In March last year (2024) I put up a post about the soundtrack to a film set back in 1984 which had a New Wave of British Heavy Metal connection. That film titled The Miner’s Son.
The film’s co-producer, Kevin Short, has contacted me to say the film is having a worldwide release. At the moment it is available on Amazon Prime Video to buy or rent with other platforms to follow.
As I mentioned in last year’s post about the soundtrack, The Miner’s Son is set amidst the miners’ strike of 1984 here.
The plot also has a struggling rock band finding itself in the duplicitous clutches of a rogue satanic music producer. A Nostalgic story of the hopes and dreams of a rock band in 1984.
The film depicts how a year of industrial action and violent unrest changed the face of a small tight knit community and their way of life forever. A bitterness that is still very much felt today.
This resonates doubly for me – not only the NWOBHM connection but also the strike. At the time it all happened I was a mere young whipper-snapper living in South Yorkshire just half a mile form the scene of one of the biggest flashpoints of the strike – and that was Orgreave.
I saw what happened first hand. The coal industry was destroyed, communities decimated and families divided – indeed some four decades later feelings run deep and bygones not forgotten.
The film and soundtrack both produced by Ettecon Productions. Co-producer and co-writer Kevin Short was there through the strike being the son of a miner – and on top of that he plays some fine guitar on the soundtrack.
As to the soundtrack – musically it is a diverse listen which captures the music scene of the early 1980s to fit the film story very well. The NWOBHM-tinged rockers and the punky new wave songs took me straight back to 1984 and the strike days supporting my collier friends who were on strike for so long.
The Just a Miner’s Son I think is an ideal opener. A galloping NWOBHM-style punch and a thumping start Have a look at the video:
I watched the film last night. It’s a gritty depiction of the strike and how it affected mining communities. How most stood firm suffering the hardship that came with it and how it put a strain on (and broke) friendships.
If you remember those days, it’ll take you back there.
The accompanying plot of the rock band (Black Diamond) fronted by the sone of one of the miners’ (hence the film’s titled) is entertaining with how the relationships within become fatigued by frustration and setbacks not least the dodgy “promoter” and how Black Diamond get ripped off.
Back to the music……Kevin tells me that they have composed some new material and plan to record a new album later this year.
He sent me a demo of one of the songs. Ripping stuff with a good old retro-NWOBHM feel to it. Big rumbling bass intro then it opens out in to a proper punchy rocker not dissimilar to say Quartz or Angel Witch.
Until the new album is here – do check out the Miner’s Son film and soundtrack.
The soundtrack on Amazon here:
https://amzn.to/41h8wjF
The film is on Amazon Prime Video here:
https://amzn.to/41h8BUv
Though as above, the film should be on other platforms in due course so keep an eye open.
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