“Wasted Youth were arguably the greatest ‘lost’ London band of the post-punk years.” Louder than war
Rarely mentioned, if at all, in the era’s music history books, they were heavily influenced by the dark narcotic
glamour of the Velvet Underground, the Doors, the Stooges and Transformer-era Lou Reed.
Peter Perrett (The Only Ones) produced them, as did Martin Hannett (Joy Division).
They were hugely popular as the Eighties dawned with punks looking for something more sexy and sophisti-
cated and looked set to become much more than the cult band they became. They pre-dated Post Punk and
Goth and are still remembered as quietly-influential and a superb live band by fans.
Wasted Youth were indie chart regulars in the early 80s post-punk scene, touring with The Only Ones, Psyche-
delic Furs, Robert Palmer, Classix Nouveau and Modern English. Their 1981 album ‘Wild and Wandering’ is
widely considered to be an overlooked classic which has sold in excess of 25,000 copies in its lifetime. Post-
Punk, Pre-Goth, New Psychedelia, take your pick, they weren’t tied to any fashion or genre of the day, which
gave their music a timeless quality.
Having split at the end of 1982, the band returned in February 2022, still featuring original members Ken
Scott and Rocco Barker (also ex-Flesh For Lulu), initially for a couple of low-key gigs, but when tickets sold-
out within minutes of going on sale, it became clear that there was still a demand for Wasted Youth and their
brand of controlled chaos, pulsating rhythms and beautiful stories from the darker side of life.
Joined by younger recruits Josef Rosam (Gtr), Sabrina Amade (Bass) and Alan Temple (Drums), they have
been touring the UK playing well-received shows, including dates with the Psychedelic Furs, Pop Will Eat Itself
and festivals such as Wide Awake and Rebellion.
Ken and Rocco have led very ‘colourful’ lives (to put it mildly) but have come through it all with youthful
vigour and enthusiasm very much intact. Their long awaited album Neo Noir was recorded over several
sessions between June 2024 to January 2025 in West Eleven Recording Studio produced by Ken Scott and
engineered by Kevin Harris.
JAMIE PERRETT Growing up in an unconventional household, it was almost inevitable that Jamie Perrett
- the son of the man who wrote one of the most iconic punk songs, ‘Another Girl, Another Planet’ — would find music as both a refuge and a means of self - expression. Despite the early success of his father band Jamie’s childhood in South London was marked by extreme hardship due to his parents’ struggles with addiction. Music became his escape. Honing his guitar skills until he could play almost any Jimi Hendrix tune by the age of 12. Jamie has played a pivotal role in Peter Perrett's creative resurgence; contributing lead guitar, production and songwriting to his father’s solo work, released on Domino Records. Jamie produced Peter’s critically acclaimed LP “The Cleansing”, featuring guests Bobby Gillespie, Johnny Marr and Carlos O’Connell from Fontaines DC.
In 2021, Jamie began focusing on his solo work. He went on to release singles which were praised by Clash, KEXP, Radio X, Louder Than War, etc. In 2023, Jamie entered the studio to record an album, bringing an even darker edge to his
songwriting as he delved into themes of abuse, neglect, fractured relationships, and the complexities of growing up amid broken promises. Jamie’s music blends melodic rock with raw, infectious energy, resonating with vulnerability
and honesty. His debut is no ordinary rock record — it’s a testament to resilience, talent, and the unfiltered truth of growing up on the edge of rock and roll.
CARNIEPUNKS play 'Acid-crypt swamp-punkadelia'. They channel the spirits of early post-punk bands such as Killing Joke, Bauhaus and The Birthday Party and the deranged psychedelic blues of Dr John the Night Tripper. Carniepunks excavate the ghosts of their birthplace's dark heart in drum-heavy songs spiked with a tincture of dread. The fetid Avon delta is a cursed place full of bad magic.
DUB PUNK (DJ)
DUB PUNK is Pete Webb of ‘Statik Sound System’, ‘New Brand’ and future looking post punk band ‘Making Strange’. He DJ’s a mix of punk, post-punk and dub but will also stray into dub step, breaks and Jungle depending on the event. Versatile and steeped in alternative music history and releasing SSS’s compilation album ‘In Dub volume 1’ on vinyl in April this year, he will be on the decks at many events in 2025.
You may also like the following events from Bizarro Promotions:
- Next month, 6th June, 07:30 pm, Soundwire/Candymouse/Sassyhiya, The Thunderbolt, Bristol, 06/06/25 in Bristol
- This July, 12th July, 07:30 pm, Louis Philippe & The Night Mail + Stuart Moxham, The Water Rats, London, in London
- This October, 4th October, 07:30 pm, The Monochrome Set + Sassyhiya, The Albert, Brighton, 04/10/25 in Brighton
Also check out other
Music events in Bristol,
Entertainment events in Bristol,
Festivals in Bristol.
