Just learned today the sad news that Mensi of the Angelic Upstarts has passed away (yesterday, I believe) aged 65, after a recent battle with Covid.
Can't imagine too many people here being into the Upstarts, I can only think of myself and Radium Girl, but they were a great band back in the day, an anti-fascist/working class punk band formed in South Shields in 1977, who had some powerful songs and were always good live.
'I'm An Upstart' remains a punk classic........other songs of note include, 'The Murder Of Liddle Towers', 'Teenage Warning', 'Police Oppression', 'Leave Me Alone', 'Never 'Ad Nothing'
Mensi, far left
...always loved the band logo, and the cover art for this single
It was of it's time, of course it was, but that's how it was always meant to be!
I'm An Upstart still sounds fresh and vibrant today, and, in this case, is still relevant.
Checking out the numbers you've recommended.
'Who Killed Liddle Towers'. Almost Beatles-like in the chords department and it's got psychedelic touches throughout. Beatle John might've liked this one, methinks. So far what I've heard of TAU there's much more musicianship and chops than many of the scene. Was the three-chord ethos really adhered to as much as was hyped though? 😶
Wonder if they shared a bill with '70s Ultravox!.
'Teenage Warning' is another good 'un. I like the lyrics. Mensi didn't phone in the vox it can be confidently said.
'Teenage Warning' on TOTP . . .
'Police Oppression' starts out with the UK sirens that don't exist anymore, do they? The sirens now sound more like the US ones?
'Leave Me Alone' seems to have inspired The Violent Femmes song 'Blister In The Sun.' I see the title 'Leave Me Alone' and I think of the song by New Order, which I used to listen to often in 1983.
'Never 'Ad Nothing' I've heard before and wondered about it. Great 'un. Another familiar riff used by someone else. What is that? It actually reminds me of the groove in Sesame Street Jazzy Numbers. 😎