Heavy Load (punk band)
Heavy Load was an English punk rock band, described by The Sunday Times in 2009 as "possibly the most genuinely punk band touring today".[1]
Heavy Load | |
---|---|
Origin | Sussex, England |
Genres | Punk |
Years active | 1996–2012 |
Members | Simon Barker Jimmy Nichols Paul Richards Michael White Mick Williams |
Its members met at Southdown Housing, a non-profit assisted-living community for people with mental health issues and learning disabilities, and were a mix of service users and staff.[2]
The band composed the theme for the BAFTA-nominated film Cast Offs and is itself documented in the film Heavy Load.
The band were also the founders of the charity Stay Up Late, a campaign seeking to improve the social lives of people with learning difficulties by calling for more flexible staff hours.[3] Stay Up Late is a national charity promoting full and active social lives for people with learning disabilities.
Heavy Load split in September 2012 with a final gig in London's Trafalgar Square as part of the Paralympic festivities.[4] Simon Barker died suddenly on 10 August 2017.[5]
Band members
- Simon Barker, vocals
- Jimmy Nichols, guitar and vocals
- Paul Richards, bass
- Mick Williams, guitar and vocals
- Michael White, drums
Albums
Title | Date of Release |
---|---|
Wham | 2011 |
Shut It | 2008 |
The Queen Mother's Dead | 2006 |
References
- Kate Spicer (1 November 2009). "'Fashion lovers with learning disabilities'". The Sunday Times Style Magazine.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "In memory of Simon Barker". Stayuplate.org. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
External links
- "Home". Stayuplate.org. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "Alexis Petridis meets Heavy Load, Britain's first disabled punk band". 12 September 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2020.