Check out this amazing song, ‘Put Away Your Knives’, by the Neville Staple Band, with its 2Tone influenced punky ska and reggae mix, along with the on-point lyrics that focus on the current knife crime problem sweeping the Nation!
The Legendary Neville Staple (ex The Specials, Fun Boy Three, Special Beat, Judge Roughneck and more) and wife, Sugary Staple (who recently co-wrote the highly acclaimed ‘Rude Rebel’s Album with Neville), both collaborated with Dandy Livingstone, another legendary ska figure and originator of Rudy, A Message To You, to produce this lyrical and musical cry to the young people involved in knife crime. This follows the fatal stabbing, just 6 months ago, of Neville’s 21-year-old grandson Fidel Glasgow.
Neville has said, “We are dedicating the song to my grandson Fidel and to everyone else out there, who has been affected by violent crimes. It’s time we take back some control and teach the youth right from wrong, and the consequences of their actions. This song is highlighting the pain and the anger being inflicted on the families too. It asks the youths to just stop, think and put down the knives! Even while we were in the studio recording this, my wife Sugary and I became very emotional. It hurts bad when you lose someone so young in the family, but it’s even harder when you know that someone took their life early. No one said we were all ready to have Fidel taken away from us. I shed a tear on stage every time we make a dedication to him and to my daughter Melanie, so Sugary takes over and speaks out for me to the crowd. Then I get angry at just how easily the youth find it now, to carry weapons around. They seem to have no thoughts for who they are really hurting, including themselves. It is us, all the generations above them that must step in now and help fix this mess. This disregard for life! No one else is going to sort it out!”
“We had some violent crime when I was a young guy, but not like this. And we feared consequence. We messed about a bit then you grow up and make some better choices for yourself.
Sugary said, “We talk to young offenders and go to some schools and chat about the seriousness of violent crimes and talk about ways of staying away from it. Some were even young parents themselves! I asked if they would want their child to know that they cut someone or even killed someone. What kind of a role model is that! I have said over and over again, if you don’t feel safe going to that place without carrying a weapon, then don’t go to that place. Just don’t go! It can’t be a good place to hang out anyway, if weapons are needed. And if you feel pressured into carrying a knife or anything else that’s dodgy, talk to somebody you trust. If this is not your parents, then maybe a cool cousin, uncle or auntie, a grandparent or even a friend. This includes those of you who are groomed into that life and need a way out (forced into being someone you were never meant to be). I also call upon all the ‘good’ young people out there, to join forces in saying #PutAwayYourKnives to other friends who you know are carrying. Why not make it a cool thing to share that message and separate yourselves from the negatives and the dangers.”
“I say it is all our responsibility. Everyone please be vigilant for each other. Look out for the young people around you. Check them. See what they need to stay going the right way. My stepdaughter Melanie has lost her only son. Her life as a mother has been destroyed. Many others have been through similar pain. Step up people, this is all our problem. Don’t wait for it to hit your family”
Neville and Sugary are using the song to highlight the great work of Victim Support too, promoting their services to encourage more support and donations, especially for what Victim Support do for families affected by knife crime.
Diana Fawcett, Chief Officer of independent charity Victim Support said, “Working closely with victims and bereaved families, we know just how destructive these shocking crimes are for everyone impacted. We’re really pleased to be working with the renowned Neville Staple and his wife Sugary Staple to help raise awareness of the issue and raise vital funds to allow us, as an independent charity, to continue our work.”
“Families and communities are being devastated by knife crime and it is so important that we all come together to tackle this – organisations, government agencies and all communities.”
Please download ‘Put Away Your Knives’, today. Starring Neville Staple, Legendary front man of The Specials, Fun Boy Three, 2Tone and Special Beat, also known as The Original Rude Boy, and who now celebrates 40 years of his successful music career, with a variety of awards which include: MOJO, NME, Gold, Silver & Platinum discs – along with his award winning wife Sugary Staple, who spearheaded the Skamouth weekends and has been acting, singing and running events for over 30 years, along with the top drawer Neville Staple Band of top music professionals who have worked with top selling artists, as well as written material of their own.