AWAY FROM THE NUMBERS

“YOU’RE WONDERING NOW......” – BASS NOTES / A TOUR DIARY (PART 10)

2011-11-09T22:21:00.000Z

THURS 3rd NOVEMBER – ALEXANDRA PALACE – LONDON

And so here it is, the final hurrah. All things must pass.
Last date of the tour – Alexander Palace 10,000 punters, sold out.
A grand way to finish.

After the inconvenience of having to travel home post Brixton gig we have decided to book a hotel and celebrate our last event with the specials in style, also no-one has to worry about driving home in the middle of the night.

We check in and drop our bags off on the way to the venue, WAGS in tow tonight. I ask the receptionist what time the bar closes ? – “ The bar is open 24 hours, the restaurant closes at....”
Whoah! Stop right there, 24 hour bar! You’re talking my language, back of the net!

There’s some wonderful views of London from up by Alexander Palace, it’s an impressive building if not an ideal venue. We’re on the 8pm shift so very much looking forward to going out in style.

We pop our heads into a pre show party where both Brad and Mark Lamarr DJ, the vibe is warming up nicely.

Our last supper at catering is steak, they have looked after us like lords, I shall miss them.
Terry’s in, just finished his dinner, I finally find the right moment to speak to him.
He signs my LP’s and tells me that it has been pleasure to have us on tour with them (I bet he says that to all his support bands )

Both ourselves & By the Rivers certainly done well by being mindful of our surroundings and circumstances, we were punctual for load in’s, soundchecks and stage times were always strictly adhered to. As far as I’m aware neither band caused any headaches for the tour management, crew and the specials, that part of the preparation is as crucial as being ready musically, you have to respect the hand that feeds, fortunately, like ourselves the boys from By the Rivers are egoless and trust me you don’t find many groups like that.
Our paths will cross again of that I am sure, our bands work well together.

I meet up with Paolo (Hewitt) who’s here to see us tonight, always a pleasure.
He was there the night JB walked into the Fiddlers Elbow and has seen it all unfold over the past 12 months. He is another key influence on our surge in confidence and belief, his words of wisdom prove to be invaluable even if he does at times attempt to encourage me to tell the audience to fuck off.
20 years ago perhaps......

Thousands have gathered by the time we walk out onto stage and we get a loud cheer from the off, it’s another belter, the crowd take it in and we do ourselves proud once more, its sometimes difficult to gather a perspective on it all but we have to remember that we’re just the support band and with that in mind and with the experience of having been to so, so many gigs myself over the years I think we have been received extraordinary well on this tour.
Again it’s an emotional affair as we walk off stage for the last time.
I did post on Facebook earlier that it would be almost perfect to make this our last gig and finish right here & now, what a fantastic way to bow out but our work is far from over, this really is just another beginning, the next chapter awaits.

One last aftershow party to attend (we’ve done em’ all) I get snap happy with the camera, even Terry poses with me for one.
The funniest moment is when Horace (who is a real Gentleman) is pictured next to me, he insists that I raise up four fingers with him to the camera – Bass Culture !

Paolo’s on the pop (I think he still harbours secret aspirations to resurrect his footballing career) but he still see’s the night out with us before we make the short journey up to our hotel to push the boat out even further courtesy of the 24 hour bar. I mix beer, wine, baileys and champagne, Claire directs me to bed sometime before dawn. I collapse on the bed high & happy.

We’ve made so many new friends on these dates we have to follow it up sooner than later, we’re all keen to get back up to Scotland and Cardiff too but really whatever happens from now on we will always have this memory, the 10 of us living in a bubble not knowing what day it is, journeying up and down the UK playing music, our music, to thousands.
It has been the most wonderful experience, unique and unrepeatable, the very thing that I dreamt of when I was a little boy miming to LP’s on a red plastic guitar but also of course I have to remember that we have worked our balls off to get to this point.

So tonight I will raise my glass to Nick, Neil, Phil, Spencer, Ian , Lynn, Scott, Jamie, Gaz, John Bradbury and all involved with the Specials & crew.

For the good times.......

“Back to life, back to reality”

Until next time.......

Neil S – SF / Bass Notes. x

ROSE TINTED MEMORIES PART 2

2011-11-07T21:16:00.000Z

1990 kicked in, Ecstacy, floppy fringes, baggy clothes and new bands were ushered in on the coat tails of The Roses and the Mondays… Roses singles were re-issued by Silvertone and cracked the Top 40 and then the band made the News at Ten when they were arrested after re-painting the FM Revolver offices after they were disgusted with the video put together for the re-issue of ‘Sally Cinnamon’….

Even the Smash Hits crowd had caught on…

Obviously Gareth Evans, their erstwhile Manager thought it was time that the band went for the stars, and rumours of a massive outdoor gig somewhere on Merseyside started to emanate…,

Spike Island was born….

But before that…

15th May 1990 – The band embark on 5 Scandinavian warm up dates as a precursor to the main event.

Me and Stuart decide to go to the first date in Copenhagen….

I buy the flight tickets off of a mate of a mate, who worked for a small travel agency in the centre of London… come the day of the gig, he hasn’t sent the tickets (all before internet bookings of course)…

A mate of mine is going to drive us to Gatwick for the flight…

He arrives at mine (slightly late)…we drive to Central London, eventually pick up the tickets, fly down the Westway to pick Stu up, only to find 10 minutes later that he’s left his passport at home …

Four to the floor all the way down the M25, M23, only to find that we’re too late for the 3pm, but there is a 5pm from Heathrow, ‘You might be able to get on that one Standby’…

Get there wired and there’s only 1 seat.
We toss a coin, and I win!

It’s only 3 hours before the gig…

I arrive and get a cab to the Venue, I see that it’s about £20 to get in and decide that after paying £190 for the flight,

I wasn’t paying another £20!
Asked for the Tour Manager… 5 minutes later Steve Adge arrives and exclaims ‘What are you doing here!’ And invites me in…” Met a Manc lad, who’s here with his Dad! "
Times are changing… Not a great warm up , the band are quite rusty and you can tell they haven’t played for a while.. it’s a bit quiet and Ian has a go at the crowd… ‘Shoot You Down’ is all over the place.
We do get a first hearing of ’One Love’, which breaks down and ‘Something’s Burning’ in an elongated set list which includes ‘Don’t Stop’ and ‘Elizabeth My Dear’ but Ian’s vocals and harmonies are all over the place, an indication of what was to come…….

After the gig, I wait around (I’ve got no hotel as I’d arrived so late)….
I go to a bar next door with the band…. John Squire soon disappears with a Danish Beauty “Aye aye, the Squires on the march…” and Reni tries to pair me off with some more Danish lovelies, but I’m not in the band… End up back at their hotel late on… Ian Brown chewing my ear off
“Eh, I want you to tell me all about yourself”… I’m almost dead after the day’s exploits and just want to go to sleep, but he wants to talk !"
Eventually he leaves me be, I get some kip on Alan the Roadies floor…

Sunday 27th May.... A day that has gone down in folklore as the culmination of another Summer of Love’…
27,000 tripped out people on an island in the Mersey Estuary – Spike Island….
I went up with a van load of mates from the Camden Scene, and we didn’t get there til 6.30… Quite luckily really… We met Stu and he’d been there since mid-day, sunburned and de-hydrated….
Everybody was ‘on one’ and house music was blaring out from the main stage – no support bands - as per usual – but I do remember Gary Clail 's “Beef – how low can you go”, and wasn’t sure if he performed it, or was DJing….
So NO BEER, the queue was a mile long – got backstage and it was the same there, everybody looking for booze or other substances…… Much has been written of this gig, and you HAD to be there, a good band performance, but in truth the sound was shocking, blown about all over the place.
We stood ¾ way back and I don’t remember much, apart from ‘coming up’ when the fireworks went off and then being ‘off it’ all the way back on the long journey back to London – ha!

Saturday 9th June 1990… and we’re off on our travels again – this time Stuart and his mate Fred drove us up from London to Glasgow Green…
Arrived 7 hours later and parked up by Celtic Park… walked up to the Green, ‘on one’ by now, and see the Big Top at the other end, and a big queue snaking it’s way down from there…
Walk up past the queue of Breaker drinking Scots in Reni hats and baggies, and look out for Spike (from Seemore Travel) who is getting us in… He arrives with Steve Adge and gives us our ‘passes’…. It’s a long way to go ‘til Kick off… Beautiful, Warm, Summers night….
Dave Booth is Djing in the tent, and the sun finally goes down.

The opening chords to ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ break out just after 10pm, and 7,000 mad Scots go mental… the band are on top form, the sound is fantastic AND LOUD!! Condensation is dripping from the roof and raining on us…. “Resurrection” seems to go on for hours, and then it’s all over….
Out of the tent, and backstage – the band holed up in a Portacabin…
We see Spike, and he’s talking to his mate Gareth Evans – Stu asks Gareth “Why did John’s guitar go all over the place in ‘She Bangs the Drums?’ (something to do with his effects pedals, I believe), and Gareth laughed and said ‘That’s John Squire for you!’….it was the only low point in an earth shattering display from 4 mates at the top of their game – little did we know that this the last time that these 4 members, the ‘classic’ line up, would play together in public for 22 years!

And, the night wasn’t over yet – we were told to head for the Sub Club for the afterparty… We got in easily with our Passes… The Roses arrived at the Club, and I remember Ian Brown walking around saying “thanks for coming” and shaking hands… I remember getting my arse pinched by a group of Glaswegian lasses...haha….
Then we came out, and the sun was coming up… Stu decided to sleep in the car, as he had to wait for the AA to arrive and sort out an oil leak…
I went off with John Robb and photographer Ian Tilton and a couple of their mates, and got my head down on someone’s floor for a few hours in Glasgow’s West End…
We did manage to get home the next day, despite a few mishaps on the way including police sniffing about at a Cumbrian service station but we were exhilarated…
Little did we know that it would NEVER be this way ever again…. (well until June 2012 anyway!)

S.K. Nov 2011

“GUNS OF BRIXTON” – BASS NOTES / A TOUR DIARY (PART 9)

2011-11-07T18:31:00.000Z

MON 31st OCTOBER – BRIXTON ACADEMY, LONDON

Monday morning still finds us coming down from the buzz of playing to so many in Coventry on Saturday, yesterday I certainly felt the blues kick in, maybe an indication of things to come.
It is a new experience going from ultimate highs back to reality, it’s hard to explain but even more difficult to deal with.

The first of 2 final London dates today, Brixton Academy, we’re travelling down and returning tonight.
I set off early with Scott in the van as we have arranged to meet up with Mark and Lou Baxter before heading off to the gig. My built in London sat nav senses get us direct to their door without complication.
Tea and biscuits and a warm welcome await.
Bax has done a bit of PR for us leading up to this tour and Lou has kitted some of the band out with pocket squares and scarves via her wonderful outlet Nicholson and Walcot, there’s been an instant knit between ourselves and the Baxter’s, a lot of common ground – Straightforward, no nonsense or bullshit.
Genuine people, always interested and always interesting.

I certainly have the upmost for them and our worlds colliding has certainly been one the highlights of the past 18 months.
We never want or ask anything of them, people like Mark & Lou are rare, they just do, get on with things not merely talk about it.
I feel and know that Bax likes us and if he can help, he will and trust me just a few words of wisdom and encouragement from Mark or Paolo’s (Hewitt – the other diamond in the pack) lip’s can make you feel like you are walking on air. Re-install your belief.

Today is the first time that I have been to Lou and Mark’s house, it’s as bright and beautiful as they are and mirrors their personalities. Walls are decorated with photographs of their lives and memories, a jukebox stands in one room crammed with fave 45’s, shelves are full of books, records, artefacts and oddities.
A culture bunker.

Me & Scott eat all the biscuits, Lou insists then we have a wander round to Fred the Shoe’s gaff and also to see where the infamous Flying Dutchman pub stands.
Mark, along with Paolo, wrote a book documenting his days of growing up in the company of his fathers drinking buddies, It’s called the Mumper and if you aren’t already acquainted or familiar with it then do yourself a favour, put it on your Xmas list.
It’s been adapted for the big screen and will be one of 2012’s first major British films re-titled Outside Bet.

After hearing Fred’s tales of 1960’s London at the Flamingo and the Scene club, we bid farewell to the Baxters until later and head onto Brixton for the gig.
Bang on cue we meet up with the minibus and walk in together right on load in / soundcheck time, what we didn’t account for was the dark mood that clouds the atmosphere at the venue, we’ve walked straight into a shit storm.
I can tell almost immediately by Joe’s (one of the tour production managers ) face that bad news awaits us.

Hardly any of the band (The Specials) are talking to each other, the gig is even in jeopardy at one point of being pulled but thankfully this doesn’t happen and it goes ahead as planned.
The guest list is over subscribed by 100 plus which is where our little drama begins, they’re taking away our guest list in order to accommodate others, obviously we aren’t in any position to complain and I now that our people will understand (thank you Claudia) but my heart sinks when I realise I have to tell Mark and Lou.

We quickly decide that it isn’t an option to not get them in, I put on my best Frank Stubbs promotes guise and go outside to negotiate with the ticket touts.
Numbers are swapped, a price for a pair arranged, I get the call after soundcheck and walk back up to the corner of the venue, get ushered into the back of a black cab to do the deal, of course the goalposts have shifted and the agreed price has gone up.
I finally prize some seats in the circle out of him for almost the initial fee we started out with, I’m just relieved not to have let Bax & Lou down.

On this note, I think it’s also worth pointing out that Roddy (Radiation/Byers) actually offered us the money to get the tickets out of his own pocket.
Of course we refused his kind gesture but it certainly speaks volumes and tells you everything about his (often misrepresented) character, generosity and thoughtfulness.

With all that behind us we finally get on with the task of opening tonight’s proceedings.
We play well, solid & steady as we expect of ourselves by now but London crowds can prove to be a little harder to get motivated, they’re a bit more stand off-ish than up North, I’m sure they take it in all the same but whereas Glasgow, Manchester, Cardiff or Coventry will let you know about it via their volume tonight’s lot observe and listen.
You don’t get much back.

Even the Specials have a fairly uneventful night after all the shenanigans and handbags of earlier although later John tells me that it’s one of his favourite gigs of the UK leg.

You sometimes fell like banging their heads together, individually they are the most genuine, friendly and respectful characters you could wish to meet but some nights they just don’t communicate with one another, I suppose they have the weight of 30 plus years of baggage to carry round with each other but they should all realise and appreciate by now that the sum is much bigger than it’s parts.
I’ve said it before but culturally and musically they are as vital, important and relevant now in our troubled times as they ever were.

We get home at ridiculous O’Clock, Nick still has to travel from the studio back home to Hockley Heath, the rain lashes down on to the M43 and his car aquaplanes, spins and crashes into a barrier.
The car is wrecked, a write off but thankfully Nick comes out of it unscathed but in shock. He has 2 days off to recover.
A lucky escape.

Neil S – SF / Bass Notes

“GOD’S BALCONY / THE MUPPET BOX – Bass Notes / A Tour Diary Part 7

2011-11-02T20:58:00.000Z

Thurs 27th OCTOBER – BOURNEMOUTH INTERNATIONAL CENTRE

A big day for me, 27th October marks the anniversary of my Dad’s death. 1988, 23 years ago today, I was just 21.
Obviously most years when this day rolls around it’s at the forefront of my thoughts but today with all that’s going on in my life right now it feels more significant than ever.

It was he who bought me my first guitar and encouraged me to play, he always supported me and even went on to manage Dance Stance for a while before his untimely exit from this life, he was never one to ridicule or poke fun at my musical endeavour as I know some Dad’s would.
It was alright to be different in my Dad’s eyes, I think he admired my commitment and dedication to the cause, I’ve always had a desire to create and perform, It’s not like a hobby, i’m not in the business of fucking about, bands have been my family, my Dad was always right behind that and especially as a teenager it’s a real boost to have that support.

Tonight I do feel the weight of him looking down from God’s balcony, it plays heavy on my mind for most of the day.
I do feel upset but assured in the knowledge that he would be so, so proud of me now, I’m just gutted that he’s not around anymore to see it.

The lads all pick up on what’s going on in my head and rally round to lift me and pull me through it, in fact they make it a momentous occasion, we play fucking great and every one of them comes over to hug me even before we’ve walked off stage ( God knows what the audience thought was goin’ on ) They’re a proper gang those boys, like brothers to me.
We all help each other when it comes to the crunch, like Muskateers, long may our adventures continue......

The Bournemouth crowd are easily the most feisty bunch of the tour for the Specials, middle aged skinheads shoving each other about for an hour and half, probably the only exercise they get all year. It works the security overtime down by the barriers, people being carried out left, right and centre.

Tonight was supposed to be an early, steady night, I’m still feeling the aftermath of Brighton’s jolly up and really could do with an early return to the hotel for some much needed sleep but equally you just have to wind down from these gigs otherwise you won’t rest up properly anyway. I meet up with my good friend Roger Smith and Sarge from Scootering magazine in the aftershow bar then one drink leads to another.

We walk home at 2.30am from an old school Hip Hop club (complete with live drummer) called the Smokin’ aces, great vibe down there, we hear amongst other things The Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, King Bee, Stetsasonic, Young MC, Grandmaster Flash and more.
I thought Jamie & Scott were gonna get the mats out and start breakin’

As we arrive back to the Travelodge,
Neil notices By the Rivers all together in one room having a late drink, they’ve left the curtains open so our lads creep over the railings and hide either side of their window, wait for their moment and then jump out and hammer on the glass, they fucking shit themselves, Nile looks like he’s going to have a heart attack, we roll around laughing like children.

I’m in with the snorers but wrap a towel around my head and create makeshift earplugs, does the trick, I’m out like a light.

FRI 28th OCTOBER – CARDIFF ARENA

We’re living in a bubble now, existing only in our own little world, we don’t even know what day it is.
The banter has got that ridiculous by now that this mornings debate in the minibus ranges from the best way to beat the fuck out of Geoff Capes ? (Answer – by ripping his head off and replacing it with plasticine) to whether you would “do” Aunt Sally from Worzel Gummidge, the magic bus is divided on that one.

Wales today, another first for us, we’ve never gigged here before so what a debut – Cardiff Arena, a vast hall, 7,000 capacity. Once again the sound is surprisingly good in there, I’ve probably enjoyed the arenas more than the mid sized venues, to play anyway. After a while a hall just becomes another room filled with a sea of faces.
I don’t get nervous at all tonight, we are really enjoying performing on these bigger stages, embracing it and making the most of them.

Cardiff, like Glasgow before it, latches on to us and immediately have an understanding and appreciation of what we are about, they’re a great crowd, right up for it from the off.
It’s Phil’s turn tonight to feel like shit before we go on but he still plays completely on the money regardless.

Rich Edkins films some of it for us tonight, there’s also some crowd footage gone up on you tube from the first night at Manchester Apollo of “Uncomplicated” that looks (& sounds) quite good too.

We’ve been comparing changing rooms and voting on the best and worst of the tour, tonight’s in Cardiff wins hands down so far – Spacious, plenty of seats, even sofas, mirrors, fully carpeted, showers, the full works. The wooden spoon will get handed out to Hull Arena, the PE showers, we didn’t hang around long there. Cardiff though does have the worst traffic congestion, a nightmare to get into and we were only travelling a couple of miles from the hotel to venue.

Another touch tonight comes when we get ushered to private seats to watch the Specials set. They unlock a private box for us right up in the rafters of the venue,
I feel like those 2 blokes from the Muppet Show, Statler and Waldorf (Yes I did have to look that up) “that was good” / “No, it was rubbish” Booo. Great view from up here, the crowd always fascinates me, another great gig by the Specials too.

A quick drink in aftershow then back to the hotel where we gather in Nicks room (Phil’s travelled back home in the van with Gaz) , we drink red wine and watch later with Jools on TV, moan about Coldplay and then catch an interview with Noel Gallagher on Jonathon Ross, it’s hard to know whether Noel wants to be a musician or a comedian these days.

Which reminds me, apparently Alan McGee was in the audience tonight, wonder what he made of our Dexy’s cover ?
I’ll be forever grateful to him for taking a chance on Kevin Rowland and releasing my beauty when no-one else in the music industry would touch him.

Neil S – SF / Bass notes.

(STONE) ROSE TINTED MEMORIES……. Part 1 1989

2011-11-01T00:30:00.001Z

I don't think the return of The Stone Roses has excited anyone more than the writer of the following piece(s). Simon Kelly saw the rapid rise of The Roses in just 15 months at very close quarters and will be the first to tell you that one of the main reasons that they were truly special was because they were one of the very few bands that really loved each other and really dug what they all did collectively and individually.

Above all Ian,John ,Mani and Reni and the music that they made were uplifting, beautiful and spritual and couldn't fail to change lives with their wonderous brand of psychadelic funky pop ,intelligent and humorous lyrics and a look that inspired a generation.

Here Simon tells his story in the first of two parts that relives the remarkable events that puts you deep into the eye of the storm of the metoric rise of the greatest band of the last 25 years.

February 1989 – UK’s Indie Music was on it’s arse, hanging onto the scrag end of the black and white Smiths led bedroom/Student scene – A solo Morrissey had just released ‘Last of the International Playboys’, The Sundays ‘Can’t be Sure’ and Wedding Present’s ‘Kennedy’ were frequent plays on the turntable….
“Have you heard this? It sounds like ‘Velocity Girl’ by Primal Scream…”
A girl friend gives me the heads up on a new Manchester sound….”sometimes I….fantasize…” the world was about to turn day-glo……..

March 89 – Rough Trade in Ladbroke Grove had been plundered in my lunch hour breaks from working in the Box Office at the ‘Royal Albert Hall’ – first for ‘Made of Stone on 12”, and then on subsequent visits for ‘Elephant Stone’ 12” and finally THAT album…. Straight on the turntable…. It never left….. BBC's Snub TV show's “I Wanna Be Adored/Sugar Spun Sister from the Hacienda gig,
I want to see this band…same girl mate says – “the Roses are playing at the ICA”….

Monday 15th May 1989 – an epiphany…. Complete London Transport shutdown in London – no buses, trains or Tubes – it doesn’t deter us – we get cabs to and from the ICA… I think a lot of people didn’t bother (I bet they wished they HAD) and my first sight of all things Stone Rose…
Roadie Chris the Piss selling T shirts – I want one of those, didn’t have the money – I WILL get one of those…
Gig was quite empty, i was taken in by a lot of the crowd singing along in Northern accents “I’d love to do it, and you know you’ve always had it coming” – hooked….

Monday 22nd May – a week on, temperatures in the high 20’s – the Summer of Love has begun and the Roses are playing Camden Dingwalls…completely mad, ,sold out gig with water dripping off of the walls and ceiling in that tunnel like sweat box… Ian swinging on the pipes above the stage….hooked…

Tell all my mates in Oxford that they HAVE to see this band on Wednesday…. 24th May 1989 – make my way down to Oxford Poly…. Seems like quite a few Camden Scene mates are down and don’t want to miss out either, apparently Mark Gardener and Andy Bell were there too….
First meeting with the band, am ushered backstage after the gig, … Mani in crazy eyes on springs joke specs!!
All members affable and approachable, they seemed just like you and me - get gig posters signed by all 4 members and give them out to my mates later that night….

June 1989 –Album in heavy rotation… Girl mates are off following the Roses around the UK… Me and a mate decide to do 4 dates at the end of June – Arrive in Northampton on a Saturday – sitting in McDonalds and see the band walking past – they look like Superstars to us , except no-one else knows…..we know this is a Special time…
Sunday and it’s a sleepy Norwich Arts Centre,
Monday it’s the Bristol Bierkellar with terrible sound BUT we hang around after the gig, and Ian gives us a lemon T shirt each….
Tuesday and it’s Stratford Upon Avon Civic Hall. Spot Reni doing his washing in the launderette, the Hall was half empty for the gig (THEY still haven’t caught on….)
Backstage afterwards and Ian is wearing THAT Co-Op T shirt and is firing a Starting Pistol above our heads while the band and crew are doing that whole arm finger snapping thing….
We are amazed by their cool-ness…
Later as we get our heads down on the floor of girl friends room, Ian enters the room, takes of his green flared cords, that are all ripped and dirty at the bottom, and lays them out on the floor, flattens them out with his hands and folds them up into a neat pile - then he get’s into bed with one of our girl mates (they soon leave for another room)…..

‘She Bangs the Drums’ was released and another trip down to Rough Trade for the 12”, 7” and Cassette…. Think it’s going to be MASSIVE, and am a little disappointed that it only makes 36 in the charts, but we do get to see the video on The Chart Show…. Walking down the street you can hear the album coming out of Student House windows….

August 1989 – off to Blackpool on a windswept weekend…. One armed tout outside cant believe his luck as tickets are moving for shed-loads….
Hear Inner City’s ‘Good Life’ blasting out through a massive PA… Hmmm I’m getting this…. Ian comes on stage playing with a yoyo (that was apparently given to him by my now mate – Geoff).. “Manchester Vibes In The Area, we’re International, We’re Continental…”…
Stand at the back with journos John Robb and Bob Stanley and take in the whole scene… it’s gone up a gear…THEY’VE caught on now and there’s no way back ….“Who is and Who isn’t”…..

September 1989 and girl mates announce that they’re off to Europe following the band – think I’d better find someone like-minded to go with too…
Put an ad in the NME classifieds – ‘anyone want to go to Europe’ to see The Roses?’ Get some responses – 2 from Manchester Travel Agents/Ticket Suppliers (hmmm..).. All aboard for the Cess Express to Amsterdam and Paris… decide I want to go to Hamburg and Cologne too, so give Cess a miss, and ask Spike from Seemore Travel to help me ‘procure’ tickets for Paris – in return for some best seat Royal Albert Hall tickets for Simply Red or something like…

Meet up with a Chelsea Casual, Stuart, from West London who answered the ad - he wants to come along for the ride….
Fly to Hamburg, and say – ‘Let’s go and check out the venue’…
Open up the big, barn type door, and immediately spot John Squire – “Can we come in?”
“Yes, of course”….

Go and sit down at the sides with Stuart – he is amazed that he is here, in the same room as his new found heroes….tunes come on over the PA – first one sounded like The Roses guitar sounds but was new to us, and then the 2nd one went on forever, full of wah-wah and funky sounds – then Mani bowls over and says “What do you think of the new single lads!?”….
This was ‘Fools Gold’ and ‘What The World Is Waiting For’…. 6 weeks before it was to be released in the UK…. Wow…

(All Hamburg Logo)

3rd October 1989 - The Hamburg Logo and hearing THAT intro – the ‘woooooh’ alarm sound over the breakbeat (never did find out what this was!?...)… –
I was at the front, taking photos with Mitsui – another Roses Superfan at the time, and Stuart stood on a chair at the side of the stage shuffling from side to side along with the beat - trying to find the energy to keep swaying to an elongated ‘Resurrection’ was never easy… we stayed on after the gig, where we met up with a crazy English girl who put us up for the night…
She was very proud of the fact that she’d let Clint Boon ‘sign her tit’ when Inspirals were over… Me and Stu had a nervous sleep in her flat that night….

(Stu and Simon - Cologne)

Off to Cologne on the train… Gig was memorable for Ian baiting the German crowd for being quiet. And the 15 strong UK touring crowd (who included the lovely Manc/ Irish girls Theresa and Eileen. ‘Standing Here’ and the guitar solo in ‘Made of Stone’ were immense, hairs on the back of neck etc….
It was 5th member's Cressa’s birthday, and saw him being wheeled out ‘passed out’ after the gig on a trolley after drinking a bottle of brandy….

(Soundcheck,Amsterdam Milkveg)

Amsterdam next stop – my first time there… Day off before the gig, and Stuart decided to introduce me to Amsterdam’s delights… let’s just say that by the next day I was feeling slightly yellow…
Went to the soundcheck and Stu was skinning up for Brownie…
The Cess Express had arrived and the 'Dam' was awash with Reni hatted, baggy jeaned Northerners… Backstage later, John was being grilled by a Dutch journalist “why do you think that you’re the best band in the world?” “I don’t know - Ask him - he knows…” he points to me - Brilliant….
Got hold of a girl I knew, who was over from Camden - capped a good night….

7th October 1989 - Off on the train to Paris, and Stu shitting himself over having a bit of ‘puff’ left over and on him… Played him the best song off of the latest Primal Scream album “I’m Losing More Than I’ve Ever Had” (soon to be reshaped into Loaded)… enough said….
Arrived in Paris and it looked as though the whole of Madchester had descended on the red-light area … Met up with Spike from Seemore Travel, who had arrived with his coaches, and got my tickets for the La Cigale gig, which was part of a French Indie Festival.

Creation band Felt were on first, then The La’s and finally The Roses…
Me and Stu watched from up on the side balcony as the ‘Manchester la-la-la’ chants went up and the 1,400 crowd jostled for position…. A bit different to 200 at Hamburg Logo, only 5 days ago!
Someone had taken the CS-gas/Paris 1968 riots, hinted at in the Roses lyrics and in the album artwork ,a little too seriously and set off a CS gas canister in the middle of the set…
The gig was stopped and the air cleared……
We couldn’t get near the band afterwards, they were locked away with so many hangers on…..
Crazy end to the week, and we knew we had witnessed something special in those few days away….

A few days later, and the Ally Pally gig is announced. The word on the street is that the whole thing is going ballistic. My Camden scenester mates, who can usually blag it onto most Guest Lists, realize that this is out of control, and that we’d better buy some tickets for the upcoming dates, The Mondays at the Town and Country Club (now the Forum), followed the following November Saturday, by the Roses at the Alexandra Palace.
I went up to Ally Pally to buy the tickets on a day off, just as they went on sale… I was quietly amazed by the venue, right on top of a hill in North London – it looked very grand and MASSIVE…. The girl in the Box Office was quite surprised to see me – “we haven’t sold many yet”… the onslaught was yet to begin….

November 89 – “What The World Is Waiting For / Fools Gold” is released – THAT week with the Roses on BBC’s The Late Show “Amateurs, Amateurs…” Ian berates the BBC engineers as the sound cuts out just as ‘Made of Stone’ kicks in….
The presenter, Tracey MacLeod, looks shell shocked ... “we’ll sort it out”… they never did and the ‘Fools Gold’ video is shown in the programme outro…
A classic bit of telly, much talked about the next day ……

November 18th 1989, and Madchester hits London…. The expectation was always going to outweigh the occasion. 7,000 Reni hats had made their way up the hill that night, and most were to be disappointed by the apalling sound. - it was literally rebounding off of the back wall and colliding in the middle with ½ second lag….
By the time of an elongated ‘Fools Gold’ the band sounded as if they’d had enough, and there can’t have been that many in the 7,000 crowd who were still with them by then……”it’s not where you’re from mate it’s where you’re at” chimed Ian, after the statutory Manchester-la-la-la chants…..

November 30th 1989 – however showed that despite a slight derailment, the wheels weren’t going to come off that easily… Top of The Pop’s – Madchester hits the mainstream… Happy Mondays perform ‘Hallelujah’, and the Roses, Ian, in the same red top as at Ally Pally, play along to “Fools Gold” …. Loved it when Ian, looking like a young Cliff Richard, took away the microphone from his mouth and carried on singing… Arrogance and Northern swagger epitomized… People I spoke to were now convinced - “saw that band you’ve been going on about on tele the other night – very good….”

The band were massive now, the NME Christmas Double issue cover declared them ‘Top of the World’ with the band atop a mountain in the Alps….

A new decade beckons.....

"BRIGHTON SCRUBS / CLAMPED" - Bass Notes / A Tour Diary Part 6

2011-10-30T20:58:00.000Z

Tues 25th Oct – BRIGHTON CENTRE

Tired this morning, thankfully the trip from Cheltenham to Brighton is a swift one, the roads are clear and we arrive at Brighton seafront in no time at all.
When Neil & Scott were sorting all the bookings for hotels and accommodation Brighton was by far the most expensive place to stay so they decided to go bargain bucket and book us into a hostel for two nights. Ten of us bunked up to the ceiling, 3 bunks on top of each other in one room together, just what I needed after a sleepless night previous.

It exceeds expectations, it’s even worse than I could possibly imagine, I even toy with the idea of getting myself arrested later as surely prison would be a better option. Phil finds chips down the side of his bunk although his only complaint is the fact that they’re cold.
We drop our cases off and head to the venue, try and put it out of our minds.

It’s sold out again tonight, a busy one. Brighton has always been a good stomping ground for us, we had a stormer here last time we visited at the Brightona festival last October so we were looking forward to this one.

Surprisingly it turns out to be a bit of a dull affair, the crowd seems a little bit flat compared to previous gigs, although some clever fucker thinks it’s a good idea to throw a glass onstage.
Scott spots the offender from the wings, a pissed up young kid in the middle of the throng, if Scott could get out over the barriers and through the masses I swear that kid wouldn’t see his next birthday, he’s fucking seething. Jonesy dedicates the next song to the knobhead with the shit shot.

We play OK but it’s not our best day at the office. Oddly, as in Nottingham, we sell a load of merchandise and get swamped with compliments afterwards, we have to remember just how fucking busy these arena are, sometimes you don’t even notice the balcony’s.

Even the response and reaction on the social media networks are instant about tonights performance, we are collecting a lot of new friends and followers.

Post gig we head up to a boozer by our digs, the Neptune, that serves til’ late, it’s a good vibe in there, a bit of a Rock n’ Roll boozer, apparently Nick Cave and Dave Gilmour are regulars.
The Kinks are tonight’s favourite turn on the pub jukebox, we ensure that we consume enough liquid to get some shut eye in Porridge, it actually doesn’t turn out too bad to be fair, the banter and camaraderie is good and I probably end up having my best nights sleep so far.

WEDS 26th OCTOBER – BRIGHTON (DAY OFF)

No-one’s in any rush to emerge from their bunks this morning, I think I’m one of the first to make a move for the communal shower, clean living under difficult circumstances and all that.

I feel we have kind of dropped on with our days off, falling in Glasgow last week and now Brighton today. I’ve always enjoyed spending time in Brighton, one of my favourite places.
We drive the minibus into town and have a stroll down the lanes, a great area for shopping, the staff in Jump The Gun Modish clothes emporium tell us there is much talk of our gig last night with punters coming in and saying how great the support band were.
I treat myself to a new shirt.

We bump into Roddy and end up in the pub for a few hours, I did have the best intentions of taking my time today especially as we have a couple of Radio interviews to do today but it becomes apparent early doors that that will not be the case. I do stick to the shandy’s as a compromise for the afternoon.

Our first radio feature today is an interview with Radio free Brighton. Nick, Phil and Spen shoot off to take care of this one.
Apparently Phil excels and they can’t shut him up talking, I would have love to have been a fly on the wall at that one.
I’m pleased he seized the opportunity though, he’s enjoyed this jaunt and has been a pleasure to be around.

