Heavy Load were 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 rock, crust 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 edit
- Simon Barker, vocals
- Jimmy Nichols, guitar and vocals
- Paul Richards, bass guitar
- Mick Williams, guitar and vocals
- Michael White, drums
Albums edit
| Title | Date of Release |
|---|---|
| Wham | 2011 |
| Shut It | 2008 |
| The Queen Mother's Dead | 2006 |
References edit
- ^ Kate Spicer (1 November 2009). "'Fashion lovers with learning disabilities'". The Sunday Times Style Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015.
- ^ "Heavy Load - Southdown Housing Association". Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ "Mencap | Stay up late". Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ^ "Heavy Load | Southdown Housing". Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
- ^ "In memory of Simon Barker". Stayuplate.org. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
External links edit
- "Home". Stayuplate.org. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "Alexis Petridis meets Heavy Load, Britain's first disabled punk band". TheGuardian.com. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2020.