Maniac Squat are an art punk band from Colchester principally active between 1991 and 1996. They first played at the Arts Centre in 1992 and were immediately banned for using an industrial grinder in their performance and for making a hole in the stage while smashing up a guitar. They are really sorry and have spent the last 25 years begging to come back.

Playing angry, direct, music in the indie/Britpop era was clearly ill-judged as singer Tom Wilcox (known as Tom Urzi) recalls: “Our compound of DaDa, punk and nihilism had been explored comprehensively by other artists – many times – but we had something distinct. Only a few people got it, however, and the punch I received from a biker at Wivenhoe May Fair in 1993 is perhaps representative of our public reception. There again, I did throw a can of Special Brew in his direction. At least no audience could ever have hated us more than we hated ourselves”.

Their story isn’t unremittingly dystopian, however. Maniac Squat achieved the much coveted ‘Single of the Week’ accolade from Kerrang! Magazine for the single ‘F**k Off’. They played over 200 gigs in their career – including tours of Germany and the Czech Republic - also releasing two singles and an album, and being the support act for popular beat combos visiting Colchester such as Babes In Toyland and Zodiac Mindwarp.

Tom Wilcox (vocals) and Michael Giaquinto (bass) remain in the band from its definitive 90’s line-up which included Scott Pearce (guitar) who is unavailable and Did (drums) who has declined to play because of theological differences with the rest of the band concerning the nature of the Eucharist.