Me & Neil are on Pelirocco platters tonight, Mick Habeshaw Robinson’s fabulous show for Radio Reverb down in Brighton, we have an hours slot to fill where we will be playing tunes that have inspired and influenced us.

I have a bag of CDs to take along with me that I need to collect from the minibus, around 5pm me & Neil walk back to the car park to find our minibus stickered and clamped. “Obstruction” is the official line.
You could drive a fucking tank around it, quite obviously it’s bullshit and just a way of prizing £120 out of innocent folk. There’s an office in the corner of the car park, the attendant comes over, he is in his late 50’s and decked out in military garb – Maroon beret, para regiment.
Why the fuck the silly old cock would man a flooded shit tip of a car park in Brighton dressed as Rambo is beyond me but kind of tells you everything you need to know about what attitude he’s about to lay on us.

Me and Neil immediately switch into good cop / bad cop roles. Neil J – “Look mate, we’re not breaking any laws here, we have parked sensibly, not obstructing anything at all, surely common sense can prevail” Rambo’s not having it, his boss has issued the ticket and clamped it and of course it would be more than his jobs worth to release it without payment himself. I chip in – “ We’re not paying you a fucking penny mate, you could drive a bastard coach round our van, your car park is like a reservoir and you do have the authority and the keys to that clamp so I suggest you start fucking unlocking it”

“This is a minibus” I continue “and there’s ten other lads sitting in a pub just down the road” – I make the call. Within minutes action man is surrounded by the Foundation and crew.
Also unfortunately for him Scott notices the uniform. Red rag (literally) to a bull, Scott served in the royal green jackets, no love lost between the two regiments, Johnny Rambo should have stuck to hi-vis and clipboard.

The clamp is off in seconds.

Our Pelirocco radio slot goes well, the platters we do feature include The Five Stairsteps, Brinsley Schwarz, Robert John, Van Morrison, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Lou Pride and The Knight Brothers.
It’s nice to finally meet Mick, he’s a good sort as I knew he would be.
Mark Baxter turned me on to him and if Mark likes you then you must be alright, he has a good bullshit detector does Bax.

Me & Mr Jones meet up with the rest of the lads in town to continue our drinkathon which leads us back up to the Neptune opposite porridge.

Everyone pulls the choke out and the festivities, laughter and banter go into overdrive, not even Brighton Prison digs can dampen our spirits, although we could be staying in the grand for all we know by the time the lights go out. A great day and night, real funny from start to finish, one to remember.

Neil S - SF / Bass Notes

“COLD DOWN SOUTH / DAY AT THE RACES” – Bass notes / A tour diary part 5

2011-10-29T18:42:00.000+01:00

SUN 23rd OCT – PLYMOUTH PAVILLION

Plymouth, end of the earth and it’s raining too. Nick’s all misty eyed looking out the bus window reminiscing about his Uni days which he spent here in Plymouth, it helps when it comes to directions though, he’s like a South west sat nav.

The pavilion is today’s venue, a kind of sports hall affair, the sound is a little bit all over the place as we soundcheck, bouncing and booming around the building, I know it will change (for the better) once people fill the hall, we get our monitors sorted and keep our fingers crossed.
Sound techs Mark & Carlos make a point of winding Jonesy up over Man City’s 6 – 1 thrashing of Man Utd in the top of the table derby clash at old Trafford today, they’ve taped a big 1 – 6 onto his monitor, of course I find it funny.

Roast beef, Yorkies and veg is the Sunday delight from catering. I’m going to miss them even though I must hasten to add that Mrs S is a wizard in the kitchen.

8 O’Clock shift for us tonight, there’s been colds, coughs, shivers, splutters and fevers galore over the past 24 hours so it’s a patched up, sniffling and sweating stone foundation that walk out onto stage in Plymouth. Lights down, sticks clicked, bang!
We’re right on it, the sound is spot on too. “No more the fool” seems to be going down well over the past few nights as does “I Couldn’t Help if I Tried” which closes our set.
A brave move to end with a ballad especially a Dexys cover.
A cheer always goes up when I announce it apart from tonight, maybe Dexys never took off in Plymouth. It’s a funny crowd anyway, a quiet one, listeners, a sizable gathering nevertheless.
Lee Cogswell and Coddy have travelled with us today and they film tonights gig from the mixing desk.

Our friends Yogs and Nig attend tonight and we sit up on the balcony to catch the Specials set.
Although I’m fairly sure that they wouldn’t agree, tonight is one of their best. There’s definitely a tension and an edge to their performance which makes it all the more exciting and intense, I can’t take my eyes off it. Concrete Jungle is sensational, Man at C&A is a monster live too, someone should sample that intro, it’s killer.
Lynval goes some way to defusing the icy atmosphere when he plucks two kids from the crowd to dance onstage, it reminds me of being 14 at Tiffiny’s in Coventry.
Part of their mission is to pass on their legacy.

We have a swift one in the aftershow bar, have a chat with Lynval and then return to Lenny Henry’s favoured choice of comfort to bed down for the night.

MON 24th OCTOBER – CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

Back up the M5 to Cheltenham today. On paper you probably think that this isn’t the most glamorous date of the tour listings, geographically a little out on a limb too but it actually turns out to be a belter for us, certainly our best performance so far.

Cheltenham is a lovely place, I know this already from doing record fairs regularly at the Town hall, the racecourse is set in acres of glorious greenery with views as far as the eye can see, our changing room overlooks the course, a very picturesque setting.
The hall we’re playing in has a nice atmosphere to it too, not as big a capacity as previous venues which raises a smile when we say “only 3,000 tonight”.
It’s our turn for the first on slot tonight, as soon as we kick into “In the pocket” the hall starts to fill up.
We get a heckler as we walk out onto stage, by the time we walk back off again half hour later he’s our loudest cheerleader which kind of sums up our gig.
Our road crew Scott, Jamie and Gaz declare it our best gig yet, I totally agree, I thought it was great. I spot an old friend, Poge, in the audience, also Jason and Fiona, my Bro in law from nearby Ross on Wye. One of the nice things about travelling around the Country is meeting up with different faces, friends and family alike.

Even the Specials are surprised by the buoyant and celebratory vibe in Cheltenham and they deliver another stunning show, different to last night, the ice appears to have melted, they seem more comfortable and relaxed on stage, Terry’s banter is funny as fuck, he is a witty man, he appeals to my sense of humour anyway.

So, Cheltenham Racecourse, the most unlikely of venues but a bona fide surprise, worth a trip in future, cracking place.

On the way back to the hotel we see a mobile kebab / burger van lit up like Santa’s grotto, 1am on a Monday! Even though we’ve had breakfast, lunch and dinner it still appears like a mirage in the desert (Kebabylon) we pull over and work the grills overtime. We have been so well looking after on this tour this is probably the first bit of junk food we’ve consumed. None of us need it but we munch away for novelty value anyway

I room with the stereo snorers again tonight, last time I look at my watch it’s 4am, I’m up at 8am. Sleep really isn’t my forte.

Neil S – SF / Bass Notes.

Now Then , Now Then....

2011-10-29T17:29:00.001+01:00

Jimmy Saville has been in a lot of our lives from day 1 .
The main Top of The Pops front man ,through the iconic Jim'll Fix It that run for 20 years ,to the Clunk Click ad's and the endless millions he raised for charity that benefited the Buckinghamshire hospital Stoke Mandeville made an impact that made him a household legend.
The last time i saw him on telly was with Louis Theroux living a bachelor's life to the last.
Eccentric to say the least,and a bit of a pest round the ladies didn't always win him round individuals who knew him but he illuminated the TV screens whenever he was on for just his hair alone.

From hard humble beginnings in Leeds,to getting pensioned out of working down a mine when an explosion done for his back he went on to organise and possibly be the first person to play records on a system in a local club.
Using borrowed equipment he managed to put the record player through a radio speaker and play to a room that of six couples that he charged a nominal fee of a shilling .
Unfortunately the pioneering Jim and the borrowed equipment had a bit of a mare and the gear burnt a big hole on the piano it was resting on.
Now Jim had got the bug and started to think bigger and better .
He hustled himself a job Leeds Locano and was pushing the venue away from hiring bands and playing records instead.
He boosted the takings so much the chain put him in total charge of 52 gaffs all over the North of England hiring 400 DJ's .

At the do's he played at he didn't take no shit .Being a professional wrestler put him in the driving seat in dealing with trouble and if anyone kicked off ,he tied them in the boiler room until the night was over and then made sure they never did it again while he was about.

He went on to DJ at Radio Luxembourg and through that picked up the job as presenter of the most iconic music show the world has ever seen in Top Of The Pops.
I vaguely remember seeing this lunatic introducing Pan's People circa 74 like he had just shot his bolt and thinking " Your quite scary,even compared to the keyboardist out of Sparks"

Jim'll Fix It though was where he made his mark.
An ingenious show that allowed people to live the dream by writing to Jim to see if he could fix it to sing with Sham 69,play football with Arsenal and go on a fairground ride eating your lunch.
He carried an air of arrogance like a king on his multimedia special flashy chair as he sat next to the kids and parents as he handed out the Jim'll Fix It Badges.
In his Adidas tracksuits and chunky jewellery,jewellery,jewellery he predated the look is a hit with the great unwashed up and down the land as we speak.

Quite surprisingly, for some reason i never bothered writing in to ask Jim if i could sing Going Underground (Probably because even aged 13 i knew you had more chance of getting a whale up your arse than getting Weller to agree to do it) and Chelsea were rubbish ,so I'd have probably had wanted to give Fillery a bit of grief rather than bend free kicks round a wall and past Steve Francis.
The countless marathons he ran raised untold dough for all kinds of causes and actually saved a hospital from going under. That's some achievement .

His boat sold tickets for British Rail ( It's The Age ...Of The Train )
It was for me,as i spent a lot of Saturdays on them going to watch Chelsea away.
Some even made it home with their interiors and buffet bar's untouched.

As he reached later life he carried on with his charity work and ended up presenting the last TOTP fittingly in 2006.
He loved the ladies and wouldn't leave the TV Centre until he'd kissed every bird on the reception on the lips.
My old man picked him up a couple of times when he was chauffering and he said it took him half hour just to get him in the motor and then he came home stinking of his trademark cigar.

Above all ,the world has lost a character and when i know bland wankers like Vernon Kay and Dermot O Leary who are Saturday Night fare for the masses ,it makes me hanker for the mad old bloke shaking his gold,puffing on a Havana,knocking out his trademark lines and treating the kids on his show as his equal.

RIP Sir Jimmy Saville OBE

.“THIS IS NOTTINGHAM” – NOTTINGHAM ARENA (Bass notes / A Tour Diary Part 4)

2011-10-22T20:45:00.000+01:00

FRI 21st OCTOBER – NOTTINGHAM CAPITOL FM ARENA

A fairly local jaunt for us today up the M42 / M1 to Nottingham. We meet up at the rehearsal room around 2pm, just as well we give ourselves enough time as the roads are backed up with Friday afternoon traffic. Tonight’s gig is at the Capitol FM Arena in the City, another enormous venue that has a capacity of 10,000, we’re on the graveyard shift but in reality even at 7.10pm we still play to thousands of people.
You always get the mentalists who are queuing up at 5pm just to get their pitch down the front.

In all honesty I feel that any gig that followed the Glasgow show was going to be somewhat of an anti climax. Never ones to go through the motions though or even for one second take this wonderful opportunity for granted, we go out and give everything we’ve got and play a tight, uplifting and inspired set, we have found our groove now and playing well together.
The crowd seems a little subdued but can we really expect them to be jumping about and dancing at ten past seven for the first band on?

A lot of folk stand there and take it in, no-one walks away to the bar, the crowd just gets bigger and bigger song by song, listening and respectful.
It’s as much as we can ask for, we do well on merchandise and CD sales tonight so obviously we moved a few into investigating our thing further.

Neil J has picked up Spencer and Ian’s cold and is feeling rough after tonight’s performance.
He’s been giving it his all, he always does, but right now he’s spent, thankfully we have a day off tomorrow to allow him time to recover and recoup, he leaves early with Gaz in the van.

By The Rivers capitalize on the gathering masses playing their pop tinged reggae to the locals ( and this is a local gig for them, they reside just up the road in Leicester )
I like them a lot and feel that have the songs to make a great debut album.

The auditorium is packed by the time the Specials take to the stage.
I get a good vantage point in seats to the side of the stage to watch them, it always fascinates me to hear the reaction to the opening footage.
Gazza’s tears gets the biggest cheers tonight whereas in Glasgow his image was greeted with hostility. It is reassuring to know that Thatcher and Cameron are universally despised.

“Bernie Rhodes knows don’t argue” bellows Nev – 8,000 people go fucking nuts, a beautiful vision.

Pre gig Roddy, Neville and Trevor, Nev’s right hand man, regale us with stories from the glory days which have us doubled up with laughter.
Trev is a real character with a voice as deep as the ocean, he’s fun to be around but also talks a lot of sense.
For all the reported fractions and tension in their camp they all seem like a really tight bunch in the Specials, probably know each other too well.
Above all else I think there is a lot of love and respect for each other, they are a gang that just grew up.

There’s an after show thing happening in the directors bar upstairs. I’m not one for talking fanny with C list celebs but it is always worth popping your head into these things because you never know who’s going to be there and of course part of this is about getting our band from A to B.

Tonight the late bar ligging holds a real treat for me, people I truly admire and thoroughly respect in the media and entertainment world are few and far between these days so I’m absolutely delighted when I get the opportunity to meet Shane Meadows whose work I hold in great esteem.
I have no problem rabbiting away to him, I know most of his films inside out.
The wonderful actress Vicky McClure ,who plays Lol in this is England, is also with Shane, she’s not as tall as she appears on screen but every bit as beautiful, strikingly good looking.

Me and Shane are almost the same age and he also doesn’t live a million miles away from me so we instantly have lots of common ground.
I worked in the record shop in Coalville for years which he remembered well, I commend him on his use of Clayhill and before that Sunhouse to soundtrack some of his movies, he tells me that lead singer and frontman Gavin Clark has just made an unbelievable new album, a classic. I can believe it, Crazy on the weekend (Sunhouse) was one of the great lost masterpieces. When Shane asks me where I live he replies “ Fuckin’ hell mate, I know Atherstone, just up the A5.
I bought my motorbike from the shop on Coleshill Road”
I live 4 doors up from the motorbike shop.
We talk music (he’s just been commissioned to document the Stone Roses reformation at the bands request), film and TV (Made in Britain, Meantime) and getting chased around Ashby De La Zouch (both of us share memories from the 80’s of having to fight our way out of a place called the hole in the wall) I make sure he has a copy of our album tucked firmly in his coat pocket before our laughter and conversation is interrupted by Neil Morrissey who is every bit of the annoying, irritating prat that he appears to be on TV.
I fully realise and appreciate that I only get a snapshot of these people and shouldn’t pass judgement but Morrissey’s presence immediately changes the vibe.
He jumps in on the Stone Roses topic – “They could make good money out of corporate packages” he offers, he’s pleased that Ian Brown can walk away with a few million quid in his back pocket. Everything that came out of his mouth seemed to relate to money.

I did however tell him how much I enjoyed his recent TV documentary recounting his early life in a care home, his programme was originally advertised as “the cared for kid”, so I make sure I mentioned that a good friend of mine had written a very beautiful and inspiring, insightful book about his time in care homes called “The Looked After Kid” – “Oh you know Paolo ?” said Bob the Builder.

Yes I do and whereas Neil Morrissey seems to have made fame and money his comfort blanket, Paolo probably searches his soul every day and fully appreciates all the simple daily pleasures and treasures that life brings to his door.
Neil’s credit card may be golden but Paolo’s heart is and I know who is the richer gentleman.

I take my photo opportunities for the tour diary and we head home in the magic bus stopping only to let Lynn practise his Olympian urinating skills.

I wake Claire up to show her my picture with Shane Meadows and Vicky McClure.

Neil S – SF Bass notes

“FOUR SEASONS IN ONE DAY” – Glasgow (Bass Notes / A Tour Diary Part 3)

2011-10-20T22:28:00.000+01:00

MONDAY 17th OCTOBER - DAY OFF / TRAVEL – GLASGOW

Our long and winding road takes us up to Scotland today to Glasgow. We leave Hull after breakfast and begin the mammoth trek north of the border, no gig tonight just a day of travelling and the evening at leisure. As we head out of Yorkshire the minibus radio is tuned into BBC Humberside, the presenter is talking about seeing the Specials at Hull Arena last night, somebody calls in to say that they thought the support band, Stone Foundation, were excellent (big cheer in the bus), we used to get Neil J’s mum to do these sort of things now they happen on their own accord.

It’s some journey up to Glasgow, we depart in glorious sunshine and arrive in Scotland to be greeted by 60 mph winds and driving rain that floods part of the motorway, we even see snow, four seasons in one day as the song goes.
We finally arrive at the hotel around 6pm, drop the bags off and head straight over to the bar opposite. It’s our first time in Glasgow, our first gig in Scotland actually, some debut eh ?

Spencer checks his phone and gets wind that we are featured in tonight’s edition of the Glasgow evening times, I nip round to the newsagents and buy every copy they’ve got.
It’s a sizable article, centre page spread, big picture accompanies it too and pleasingly I don’t get misquoted in the interview which is a first.

