Heavyload are Brighton’s answer to The Ramones. A punk outfit subject to the combustible flux of ego, ambition, fantasy, expectation and desire that fuels any emerging band. But they’re also uniquely, made up of musicians with and without learning disabilities.

Over the last 10 years they have managed to survive through their combination of raucous energy, attitude and sheer volume but now they are about to hit the big time with a feature length documentary (Heavy Load)being made about their journey from social care to stardom, and back again, and their mission to demonstrate that disability rocks. There are few genres left in music that have yet to be defined. Heavyload have unwittingly created a brand new one.

Stay Up Late Campaign
The band play play gigs all over the country and we have noticed that something strange happens at 9.00pm – people start to go home. Heavy Load are fed up with people with learning disabilities leaving club nights and gigs early because their staff finish their shifts at 10pm.  This means they and their audience are missing out.So they have decided to do something about it!

The   ‘Stay Up Late’ campaign is aimed  to make managers and staff know that they should be able to plan ahead and talk to the people they support about what they want to do when they’re writing the rota.  Heavy Load strongly believe ’Rotas need to be about what we want’ Their  message to managers and staff is, be creative with your rotas – involve the people you support with planning them. Having talked with many staff Heavy Load know that staff don’t mind working late if they’re given enough warning.

InIn 2007  band toured the country promoting our Stay Up Late campaign and met loads of really talented people with learning disabilities who were writing and performing fantastic music. You can listen to their music by clicking here.

 Latest update: New York New York – what a wonderful TOUR!