Scritti Pollitti were in some ways, one of the most successful of all of the post-punk bands; Commercially, internationally and in terms of both mainstream success and highbrow critical acclaim.

I was always baffled by Scritti Politti and what I saw as a betrayal of their DIY punk roots. Their song Messthetics did after all become shorthand for a whole genre of bedroom experimentalism (and the name of a whole series of albums compiling such recordings http://hyped2death.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=203 )

They started out as Marxist art-punks deconstructivists touring with Joy Division and the Gang of Four and ending up as slick soul band with an intellectual core working with Chaka Khan and Miles Davis. As it says on Allmusic biography their most critically acclaimed album Cupid & Psyche 85 , released in June of 1985, was a landmark album in many respects. No prior pop album had integrated the techniques of sampling and sequencing to such a great degree,. Gartside’s typically high-flown verbiage was as evident here as anywhere, but you didn’t need to understand what he sang in order to enjoy the music.

In the same way as The Fall has only Mark E Smith as a constant member, Green Gartside plus whatever musicians he surrounds himself with, is Scritti Pollitti. He is big in academia, lecturing on the art of songwriting, but a low key four date tour stops at Winchester’s The Railway on Sunday 21st of October. Probably the biggest coup the intimate venue has pulled off to date. Old songs and new are promised and the band include a former Hot Chip drummer. There will be more laptops than guitars onstage and this will be utterly unmissable and will sell out fast. Best get hold of a ticket now.

http://www.scritti.net/

https://www.facebook.com/scrittinet

http://bibbly-o-tek.com/

Tour Dates

17th October  Oxford,  O2 Academy

18th October  Holmfirth,  The Picturedrome

20th October  Cardiff,  Chapter Arts Centre (SWN Festival)

21st October  Winchester, Railway

And then opening for St Etienne on tour:

10th December York, Fibbers

11th December Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms

12th December Manchester, Ritz

13th December Brighton Concorde 2

14th December  London Shepherds Bush Empire