Wasted Youth 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). 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).
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, and last September we ventured across to The Piper in St Leonards-on-Sea to see what they had to offer…..we were mightily impressed! Read our account of that night HERE.
Wasted Youth have now announced the release of a brand new album, it’s title is ‘NEO NOIR’, and it’s the first new record by the current line-up. ‘NEO NOIR’ will be available to purchase in April 2025, either at a gig or through bandcamp.com.
They have announced the first batch of concerts in support of the new platter, and the dates so far confirmed include welcome returns to The Prince Albert in Brighton on Friday 23rd May and The Piper in St Leonards-on-Sea on Friday 26th September.
The dates so far are as follows:
Apr 24 The Black Prince, Northampton
Apr 25 The Georgian Theatre, Stockton
Apr 26 Goth Festival, Whitby
May 23 The Prince Albert, Brighton
May 24 The Thunderbolt, Bristol
June 26 The Moth Club, London
July 5 YES! Manchester
July 6 Boneyard Festival, Blackpool
Sep 26 The Piper, St Leonards-on-Sea
Sep 27 Music Hall, Ramsgate
Support at the Brighton gig will come from ST///LL who are a Post Punk band from Brighton, Cork and Worthing, as well as a DJ set from Andrew Lowlife.
Tickets for the Wasted Youth performance at The Prince Albert on Friday 23rd May are available HERE.
Tickets for the other dates will go on sale in due course.
