Taylor Swift has punk spirit, claims UK Decay musician Steve 'Abbo' Abbott at Forever Now Festival launch
UK Decay rocker Steve 'Abbo' Abbot has praised Taylor Swift for embodying the punk spirit by standing up for what she thinks is right.
Taylor Swift has been praised for having a punk spirit and for standing up for what is right by UK Decay rocker Steve 'Abbo' Abbott.
The 65-year-old guitarist has spoken about his admiration for Swift, 35, after watching her Netflix documentary 'Miss Americana'.
Abbo - who has been outspoken against racism and discrimination throughout his career - was impressed by the moment in the film when Taylor tells her nervous team that she plans on endorsing Democratic candidate Jim Cooper in the 2018 midterm election against Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn, regardless of what impact it could have on her career.
Abbott has nothing but respect for the 'Shake It Off' hitmaker for making a stand for what she thought was right - a decision that helped Cooper get elected - and compared it to embodying the spirit of the punk and post-punk musical movements.
Speaking at the launch of the Forever Now Festival, he said: "I watched the documentary on Taylor Swift. I was on the plane, hungover, I put it on. I saw her stand up to a room full of guys who run her business who said, ‘You cannot speak out against Trump. You cannot do that, you’ll lose your fan base, you can’t do it. You’re going to ruin yourself.’ Taylor Swift said, ‘I’m going to do it.’ And they didn’t believe it. So she went on the radio the next day and said, ‘You know what? I can’t support this guy. I don’t get involved in politics but it’s so wrong.’ I thought that was brilliant. She changed the vote.
"I wouldn’t buy a ticket for her concert but I’ve got respect for her for standing up. If she could make great music as well that I would like she would be my hero."
Abbo was joined at the launch by Theatre of Hate frontman Kirk Brandon and the pair were quizzed on stage by renowned music journalist John Robb - who is also the bassist and singer for The Membranes.
The festival is a celebration of the post-punk movement, which emerged in the UK in 1977 in the wake of the punk rock explosion spearheaded by The Sex Pistols.
The line-up for Forever Now includes The Psychedelic Furs, The The, Berlin Theatre, Johnny Marr, The Damned The Jesus and Mary Chain, Billy Idol and headliners Kraftwerk among many other artists.
The Damned will be performing at Forever Now
Abbo feels proud that post-punk bands are still relevant decades on from when the movement started, and he believes one reason why they are still popular is because the current climate in the world is similar to the uncertainty that pervaded society in the late '70s.
The musician hopes that the festival and the resurgence of the music will lead to a new wave of bands prepared to spread the same messages of unity and anti-discrimination in 2025 as an antithesis to the hatred spouted by social media influencers like Andrew Tate.
Abbott - who comes Luton, the same UK town internet personality Tate grew up in - said: "With the Andrew Tates and people out there, these figures like him exist now and they’re eating through everything that has been improving.
"I don’t think enough men are standing up and saying, ‘This is bulls**t.’ Unfortunately he’s from Luton, as is Tommy Robinson. He’s in the midst of us. He’s grown up in the same place we’ve grown up, but so different, so opposite.
“It’s a call to arms for us to debunk all this crap, and probably form a band.
“We’ve all got opinions, is there right and wrong? Yeah there is a right. On so many issues there is a right. And we know that. Racism, bigotry, sexism, discrimination, that’s wrong."
Forever Now is a brand new one day festival celebrating alternative music and culture, set to take place for its debut edition on 22 June, 2025 at the iconic National Bowl, Milton Keynes.
Away from the main stage, Robb, 63, will be curating Forever Now's The Echo Chamber, its intimate literary stage featuring conversations with some of the most influential figures in post-punk, gothic rock, and new wave.
The Echo Chamber will delve into the artistry, movement and culture through in-depth discussions with renowned artists, going behind the scenes to reveal their stories. Guests will include Rat Scabies, legendary drummer of The Damned; Martha Davis, renowned frontwoman of The Motels; The Chameleons’ frontman Mark Burgess; American actress and vocalist of Berlin, Terri Nunn; Kirk Brandon and Stan Stammers of British post-punk band Theatre of Hate; and Scottish musician Richard Jobson of The Skids and The Armoury Show.
Theatre of Hate frontman Kirk, 68, believes Forever Now will be a "defining moment" for post-punk.
Speaking at the launch, he said: "A lot of these bands, we’ve all seen them, but when you put this lot together, it’s an incredible line-up. You probably won’t see a line-up like that ever again. Individually, yes. You can go see The Psychedelic Furs on tour, go see The Chameleons, they’re always on tour.
“I think it’s a defining moment, certainly in this decade, of a genre of music that’s almost indefinable, post-punk whatever you want to call it.
“I think it will be a defining moment. It’ll be one of those festivals where you’ll say, ‘I was there.’ It will mean something.”
Theatre of Hate © Simon Drake
Tickets for Forever Now are available now via AXS and Ticketmaster, with VIP packages offering exclusive festival experiences.
Click here for more information.
