THE ENEMY INSIDE
Coventrys finest joined Dirty Pretty Things for a special prison gig and MTV News were there.
The statistics are shocking " last year 67 British prisoners committed suicide, and the number stands at 59 this year already. Its a serious problem and no one ever talks about it.
Those were the words of The Enemy front man Tom Clarke who joined Dirty Pretty Things at Pentonville Prison in support of the Wasted Youth campaign- highlighting the high number of suicides among young men.
MTV News followed the two bands inside to the prison chapel where they belted out their signature tunes Away From Here and Bang Bang to a 200-strong audience of transfixed inmates.
The gig was the brainchild of Wasted Youth founder and Heat writer Dan Fulvio whose 22 year-old brother Steven committed suicide last year: It was an absolute shock to everyone that knew him.
Fulvio continued: Looking into suicide " something I never dreamed Id be doing " I found out that its the biggest killer of young men in the UK in the last four years, more than road death, heroin and AIDS. Our mission statement is that silence isnt strong, talk about your problems.
No stranger to Pentonville having visited former bandmate Pete Doherty there after Pete had broken into his flat, we asked DPTs Carl Barat what inspired him to make the return trip:
I think they probably chose us because were miserable ba****ds! Seriously though if we can make a difference in the fight against depression and the demons then its an opportunity worth taking.
There will be a second gig at Camdens Koko club on September 8th to raise funds for the Wasted Youth campaign. Acts will include The Rakes and Boy Kill Boy. For more information GO HERE
James Barnes