Are plans for a local waste incinerator getting you down?
If so, you are not alone!
Rockers Hot Rod 55 have just released a track that could have been written for you…
The song, entitled Incinerator Blues was written by this Shropshire band in support of the TelfordPAIN campaign against plans to build a household waste incinerator in Telford.

To listen to Incinerator Blues visit the hotrod55rocks myspace site.

HOT ROD 55 is based in Shropshire, and is influenced by the likes of 1950’s rock and roll stars Gene Vincent and Jerry Lee Lewis. These boys reportedly “whip up a storm with their dynamite and slick delivery of some of the greatest rockabilly and rock and roll songs ever to grace the planet”. Including their own original material, they tear through old songs with a modern twist and perform new songs in a rockabilly style. The band comprise on Vocals: Johnny Casino, Guitar: Johnny Blue, Bass: Richie Vincent, Drums “The Colonel”

Incinerator Blues is a catchy rhythm and blues song, and questions the effects of incineration to manage household waste. With cheeky lyrics parodying a girlfriend who smokes too much, the song makes a serious point about the effects of burning waste.

Bass player Richie Vincent says:

We all live in “The Shire” as we affectionately call it, and love it here, the cleaner the air is the better for all! We hope the song strikes a chord with people and encourages them to look into the subject more deeply.

Planning permission is being sought by SITA UK to build the incinerator at the Granville Landfill Site in Redhill, Telford, close to thousands of homes and several schools. Local residents, so incensed with the plans, have formed the action group, TelfordPAIN, (Protest Against Incinerator Now), and are encouraging residents across the area to support their protest.

Their spokesman, who lives in Priorslee close to the proposed site said:

Incinerator Blues is a great song. It gets across a very serious message in a light hearted and enjoyable way. Our experience at TelfordPAIN is that people are very concerned about the negative health effects of the proposed incinerator.

TelfordPAIN was set up in October of this year by group of concerned residents living in Telford who care about their local environment and the air their children breathe. Their purpose is to raise awareness and stop the construction of the proposed waste incinerator which is to be built adjacent to the existing Granville Landfill Site, less than 2 miles north-east of Telford Town Centre and close to thousands of homes and several schools. TelfordPAIN has enjoyed good press and TV coverage since its inception and continues to campaign and look for fresh, innovative ways of getting its campaign message across to the Telford public.

Read why The Guardian voted Incinerator Blues “one of the best eco-protest songs” here.

Incinerator blues – lyrics

INCINERATOR BABY
WELL YOU’RE GIVING ME THE BLUES
I CAN SEE YOUR SMOKE FOR MILES
NOW YOU’VE GONE AND LIT THE FUSE
YOUR HEAVY METAL PARTICLES DESCEND UPON MY FRIENDS
YOUR TOXIC FALL OUT HONEY JUST A DRIVES ME ROUND THE BEND

INCINERATOR BABY
IT’S MAKING MY PULSE RACE
DO YOU KNOW WHAT HARM YOU’RE DOING
WHEN YOU BLOW UPON MY FACE?
YOUR CHEMICAL BREATH COULD BRING ABOUT AN EARLY DEATH
I’M SHOUTING OUT ABOUT IT BUT IT SEEMS YOU MIGHT BE DEAF

SO WHAT THEN COULD BE BETTER
THAT YOU ARE BURNING ALL MY LETTERS
YOU SMOKE, I CHOKE!
I’M FEELING KIND OF WEAK
THE END OF EVOLUTION
COULD BE CAUSED BY YOUR POLLUTION

INVISIBLE POISON
FROM HERE TO THE HORIZON

REPEAT VERSE 1

“Incinerator Blues” is copyright Hot Rod 55