Things That Don’t Matter 4: Old Punk Bands Reforming

Have you been to Whitby in North Yorkshire? You really must. It’s probably the most picturesque seaside town in Britain. Fish and chip shops, marauding gothic teenagers and the spectre of Bram Stokers ‘Dracula’ envelope the town to give you the feeling that you have a day ticket for Brigadoon. It’s a special place.

I was there to see my Jacqui’s band ‘The Sex Patels’ play the world famous ‘Musicport ‘ festival. They stormed it, and took all the plaudits for the weekend. I was proud of her.

The Sex Patels perform classic punk songs in a folksy, Asian infused, laid back style. They breathe meaning into songs that frankly you could not hear first time around. This is because the guitar amps were always turned up to eleven and everyone was drunk on cheap lager. They are not a tribute or novelty band. They transform what was already there into something almost beautifully epic. They are finally getting the recognition they deserve.

What does not matter is the sad joke of The Sex Pistols and the Jam reforming, (minus Paul Weller, who I imagine is furious), for the sake of filthy lucre. Punk was never meant to be like this. Beer bellied old geezers singing songs to Guardian readers who pretend to have seen them in 1976. It makes me seethe and is a travesty. Don’t go!!

www.myspace.com/sexpatels
www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk