Ned Ludd. You've heard the name, read the book, very probably got the T-shirt as well. Now you can hear the music – courtesy of the Italian folk-roots band of the same name.
Ned Ludd play south Italian acoustic folk music with Celtic influences, played with punk attitude. And, it has to be said, it works very well.
Ned Ludd's new CD is called Lavoroedignita, which translates to Work And Dignity. Over 30 musicians combine to make this an exhilarating release with musicianship of the highest quality and with politics firmly kept to the fore.
Think of the Clash, Blowzabella, Public Enemy and you won't go far wrong.
As well as the Italian musicians on Work And Dignity, fine contributions are made from Karine Polwart from Scotland on vocals, Mattie Foulds from Canada on drums and Tiarnan O'Duinnchinn from Ireland on pipes.
In keeping with the politics of Ned Ludd, this CD has a very internationalist flavor.
The main nucleus of the band are Gianluca Spirito and Giovanni di Folco. I recently asked Spirito how an Italian band came to choose Ned Ludd as their name.
"When I was 13 years old, one of my teachers at school told us to study the first industrial revolution in England. I discovered character of Ned Ludd in a book and I started being involved in another history," he beams.
"Not the one talking about kings, queens and wars but the one talking about people fighting for a better living.
"With our music, we like to show that side of the history and we loved the idea to choose an international name that immediately makes you think about the working class.
"Today, the Luddite movement is regarded as a backward-looking movement consisting of stupid people against progress, but we like to refer to it as a movement of people who wanted to defend their way of life from the inhumanity of capitalism."
So what is it that motivates Spirito in his music?
"I have always loved listening to music, I am a CD collector, going to concerts and playing the guitar. Today, as workers who aren't treated well, it's time to use our music to say what we think about working conditions.
"Politics for us is important not only for our music but above all for our life. When I was young, I was taught to see politics in this way and not as a way to get rich.
'Singing about work and dignity is a way to say thanks to all the working people who fought and died to conquer a better living, not only for them but for any other worker.
"Anyway it is natural for us to sing about this, as our favorite musical heroes are Dick Gaughan, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Seeger and The Clash.
"We'd like to bring our music abroad to meet other musicians, visit other countries and show that Italy is not only Silvio Berlusconi. The road is hard as we are a self-produced Italian folk band, but the fight is on."
Indeed it is.
Lavoredignita was released at the tale end on 2007 and is now available in Britain through www.fourdogsmusic.co.uk where you can also hear samples from the CD. You can also get more information on this fine band at www.myspace.com/nedludditaly
