POST -PUNK MUSIC IS THE REAL TANG!

Many women in their fifties say that nothing has altered their sparkle no matter how much they may be stereotypically judged on their appearance. In fact, many say that life is better now that they know what drives them, how to enjoy themselves and how they can actively contribute in their careers and passions.

Thanks to the boring, unfair treatment that the media has traditionally dished out to them, female musicians over fifty have seldom dared to strut their stuff over the past few decades.

But wait … what’s this? The times they are a-changing! Just look at the fifty-plus trailblazers such as the indomitable Madonna, Debbie Harry, Courtney Love, Stevie Nicks and Elkie Brooks. These female performance icons have stormed the music world in current times – and now, Sue Egypt (aka Tang Hall SMART’s very own director, Sue Williamson) is joining them!

Sue is the lead vocalist of “Resistance” – a post-punk group with an ‘in your face’ message for cultural attitudes that keep women back from achieving their dreams. She’s played professionally throughout her career and, true to rebel music style, couldn’t give a paradiddle about social convention.

“Far from toning it down, I’m flaunting it!”, she laughs, as she prepares her band for their upcoming gigs. She takes her new stage name from a Captain Beefheart track and her vocal influences from the likes of Sandy Denny and Tracy Thorn.

They’re busy in rehearsal right now. ‘Resistance’ and Sue won’t take ‘no’ for an answer.

Of course they wouldn’t: they’re from Tang Hall SMART. Theirs is exactly the same spirit that’s shared by all of the music students there. Three of the band members are from a background of homelessness and are not afraid to share their talent and experiences of their struggles with resisting addiction and, in one case, a terminal diagnosis.

“If anything was going to make me reach out and form a band at my age, then this is it!” Sue says. “I guess it could be seen as ridiculous, but I don’t care."

The band features The Offender on drums (also playing as D-Ni-L), Polymorph on bass, The Capacitator on guitar and Sinbad on djembe. They have an EP coming out at the end of this month – and are looking forward to performing at York Barbican on Saturday 11th November. This will be a great gig, as Tang Hall SMART is taking over the night, with an impressive mix of community and signed acts (from record label ‘Musication’). ‘Resistance’ will headline with D-Ni-L, who will showcase his second and brand new album, “Suicide In Sips”.

You just can’t keep a good thing down …