Reflecting on the transformative role of female punk artists in the late ’70s, Abbott credited that era with a cultural shift in how women were perceived in music
UK Decay guitarist Steve ‘Abbo’ Abbott has issued a passionate call to Generation Z to push back against divisive social media voices like Andrew Tate by forming bands that promote messages of inclusion, equality, and social progress.
Abbott, 65, has long been outspoken on issues of sexism and discrimination, both in and outside the music industry. Speaking at a Q+A session during the launch of the Forever Now Festival, he expressed concern that the cultural strides made during the post-punk era of the late 1970s and 80s are being eroded by figures like Tate, whose online presence has been marked by misogynistic and antisemitic rhetoric.
“Women are still sexualised, big time. They’re not just taken for their music,” Abbott said. “There was a lot of support for women, now I don’t see it as much. With the Andrew Tates and people out there, now these figures like him exist and they’re eating through everything that has been improving. I don’t think enough men are standing up and saying, ‘This is bulls***.’”
He added, “It’s a call to arms for us to debunk all this crap, and probably form a band. We’ve all got opinions, is there right and wrong? Yeah, there is a right. On so many issues there is a right. And we know that. Racism, bigotry, sexism, discrimination, that’s wrong.”
Reflecting on the transformative role of female punk artists in the late ’70s, Abbott credited that era with a cultural shift in how women were perceived in music. He pointed to iconic figures like Siouxsie Sioux, Poly Styrene, and bands like The Slits and X-Ray Spex as trailblazers who redefined female representation on stage.
“I think 1977 was a revolution for female artists. Toyah, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Slits, X-Ray Spex, there were so many of them. Before that, the female had been the sexy front person of the band,” Abbott recalled. “A 15-year-old and 16-year-old me would have looked at Siouxsie as being my ideal woman, she was so strong.”
He continued, “I still play those records. It’s not nostalgia for me, it’s a wake-up call, how brilliant Poly Styrene was. Before that there wasn’t anything. Unfortunately, the industry always grabs any moment of revolution and turns it into a product. But it was a moment where women in music could tell their story. It wasn’t ideal, it’s still not ideal, but it was a big step.”
UK Decay will be among the performers at the Forever Now Festival, a major celebration of the post-punk movement taking place on 22 June, 2025 at the iconic National Bowl in Milton Keynes. The festival features a star-studded line-up including The Psychedelic Furs, The The, Berlin Theatre, Johnny Marr, The Damned, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Billy Idol, and headliners Kraftwerk.
Abbott expressed pride in being part of a movement that still resonates today. “Festivals are now a bit everything for everybody. It’s quite nice to go to a festival where it’s focused,” he said. “Jazz festivals are focused, blues festivals are focused. Here you’ve got bands that didn’t quite fit into a genre back in the day all coming together. I think it’s really interesting.”
He added, “This is not a day of discovery, it’s a day of celebration.”
Tickets for Forever Now are currently on sale via AXS and Ticketmaster.
