The Newtown Neurotics

The Newtown Neurotics
Origin	Harlow, England
Genres	punk rock Post-punk Oi!
Years active	1979–1988 2006–present
Labels	Jungle Records
Website	http://www.neurotics.org.uk/ http://www.myspace.com/theneurotics
Members
Steve Drewett Adam Smith Dave Walsh
Past members
Colin Dredd Don Adams Simon Lomond

The Newtown Neurotics (later just The Neurotics) were an English punk rock/post-punk group formed in 1979. They were noted for their openly political music.

History

As The Newtown Neurotics, the band began their career playing punk heavily indebted stylistically to The Clash and The Ramones. Over the course of the 1980s, the band dropped the "Newtown" from its name and simply became The Neurotics; along with the name change came a stylistic broadening, including slower tempos and horn arrangements. They released several albums on noted UK postpunk label Jungle Records. Lead singer and guitarist Steve Drewett took openly socialist stances in his lyrics throughout the course of the band's career and currently displays an anarcho-syndicalist sticker on his guitar. When the bassist, Colin Dredd, came down with pleurisy, he left the band; Mac (Travis Cut /The Pharaohs /The Skabilly Rebels)was brought in to play bass for some farewell shows (at which the band's entire catalogue was played), and the band called it quits in October 1988. Drewett went on to form an Afro punk band called the Indestructible Beat. Although the Indie Beats were disbanded in 1995, Steve Drewett is known to do occasional solo gigs.

More recently, the Newtown Neurotics reformed for a few reunion shows in London & Brighton leading up to Blackpool's 2006 Wasted and 2008 Rebellion punk festivals, their biggest British audiences to date. A new rhythm section of David 'Gravy' Walsh (Drums) and Adam 'Smithy' Smith (Bass) (Both from Harlow Newtown) have been backing Steve Drewett since 2007, including an appearance in the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool for the 2009 Rebellion Festival.

In 2010 Steve Drewett made his first US appearance, playing at The Big Takeover magazine's 30th Anniversary festival.

Discography

Newtown Neurotics

• Beggars Can Be Choosers (Razor Records) 1983

Neurotics

• Repercussions (Jungle Records) 1986
• Kickstarting a Backfiring Nation (Jungle) 1987
• Is Your Washroom Breeding Bolsheviks (Jungle) 1988
• Never Thought EP (Jungle) 1988
• 45 Revolutions per Minute: Singles 1979-1984 (Jungle) 1990

Compilations featuring Neurotics' Tracks

• Wake UP (Womble Records) 1986 - Track 'This Fragile Life (live)'
• Not Just Mandela (Davy Lamp Records) 1986 - Track 'Africa' (with Billy Bragg)

Source

• The Newtown Neurotics at Trouser Press.