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Angelic Upstarts are back in play

Aug 21 2011 by Neil McKay, Sunday Sun

THREE decades after they were banned from venues across the region, punk rock veterans The Angelic Upstarts are set to play at a North university.

The not-so angelic Upstarts, who hail from South Shields, are booked for a punk festival at Durham University’s student union headquarters, Dunelm House, on Saturday, September 10.

Also in the line-up are The Rezillos, Subhumans, Anti-Nowhere League, Goldblade and Ten Pole Tudor.

But it is the Upstarts, whose founding members are now all in their mid-50s, who courted the most controversy in their hey-day.

Even by the outrageous standards of punk rock during its time, the Upstarts stood out.

Lead singer Thomas “Mensi” Mensforth’s infamous stage stunt which involved kicking the head of a dead pig wearing a policeman’s helmet, was the reason why the group were banned from several venues, including Newcastle City Hall.

The group’s first single, The Murder of Liddle Towers, was about the death of a man being held in police custody in Chester-le-Street, County Durham.