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Heavy Load were an English punk rock band, described by The Sunday Times in 2009 as "possibly the most genuinely punk band touring today".

Its members met at Southdown Housing, a non-profit assisted-living community for people with mental health issues and learning disabilities, and were a mix of service users and staff.

The band composed the theme for the BAFTA-nominated film Cast Offs and is itself documented in the film Heavy Load.

The band were also the founders of the charity Stay Up Late, a campaign seeking to improve the social lives of people with learning difficulties by calling for more flexible staff hours. Stay Up Late is a national charity promoting full and active social lives for people with learning disabilities.

Heavy Load split in September 2012 with a final gig in London's Trafalgar Square as part of the Paralympic festivities. Simon Barker died suddenly on 10 August 2017.

Band members

• Simon Barker, vocals
• Jimmy Nichols, guitar and vocals
• Paul Richards, bass guitar
• Mick Williams, guitar and vocals
• Michael White, drums

Albums

References

1. Kate Spicer (1 November 2009). "'Fashion lovers with learning disabilities'". The Sunday Times Style Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 May 2015.
2. "Heavy Load - Southdown Housing Association". Archived from the original on 29 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
3. "Mencap | Stay up late". Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
4. "Heavy Load | Southdown Housing". Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
5. "In memory of Simon Barker". Stayuplate.org. 21 August 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

External links

• "Home". Stayuplate.org. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
• "Alexis Petridis meets Heavy Load, Britain's first disabled punk band". TheGuardian.com. 12 September 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

• English punk rock groups
• English musical quintets