Sad tidings this week with the news that Dirty Pretty Things are splitting up. The band have played an important and admirably active role in the anti-racist and anti-fascist movement over the past three years. We at LMHR here pay tribute to their contribution.
Carl Barat and Gary Powell’s first significant support for LMHR came of course pre-DPT, when as part of The Libertines they headlined LMHR’s first major indoor show at the London Astoria, really putting the campaign on the map with what was The Libs’ last big show together. Clash legend and Libs producer Mick Jones joined them onstage, and an undercard featuring The Buzzcocks, 80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster, The Others and Miss Black America sealed an amazing night.
In September 2005 after the breakup of The Libertines, Barat and Powell’s new band – with guitarist Anthony Rossamundo and Cooper Temple Clause’s Didz Hammond – was announced. Barat wasted no time underlining his continuing commitment to the cause, saying in an article for the LMHR website, “For evil to triumph, all that is necessary is that good people do nothing. Apathy is a killer and it’s easy to be complacent. We’re dedicated to this in the same way we’re dedicated to melody and bringing people together through music.”
The band and their then management of Stephen King and Alan McGee kept in touch with developments in the campaign, and when the BNP conned their way to a worrying twelve local councillors in the East London borough of Barking & Dagenham in May 2006, DPT answered the call as LMHR urged bands to come to the borough to show support for the many local anti-racists. With no traditional rock music venues at all in the borough, LMHR plumped for a show just across the border in Ilford, but with tickets and promotion targeted almost exclusively in Barking & Dagenham in partnership with the local paper. DPT headlined and easily sold out 500-capacity pub and historic former gin palace The Cauliflower with support including Roll Deep – a venue a fifth or less or their usual size in London. The gig had a huge impact in the area, inspiring many to get involved and getting the message out on billboards all over the area, giving local anti-racists confidence to take on the BNP. Not only did the band play a show in the area though – a month later Didz and Gary were back in the borough on a Saturday off – attending the LMHR/UAF Black History Month event at Barking College to give support to pals Lisa Moorish and Babyshambles’ Drew McConnell who were performing at the event.
2007 saw the campaign growing larger and DPT again played a full part. For the groundbreaking LMHR/NME/Schools CD, released in October, a special DPT track “Nine Lives” was recorded – with the session in Anthony’s flat filmed for posterity and the resulting track – markedly different in style to those on their first record – a CD standout. Carl also took part in the CD covershoot and roundtable discussion with Kele Okereke, Drew McConnell, Lethal Bizzle, Tom Clarke (The Enemy), and Kyle and Kieran from The View – (see youtube.com/lovemusichateracism for excerpts).
Also in 2007 the LMHR Artists’ Committee was launched to give the acts who had got increasingly in the campaign more of an input to LMHR’s direction. DPT’s Anthony and Didz came along to the second meeting – which laid the ground for this year’s Victoria Park Carnival. The following February, Anthony was an excellent guest speaker at the LMHR/UAF national conference – at a session aimed at mobilising local LMHR groups for the 2008 Carnival.
After the BNP grabbbed a seat on the London Assembly in May, LMHR and UAF held a successful demonstration in London, and DPT drummer Gary Powell came along to both the demo and a press call advertising it. We could always rely on the band to put out LMHR press releases and info to their many fans via their website, and more than one DPT tour had LMHR stalls at the venues.
We’re sure all the band continue to support LMHR and wish them all the best whatever they do in the future – we need more like them!
