Red Wedge: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|British left-wing musical collective of the 1980s}} | {{Short description|British left-wing musical collective of the 1980s}} | ||
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} | |||
{{use British English|date=November 2025}} | |||
'''Red Wedge''' was a collective of musicians formed in the [[UK]] in 1985 who attempted to educate youth with the policies of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] leading up to the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]] in the hope of ousting the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government of [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Rachel|first=Daniel|title=Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge|year=2016|publisher=Picador|location=London|isbn=9781447272687}}</ref> | '''Red Wedge''' was a collective of musicians formed in the [[UK]] in 1985 who attempted to educate youth with the policies of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] leading up to the [[1987 United Kingdom general election|1987 general election]] in the hope of ousting the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] government of [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Rachel|first=Daniel|title=Walls Come Tumbling Down: The Music and Politics of Rock Against Racism, 2 Tone and Red Wedge|year=2016|publisher=Picador|location=London|isbn=9781447272687}}</ref> | ||
==History== | == History == | ||
Fronted by [[Billy Bragg]] (whose 1985 ''Jobs for Youth'' tour had been a prototype of sorts for Red Wedge), [[Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller]] and [[Communards (band)|the Communards]]' lead singer [[Jimmy Somerville]], the Red Wedge held concert parties and appeared in the media, adding their support to the Labour Party campaign. | Fronted by [[Billy Bragg]] (whose 1985 ''Jobs for Youth'' tour had been a prototype of sorts for Red Wedge), [[Paul Weller (singer)|Paul Weller]] and [[Communards (band)|the Communards]]' lead singer [[Jimmy Somerville]], the Red Wedge held concert parties and appeared in the media, adding their support to the Labour Party campaign. | ||
The group was launched on 21 November 1985, when Bragg, Weller, [[Strawberry Switchblade]] and [[Kirsty MacColl]] were invited to a reception at the [[Palace of Westminster]] hosted by Labour [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)| | The group was launched on 21 November 1985, when Bragg, Weller, [[Strawberry Switchblade]] and [[Kirsty MacColl]] were invited to a reception at the [[Palace of Westminster]] hosted by Labour [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] [[Robin Cook]]. The collective took its name from a 1919 poster by [[Russia]]n constructivist artist [[El Lissitzky]] titled ''[[Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge]]''. Despite this echo of the [[Russian Civil War]], Red Wedge was not a communist organisation, nor was it officially an arm of the Labour Party, but it did initially occupy office space at Labour's headquarters. The group's logo, also inspired by the Lissitzky poster, was designed by [[Neville Brody]]. | ||
Red Wedge organised a number of major tours. The first, in January and February 1986, featured Bragg, Weller's band [[the Style Council]], the Communards, [[Junior Giscombe]], [[Lorna Gee]] and [[Jerry Dammers]], with guest appearances by [[Madness (band)|Madness]], [[the The]], [[Heaven 17]], [[Bananarama]], [[Prefab Sprout]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Gary Kemp]], [[Tom Robinson]], [[Sade (band)|Sade]], [[The Beat (British band)|the Beat]], [[Lloyd Cole]], [[the Blow Monkeys]], [[Joolz]] and [[the Smiths]] | Red Wedge organised a number of major tours. The first, in January and February 1986, featured Bragg, Weller's band [[the Style Council]], the Communards, [[Junior Giscombe]], [[Lorna Gee]] and [[Jerry Dammers]], with guest appearances by [[Madness (band)|Madness]], [[the The]], [[Heaven 17]], [[Bananarama]], [[Prefab Sprout]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Gary Kemp]], [[Tom Robinson]], [[Sade (band)|Sade]], [[The Beat (British band)|the Beat]], [[Lloyd Cole]], [[the Blow Monkeys]], [[Joolz]] and [[the Smiths]]. | ||
Red Wedge did not receive universal support from left-wing musicians, and some groups such as [[the Housemartins]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepointhowever.org/index.php/culture/99-get-up-off-our-knees|title=Get Up Off Our Knees – An interview with Paul Heaton|website=The Point|accessdate=29 October 2017}}</ref> [[Easterhouse (band)|Easterhouse]] and [[the Redskins]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://banmarchive.org.uk/collections/mt/pdf/86_06_28.pdf|format=PDF|title=Alliances between pop and politics are not new. The formation of Red Wedge, however, is distinctive in its close identification with the Labour Party|first1=Simon|last1= Frith |author2=John Street|date=June 1986 |work=[[Marxism Today]]|accessdate=29 October 2017}}</ref> rejected involvement and/or criticised the campaign. | Red Wedge did not receive universal support from left-wing musicians, and some groups such as [[the Housemartins]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepointhowever.org/index.php/culture/99-get-up-off-our-knees|title=Get Up Off Our Knees – An interview with Paul Heaton|website=The Point|accessdate=29 October 2017}}</ref> [[Easterhouse (band)|Easterhouse]] and [[the Redskins]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://banmarchive.org.uk/collections/mt/pdf/86_06_28.pdf|format=PDF|title=Alliances between pop and politics are not new. The formation of Red Wedge, however, is distinctive in its close identification with the Labour Party|first1=Simon|last1= Frith |author2=John Street|date=June 1986 |work=[[Marxism Today]]|accessdate=29 October 2017}}</ref> rejected involvement and/or criticised the campaign. | ||
When the general election was called in 1987, Red Wedge organised a comedy tour featuring [[Lenny Henry]], [[Ben Elton]], [[Robbie Coltrane]], [[Craig Charles]], [[Phill Jupitus]] | When the general election was called in 1987, Red Wedge organised a comedy tour featuring [[Lenny Henry]], [[Ben Elton]], [[Robbie Coltrane]], [[Craig Charles]], [[Phill Jupitus]] and [[Harry Enfield]], and another tour by the main musical participants along with the The, [[Captain Sensible]] and [[the Blow Monkeys]]. The group also published an election pamphlet, ''Move On Up'', with a foreword by Labour leader [[Neil Kinnock]].{{cn|date=December 2022}} | ||
After the 1987 election produced a third consecutive Conservative victory, many of the musical collective drifted away. A few further gigs were arranged and the group's magazine ''Well Red'' continued, but funding eventually disappeared and Red Wedge was formally disbanded in 1990. | After the 1987 election produced a third consecutive Conservative victory, many of the musical collective drifted away. A few further gigs were arranged and the group's magazine ''Well Red'' continued, but funding eventually disappeared and Red Wedge was formally disbanded in 1990. | ||
==References== | == See also == | ||
* {{annotated link| Anti-Fascist Action}} | |||
* {{annotated link| Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge}} | |||
* {{annotated link| Red triangle (badge) #Red Wedge |Red triangle (badge) § Red Wedge}} | |||
== References == | |||
{{reflist|30em}} | {{reflist|30em}} | ||
==Further reading== | == Further reading == | ||
* {{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/22/red-wedge-bringing-labour-party-politics-to-young-music-fans|title=Red Wedge: bringing Labour party politics to young music fans|first=Johnny|last=Black|work=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|date=March 1996|via=''[[The Guardian]]'', 22 April 2015|accessdate=4 September 2017}} A Red Wedge retrospective. | * {{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/22/red-wedge-bringing-labour-party-politics-to-young-music-fans|title=Red Wedge: bringing Labour party politics to young music fans|first=Johnny|last=Black|work=[[Q (magazine)|Q]]|date=March 1996|via=''[[The Guardian]]'', 22 April 2015|accessdate=4 September 2017}} A Red Wedge retrospective. | ||
*{{cite book|last=Denselow|first=Robin|title=When The Music's Over: The Story of Political Pop|url=https://archive.org/details/whenmusicsoverst0000dens|url-access=registration|publisher=[[Faber and Faber]]|location=London|year=1989|isbn=978-0-571-13906-4|authorlink=Robin Denselow}} | *{{cite book|last=Denselow|first=Robin|title=When The Music's Over: The Story of Political Pop|url=https://archive.org/details/whenmusicsoverst0000dens|url-access=registration|publisher=[[Faber and Faber]]|location=London|year=1989|isbn=978-0-571-13906-4|authorlink=Robin Denselow}} | ||
Latest revision as of 17:38, 15 November 2025
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English
Red Wedge was a collective of musicians formed in the UK in 1985 who attempted to educate youth with the policies of the Labour Party leading up to the 1987 general election in the hope of ousting the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher.[1]
History
Fronted by Billy Bragg (whose 1985 Jobs for Youth tour had been a prototype of sorts for Red Wedge), Paul Weller and the Communards' lead singer Jimmy Somerville, the Red Wedge held concert parties and appeared in the media, adding their support to the Labour Party campaign.
The group was launched on 21 November 1985, when Bragg, Weller, Strawberry Switchblade and Kirsty MacColl were invited to a reception at the Palace of Westminster hosted by Labour MP Robin Cook. The collective took its name from a 1919 poster by Russian constructivist artist El Lissitzky titled Beat the Whites with the Red Wedge. Despite this echo of the Russian Civil War, Red Wedge was not a communist organisation, nor was it officially an arm of the Labour Party, but it did initially occupy office space at Labour's headquarters. The group's logo, also inspired by the Lissitzky poster, was designed by Neville Brody.
Red Wedge organised a number of major tours. The first, in January and February 1986, featured Bragg, Weller's band the Style Council, the Communards, Junior Giscombe, Lorna Gee and Jerry Dammers, with guest appearances by Madness, the The, Heaven 17, Bananarama, Prefab Sprout, Elvis Costello, Gary Kemp, Tom Robinson, Sade, the Beat, Lloyd Cole, the Blow Monkeys, Joolz and the Smiths.
Red Wedge did not receive universal support from left-wing musicians, and some groups such as the Housemartins,[2] Easterhouse and the Redskins[3] rejected involvement and/or criticised the campaign.
When the general election was called in 1987, Red Wedge organised a comedy tour featuring Lenny Henry, Ben Elton, Robbie Coltrane, Craig Charles, Phill Jupitus and Harry Enfield, and another tour by the main musical participants along with the The, Captain Sensible and the Blow Monkeys. The group also published an election pamphlet, Move On Up, with a foreword by Labour leader Neil Kinnock.Script error: No such module "Unsubst".
After the 1987 election produced a third consecutive Conservative victory, many of the musical collective drifted away. A few further gigs were arranged and the group's magazine Well Red continued, but funding eventually disappeared and Red Wedge was formally disbanded in 1990.
See also
References
Further reading
- Script error: No such module "citation/CS1". A Red Wedge retrospective.
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