During the early 90s, The City of Chester in the North West of England was proudly known as the 'Jewel Of The North,' The term was quipped by Margaret Thatcher as her Conservative Government ravaged the The North of England, strangling the life out of most of the major industry there, she devastated the Unions, privatised coal and almost everything else, whilst creating a legacy of joblessness and hopelessness amongst the young that would echo through British society for generations to come.
Chester however, was a ghostly mirage that glimmered in the miasma of economic and political gloom. It was a Tory stronghold steeped in history and privilege, especially for the Duke of Westminster and the pullover Tory fop Gyles Brandreth. On face value, it prospered in that age of austerity, where the wealthy and upper middle class earners did very well. It's ancient status gave it the benefits enjoyed by York, Norwich and Chichester. It was a city that would have fitted into the very opulent southern England. Unyet, here it was surrounded by Liverpool, Dee side and whole areas of economic decline and despair. Why a mirage? well, Chester despite this high earner opulence had an underbelly of jobless, frustrated poverty particularly amongst the Young. They were suffering first hand, the cutbacks to education and opportunity living in communities broken by crime and dodgy private landlords. It was just as tough for the middle class youngsters as it was for the poor, many turned to drug dealing to help fund their education and their quest for Independence. Naturally, in this harsh economic despair and uncertain personal futures, a marriage of culture developed, particularly in the arts, Chester became a hive of music, art and Drama, nestling within this city steeped in classic culture and history. It had colleges were the student elements mixed socially, with the uneducated, disenfranchised, poor and unemployed.
A whole anti establishment culture developed, music was its main exponent. Bands consisting of skilled workers, higher education students and jobless 'no -hopers' (like myself!) began to flourish carrying the banner of the disenfranchised youth. All the pubs and venues desperate for some form of custom allowed these bands to play and blossom and be as creative as they liked.
It became the perfect firmament for the genesis of Sandstone Candy.
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Chester however, was a ghostly mirage that glimmered in the miasma of economic and political gloom. It was a Tory stronghold steeped in history and privilege, especially for the Duke of Westminster and the pullover Tory fop Gyles Brandreth. On face value, it prospered in that age of austerity, where the wealthy and upper middle class earners did very well. It's ancient status gave it the benefits enjoyed by York, Norwich and Chichester. It was a city that would have fitted into the very opulent southern England. Unyet, here it was surrounded by Liverpool, Dee side and whole areas of economic decline and despair. Why a mirage? well, Chester despite this high earner opulence had an underbelly of jobless, frustrated poverty particularly amongst the Young. They were suffering first hand, the cutbacks to education and opportunity living in communities broken by crime and dodgy private landlords. It was just as tough for the middle class youngsters as it was for the poor, many turned to drug dealing to help fund their education and their quest for Independence. Naturally, in this harsh economic despair and uncertain personal futures, a marriage of culture developed, particularly in the arts, Chester became a hive of music, art and Drama, nestling within this city steeped in classic culture and history. It had colleges were the student elements mixed socially, with the uneducated, disenfranchised, poor and unemployed.
A whole anti establishment culture developed, music was its main exponent. Bands consisting of skilled workers, higher education students and jobless 'no -hopers' (like myself!) began to flourish carrying the banner of the disenfranchised youth. All the pubs and venues desperate for some form of custom allowed these bands to play and blossom and be as creative as they liked.
It became the perfect firmament for the genesis of Sandstone Candy.
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