We have been recommended a curry house (the Ashanti) on Ashton Lane in the student area so we taxi over town in that direction. I’m delighted to find jaipuri chicken on the menu, it is indeed top notch despite the fact that waiter oddly tells us what rice and naan we’re having rather than letting us order what we actually want, must be a Scottish/Indian thing – They do things differently up there (PH told me so) .

We stay on Ashton Lane and walk over to a bar called Jinty’s that has got some live music on.
We’re just in time to catch the start of Charlie Gorman’s set who sings and plays well, perfect bar for us to unwind in.
Word soon spreads around the locals in the pub that we are in town to support the Specials at the SECC tomorrow night, drinks are bought for us, photos taken, shots of tequila on the house and Charlie also coaxes Neil up to do a couple of numbers, we’re making friends already.
I swap numbers with Charlie to try and get him into the gig tomorrow.
We head back over to the hotel bar, Ghost Town gets played, the City is alive and buzzing, ready for tomorrow’s main event.

TUESDAY 18th OCTOBER – GLASGOW SECC

We just had a feeling about Scotland, we knew it was going to be busy, we knew we had the second slot but it still didn’t prepare us for the response and reaction we received.
It’s intimidating just walking in the hall, tonight is the first night I truly have a few nerves, I’ve had butterflies but this is different.
I was fine and composed as we arrived but during soundcheck unbeknown to me, Horace Panter is standing right behind me as I play, I only realise halfway through “Human”, I wouldn’t normally be phased by anything like that but I have the upmost respect for Horace as a bass player.
I’m not into the musician thing at all and there’s only a handful of (bass) players that I really dig, usually the non-musician types like Paul Simonon of the Clash (who holds it better than anyone else and that’s just as important ) Horace has everything though, the style, the sound & the look, I don’t want to fuck up in front of the master (I don’t of course)

Hand on heart I can honestly say that tonight is the best gig we’ve played so far and Glasgow is the best audience we’ve ever played to.
The SECC is vast, an enormous venue and it is packed to the rafters, if you can’t cut it then you best get the fuck out of there, and fast.
They love there music up here and like prize fighters we walk out to thousands of them to prove that we are worthy of their attention, my chest feels like it’s going to cave in, my heart is pumping as the house lights go down and I walk over to my amp. Phil clicks us in and the sparks fly and the magic happens.

We catch fire, right place, right time. I announce that it’s our first time in Scotland, almost immediately 6,000 Scots get behind us, it’s fucking amazing.
Whatever happens next our time on that stage at the SECC will stay in our memories forever.
All 7 of us pull together, each & every one has a cracking gig.
Neil calls on every inch of experience he has gathered over years of paying dues and fronts the band onto a different level. The change in the size of venue also makes the sound bigger, I feel like you could hear my bass back in Atherstone.

The gig literately has everything, during Somebody, somewhere a fight breaks out over my side about 4 rows back and I don’t just mean handbags stuff, a proper full on ruck which takes security a good couple of minutes to disperse and break up.

I look out at a sea of faces, I notice my Brother in law, Kev who has flew up from Bristol standing amongst skinheads, punks, mods, rudies. All the tribes are out in force tonight and the atmosphere is electric, of course it just intensifies during the Specials set, even Terry hall is smiling and declares Glasgow the best audience of the tour so far and invites them to organise coach trips to the rest of the dates.

Everyone has enjoyed Scotland and we need to make sure that we return sooner than later.

We’re up early-ish the next day as a 6 / 7 hour trip home awaits us. The van leaves an hour in front the minibus, a couple of the lads jump in there in order to get home a bit earlier as the magic bus is fitted with a limiter so we can’t travel over 65mph, it would probably be quicker driving home in a milk float.

We only get as far as Carlisle when news reaches us that the van has been pulled over doing 95mph on the motorway. The police nick them by some farmland of which the pungent smell of shite almost masks the aroma wafting from the van, the cops don’t know whether they’ve pulled over a bunch of farmers or extras from a Cheech 'n' Chong movie. Our man gets hauled over to the car and has his Tupperware box confiscated which doesn’t contain his sandwiches, he gets a ticking off and told to take his time, unbelievable.
Even more unbelievable when he gets back in the van to drive off and realises that he’s left the keys to it in the police car, that’s how fucking stoned he is !

Our bus finally rolls back home at 4.30pm, I’m looking forward to seeing the kids.

Charlie the singer from Jinty’s bar on Monday night phones me, I was able to get him into the gig and he calls to say thanks and that the band absolutely blew him away, he calls out a few titles things like Uncomplicated and Tracing Paper, he thought the songs were great and we reminded him of an English E – Street band, a gang mentality, everyone a character and havin’ it.
I’ll take that as a compliment.

Scotland we will return soon......x

(Neil S / SF Bass notes)

APOLLO LANDING – FRI 14TH OCT – MANCHESTER APOLLO 1ST NIGHT (Bass notes / Tour diary part 2)

2011-10-18T19:59:00.001+01:00

Manchester Apollo, probably my favourite venue in the Country, I’ve seen so many great gigs there over the years, Dylan around the time of Oh Mercy on top of his game, Grace Jones, Kraftwerk also spring to mind, even if a gig is scheduled close to home I’ve been known to travel up to Manchester instead just because of the magical atmosphere of the Apollo. As I looked at the list of tour dates that we would be playing the 2 consecutive nights at Manchester Apollo leapt out. A real buzz to be playing there.
We head off in the magic bus early , we have a radio interview to do prior to soundcheck. The presenter is a bit of an oddball and seems nervous interviewing us, keeps on tripping over his words, Me & Jonesy have done enough of them to navigate conversation in the right direction, they play Holy Blue and Let The Light.

We get to the Apollo at 4pm to be greeted by the most miserable fucker in Manchester, a toothless jobs worth on the security gate, the sort that would fall out with his shadow. We just ignore the wanker but I thought I’d out him in my notes.
Soundcheck is quick and good, monitor Mark and James are on the ball. We’re on the early shift tonight (7.10pm) we play as the hall is filling up, another good gig. We swap the set around tonight and substitute a new song “ Like Georgie Fame said” for “Human”.
We get a great reception the audiences thankfully seem to be getting it and appreciating us.

Scott & Jamie strip our gear down and we all go into catering for dinner (salted chilli chicken with noodles) where Phil gets star struck when he notices Simon Rimmer sitting at the next table.
Phil is a massive fan of Cooking shows, if you room with him on tour he’ll keep you up half the night watching repeats of masterchef, so Rimmer, the house chef of Tim Lovejoy’s Sunday TV programme Something For The Weekend, is a bit of an icon to him.
He goes over to talk to Brad just so he can get an introduction.
He’s made up when he does get the opportunity to talk food with him.

I watch the Specials from the mixing desk tonight, once again they storm it, grown men in the audience virtually moved to tears, it’s not a show or just another gig, every night is an event. There’s an aftershow organised in the circle bar, me & Scott talking to actor Chris Bisson (Emmerdale, Coronation St, East is East, Shameless) he’s surprisingly knowledgeable about music and swears even more than I do.
We return to the hotel around 1.30am I’m rooming with Phil and Nick who keep me up half the night with their snoring. I’ve got it in stereo, just as one stops the other starts. I get about 4 hours kip in total.

SAT 15th OCTOBER – MANCHESTER APOLLO – 2nd NIGHT

Everyone’s up and breakfasting by 10am. We head into Manchester City centre to wind away a few hours before returning to the Apollo for soundcheck.
Liverpool play Man Utd today so to appease our dirty red contingent we head to the nearest boozer that’s showing the game.
It’s a dull affair that results in a 1-1 draw. We scour a few record shops, Beatin’ Rhythm has long been a favourite on Tibb St, I come away empty handed but Neil picks up a few choice 45’s and Scott clutches Baby Huey and David Axelrod LP’s.

Second slot tonight, 8pm just before the Specials and the masses have already gathered by the time we walk out. We’re greeted by warm applause as we stroll out onto stage, a nice touch. It spurs us on and we have a cracker, best one yet. Same set as last night we just change the running order. We get a big, big response tonight I think we’re all beginning to feel comfortable on the bigger stages.

The nice thing about moving around the Country is that I get to meet up with old friends too, facebook has been good for reuniting and reconnecting with school mates and such like, tonight I hook up with Mandy Smith (now Amanda Johnson) for a drink, I haven’t seen her since we were listening to the Specials first time around, lives in Macclesfield, teaching.
Nice to see her.

Claire (Mrs S) travelled up to stay with me tonight so a welcome break from the snoring twins. It’s my birthday tomorrow and as the clock turns past midnight Nikolai, the Specials keyboard player , lines up vodka shots on the bar for me.
He’s a live wire, always upbeat, full of laughter.
I notice on stage tonight that he has some toy teeth placed on top of his organ, on closer inspection I note that the two front teeth are missing, I like his sense of humour, he’s also a fuckin’ brilliant keyboard player.

Back to the hotel just before 1am. The best present I could have is the fact that Claire is here with me and thankfully she doesn’t snore.

BIRTHDAY BOY – SUN 16th OCTOBER – HULL ARENA

My birthday !
It’s quite significant that 30 years ago in 1981 I was barely into my teenage years when I first saw the Specials at the Butts stadium in Coventry and now 3 decades later I celebrate my 44th birthday by playing on tour with the band that meant so much to me and left such a lasting impression, It’s fairly surreal and certainly a birthday I’ll never forget.

I wake up to cards and presents, Claire’s got me Paolo Hewitt's new book on the Beatles and their clothes, Fab Gear.
She’s been in touch with Paolo and he’s signed a copy for me “To Neil – The fabbest” , lovely touch and nice to see his brilliant book finally in print, I’ll look forward to dipping into that. After breakfast I kiss my wife goodbye and we board the magic bus once more to make the journey across Lancashire and into Yorkshire to Hull Arena.
It’s a very scenic trip, beautiful views from the motorway.

We arrive in Hull with just about enough time to spare to drop our bags off at the hotel and drive over to the venue. Hull arena is an ice arena and you can fucking tell, It’s freezing in there. Our changing rooms are a little less luxurious tonight, we share what resembles the school showers with By the Rivers, we’re not one of those to moan or complain though, we’re not Mariah Carey.
7.10 pm slot tonight, the doors have opened earlier and the bars are all situated in the main hall, so we have a sizeable crowd to play to from the off, another really enjoyable gig, the sound is fantastic.
I notice two girls in the second row singing the words to “No more the fool” we can feel the ripples turning into waves, it’s touching and exciting. Right track goes into the set tonight.

As we have never played night after night before I was worried about the effect this may have on Neil’s voice as he gives it everything every time we play but tonight there is absolutely no signs of strain, he has a belter as do Phil & Nick, they look comfortable and confident although Nick did have a moment before going on after speaking on the phone to his son Jack who he’s missing .
I think it gives Nick an extra kick and he has his best gig yet on stage in Hull.

Post gig Brad comes over to our table whilst we’re having dinner to tell us that all in the Specials camp are pleased to have us on board and they’re really digging our sets every night. He says he has things in mind for us for the future.
It really does feel like all those testing times and despondent frustrating days of being ignored are being left behind, people are starting to know our name.

I almost forget that it’s my birthday, we head back to the hotel where I’m showered with free pints and Baileys. We’re staying at the Premier Inn tonight which is in a different league to Travelodge. Spacious, comfortable rooms, spotless and luxurious.
Place your trust in Lenny Henry.
I have a room to myself and get a good nights sleep, lots of travelling to do tomorrow as we make our way up to Scotland..........

Neil S / SF Bass notes.

STONE FOUNDATION - Small Town Soul To Big City Passion ...A Tour Diary

2011-10-13T23:40:00.004+01:00

Stone Foundation - Think Dexy's (circa 80/81) ,Think Psychedelic Soul ( Temps/Isaac Hayes/Norman Whitfield productions circa 71 -73), Think Costello (Punch The Clock Circa 83) and you're some way to hitting the groove that these boys are laying down . (Resisted the urge to call you or them cats).
So good in fact that soul legends Joe Harris of Motown's The Undisputed Truth and the Northern Soulman Nolan Porter have came over to sing with the West Midlands 7 piece and complimented and augmented the authenticity that SF play with.

A fantastic new album out titled The Three Shades Of The Stone Foundation which should be on your Xmas list if you're a bit strapped .

Live wise there's enough passion and soul to make your heartache and to make your feet fleet across a room (Talc optional) and thanks to some wise heads in the Specials camp, the Coventry dons have asked the chaps to accompany them on their Autumn tour around The UK .

Neil Sheasby the Bassman will be updating Away From The Numbers with his tour diary whilst on the road in what are the biggest gigs SF have ever played.

What a proper geezer.

“THE DAWNING OF A NEW ERA” – ( Bass Notes / A tour diary Part 1 )

MON 9th OCT – REHEARSAL ROOM, ATHERSTONE,WARWICKSHIRE.

It doesn’t matter how many gigs or rehearsals you do absolutely nothing can prepare you for a tour of this scale, the hour is almost upon us and the anticipation, tension, excitement and nerves are all coming to the fore.

Jonesy sent everyone a text this afternoon saying it felt like Christmas Eve. It did.

Tonight all 10 of us who are going out on the road for this adventure meet up, we rehearse but there’s a kind of calm around the camp, an air of stillness before embarking into the unknown. We honestly don’t know what to expect.
The 3 lads who are coming with the band are the most vocal tonight, making sure they’re organised and haven’t overlooked anything.
We’ve certainly chosen well. Scott (as always) is with us, he seems more nervous than any of the band, he’s been calling me for weeks saying he’s got butterflies just thinking about it and he’s supposed to be looking after us! Jamie has flew back from New Zealand for it, it’s a lift for us all as we haven’t seen him for 18 months, he fits straight back into the fold, he wasn’t going to miss this.

Scott & Jamie immediately start up their banter bickering about which one is the main man and who’s wearing the Black SF T-Shirt and who’s sporting the white one and what significance this holds. I want them to wear army greens and berets but they won’t have it.

Gaz Tuck joins them and completes our team, Gaz is responsible for driving our equipment around and looking after the merchandise. Gaz is cool, calm, sensible, level headed and a non – drinker. Every ship needs a anchor.

So the team is in place, the band is ready, clothes are ironed. Time to shake some action..................

MONDAY 10th OCTOBER – WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC HALL - 1st NIGHT

We board the magic bus, our home from home for the next 4 weeks, at 3pm, we’ve been instructed to turn up at the Civic Hall at 4pm.
Corporation Street is fenced off, autograph hunters crowd at the top barrier, a tingle of excitement shoots through everyone as our bus gets waved through, all of the time it feels like we shouldn’t really be here, it is surreal.
I was half expecting Scott to pull up outside the Varsity down the road, although I think we’re still banned from that venue for nicking an industrial giant can of baked beans and a mammoth bag of curly fries.
Shit gig that but a distant memory now.

Wolverhampton Civic Hall, I’ve seen countless gigs here, even done a record fair here on Saturday, now we play it supporting one of the most unique, important and influential bands of our generation, The Specials.

Our main agenda today is to just get on with things and the job in hand, be polite and friendly to everyone but to cause zero fuss, just be ourselves and make sure we’re organised.
You have a million and one things play out in your mind beforehand, usually what could go wrong, but right from the moment we walk through the doors everyone is so welcoming and respectful.
A full crew from sound to catering that can’t do enough for you.
I find it odd that I don’t have to carry any gear or really even set my own stuff up, it’s all laid on.

Our sound engineers for the tour are James and mark whose names I remember by thinking of the golfer Mark James although I still struggle to remember which one is which, what I do know thankfully is that they are on the money.
We are like little children when we are given our tour passes, all individually numbered, I get number 2 which I’m not happy about because the number 2 always reminds me of Gary Neville, Red Nev the shop steward which is never a good thing.

The other band on the tour are By the Rivers from Leicester, young lads, real cool, easy to get on with and a great band to boot (Vulture he scoop, burn an’ a loot...) perfect touring partners for us.
We will alternate between the first and second slot every night, tonight we open up. 7.10pm – 7.40pm.

Surprisingly I get no nerves at all, just get on and enjoy it. It’s a steady gig, an ideal way to get out of the traps, the room really starts to fill up halfway through the set ( I can only see the first 3 rows anyway) It feels like we get a good response, it’s quite an intense experience getting accustomed to the bigger stage, halls and sound.
I recognise Paul Cook’s tones in the audience making some noise for us, he’s unmistakable.
I think we’re all relieved to get the first gig under our belts and realise that there is nothing to fear or worry about, just get on do our thing & enjoy and savour the moment.

Most of us sit up on the balcony to watch the Specials, they are simply incredible.
As relevant and significant today as they were 30 years ago, this is highlighted by a montage of footage that precedes their entrance which depicts various political events and leaders over the past three decades, nothing much has changed, this town is still becoming like a ghost town.

As it’s local to us we travel home tonight, though I don’t really get much sleep.

TUESDAY 11th OCTOBER – WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC HALL – 2nd NIGHT

We have a radio interview to do in Stourbridge before soundcheck today. The station broadcasts from a converted church, it goes well although we still get called THE stone foundation.

We arrive at 4pm at the Civic and have dinner before S/Check.
The menu changes every day, a choice of 3 starters, 5 main courses and dessert. I settle on Jamaican jerk chicken with rice, peas n’ ting, I don’t like to be too full before a gig but this food is delicious.

Lynval joins us at the dinner table and makes us feel very welcome, an instantly likeable character, friendly, upbeat full of conversation.
He seems really pleased to have the band reassembled again and genuinely excited about the tour.
John constantly slips by too, checking in on us, making sure all’s fine and offering words of encouragement. He’ll forever be a diamond in our eyes, he’s put faith & belief in us and championed our corner and for that we will be eternally grateful.

Tonight we are on second, the 8 til’ 8.30 shift. It’s a busy one, full to the back of the hall. I’m slightly more tense before walking out tonight but that falls by the wayside once we strike up, we have a really good gig tonight, it clicks into gear and we lock in. I love it. We’re gonna need a suitcase full of threads, all of us completely drenched in sweat. Intense experience again.

I watch the Specials from the back of the hall tonight, it’s rammed in there.
They mean so much to so many people, the impact those two records had on folk can not be underestimated.
There’s not many bands I can think of that could return 30 years later and fill arenas.
Musically, culturally, historically they are one of the most important bands in the history of UK music.

Post gig Roddy saunters over in the bar to have a drink with us, we hit it off, he’s very complimentary about the band and he also seems to have found his groove with the tour, his playing and presence on stage for the last two nights has been sensational, the way his style and direction knits and works with the Jamaican influence is where the magic happens.
The characters in the band are so identifiable and distinctive.

We pack up and get home for 1.30 am, it would have been 1am but Lynn done a piss at the Tamworth services, not in the toilet but right outside the van, that lasted for about 15 minutes. It’s probably a world record.

Day off tomorrow then up to Manchester on Friday.

NEIL S / SF

And Battle Come Down....The Return Of The West London Derby

2011-10-13T21:38:00.002+01:00

With the first Queens Park Rangers - Chelsea game in the top flight for 15 seasons on Sunday 22 October, AFTN finds out what the fixture means to both Chelsea and Rangers fans in what has been a sorely missed game by a lot of people west of Notting Hill .

For me growing up in Northolt,it was a massive match as it was mainly a QPR foothold and if CFC lost you would have to live with it for weeks in the pubs and drinkers from Harrow to Hayes and Paddington to Perivale. Some of us still have to hear about a result from 25 years ago which Phil mentions.

On the other hand though,the late Paul Furlong winner in a FA Cup game at Loftus Road enabled me to plaster a mate's front door in that morning's newspaper photos of Wisey,Spencer etc celebrating in front of the away fans at 6 AM the next day just in case he'd got so pissed he'd forgotten about the previous night's defeat.

Obviously so much has changed in those 15 years as Chelsea now dine at the top table with Europe's elite and QPR having had more up's and mainly down's than a lap dancer in the back room of Bada Bing,New Jersey.

Singing the blues for QPR is Paddington born Phil Potter....

Been a QPR supporter since 1973, my first game was against Sheffield Wednesday in the League Cup 2nd Round at the mighty Loftus Road, which we won 8-2!!!,
QPR have been in my family for many generations so i had no choice in the matter
but I'm glad i made the right one in my eyes.

There are many 'Derby' matches from around the world, as we know, Arsenal/Spurs,Liverpool/Everton
Newcastle/Sunderland ,Rangers/Celtic and from abroad Boca Juniors/River Plate, Inter/A.C. Milan and Barca/Madrid (although not really a derby)

None come close to the mob we play less then 3 miles from W12....Chelsea!
It's the first game i looked for back on June 17th as the fixtures were released.

We last played them in the Premiership back in 1995/96 season and since then they've got a new billionaire owner,Champions League regulars, League Champions, FA and League Cup winners and so on, but I'm sure in their hearts of hearts , even the most loyal Chelsea fan has missed playing us.

The so-called "little" neighbours from W12,
Where i grew up the two sets of fans either lived or went to school together,
I've always enjoyed the banter between the 2 clubs,and as an honest supporter of the R's, will
always give credit to other clubs, and it hurts me to say this but Chelsea are a top 5 British club.
The buzz of knowing that the QPR/Chelsea fixture is back is amazing, years ago our subbuteo ground (as CFC fans like to call it) used to hold around 27,000 and on derby day 14,000 would be Chelsea fans, That didn't matter on the field though as many a time QPR have come off grand winners,none so more then the 6-0 drubbing of Easter 1986 when Chelsea were going for the league title.
Gary Bannister always a thorn in Chelsea's side smashed a hat trick much to the delight of us lot!!

Earlier on that decade Chelsea did start off very well on our infamous plastic pitch winning on there first 2 visits
In 1981/82 they won 2-0, then the following season 2-1,
the banter was always in good spirits back then even though crowd trouble and hooliganism was at it's peak , very seldom did i see any real violence at QPR/Chelsea.

The last 2 meetings in the F.A.Cup in 2008 and the League Cup the following year has been different as the trouble seemed a lot worse, new supporters from both sides have come along and in my eyes seen to many Danny Dyer films.
I have many many Chelsea mates that have always been up for a bit of a giggle before & after matches involving the 2 teams but never have i had any trouble, apart from a bit of a scare was in the Milk Cup Quarter Final Replay in 1986 at Stamford Bridge.
The first game at our place ended 1-1 and in the days before the game was done and dusted on the night we had to head over to the cold cavernous SW6 gaff.

The replay went into extra time and Alan McDonald headed us into the lead from a corner, Chelsea fans seemed to be heading for the exits when Michael Robinson put us 2-0 up with an outrageous 50 yard shot. By the time i got to Fulham Broadway and the look on the Chelsea fans faces wasn't pleasant, and as i was only 18 my 'Aris' was going but i got home in one piece thankfully.

Chelsea and now us will play in front of bigger attendances this season but it's the result on the day that matters to us,more than any other. Can't fucking wait!

Oh and a big thanks to Fulham F.C.. for keeping our seat warm over the past 10 seasons, but were back now and we'll take it from here thanks!!
(Written before the 6-0 defeat)

Lifelong Chelsea Fan Rob Haynes gives his opinion......

What does QPR v Chelsea mean to me?

Not a lot if I’m being totally honest.
Even though they’re on our doorstep and they obviously hold a deep hatred for all things Chelsea, as far as I’m concerned it’s always been Spurs, Leeds, Liverpool, West Ham & Utd who we save our real hatred for.
It’s a shame because a decent West London rivalry would be a fantastic thing, but I just can’t help thinking of them as an annoying little brother tugging at the trouser leg of their more successful, important and better looking sibling.
I grew up with a lot of family and friends who were all Rangers fans and even back then as a kid I knew it was always far more important to hate Tottenham than them.

Okay granted back in the 80’s their team of Bannister, Roeder, Gregory, Stainrod etc managed by Terry Venables was very decent and honours were usually even results wise - you can fuck off if you think I’m going to mention the Easter Bank Holiday 0-6 game at length – but you could always guarantee that Chelsea’s support would absolutely swamp Loftus Rd.
The South Africa Rd stand, the Ellerslie Rd stand and The Loft would be taken over more or less unopposed. Season after season we took the piss over there.

Even to the extent of QPR printing this message in a matchday programme in 1987

'Rangers normal programme price is 60p but we have to face the fact today that Chelsea fans will be in the majority here and they are accustomed to a 70p price. In these circumstances we prefer to put out a programme aimed at the majority purchasers.'

Even the powers that be at Rangers knew we were coming to invade their ground every season and made a drink from it!

Well into the 90’s we would still go there in massive numbers. I even got nicked in The Loft in 91 for celebrating a Chelsea equaliser.

Fast forward 20 years and Rangers are back amongst the big boys and it would seem a lot of their younger lads are treating October 23rd as some sort of cup final and a chance to right a few wrongs that dogged their dads and uncles down the years. The bile coming out of White City towards us is pretty virulent. They want us to know in no uncertain terms just how much they despise Chelsea and that the 23rd will see some sort of sea-change in the balance of power in West London.

Well here’s my official response…..we don’t care.
You’re not important enough to register on our radar.
To us you’re no more significant than Palace, Fulham, Charlton or Orient. It’s a sad fact but it’s the truth.

Enjoy your cup final though.....

There you have it,two sides of the coin . There would have been more opinions but time waits for no fan.

Now if i was an impartial impassioned strange bloke that grew up in a different era,i would love to say that i hope it's a great game of football with passion,skill and style and loads of banter off the field.

But I'm not so i would like to see Chelsea win 7-0 and watch Joey Barton get sent off for quoting Morrissey lyrics to the ref,and then have a mighty celebration drink with all my old mates giving it large down the boozer.

It's On !

2011-10-07T21:33:00.002+01:00

At the turn of 90's when what seemed like the world was in the grip of E when everyone loved everyone,music from Manchester and Chicago were rocking and ruling the clubs and venues of the British Isles,DJ's from places such as Windsor,Brixton and Stoke were the new God's but in the mix there was one mob who stood alone to all this.
They had more in common with The Specials and The Jam than The Stone Roses or Inspiral Carpets.
They were a true representation of the kid on the streets,sung about our lives though somewhat obscurely at times and didn't wear flares.
A band born out of a council estate opposite London's Regents Park that although even by their own admission wasn't the greatest of musicians but put on some of the best nights out I've ever had in 30 years of hitting clubs and venues in search of the thrill.
The spirit of the Clash mixed with the Acid House hedonism of the time and a ready made crowd from London and the Home Counties thanking the lord that Madchester didn't have it all it's own way.

Flowered Up were a 5 piece that had sell out shows before even a single was out.
The buzz was phenomenal and by the time the debut It's On had hit the Record Shops ,they had already adorned the front cover of the NME.
I remember from the interview Liam the singer saying the first time he did a pill,he went home and put all his brother's clothes on and get into bed. Why that sticks out i have no idea,but it tickled me all the same.
The Bez of the south was Barry 'Basil' Mooncult who was one could say touched.
In a green lycra jump suit and a Sunflower around his bonce he rallied the troops and got the audience to join in the beautiful chaos that surrounded the band at each gig with gusto and a spirit that won World Wars.

The album A Life With Brian followed by a couple of singles was a prequel to the defining moment of the hazy days of the early 1990's in the shape of the 13 minute genius that is Weekender.
With the accompanying video it captures a time and place that was young London in full party regalia just living for the moment.
No other band came close to producing something as brave or as fitting to what at times seemed like a mutant sub nation off their bonce and getting mashed like there was no tomorrow.

Away From The Numbers speaks to Flowered Up's keyboard player Tim Dorney to find out the what it was like to be part of the beautiful chaos.....

Firstly what were your early influences musically and got you interested in playing ?

I think I was a new romantic though didn't really dress the part, I was into the likes of Gary Numan, John Foxx, early Ultravox, Cabaret Voltaire that sort of thing though I was also really into some of the American electronic stuff like Tuxedo Moon and the Residents.
I got my mum to buy my first mono synth for my 15th birthday I think though most of the local bands were 'post punk' and didn't want a keyboard player, especially one who could only play one note at a time and make spacey noises so I started writing stuff using a cassette portastudio, luckily none of that has seen the light of day since then.

A couple of years later it was anything on Factory or Zoo records and the Cure and I formed a band with my long term collaborator Jonny Male (Soul Family Sensation,Republica) who I still work with on and off today, we had a residency at the local pub and that lasted a couple of years before he moved to Manchester.

What clubs were you hitting in those days?

I started going to London clubs in the mid 80's, primarily the Mud Club but then moved on to Shoom, The Trip, the Out, Valbonne's for Tommy Mac's thing on a Sunday, Phil Perry's parties and anything that was on at the weekends (except Miami Is Your Mate which I think was midweek).
I'd been friends with Andy Weatherall and the Boys Own chaps for some years as they're mostly from around Windsor where I'm from and they'd got a lot of us into going up to London for some great nights out.

I went to Shoom at the fitness centre a few times but wasn't a regular but we used to go to the Trip every week, and fucking loved it, met many firm friends there as well who I continue to bump into occasionally. I remember Oakenfold stopping the music in what i think was the first week and saying over the PA "A lot of people have been asking me what a Balearic Beat is, well this is one ...." and let rip with Thrashing Doves 'Jesus on the payroll'
We used to go to Devil May Care in Uxbridge alot around that time as well and had some great nights there, as well as Valbonne's on a Sunday.
The first few Boys Own parties were amazing, the Guildford Farm and East Grinstead ones were two of the best nights of my lives, Guildford I vaguely remember being sat in a car off my tits for about two hours talking utter bollocks with 3 people I'd never met, one of them turning out to be Gilles Peterson. Barry Mooncult as a pantomime cow at East Grinstead is one of the craziest sights ever.

Also one of the maddest ones was a birthday party for this guy Roger who I think was some relation to royalty but lived on a bus, about 40 of us mostly Shoomers rocked up in the car park by Silbury Hill in Wiltshire and had a party. We all ended up climbing the hill off our tits on dead fresh smiling mushrooms from Amsterdam and it was a mad mad night, the drugs were so strong quite a few of the people who went that night never touched acid again.

How did Flowered Up come together and was it shocking how big and quick the buzz was before you'd even got a deal ?

I'm not too sure how Flowered Up coalesced, I wasn't the original keyboard player.
I got the job, again through Andy Weatherall.
I'd worked on a few of his early remixes with him and he heard they were looking for another keyboard player and gave my number to Des and Terry who were managing them.
Simon the original keyboardist had left to form Sly & Lovechild. I've got to admit I'd never heard of Flowered Up at the start, though they'd already played the Africa Centre and that place that used to be under Paddington station.
I started getting an inkling when I mentioned I was joining to a few people and they went wow, they're going to be huge.
My first gig with them was at Heaven about a month after I'd joined, they only had about 4 songs when I joined but we started knocking out about one a week pretty quickly.
We'd rehearse Friday nights at a place called Sunday School in Elephant & Castle, we spent a long time working down there and it had a great vibe to it, Natural Life used to always be in the other room who we used to have a great laugh with, Julian Cope was recording an album there as well around that time.

What do you remember about playing the ICA,April 1990?

The ICA was I think the second gig I played with them, we had Topper Headon from The Clash on percussion that night! It was definitely a good gig but the thing that sticks in my memory most was having to march Joe the guitarist up and down and feed him coffee outside in the Mall as he'd got blind drunk in the afternoon and was all over the shop, luckily he was revived but there was a pattern forming even then.

What are your favourite memories of that early period and was you aware of the love that FU had from working class kids from Greater London estates who loved FU for reflecting their outlook at that time ?

I think my favourite memories were from the first couple of tours, every night a stage invasion, we never minded. The lack of sleep was a major thing, there was a lot of pill taking going on and with a mischief maker like Barry Mooncult around no one was allowed much sleep.

On the rare occasions we had hotels we'd normally be asked to leave at some ungodly hour because of complaints from other guests about a naked Mooncult cruising the hotel or a room getting trashed. Another favourite was letting off fire extinguishers in each other's bags so your clothes would be soaked through for days, they never got a chance to dry so you'd be in the same clothes on and off stage for days on end.

We were very aware of the love, especially from the Regents Park estate where the rest of them came from, we always had a minibus rammed to the gunnel's with friends and fans wherever we went and they were all to ready to sing our praises or stand up for us if things got hairy.

Did the recording of the album come easy for you?

No question it was hard work. We'd recorded It's On and Phobia as singles before but we still really had no idea about studio recording, It's On was done in a shitty little place and the engineer was awful and hated us, Phobia we did with a guy called Nigel who was our front of house guy at that time and he ended up producing the album.
God knows why we insisted on him but he was quite out of his depth with the album, we had a succession of engineers on it as well, some good some bad.
Eventually we got Jeremy Allom who's a huge Aussie guy who'd just mixed Blue Lines for Massive Attack (or Massive as they'd had to become for a while then) and he rescued it, both from a production and mixing perspective.
It took about 3 and a half months to record at Pete Townsends Eel Pie studio near Richmond on the river.
I spent as much time as I could down there, first in and last to leave but the others tended to come and go as they pleased and we wasted a lot of time (and silly money) there.

We used to have great mornings where Pete (Townsend) would come in and we'd chat on any number of subjects for a couple of hours not always music, he was a fountain of knowledge and really supportive of us, even driving me round Twickenham to friends of his houses when I'd accidentally screwed up my sequencing software.
Unfortunately, and I didn't realise it at the time, but smack was starting to creep it's way in with the band and management.

Was Weekender any easier?

Weekender was a great experience. We were working with Clive Langer (Madness, Dexys, Bowie, Morrisey etc) this time and he's a great bloke, I've worked with him since on Republica stuff.
We were originally re recording Crackerjack with him to release as a single but we'd been to a residential rehearsal studio the week before and the basics of weekender had come out of a jam that went on for what seemed liked days.
We started playing Weekender while they were getting the sound up and Clive had the good sense to record it, somewhere there's a 20 minute live in the studio version lurking on tape.
I'd love to hear that again.

He was really keen on it and went back to the record company and lobbied for that instead of Crackerjack and they finally agreed to let us do it.
We did a week's preproduction on it first in Camden to nail the arrangement and write more parts for it; but during that week had a massive bust up with Andy Jackson the bass player and he got fired three days before we started recording, the bass on the record was actually one of roadies and a bloody good job of it he did too.
It took a week to record but every day was amazing, we and Clive were firing on all cylinders and the guest players on it excelled. Steve Nieve from The Attractions played most of the Hammond (we paid him 3 E's for that! )
Dom Weller who was a rasping old jazzer played the sax (he was out of breath after walking from the front door to the control room so god knows how he could blow like that),
Kate St. John from the Dream Academy on oboe, Luis Jardim who's a percussion god, Gloria and another guy who's name escapes me on BV's. All just blew us away with their talents.
The week after we went down to Olympic Studios and mixed it with Mark Stent who's one of the best mix engineers this country's ever produced, me and Clive sat on him for 3 days to get what we wanted out of it, a bit of a tricky relationship at first but once the ice thawed we were all into it.

Did you realise once Weekender was done how defining it was of the time ?

We knew it was good and didn't give a shit about it being nearly 13 minutes long.

London records however did give a shit, they wanted to release it as a 1000 copy only fan record.
Things were going tits up with them by that point anyway and we jumped ship to Sony where Heavenly had moved to and luckily Jeff Barrett and Rob Stringer had the vision and let Wiz make the video for it and give it a proper release.
I think it's the video as well as the track, the combination of the two have written that song into folklore. It's still by far the song I'm most proud at having been involved with.

One of the best gigs i've ever been part of was at The Marquee gig which was a Radio 1 thing,where i spent most of the night on stage with the band dancing like a didilo!
What are your memories?

The best thing was the stage being invaded BEFORE WE EVEN CAME ON! It was bonkers, the radio people were literally having fucking kittens and really really pissed at us for not kicking everyone off, it was a really good gig as well, I'd love to hear the recording of that again.

What did being in FU mean to you and the subsequent split,was it a relief or where you gutted?

FU was amazing for a time up to Weekender, the gigs were exciting, there was a real camaraderie in the band and we were on the way up. We used to get away with murder but post that it got frustrating.
Smack, which had been a problem for a couple of them prior to FU crept its way back in again and things really started going downhill, we'd be booked in to rehearse or write somewhere in North London.
I'd come up from Windsor about 11 and set up and if I was lucky the rest would show up about 3 o'clock and writing new material with them was proving difficult.

Liam was in a bad place drug wise and had lost confidence in himself, the drummer started stealing bit of equipment all that sort of shit going on.
In the end I went up to see the management to get some money to pay my electricity bill to be told couldn't have any as they'd bought 13 grammes of coke that weekend and didn't have any money left.
I left about a week later and it was a relief to be honest, no one phoned me and tried to talk me out of it, I think we all knew it had run it's course. By that time I had already met Toddy who I started Republica with so I think I was already moving on.

Any random funny stories,having Barry in the band must have been eventful !

There were many many funny stories mostly due to Barry but he's probably better at telling them, there were two that spring to mind though. At the time when we were getting on best we had a day off and were staying at a hotel outside Glasgow, it was a gorgeous hot day, we spent the morning playing crown green bowls (yes really!) then found some old scrub land near the hotel and had a mad afternoon drinking this stuff we'd invented called Kosh, it was kalua, brandy and milk I think.

We bought a load of food and built a fire to cook it and had a great time.
Then as the sun was going down then suddenly about 200 yards away this tree bursts into flames, then another then another and then back comes Barry (stark naked as usual) laughing his head off with a can of petrol in his hand. He was a certified nutter.
The other Barry one involves Shaking Stevens. It was about July / August and we were recording with Clive at Westside Studios in Ladbroke Grove and Shakey is doing his christmas single in the studio next door. We've got Paul Mathur and a photographer from Melody Maker down for an interview and it's decided we should get some photos with Shakey; so we all line up with him and the camera starts clicking then on shot two ,Barry gurns at Shakey who's next to him and grabs his arse.
Mr Stevens was less than impressed and legged it while we all collapse in laughter.

You were due to get back together but obviously Liam's addiction and then untimely death halted that.
For me personally although i didn't know him ,it was incredibly sad as it seemed like he was the first musical casualty from those heady and fantastic days to have succumbed to the lifestyle.

It was a real shame with Liam.
He was a lovely guy, I carried his coffin and we had a hell of a party afterwards with lots of old faces I hadn't seen for years, though these days the talk was more where they'd done time, for what and which rehab they'd been through. I miss him.

What are you up to now Tim?

During the days I'm a decorator, the rest of the time I'm either away gigging with Republica or mixing & mastering other people's stuff in my studio mostly for a label called WLM plus a bit of live sound for people occasionally. I'm starting to set up a programming suite at my new gaff and keep the studio for final mixing / mastering.

Tim it's been an absolute pleasure,thanks for your time!

Sweet ...just did about Fortyyyy :)

..

(Tim - Far Left)

Better Than Walking The Streets

2011-10-05T18:02:00.001+01:00

Work by and large is shit.
You might do a job that is passable and doesn't give you the fear on a Sunday night but unless you're of simple stock,earning large for doing very little,captain in your own industry or hate your home life so much that getting your nut down is a welcome relief ,grafting is tedious,annoying and a downright inconvenience.

Though there can be the odd exception in this field but for me only when i look back at past occupations.
I was a postman for a few years through my late teens and into my early 20's and the crack there was something I'll always hold dear as I've never encountered anything since on a grand everyday scale.

The job itself on the outside is what it is. You deliver letters.
You don't get offers of Sex and very rarely get a cup of tea.

But inside 40 odd posties all together sorting the mail and then your walk (round) was the best laugh I've ever had in nearly 30 years making a living.

Introducing some of Greenford's finest.....

Sucker - A low rent Jack Nickleson lookalike who would sidle up to both men and women whilst sorting their walk and grab his bollocks and grumble " Give us a suck". then cackle like Mystic Meg on Crystal Meth.

Jonesy - A young lazy workshy Morrissey obsessive who was always late and was the longest running part timer in our depot. Nothing too unremarkable there but his flat top and Lizard type tongue for some reason made him attractive to older men.
He was propositioned a few times which included one gentleman who tried to get him into his car one morning for a 5 am sack sort whilst Jonesy was making his way to work.
The fella ran into work sweating like a paedo in a playground and collars me....
"Don't say nothing but this geezer just tried to pull me in his car,whilst touching himself .
Reckons he'd seen me for a few weeks and i looked 'the type'... "
By 6am the whole depot knew and absolutely slaughtered him.
He refused to talk to me for a couple of weeks.
One colleague even followed him in to work driving slowly behind Jonesy's brisk walk for a couple of mornings just to put the shits up him.

Bennett - Proper comedian who would crack you up as soon as he opened his gob.
Gift of the gab and great company. Unless you'd been given more overtime than him and he'd bleat like a woolyback on a Yorkshire cliff and let every fucker know that he'd been shafted.

Reg - Similar to Bennett, but bigger and pretty unshakable. Used to tell us he was a third division footballer but couldn't say who for as we'd bother him for his autograph.
He'd sit in the Post Office club and shout out "Oi Superthug (my nickname as i was always talking about the off at football that weekend) come here I've got something to tell you ".
" Fuck off ,you're going to fart on my head"
No,no it's important it's about the Pools .... You 'd walk over there and as soon as you were within 5 metres he'd get your head and force it towards his grey slack covered Anus and let off a primeval emission that would turn bread into toast.

Bob The Perv - He would fix the bikes instead of doing a second delivery which enabled him to double up in being the keeper of the Office's Porn collection. For some reason people used to put Razzle and Fiesta in the post boxes and anytime a Postie came back with a couple shoved in his sack ,Bob used to have the ability to sniff them out (probably cos most of them were stuck together at some point) and claim them for the bike shed.
You was allowed to loan them but Bob write down what you had taken and warn you not to nick them.
Whatever happened to the poloroid that Harry The Old Bloke brought back is a mystery though. (Why someone would want a picture of a freshly wanked penis with spunk all over the windowsill is beyond me,but we did have some wrong un's ) .
Bob once opened a package for his younger female neighbour which had the shape of a big vibrator. The look of dissapointment when it turned out to be a shower head,was like watching a child having his Happy Meal whipped away.

Denyer - The youngest (till Billy Whizz joined) that used to freak out if he had a busy day. As he started an hour later,the mail would mount up on his desk and we'd start chipping away at him as he tried to sort it. As he'd normally only had 4 hours sleep and been on the herb he was very tetchy....... Busy day there son,....Jesus you wont be finished till 11... Fuck me you want to see the amount of Recorded deliveries you got (Bain of our lives,trying to get people up to sign).....Mate,kin hell you should have gone sick.....Next you hear " YOU CAAANNTTSS" as more mail was dropped on him .
Simon would then throw all his mail up in the air and shout fuck this and storm out for a fag. Everyone would be banging on their sorting frames ,cheering as he'd cracked again under pressure.

Jenny - An Olive from On The Buses lookalike with a complexion like a cheese grater,who wouldn't shut up in a monotone voice moaning as Sucker would torment her as he worked next to her. "Oi Jenny ,Get down on that " as he would grip his piece with his tongue out Gene Simmons - Kiss style.
Thankfully for Rod she didn't go to Sex Discrimination Board as we think it's the only male attention she ever got.

Bing - An old fella who was a trainspotter.and used to get visibly excited if he had mail. Even if it was a bill.
Had every First Day Cover from 1953 or something,very smart,took pride in his job and was ultimately one of the most boring bastards you'll ever meet.

Fab Five Freddy Belsham - The opposite of Bing,lovely fella who avoided the bath as much as possible. I'd like to say it was because he'd spend most of the afternoon in the bookies with his 50p Each Way bets but it was more to do with trying to save using water.

Billy Whizz - Fresh faced lovable 16 year old who after a couple of Light Ale's one night told everyone up the club that he wanked onto his Mum's Bath sponge to get her pregnant .
Never lived that down and ended up being a crack head.

Fred The Cleaner/Tea Man - Top,top fella who told everyone he was a Spitfire pilot in the Second World War which some believed until i started .
A smallish bloke who was the spit of Jackie Wright (the little fella out of Benny Hill ) and took a few slaps to his nut .
That upset me no end as he was my Grandad . Still he smiled graciously and then dribble in the offenders tea.
He went to call an ambulance for me one day as he thought I'd been throwing up blood .
I had to explain that it was last night's Pernod and Black .

Mick - The Union Rep . Obese bloke who was fucking useless at both being a postman and a Representative.
My mate Lock ran for the position one year and won. Upset Mick so much he went sick for 3 months. Unfortunately Lock was an incindary fucker and tried to lead us out on strike over the lack of quality cheese for the rolls in the canteen . Mick got voted back in the next year.

Charlie - A diminutive wire haired bespectacled Glaswegian with a temper who 's love of Speedway would make him ride his PO bike like he was on a cinder track at Rye House.

Unfortunately the streets of Greenford had a few more pot holes and one day came back to the depot clutching his head and his broken bins ,to the sounds of derision ,laughter and the offer of a lift home .

To which he told everyone to fuck off as he'd do the lot of us whilst clutching a pink hanky to his face.

Last the Assistant Boss - D'Souza

A horrible short arse fucker who would stitch you up at the drop of a hat. No backbone and no bollocks. If you ever fronted him ,he'd start shaking with fear . The day i left, i offered him out.

I had just drunk half a bottle of scotch so looked like a red headed bad ass.

He screamed like a girl and told me I'd never work for the Royal Mail ever again.

He was right .

Sharpe as....

2011-09-17T22:17:00.000+01:00

Barrie K. Sharpe has been and done many things over the years.
DJ, Designer (Duffer of St George founder and now the fantastic Sharpeye range),Musician, Forward Thinker and with a keen eye for detail ,a photographic memory and a knack of being in the right place and the right time.
Barrie has now written his autobiography that is an absolute must for anyone obsessed with the ever changing youth cults that run through London at an astounding pace in the 70's and 80's but at it's heart is the funk and soul that enabled Mr Sharpe to cut a dash on the dancefloors from deep East London to the turntables of the West End.

Here Barrie tells how he saw the origins of Punk......

After Jaws (the Lively Lady) closed down in early 1976. I had to move on the Lacy Lady in Seven Kings.
I was a bit late attending this nightclub; I was stuck on the Lively and was lost when it closed.
I first went to the Lacy on a Friday night with a girl named Maxine Cirillo, a real cool chick, she was a regular there and was appropriately dressed in 1940s attire, a style started at the Goldmine, a club in Canvey Island.
I was too young to drive so I couldn’t go there, it was too far away.
I was kind of over the 40s style, although I still favored my American Air-force Captain’s uniform and white canvas Naval officers shoes.
That night I was doing 50s work-wear.
I was wearing Dee Cee denim overalls with Sebago penny loafers,
I looked so dapper with my crew cut hair, almost shaved at the sides, longer on top and side parting, I may have even had it slicked back grease.
No coat was needed; it was the hot summer of 1976. We queued up to get in and a lot of the dudes were carrying Woodhouse or Stanly Adams plastic bags (The trendiest men’s clothing stores)
I would soon find out why.
We paid the £1 admission fee, which also entitled us to “Chicken In The Basket”, (Something to do with nightclub licensing laws) and climbed the old wooden stairs to the dance floor.
As we entered the DJ, Chris Hill, was playing “Hard Work” by John Handy, the rhythm was infectious, the strange thing was he was kinda singing almost rapping over the record, I had never heard this done before, the atmosphere was electric, people were getting down.
I was hooked; we plotted up by the DJ box and started to get get down with everybody else, Chris Hill dropped "Got To Get Your Own" by Reuben Wilson and the whole place just tore up, man it was hot.
There were no windows and no air conditioning.
Upon attending the condensation soaked toilets I realized what was in the trendy carrier bags that some of the dancers were carrying.
In the bathroom dudes were changing out of their wet, sweaty clothing and putting on fresh new dry, crisp, trendy clothing from their bags, I got it and I like it.
This was where I needed to be. I got talking to some cat’s that were checking me out, I had seen many times at the Lively.
Sammy Grearson and Tigga, two slick dressers and bad dancers, they were both wearing cowboys boots, Straight leg Wrangler jeans and white tight T. shirts,I was impressed, this style was new to me.
The next day I was off too Kens Western Store, in Upton Park, for my new cowboy boots and then off to The Carnaby Street Flee Market to nick a pair of selvedge, shrink to fit Levis 501s.

There was many different styles going on at the Lacy, Stylers (Cool Dressers) Soul Boys (Wedge haircuts, white socks, a style I never related to) Reggae Boys (Dressed in Gabicci cardigans, Farah slacks and Croc shoes) and Punks, but I think they called themselves “Zoobies” back then.
These were the first Punks I had seen, not the obvious style that was later recognized as punk, these guys wore their hair cropped with multi razered in partings, they were wearing baggy “Pegleg” pants, that narrowed at the hem from Acme attractions, fluffy mohair jumpers from Sex, two of the latest Kings Road stores, their footwear was Brothel Creepers, as worn by Teddy Boys in the 1950s.
The girls were wearing black bin liners, worn as dresses, mohair jumpers, tight peddle pusher pants and pointed shoes or boots.
Most of the girls wore their hair cropped or spiky, but a few had cat’s ears styled into there hair.
They all danced crazy to the funky music, some were good.
UK Punk Rock music had not been invented yet; this style had nothing to do with the American Punk rock.
After the Lacy Lady Maxine and I went on to a new Covent Garden club, Shaggarama (Later know as the Roxy). We loved it, the music was reggae provide by Don Letts who worked in Acme Attractions and later would become a successful filmmaker and keyboard player in Big Audio Dynamite.
The audience was mixed gay, straight, funky, trendy but mainly Punk.
A whole new world had opened up to me.

We danced all night long.

http://sharpeye.uk.com

.

Ian Snowball - Long Hot Summer

2011-09-07T23:33:00.004+01:00

A couple of months ago i was sent a rough copy of Ian Snowball's first published novel by the author himself.
Obviously anything that references one of the greatest singles ever made off THE greatest EP ever made is going to get my interest.
By page 20 Ian had pretty much covered mine and a lot of the readers rite of passage that was leaving school , looking for that first job, getting intimate with the local sort, hanging round the local youth club whilst styling the the look of the day, getting angsty about the local Skins giving you a slap because you dressed different to them.
Also living with the passion and belief that well dressed groups like The Jam,The Specials and in the main character Loz's case The Prisoners instilled in you .
What i loved most about Long Hot Summer was the lack of pretence and bullshit in the writing.
There is a fight in there,but no one gets maimed or dies. Like 99% of teenage ructions in 1984.
There's sex in there,but it's in snatched moments rather than full blown marathon sessions being egged on by 20 geezers .
There's going to Stamford Bridge in there and the buzz of the look on the terraces and the drama of the match far outweighs the violence, like it did for most of us.

He also pushes into the characters a few years on as the raves and Acid House took over the fields and farms of the home counties and again tells the story that a lot of us of that time got up to ,without over embellishment and of any overdosing!

So i asked Snowy about the Novel that is due for release any minute now,what the future holds literature wise,ask him about his band Aunt Nelly and disproving the myth that most drummers are divs and found out his opinion of the burning topic of the day,who he rated more Pat Nevin or Gianfranco Zola?

AFTN - How much of you is in the book Ian ?

Well in one way or another all of it but everything is direct experience.
What I mean is I borrowed some mates stories and adapted them for the book BUT NOT MANY!
I also blurred the time lines a bit too, so some bits of the book did not happen in 1984 at all but happened in other years.
The 1989 part of the book though is pretty much accurate to detail apart from having to alter a few words to keep the publisher happy, for example I called Sunrise, Sunriser or Centre Force, Centre Forcer.
It was a shame that I had to throw out some true references of choc bars, crisps, bits of clobber and substitute or replace, I believe the book lost some of its charm.
But having said that when the book refers to replacing the gas bottle on the fizzy drinks machine..everyone from the 80's will know its Soda Stream.
Also all clobber and music references in the book are directly related to my own examples of my own record collection at the time (and now) and items of clobber.
I also had fun with the creative aspect of the novel where I fixed the main character Loz up with a bunch of older mods where they have day trips to Chelsea and Stuarts of Shepherds Bush.
Only one of those older mods is really a Chelsea boy, the others are Tottenham...so I have a lot of giggles over that!
I said that I would never reveal too much about the content of the book for 2 reasons.
1) To leave room for some questioning and mystery .
2) To avoid revealing certain peoples names...I dont fancy a see you in court letter!
But the book really only happened coz I would dip into my personal memories and pull out bits and bobs, thats why there is lots of family and friends references.
I could of doubled the size of the book and only stopped because I was juggling over book and music projects.

