At the cutting edge of Sheared Wit

HOT’s Erica Smith meets Simon Charterton, the man behind many of the more interesting musical events in the area, and finds out what makes his metronome tick.

Simon Charterton isn’t the kind of guy who screams for attention, he just gets on with making remarkable things happen. Perhaps it is because he’s a drummer – and one with an impressive history. He drummed with The Higsons, and these days has a variety of bands and projects on the boil. He is a member of The Aftershave, Simon and The Pope and the Near Jazz Experience to name three of his different but engaging bands.

When he’s not behind a drumkit, Simon programmes the Friday music nights at The Kino-Teatr in Norman Road and has developed the aptly named ‘Weird Sh*t’ nights in the basement of Borough Wines. Sheared Wit is where both these worlds meet – it’s a ‘Best Of’ Weird Sh*t, and  retains the free admission, but it’s hosted at The Kino on a Friday night. I asked him why he started putting on the nights: “So I could put on the weird shit that I like – such as the Warrior Squares. I love ’em, and I see them very much as the headline act – because I want them to be! Also, if I programme the night, it means Simon and the Pope can play.” Simon and the Pope is Charterton’s duo with bass player John Pope. It’s drum’n’bass but not as you know it. Have a listen on Soundcloud.

Warrior Squares at “Classwar Karaoke mini festival”, Deptford, London. Photo David Cunliffe

The Sheared Wit bill is impressive, a selection of music, spoken word and films. David Quantick is there, alongside Fritz Catlin (23 Skidoo), Gavin Martin (poet and Daily Mirror music critic), Michael Smith (Borough Wines) and The Good For Nothing Poet. None of the elements would make a night on their own, but together they make for an altogether on-and-off-beat night of entertainment.

Sheared Wit is on Friday 5 August at Kino-Teatr in Norman Road, St Leonards-on-Sea.
The evening starts at 7.30pm and admission is free.
Find out more by visiting the Facebook page or the Kino-Teatr website.

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