09/03/2021
On Saturday March 13th, the Sky Arts Channel will go in search of the stories of the BLITZ Kids. The Blitz was a nightclub, operated between 1979 and 1981 in Central London, and its clientele would forge the New Romantic cultural movement, characterised by the DIY fashioning of punk rock, but influenced by gothic rock, futurism and androgyny. Politically, the New Romantics did not engage in politics, in the way such bands as CRASS, the Jam or the Redskins at this time, did. However, for some cultural historians, with their peacockery and outrageous fashions, the Blitz generation and New Romantics did represent ant anti-political politics, a nexus of resistance to the despair of early 1980's Thatcherism. Many of the New Romantic pioneers were gay, bi or gender non-conformists, and important names include the late Steve Strange, Martin Degville of Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Marilyn, DJ Tallulah, Phillip Salon and most famously, George O'Dowd who would form the breakout band Culture Club. Sky Arts meets with George and other luminaries of the scene on 13th at 9pm.