AFTN - How long did it take to write?

I cannot recall where the initial idea arose from because at the time of writing it I had just finished my half of a novel called 'In The Blood' co-written with Northern Soul author Pete McKenna and had started the second book in the series 'Feed your head' (which is also now complete and leads onto Pete's novel 'Who The Hell Is Frank Wilson?')
I was also finishing up a fact based book with Pete called 'Once Upon A Tribe'.
So I kind of squeezed 'Long Hot Summer' into a 3 week gap.
I then had to do initial edits and changes and added a few words here and there.
So when I am into something I really throw myself at it and would spend around 3 or 4 most nights tapping away on the computer.
I also wrote a big chunk by hand which I some times do when I an trying to tease some ideas, memories out and so on. One day Ill Ebay the manuscript for large hopefully!
Finding time to write is just about making your choices, you know Eastenders or a couple of chapters for my book....So what is happening in Eastenders ? I ain't seen it at all this year!

AFTN - Dot's still alive,Alfie still wears clobber that would look out of place in Lithuania,never mind E20 and Janine is getting smashed by a bad boy, so I'm told mate.
What made you become a writer?

Funny question for me as I do not consider myself able to wear that label, but then I still feel like I am blagging when I play the drums and that's been 25 years.
Only today I was humming Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays and reminded myself that I just write for fun,rather than any career move. I like it this way. I have no aspirations to make dosh or a career out of it.
I have always loved new experiences and I set myself targets.
For example where I am involved in bands and music I aimed to get my first CD recorded and was chuffed with that, then I aimed for something on vinyl and this has now happened a few times.
So next I thought, I'll write a book and get that published.

Long Hot Summer did also have a loaded vector in me (that kind of grew and was not intended at the start) but the more I found myself recollecting times with my family the more I wanted to show them what I had accomplished and whack the book down on the dinner table one Sunday.
Its a nice personal feeling. So its all about perception.
I have always enjoyed writing letters and reading and did try to write a book when I was about 23 but only managed ten pages before deciding it was crap.
Funny thing I also recall reading something about Gemini's having a talent for writing and for some strange reason this lodged itself in me and then twenty years later seemed to fuel what I have got myself into the past 10 months.

AFTN - What writers do you admire?

Well I love the stuff from Arthur Conan Doyle like the Sherlock Holmes and especially the White Company.
I have a soft spot for Nikos Kazantzakis (Zorba the Greek) and I love the real world style writers like Paolo Hewitt, John King, Martin King, Mark Baxter and of course Pete McKenna.
I recently read Jason Brummels All About My Girl and really enjoyed it.
To be honest i mostly read music and youth culture related books ,fact or fiction and also lots of biographies.
Poison Heart by Joey Ramone and Ska'd For Life - Horace Panter I've read this year and were brilliant. And any geezer that either wrote The Jam or Chelsea FC on a wall is in my fav's too.

AFTN - You're also a drummer in a beat combo i hear?

Yeah I suppose in some ways the band Aunt Nelly was my prompt to have a go at writing. It came about after being pieced together from the top mod band called The Clique, and from Medway Garage bands the Bresslaws and the Effectives.
The Clique had an album called Self Preservation Society so the name Aunt Nelly was pulled from the Italian Job to keep the connection alive.
With an old band I tried to get a stage production on the go but it never took off so I decided to write one for Aunt Nelly,which is written.
I wrote a few lines then thought if i keep adding words a line will turn into a paragraph, then a page, then a chapter and so on...so over last Christmas i wrote 55,000 words.
It was then i ran the idea past Pete Mckenna and asked if he would work with me on it
He agreed and added another 30,000 words then 'In The Blood' was born.
Which is basically the period ten years before 'Who the hell is Frank Wilson and the characters therein.
The character Aunt Nelly is in our novel In The Blood along with others like Happiness Stan, Mr Brudger. Its set in 1967 east London. Aunt Nelly the stage play will hopefully one day happen and the idea was to have the band play live on stage alongside the actors,so a musical like.
Aunt Nelly have just returned from Belgium where we began the promotion of our self titled debut album . The album is on Time For Action records who are a German label and we have gigs later in the year in Germany and Spain with further gigs next year back in Germany, Italy and Sheerness.

AFTN - Right ,being a Chelsea fan who do you rate higher, Zola or Nevin?

This is like asking Samba or Gazelle's or Desert boots or Chelsea boots??!! ...
I love them all mate although Samba are my all time favs,and i do have fonder memories of Pat.

Well that's a brief introduction into the world of Maidstone's Boy About Town Mr Ian Snowball .
Chelsea boots aside the fella is defiantly one to watch out for over the next 12 months.

AFTN - One last question Snowy - The kid on the front,what is it about that photo that appealed to you?

Well the Casual in front of the iconic band The Jam is showing the time and place that echoes the time i was writing about. The Jam meant the world to me and also a million others and were more than just a Mod band. They were a way of life ,whatever the dress code.

AFTN - Can't argue with that.

Long Hot Summer is available to buy now from
http://www.heavysoul45s.co.uk/

Aunt Nelly's self titled debut album is available from Time For Action records and is a fantastic piece of Hammond driven Modernist Funk Groove. Smooth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLXLo--gAH4

Harry From Stoke

2011-07-24T22:12:00.001+01:00

Harry became landlord of my local in the early 90's . He was a strange charmless fella with a degree in bullshit and upsetting people.
He became the first proper landlord of The Swan,Northolt that they'd had since Scouse about a year previous. They'd been temporary managers but most bailed out as it wasn't the easiest gaff to run.
It became a bit of a drug supermarket around 89/90 and although The World Cup was a welcome relief for Scouse and it kept all the ravers out as most of them were more interested in popping E's in fields than England's famous exploits in Italy. Apart from when it got a bit tense when England played Ireland and someone smacked a plastic (cough) it was quite a happy time for the Scouse . Well until the penalty shoot out against Germany when a load of tearful English started beating up the Mercedes in the car park and it turned out to be Scouse's Mrs pride and joy.

The Swan was notorious for serving up gear,and somehow we all knew the plod were coming a good hour before the inevitable raid .
Most usually went down The Greenwood when this happened and if anyone got lifted it was usually the young Grayzie singing about the infamous triple policeman killer in a song that was heard at football grounds up and down the country ...." HARRY ROBERTS IS OUR FRIEND,IS OUR FRIEND,IS OUR FRIEND,HARRY ROBERTS IS OUR FRIEND,HE KILLS COPPERS!!"
Unfortunately Grayzie in his pissed state would sing it right in front of a rozzer's face and before you knew it,he was in the back of the van quicker than Gary Glitter going through a playground.

Scouse left after a while and took my massive Union Jack flag with him which is unlike a Liverpudlian ,but to be fair he was a decent bloke and running The Swan probably aged him 10 years in 18 months.
Especially the night Geoff,Kit and Brady decided to march through the pub stark bollock naked because it was the anniversary of Geoff leaving the Army. About turn,quick march,left right,left right....several times until Scouse went mad when Geoff tried to give him a cuddle.
What made it worse was that Brady had a tide ring round his waist which had one of my mates retching.

Which brings us to Harry. A diminutive bloke with little man syndrome.
Tight curlyish hair and a dress sense straight out of Matalan.
A face like a badly worn cheese grater.
His M.O. was to clean the pub up.
He brought some bird with him to help out,but she soon done the off as one of the regulars tried to set light to the bar whilst she was serving .
The bloke ended up with the lighter fuel on his arm and a third degree burn to go home with.

Harry was given some dough by the brewery and employed a couple of bouncers as H flexed his muscles and started banning all the wrong un's (which of course is all the characters).

As our mob were just mainly drinkers and grafters he took a shine to us and started laying on food for our Sunday Football Team even though most of us thought he was a cunt.
He then started coming to training with us as we couldn't really say no as for a couple of our players it was the only solid food they got all weekend.
H had started telling all and sundry he was on Stoke City's books when he was 16 so we was expecting a bit of a Micky Thomas.
Instead we got Joey Deacon .
Fucking useless,couldn't trap a bag of sand and had the touch of a rapist.
We used to set him up for 50/50s so someone could go through him and leave him crumpled like a Terylene shirt on the astroturf.
He'd come off hobbling going "Fookin hell I've lost a bit of pace lads,was a fookin time I'd have run rings round you coonts" .
We'd roll our eyes and just hope he'd get in the car with Chapman and Iggy for a lift back to the pub just so we could keep all the boring bastards in one motor.

Time went on and the pub had less and less trade as one by one he was banning everyone .
Even took it out on one fella for spilling his beer over a bird H fancied. Hid behind the bouncer as he was launched out of the pub. Then one day Harry asked me if i fancied doing a disco every Friday and could i fill the pub ? Fucking right i could H,how much? We charge the brewery 100 quid, 60/40 in your favour? " Fack off H it's got be 80 notes as i've got to hire the speakers"
"75 and it's a deal you fooking robbin Cockney bastard"
"I'm not a cockney,we're in West London you mug"
"Whatever,just get it rammed geezer"
Well i knew i wouldn't get it rammed but it started up alright ,a few faces came down first couple of weeks
This was about 1993 and i was bang into my house,so mixing the beats was my forte (or it would have been if i was any good,more like pots and pans down the fucking stairs to be honest) and throwing a few old classics in like Buzzcocks/Small Faces/Motown etc for the last hour.

Well fucking hell,anyone over 35 was moaning their bollocks off about the Shades Of Rhythm and the latest 12" on DeConstruction and H was starting to wonder if he'd done the right thing hiring me.
One bank holiday though it all changed for Harry when he tried to pull one of the barmaids who happened to be a mate's Mrs.
Matey got behind the jump and gave Harry a couple of digs.
Even the lovable Micky P who was Harry's main doorman was sick of him and didn't throw the fella out as he knew the northern mug was in the wrong.

The next month the pub was virtually empty as Harry had banned so many and we'd all had enough of the silly twat .
We even stopped going there after the Sunday games.
One Friday after i'd played a 3 hour set (phew rock and roll) to an empty pub save for some old slag called Weenie and her scurvy ridden pals ,Harry told me that next Friday was his last night at the Swan but keep it down as he didn't want everyone to know.

Not one to break a confidence as a rule,but i fucking told everyone.

Walked in the pub to set up as per usual and the pub was half full at 7.30 with loads of old (banned) faces. Word really had got about,and as Harry liked a dip in the brewery's dough i think he decided that as the pub was so dead previously he'd nick the dough that was for the bouncers and skip on their services for the night.
By 9.30 the gaff was mobbed and there was blokes skinning up,sword fights with the pool cues in the public bar.
I was downing pint after pint as my broken beats gave way to the punk funk gear of the 70's and 80's at full volume.
By 10.30 the bar i played in was heaving and Harry had already been threatened with a kick round Northolt for previous banning orders on certain members of a not very nice estate.
Harry was wildly gesticulating behind the bar,while i pretended not to see or hear.
10 minutes later H came running over screaming " Stop after the next record,the old bill were on their way and some of your cockney bastards mates are gonna get fookin nicked"
I didn't have a microphone,but i thought fuck it.
Fuelled by Fosters Export i let the record finish that i was playing and shouted out to the pub
"OLD BILL COMING!!" .....
Big Jo replied... " FUCK EM!!" ....
Everyone moody started hiding things and Gary W gone and moved his motor which was full of Woolworths and Boots stock that was a bit lively.
Pub's at fever pitch now so i dug out Sham 69's Hurry Up Harry. Possibly the best timed record i'd ever played,unless you were Harry.

" COME ON,COME ON,HURRY UP HARRY COME ON"....

There's blokes on tables jumping up and down flicking V signs at H, hanging off the jukebox by the side of the raised area where i was playing laughing manically,geezerbirds making the record jump by nudging the turntable when asking for Wham pissed on sneaked in Vodka and then calling me all sorts as i've told them to fuck off.
Richy P comes over and says " You got My Generation? Go on,put it on,we'll smash the pub up !"
I was that hammered and getting off on the madness i thought "Too right!"
As Sham was coming to an end,i caught Harry's eye.
A mixture of fear and hate came over his face looking at me which turned to shock as a glass shattered on the floor .
I couldn't find The Who in my box (thank fuck) but whacked on The Stones Satisfaction.
The sight of loads of my mates including Rory,Smurf ,Matty and local wrong un's doing Mick Jagger impressions behind me as the Police finally walk in the door is one i'll carry for along,long time.
The first copper in just looks at everyone in dismay.
Then on cue,not just Grayzie but most of the pub this time.... " HARRY ROBERTS IS OUR FRIEND......."

Never did see Harry from Stoke again........

Reds Strike The Blues......

2011-03-29T15:02:00.000+01:00

ST22 - The 1994 FA Cup Final was the comng of age for a lot of Chelsea supporters and possibly the early nail in the coffin for the traditional game and club that some of us grew up with. As i lived 3 miles from the glorious mess that was the old Wembley it meant so much to be part of the showpiece game of the season .
My uncle used to come down regularly to see the opponents United and always pop in and large it that the Full Members Cup was all we were worth.
Well this time i had a ticket and the Findus Factory worker was at home with his Cod fillet barm cakes and Tetley Bitter.
Myself and Reece met up with all the other trophy hungry bods waiting to unleash our unbridled joy and passion for the biggest day out we had known till that point.
1971 was our last success so you're talking a generation of fans who's highlights were the 1983/84 season and coming up in a rather more shabbily but effective fashion in 89.
Faces from all over NW and West London met in the Constellation boozer next to South Harrow tube from 10 AM . We wasn't interested in fighting (though Kilburn did sound inviting) but just having the crack and being part of something you'd only ever dreamed about.
We all grew up with the 9 hour TV broadcasts that were part of the time when you were lucky if there was 3 live games in a season.
For me the whole order of the FA Cup Final was as special as life gets. The teams being led out to that almighty roar,Abide With Me,National Anthem,The Duchess of York (the only royal who dug football back then) then the roar that greeted the kick off as Chelsea and Manchester United went toe to toe for glory....

Reece - The main picture is the cover of the Evening Standard's ES magazine on Friday 13th May 1994. The next day was our first FA Cup Final since 1970 where we faced the League Champions Manchester United. Despite the fact that United had just completed back to back title wins, we had done the double over them that season and, even in the early 90s we were a constant pain in the arse for a side that Alex Ferguson still refers to as his best ever.

Less than 24 hours later we were brought crashing down to earth as we were smashed 4-0. Although the first half was fairly even, the second period saw United tear into us, taking the lead on the hour with a Cantona penalty after Eddie Newton's clumsy challenge on Dennis Irwin.
5 mins later, United were awarded another penalty when that power crazy member of teaching staff for posho's at Harrow, David Elleray ruled Frank Sinclair's tackle on Brian McClair to be inside the penalty area.
It was nearer the halfway line if truth be told. (He even admitted in his autobiography that he'd got it wrong,and in fact a few bod's did actually go up to the school one night to search and destroy. Or at least kick his mortar board up in the air)
The French fruitcake stepped up and cooly despatched an almost identical spot kick past Dimitri Kharine to double United's lead and kill the game as a contest. Cantona even picked up some pocket money from Dennis Wise, who did his best to put the United striker off as he was about to take the penalty. It was all too painful now as we huffed and puffed and United executed the sporting equivalent of a turkey shoot on our goal to demonstrate why they were the current League Champions.

Boyhood Chelsea fan Mark Hughes capitalised on another Eddie Newton error to smash home a third before Brian McClair finished with a simple tap in to finally put us out of our misery.

We watched with rage as United tried to celebrate their first double win right in front of our end,as there were gentleman frothing whilst hanging off the fencing. All i was left with were the mental images of what might have been had Gavin Peackock's fierce volley just before the break been a couple of centimeters lower.

As we trudged away from Wembley in torrential rain, there was not only the disappointment of losing, but the horrible emptiness of wondering when, or if, we would ever experience another cup final day, not to mention a cup win. On reflection, United did us a favour ... we were given a backdoor route into European football in the now defunct European Cup Winners Cup, and an opportunity to raise our profile on the continent.

ST22 - My abiding memory of leaving the stadium part dejection,part anger was that a lot of the United fans were not in celebratory mood such was the viciousness of Chelsea fans looking to take out the anger of Elleray's 2nd penalty decision on the Reds.

One bloke who was old enough to know better was giving it a big smug one and V signs to all and sundry. He didn't make the station.

To top off what had been a bigger comedown than going on the sesh with Primal Scream, was walking back to my local boozer and seeing Chelsea fans about to attack my car as my 'friends' had put red ribbons all over it.

Cheers.

1979 - The Dawning Of A New Era

2011-02-18T01:41:00.002Z

1979. It was a year of change. Musically,Politically and Personally. The year Thatcher started her assault on the British working class,the year music with attitude and intent was at a very high peak but most importantly for me i turned 13 and really discovered that (although not that aware at the time) i was thrown head first into a massively diverse youth cult explosion that started a clothes obsession that still lives on.
1979 is also the only listenable record by Smashing Pumpkins so there must be something in it even for the queen of Emo and hamster blood drinker Billy Corgan.

This is my story into what being a child of the late 70's did for me...

