reflect and look forward.

Despite their initial run being relatively short, the band’s reach and influence are apparent, not just in the UK but across the globe. Like for so many bands of that era, the emergence of the internet has given a new lease of life to the words and music, striking a chord and inspiring a new and angry generation.

Like all good ideas, the premise of the film began at a bar, specifically The Square in Harlow. The Square, which closed in January 2017, was the cultural beacon of Harlow and was a second home to the town’s outcasts and creatives. The venue played a big part in the band’s history as well as Baker’s own creative endeavours so it’s highly fitting that the film’s seeds were sowed within the walls of The Square.

“What started as a simple video idea quickly grew into something much bigger. What struck me during our initial meetings was how relevant the lyrics Steve wrote over thirty years ago were still today.

While mainstream success alluded them, they have quite the pedigree in terms of their fan base, their historic shows behind the iron curtain and Steve’s solo shows in North Korea and Cuba. On one hand, you could say it’s a film about a band that has continuously evolved with the political and social changes around them. On the other, it’s a film about how many of the issues and problems tacked in the band’s lyrics still resonate today as much as they did back then.”

Kick Out! The Newtown Neurotics Story features contributions from: Billy Bragg – Singer, songwriter and left-wing activist. Attila The Stockbroker – Poet, musician and songwriter, long time associate of the band and Steve Drewett’s best friend. Phill Jupitus – Stand-up and improv comedian, actor, performance poet, cartoonist, and podcaster, also known as Porky the Poet. Steve Lamacq – English disc jockey, BBC Radio 6 Music. Garry Bushell – Newspaper columnist, music journalist, television presenter, author and political activist.

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The film screening will be accompanied by a full bill of live music and poetry headlined by the Newtown Neurotics themselves. Performing a one off special set delving deep into the bands back catalogue, the Neurotics will be joined on the evening by some guests and friends to make this a must attend event for all punk rock fans.

The event, hosted by Steve Lamacq, will include a Q&A session with film maker Luke Baker, ranting poetry from Attila The Stockbroker and some special guest acoustic performances TBA.

This is a predominantly standing event with limited seated tickets available.

‘The Neurotics are back, and they’re angry… and they’re looking for ya!’ – B. Bragg.