Who is the underclass hero?
Hello. Thanks so much for being here.
My name is Matt Taylor. I grew up in the UK care system and struggled with a lack of family, unconditional love, and care, which led to some extreme and dangerous situations. Today, though, I'm an award-winning music producer and writer, represented by the legendary Curtis Brown, currently studying at the University of Oxford. This is not usually what happens to kids who grew up in children’s homes.
I’m part of the 2024/25 cohort of New Writing North’s A Writing Chance Programme, designed to develop writers from working-class backgrounds, backed by the actor Michael Sheen. To establish this newsletter, I have been paired with prolific Substacker and author
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The newsletter got its name from the famous John Lennon song, Working Class Hero. But why underclass?
Children from the care system are seen as the dark underbelly of society. This is where I spent a considerable chunk of my childhood, living in rowdy and unruly children’s homes. We are over-represented with all of the negative statistics in the UK, from lack of qualification, prison population, early deaths, and so on. We go beyond the struggles of the working class in the UK. We are the underclass. But, echoing the themes of Lennon's song, I've exceeded the expectations placed on my class, and succeeded where many don't.
Somewhere along the way, I found refuge in music and literature and could pull myself away from the extreme and dangerous lifestyle I had become accustomed to. The creative arts threw me a life raft, and I jumped aboard. By channelling my energy and addictive personality traits into the creative industries, I found purpose. Colour was added to a bleak and black-and-white world.
From then, I blossomed into a life I know (even if just statistically) I shouldn’t have. Whether in music, politics, or writing, my life has flipped from one extreme to the other. I feel my story, insights, and observations can be useful here.
So here it is. Here I am. Underclass Hero. I hope you will be a hero, too, and support the newsletter and subscribe.
What can you expect here?
This Substack is a view on life from someone of the underclass.
I’m a creative nonfiction writer/essayist, and the posts will be in that genre. Although the form may chop and change a bit. I often detail my experiences growing up in the UK care system and my experiences as a care leaver (someone who has left the care system) in the creative industries, both in music and literature.
Sometimes, I will share drafts from my upcoming memoir and explore its broader themes, such as what damage a lack of unconditional love does to a child. Other times, I will look at life outside of the care system, exploring the trauma of the thing I trusted the least: an adult. I’ll probe into the everyday threads of life like birthdays, Christmases, family biases, while also examining some of the extraordinary situations I now find myself in, from going to The BRIT Awards to working with celebrities, to attending the most famous university in the while only having 2 GCSEs.
Overall, this newsletter will give voice to the barriers and experiences often spoken about by care-experienced people and provide a perspective on how to clear them. For those who don’t share this background, you’ll find some helpful tips, too!
Why subscribe?
My aim is to have a new post every week, mainly on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays. However, my day job is making records with some incredible artists in recording studios, so this may take priority on occasion.
FREE SUBSCRIBERS
Subscribe to get full access to my newsletter. You won’t have to worry about missing anything. Each new edition goes directly to your inbox.
PAID SUBSCRIBERS
Right now, there is no difference in content between a paid subscription and a free one. The kinds of stories and experiences I will give voice to here are so important that they must be accessible to everyone. Care leavers, especially those from children’s homes, rarely get to share their experiences and insights. However, financially supporting me allows me to dedicate more time to developing my writing and this channel. But please only play if you can afford it.
Thanks to those so far who have decided to pay - I am forever grateful. 🥹
Join the crew
Whoever you are, I am really looking forward to getting to know you in the comments.
