Neville Staple Launches UK Tour While Denouncing Violence

It's with overwhelming sadness that Neville Staple has announced the death of his grandson Fidel, who was brutally stabbed to death this past weekend. Neville is well known as a founding member of The Specials and Fun Boy Three, not to mention his major role in 2Tone Records. Together with his wife Christine Sugary Staple, the Staples are a permanent fixture of the UK and International ska scene, performing regularly at both concert venues and massive festivals as the Neville Staple Band.

Neville's 21-year-old grandson Fidel Glasgow, son of his daughter Melanie, was rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition after being stabbed in the stomach at the rear of Club M in Coventry. He later died in hospital. Not long after, another 23-year-old man was also found on Queen Victoria Road with stab injuries. Investigators are appealing that anybody witnessing what happened please come forward and contact Coventry police or Crimestoppers with any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem.

Neville Staple made the initial announcement on Facebook: "We are truly devastated to announce the heartbreaking loss of my grandson Fidel, who died today as a result of being attacked with a knife in the street. We want to thank the hospital staff and surgeons at UHCW University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire, who battled all day to try and save him. Both my beautiful daughter Melanie and wife Christine Sugary, all the family and myself are still shocked by this tragedy, but would like to thank you all for the kindness and messages we have received."

He later shared the following message: "Thank you for your messages of support during our personal tragedy. My wife Christine Sugary Staple and I have decided that our shows this week, in Coventry and Brighton, will go on and will be dedicated to our grandson Fidel and daughter Melanie (who asked that we still perform). We have the best fans in the World (through the Neville Staple Band, the Specials, Fun Boy Three & Sugary Staple), so we ask that you help us turn our pain into a message. Let's show the young people that this knife trend has to stop! It has to STOP!!"

During Sunday's performance at Coventry's Godiva Festival, the Neville Staple Band sent a warning about knife crime before the band performed The Specials' hit 'A Message to You Rudy', which was dedicated to Neville's daughter and grandson. Just ahead of the song, Christine Sugary Staple stated, "Young people they have got to learn to give more love and stop the knife crime. It is just wrong. Knives take lives. If you want to have a fight, go on a football pitch or a rugby game, team on team and do it a sensible way, so you'll still have a winner but no-one will die."

She underlined: "We all need to do this together, it can't be done by one person alone, by one politician alone, it is all of us, we need to take responsibility."

This weekend was to kick off the Neville Staple Band's UK tour, ahead of premiering Neville & Sugary Staple's 'Rebel Down' featuring Roddy Radiation of The Specials, the lead track off their new forthcoming album 'Rude Rebels'. The album will be released via Cleopatra Records in time for celebrations surrounding the 40th Anniversary of 2Tone Records.

Photo credits:
Cover photo and photo with Fidel by S. Staple.
Neville Staple Band photo at Godiva Festival by Tony Moore
Black n white photos of Neville Staple by John Coles

TOUR DATES
Sep 02 Coventry - Godiva Festival
Sep 07 Brighton - Concorde2
Sep 08 London - Alexandra Palace (with Toots and the Maytals)
Sep 15 Nottingham - Rock Against Racism
Sep 22 Minehead - Butlins
Sep 29 Ware - Drill Hall
Oct 06 Cardiff - The Globe
Oct 13 Norwich - Epic Studios
Oct 20 Chesterfield (TBA)
Nov 10 Bognor - Butlins
Nov 16 Llangollen - Sun Inn
Nov 17 Bristol - Fleece
Nov 23 Skamouth - DJ Party
Dec 01 Hastings - Black Market VIP
Dec 08 Devon (TBA)
Dec 21 Frome - Cheese & Grain
Dec 22 Swansea - The Garage

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