Wasted Youth

“Wasted Youth were arguably the greatest ‘lost’ London band of the post-punk years.” Louder than war

Rarely mentioned, if at all, in the era’s music history books, they were heavily influenced by the dark narcotic glamour of the Velvet Underground, the Doors, the Stooges and Transformer-era Lou Reed.
Peter Perrett (The Only Ones) produced them, as did Martin Hannett (Joy Division).
They were hugely popular as the Eighties dawned with punks looking for something more sexy and sophisti- cated and looked set to become much more than the cult band they became. They pre-dated Post Punk and Goth and are still remembered as quietly-influential and a superb live band by fans.
Wasted Youth were indie chart regulars in the early 80s post-punk scene, touring with The Only Ones, Psyche- delic Furs, Robert Palmer, Classix Nouveau and Modern English. Their 1981 album ‘Wild and Wandering’ is widely considered to be an overlooked classic which has sold in excess of 25,000 copies in its lifetime. Post- Punk, Pre-Goth, New Psychedelia, take your pick, they weren’t tied to any fashion or genre of the day, which gave their music a timeless quality.

Having split at the end of 1982, the band returned in February 2022, still featuring original members Ken Scott and Rocco Barker (also ex-Flesh For Lulu), initially for a couple of low-key gigs, but when tickets sold- out within minutes of going on sale, it became clear that there was still a demand for Wasted Youth and their brand of controlled chaos, pulsating rhythms and beautiful stories from the darker side of life.
Joined by younger recruits Josef Rosam (Gtr), Sabrina Amade (Bass) and Alan Temple (Drums), they have been touring the UK playing well-received shows, including dates with the Psychedelic Furs, Pop Will Eat Itself and festivals such as Wide Awake and Rebellion.
Ken and Rocco have led very ‘colourful’ lives (to put it mildly) but have come through it all with youthful vigour and enthusiasm very much intact. Their long awaited album Neo Noir was recorded over several sessions between June 2024 to January 2025 in West Eleven Recording Studio produced by Ken Scott and engineered by Kevin Harris.

Whilst paying respect and having great love for the ‘old’ Wasted Youth, the ‘new’ Wasted Youth are not a nostalgia act, and are eager to prove that they have something new to offer, both visually and sonically.