English post-punk band Wasted Youth are back after an absence of 40 years and tour dates are on the cards, including a performance in Brighton! They are not to be confused with the hardcore punk band from Los Angeles (also known as LA’s Wasted Youth) who existed from 1981 to 1988.
They were originally active between 1979 and 1982, with their blend of post-punk/pre-Goth with dark acoustic strains. The line-up back then featured Ken Scott (vocals and guitar), Rocco Barker (guitar), Nick Nicole (synth), Darren Murphy (bass) and Andy Scott (drums). Their records were released through Bridgehouse Records, a label set up by the bass player’s father, former boxer Terry Murphy.
Wasted Youth emerged from the Plaistow power pop trio The Tickets who were fronted by Ken Scott with brother Andy on Drums and John McGeady on bass. They released a number of singles which gained success in the Indie Charts, including 1980’s ‘Jealousy’ (No.23), and ‘I’ll Remember You’ (No.19), 1981’s ‘Rebecca’s Room’ (No.15), and 1982’s ‘Wildlife’ (No.21) and ‘Reach Out’ (No.42). They also had success on the albums front with 1981’s ‘Wild And Wandering’ (No.9) and 1983’s ‘Beginning Of The End’ (No.13).
Rocco Barker went on to join the band Flesh for Lulu and was in the Channel 4 show, ‘A Place in Spain: Costa Chaos’. Sadly, the band’s bassist, Darren Murphy, died of cancer on 15th February 2012. The band’s drummer, Andy Scott, also of Cockney Rejects fame, died of cancer on 29th May 2020.
In October 2021, Ken Scott and Rocco Barker announced that they were reviving Wasted Youth, with new members Ray ‘Sonic’ Hanson (from Thee Hypnotics) on guitar, Alan Temple (from The Low Gods) on drums, Teresa Casella (Miranda Sex Garden) on bass and Josef Rosam on (from Dorothy Vallens) second bass, synth and percussion, who joined in March 2022. The first shows for the reformed band sold out within hours of going on sale.
They have announced the first six gigs confirmed for 2023, and Brighton is on the list. The band have said that they are “proper excited at the thought of seeing you all in the flesh and getting real sweaty, so to speak. We’ve tried to keep ticket prices down but remember there will be a booking fee if you’re buying in advance. However, please note that there’s no guarantee that tickets will be available on the night, particularly at some of the smaller venues. You have been warned!”
They went on to say:
“Although we loved playing on The Furs tour, it will be that bit more special playing to our own crowd. And for a bit longer than the 30 minute slot we were allotted! We’ll be playing a selection of our back catalogue but also a few new numbers, which will be a bit nervy, but I’m confident they will sound both vibrant and relevant whilst retaining that essential Wasted Youth ‘vibe’.”
Wasted Youth gig dates:
Thursday 16th March – Middlesbrough Westgarth Social Club
Friday 17th March – Glasgow Stereo
Saturday 18th March – Hull O’Rileys
Friday 24th March – Northampton The Black Prince
Saturday 25th March – Bristol Crofters Rights
Sunday 26th March – Brighton Prince Albert
The band also teased by adding:
“We’ve got lots of other Wasted Youth news items that we’re really eager to tell you about, such as more gig news, details about forthcoming record and CD releases, and much more. However, we are going to hold back for now and wait until there’s a bit of a lull before revealing more, a bit like a striptease without the titillation!”
Tickets for the Wasted Youth performance at The Prince Albert on Sunday 26th March 2023 are available HERE and HERE.
