2Tone legend Neville Staple, best known as a member of the Specials and Fun Boy Three, has announced his intention to continue with his current UK tour despite the recent murder of his grandson Fidel.
21-year-old Fidel Glasgow was stabbed outside a club in Coventry last Saturday and later died in hospital. In a statement, Staple thanked the hospital staff who battled to save his grandson’s life. “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 added: “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!!”
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Anyone who witnessed what happened is asked to contact Coventry police or Crimestoppers with any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
At Sunday’s show in Coventry, the Neville Staple Band dedicated A Message To You Rudy to Fidel and again spoke out against knife crime. The tour continues in Brighton this evening (7 September) and at London’s Alexandra Palace tomorrow, with further dates running through until Christmas.
Despite the tragedy, Neville and Sugary Staple’s new album Rude Rebels is still due for release on 28 September and can be ordered now through Bandcamp. Featuring contributions from Neville’s former Specials bandmate Roddy Radiation on three tracks, the album will be available on various formats including CD, white vinyl LP and black-and-white “splatter” clear vinyl.