Although I'd seen and heard music through TV stuff like Supersonic,Saturday Scene and Top Of The Pops it didn't really enter my consciousness till listening to the chart rundown ,cassette at ready one Sunday in 1977 aged 11 and Eddie And The Hot Rods classic Do Anything You Wanna Do seemed to crash out of the speakers in glorious surround sound.

The urgency seemed to stick out against the lame prog of Wonderous Stories by Yes and those two old rotters Baccara singing Yes Sir I Can Boogie.

Punk was about but y'know but it was a bit before my time and and i wasn't one of those slightly weird kids who listened to the don John Peel under the bedsheets.

The Sex Pistols and The Clash never got played on Capital Radio and therefore as much as i liked the thought of blokes who spit and swear,look scary and sing songs about anger and fights it didn't compare with 15 a side round the Big Park,Russell Road,Northolt,Middlesex.

I got bought an album for my 11th birthday called Disco Fever which was a K-Tel compilation which was a pre Now That's What I Call Shite poptastic big seller of the day featuring songs as weird and wonderful as Space's Magic Fly,atrocious shite such as Meri Wilson's Telephone Man and the the song that Phil Nolan told me was about a unflushable turd, Float On.
Only one song saved it from an obscure place at the back of the wardrobe,The Boomtown Rats debut single Looking After Number 1.
Again like the Hot Rods the urgency of the song on there made me jump up and down and stick two fingers out of the window to the miserable wanker Mr Evans across the road shouting out " I DON'T WANNA BE LIKE YOU!!!
(Obviously when my mum and dad had gone shopping and it was the only time i used my dad's Technics system as he was a bit touchy about an 11 year old messing up his settings )

So that was my introduction to rebellion. Trampy pyjama freaks from Dublin and biker jacket blokes from Essex.

HE'S COMING BY BUS OR UNDERGROUND.....

Even though my antennae started to pick up on the new wave chart sounds as opposed to most other genre's it wasn't until early 79 that i started buying records regularly.
That was kick started by the music teacher telling everyone to bring in a song that they loved and we'll discuss it's merits and learn how important music is.

Disco Fever and The Amazing Darts (Bought with Xmas record vouchers as comedy quintet The Barron Knights had sold out ....thank fuck) were out of the question so as i was a quietish kid i thought I'd make a noise and show all the other kid i was a bit sharp.

WH Smith's in Ealing was where i decided to buy blind The Clash's English Civil War.

The Clash were everywhere in my school either written on the older cool kids Adidas holdall's,pin badges or on the 6th form block wall next to a sloppy piece of graffiti "Trevor Loves Cock "
(Trev was a teacher who was a bit suspect)

Got it home and played it 12 times and i although i was never convinced it was fantastic (and still ain't) this was The Clash!
Everyone is gonna love it and think I'm the dog's bollocks with great taste!
Anyway took it into Music the following day and the pompous twat taking the lesson in a bow tie who was a bit handy on the upright Joanna in the corner asked us to label each record and give it to him .
Course like a div,i wrote my name and class 2S across the pale blue cover .
Others had little stickers on thr protective sleeves and others just didn't even bother bringing in records.
I can't remember what records were played (or the teacher's name) other than The Jacksons Let Me Show You The Way To Go,some freak who brought in Showaddywaddy's A Little Bit of Soap and a bit of Bob Marley but when it came to mine,Bowtie took the record out of the sleeve,put it on some prehistoric Dansette effort with shit speakers ,listened with a look like someone had just shat in his top pocket and after a minute took it off exclaiming it had no tune,had terrible singing and told my taste was preposterous.

With all the other kids taking the piss,shouting wanker etc and me sinking into my chair turning beetroot I'd just had my first real taste of a middle class prick talking down his nose and belittling me.

I don't think I've ever got over it and ever fucking will!

I'M REALLY A SPACEMAN FROM THOSE UFO'S....

Not to be put off by some cunt who touches himself over Chopin,a month later i bought a record that changed my life forever.
Strange Town by The Jam .

I first saw The Jam doing The Modern World on TOTP and loved the look of the suits but didn't think anymore about it .

Late 78, My cousin lent me some singles and amongst them were The Stranglers Something Better Change,The Undertones Teenage Kicks,The Damned's New Rose and the brilliant Down In The Tube Station At Midnight .
The record was even to a 12 year old otherworldly.
The menace of the guitar,bass and drums added enough drama alone but the words?!
The lyrics were about a setting i knew well but couldn't understand.
Why would someone get beat up for no reason?
What's a right wing meeting?
(I couldn't work out why someone would be getting a train with a take away for his wife either,where did he live? ...Fucking North Acton where's there only a chippy?)
At that age you don't ask though do you?!

It was a very early taste of the power of pop music,and as the picture sleeve showed a Central line train going to West Ruislip which stops at my hometown en route i was convinced it was a calling.

Having read in the then new wave friendly Smash Hits before it was the abode of Duran Duran,Spandau Ballet and later those weird cunt's Bros, that The Jam's new single was out.
Excited i ventured into Our Price in King St,Hammersmith on a cold March saturday morning whilst my old man was doing my nut in trying to buy new shoes (some things stay with you) and bought THE 7" of pure power pop placed at 22 on the chart board in the top 75.
Noel Gallagher said a while back that it was a mini opera with it's complex tune structure.
Me i just absolutely fucking obsessed over it.
It wasn't borrowed,it wasn't handed down,it wasn't old it was NEW,NOW and ME!
"I've finished with clubs where the music's loud,cos i don't see a face in the single crowd ,there's no one there!! "
I'd never been to a club but that didn't matter!
The alienation was about how i felt about school!
About my parents pushing me about and telling me what to do!
In fact most of the lyrics were indecipherable to me but you make your own up!
The B side (The Butterfly Collector)well i didn't have a scooby about it's meaning but just loved the mood and change of tempo.
(Looking back it's fucking genius on it's subject matter of a certain punk groupie)
The sleeve with it's blurred bloke at a crossroads and then the strange poem on the back against the butterfly image.
All ingrained on your psyche forever more!

"YOU'VE GOT TO WEAR THE RIGHT CLOTHES

My mum had just bought me my first iconic piece of schmutter that i had bothered her for in a black Harrington jacket from Wembley Market.
I'd seen an older kid walking down the North End Road,Fulham in said jacket and pointed out that i wanted one of those Harrington jackets as my dad was driving in the pissing rain.
"What's a Harrington jacket?"
One of those
"It's a windcheater"
No,it's a Harrington
"Why's it called that?"
"I DONT KNOW,SHUT UP WILL YA?!
"Ooh mooooddddyyy ha ha"
...sulk for 15 minutes.

Still never seen Rodney Harrington's famed Baracuta in 60's US show Peyton Place and how it started the trend.
I loved that jacket,wore it with Adidas Samba and Levis bought from bargain merchant Dickie Dirts.
Thought i was cooler than the Fonz. Dude.

The year picked up a pace though i largely ignored the fall of the Labour Party to some bloke in drag.
Records came in the shape of more new wave heroes such as The Members,The Skids and Sham 69.
The Dunfermline 4 piece's Masquerade was my first taste of 'Angular' pop on which Stuart Adamson's guitar sound proper bent my head.
Richard Jobson (singer) looked well odd and looked like he could explode at any minute.
Bouncing out of high school after the first year to got to our annual holiday in me nan's chalet near Bournemouth brought me nearer teenage rampage.....

DON'T CALL ME SCARFACE!!!

I turned 13 in the school holidays.
And about the same time i first heard The Special AKA.
The chart was diverse as fuck at that time.
You could hear or see on the radio or TOTP ,Thin Lizzy next to The Dooleys next to Chic next to Matchbox next to Errol Dunkley.
But hearing Gangsters for the first time was a moment i will never forget. In my dad's Austin 1100 as he was about to get a tyre changed in Perivale. I wouldn't get out of the motor till i had listened all the way through.
I heard it a couple of times more and then one of the kids down the road asked me if I'd heard it?
I nodded furiously whilst chomping through a lemon jubbly.
He then showed me his copy in his bag and i blurted out covering him in ice "Yeah I've got it ,good innit"
Thought fucking hell "Wardy's a nob,got to get it now"

Following weekend up to Sellanby's in South Harrow.
The hippy cunt's behind the jump wouldn't know a decent record if it bit them on the arse and hated anyone under 18 in there especially if you detested Genesis and Joni Mitchell. (Which everyone my age did)
For some strange reason though i swerved on one of the greatest debut singles of all time and bought Bang Bang by BA Robertson.
Even typing this i feel pangs of embarrassment.
(If you've never heard of him check out a you tube of him doing this or his duet with Maggie Bell.
You'll want to stab him after 2 minutes)
One of those songwriter's who'd go down on Terry Wogan if it would get him airplay.
Back then though the catchy ditty about unsolicited sexual liaisons seemed to make it's way back to my gaff.

I went back a week later and got back on track with my intentional purchase.
Didn't play the B side much but the infectious Gangsters had me trying new steps rather than the pogo.
The TOTP appearance which helped it reach No.6 was a stone cold killer in attitude and intent.
The energy that the 7 piece had was like punk/new wave but more dancier and more real.
The mixture of black and white made them look double special!

STARING AT THE RUDE BOYS!

Going back to school that September and being a 3rd year had two advantages.
You wasn't a new boy anymore and you could see kids identity's and personality's coming through.
We were the so called early Grange Hill generation but we were a lot smarter than Tucker,Benny and Alan Humphries.
One kid looked like Paul Weller's younger brother with the Gibson black and white shoes and told me he was a Mod.
Another had a pair of trousers that seemed to change colour! Toniks slowly became the stride to be seen in.
Another wore grey flannels and burgundy patent slip on's with big flicked hair and told me he was a soul boy.
Black kids rocking the short dread look and banging on about a band from Southall called Misty In Roots.

The playground slowly became awash with artifacts/labels of the time but tried to keep within the strict uniform code as you got dug right out by the ex grammar school teachers who loved a bit of caning and slippering at the drop of an hat.

My blazer had de riguer badges on the lapels bought from independent record shops in Portobello Market with the Jerry Dammers/Peter Tosh inspired 2 Tone dancer called Walt Jabsco (which adorned every inner sleeve) or the black and white check.
Or Better Badges was the badge emporium for the button connoisseur

Thanks to some birthday money and the kindness of grandparents i managed to get a few quid together and get up to Shepherd's Bush and purchase the following item's ....
Black with yellow stripe Fred Perry polo and a blue FP V neck and a classic white button down Ben Sherman shirt. It was the first time i felt that extraordinary sensation of how good clothes make you feel.
(Still better than any drug)
The fact that Fred Perry went to my school was a another strange coincidence.
The black Sta Prest trousers bought from a shop also in South Harrow,Hartex which was like an Aladdin's cave of gear from MA1 jackets to mountaineering socks but with no semblance of order or sensibility.
In fact it's still there and the geezer is probably still looking for a rare candy stripe Brutus shirt he reckoned he had.
White or Red Towelling Socks
And a pair of Frank Wright Tassle Loafers!
I knew after seeing the Specials for the first time that i wanted to look Terry Hall and but i was missing the shoes.
Finding the loafers was a bit tricky and i'm fucked if i can remember where i got them.
I'm sure it was a shop like Holt's in Camden immortalised by Madness. I know it was full of herberts buying all matter of shoes and boots. It was some phenomenon !

The ensemble complete i just had that buzz of knowing i looked a bit tasty and although i was just a kid, i was one of the chaps in my wide eyed take on the world.
Walking round that playground you was still one of a crowd but at least you wasn't a plum sporting the dirty DM's and number 1 trying to look hard!
(Unfortunately the shoes being slip on's did exactly that and fucking ruined my heels,and I've never worn a pair since.)

Madness were the next release on 2 Tone and again TOTP was your intro into this brand new sound!
A youthful Suggs grinning like a mutant Dennis Wise on amphetamine and doing the now to be known as Dad dancing 20 years early was just fantastic.
"Buster he sold the heat,of the rock steady beat..."
How could you not move ?
Course you had the wrong un's saying that Madness were better because they were all white which seems unreal now,but such was the dirty ignorance of more than a few back then.

NO CORPORATION FOR THOSE NEW AGE SONS!

The mod revival didn't start with The Jam for most,it started with Secret Affair and Quadophenia!
I never really got the mod thing back then,the Rude Boy look was far classier IMO and one of my mates had a parka that fucking stunk and he wore ties.
Ties reminded me of school and fucked if was gonna wear one out of the factory.
Secret Affair's Time For Action is a great pop song no doubt but even back then i could never take seriously the vibe of Ian Page going up to Johnny Rotten and telling him his days are over cos The Glory Boys are IT!

Especially when The Jam had just released When You're Young.
No one can match Weller lyrically for singing about us. This and Saturday's Kids spoke to a generation of waiting for half time scores and those who worked in Tesco's and Woolworths.
"You're fearless and brave,you can't be stopped when you're young
You used to fall in love with anyone..."

1,2!!

The rise of 2 Tone was meteoric in that short space of time.
Everyone was on it,girls and boys,black and white,yellow and grey.
Starting to learn about what Ska was and realising it was the precursor of Reggae.
The re releases of Skinhead Moonstomp and Liquidator opened up your ears more .
The Police smashing it with the reggae influenced Message In A Bottle (green vinyl),
The third release on 2 Tone being The Selecter's On My Radio then sharply followed by The Specials A Message To You Rudy coupled with the vital Nite Klub .
It sounds like a band rehearsing pissed to start with,gets a head of steam up and then with a the drop out 3/4 of the way through ,the classic lyrics that no person should ever feel ashamed to sing
"I won't dance,in a club like this,cos all the girls are slags,and the beer taste just like piss"

Then the album of a generation came out.
I couldn't afford it but Wardy lent me his and then went on the missing list.
He was probably kept on a long overdue naughty step for 6 weeks which was a touch.
Wardy was a bit of a ledge down our road.
He had a fruit machine in his box room which stunk of fags and wank tissues and had a penchant for playing the more disgusting end of punk such as The Anti Nowhere League's So What at ear splitting volume.
With the speakers facing out of his front window.
Being a true punk with green hair he would gob at passers by and then hide cackling and calling people cunts inbetween making strange bird noises.

Anyway I don't think it left my turntable till Xmas.
Every song had meaning,was singalong without being cheesy and made you want to get up and dance,pogo and generally go bonkers.
Do The Dog,Blank Expression,Doesn't Make It Alright,Little Bitch....i still haven't met a person who thinks the album's shit.

I know my old man couldn't wait for me to go to bed as there was so many times he could hear me shout and clap along to "Your gonna get your fucking head kicked in" at the start of Concrete Jungle.

GIANT STEPS ARE WHAT YOU TAKE.....

The paper round dough was just given to Woolies or Sellanby on a regular basis.
I bought records like The Police's Walking On The Moon,Costello's Accident's Will Happen,The Pretenders Kid, The Regents mutant pop curio 17, London Calling by The Clash ,The Jam's Eton Rifles,Madness's One Step Beyond,Squeeze's Up The Junction,the strange but compelling Gary Numan's led Tubeway Army Are Friends Electric and then another 2 Tone classic that just blew my nut in The Beat's cover of Smokey's Tears Of A Clown.
All happened in the space of about a couple of months.
I thought that this output of fantastic music was what always happened!
I remember an older kid called Bennett showing me and lifelong friend Greg P a 7" called Dance Stance by this new group called Dexy's Midnight Runners and telling us 2 Tone was dead,this is the new label ...Oddball!!

In my little neighbourhood there was Mods.Punks,Teddy Boys,Rockabillys,Rude Boys,Skins,Soul Boys,Dreads,Numaniods (well one kid who wore a shirt with diagonal buttons)and the smelly Headbangers.
I'm sure they all battled each other at some point.

TEENAGE DREAMS SO HARD TO BEAT....

Golden Era or romanticising about my youth?
Both really,simpler times in some way but you was never far away from trouble if that was your (glue) bag.
And I'm sure my mum and dad knew where they stood financially (potless) but were conditioned to spend a week at Clacton or Bognor rather than explore the Congo or work in Abi Dhabi.
At least the pubs weren't closing at a rate of knots...

I've always said that the music you first love is the the stuff you carry for the rest of your life in the highest esteem.
Going back to it live wise is always a double edged sword as everyone is older and slower on stage but there's always a more rich and knowing craft with certain artists.

Seeing The Specials though for the first time in 2009 wasn't a nostalgia fest as i feared ,it was as urgent and vital as i could ever have imagined. The manlove in Brixton Academy was tear inducing.
Weller still manages to carry the blood and fire of the era in concert and on record and is currently the greatest recording artist on the planet.
Dylan and Van the Man are nowhere fucking near and only Neil Young can be talked about in the same breath.
Madness still manage to propel their work forward.
The Liberty of Newton Folgate is as good as anything from their past.
Costello still pushes boundaries,although jazz and classical quartet's,folky bollocks and his chat show for the US ain't really my bag.

Later on the influence of Soul,Reggae and Disco from that era came much more into my life and now i can appreciate artists such as Billy Joel and Joe Jackson. Not the Buggles though.
Also waiting in the wings about to explode was the electronic music revolution unless you were one of those already down The Blitz club in those (yawn) heady days and being androgynous and wearing tutu's,tartan and tiara's.

Fantastic time to be alive and culturally aware even if you was still to discover that a finger was more than a biscuit and standing on a terrace without you or your mate's dad would be 10 times more exciting!

1979. Saluted!

STOP YOUR MESSIN' AROUND,BETTER THINK OF YOUR FUTURE....!!!

The Waiting - Discovering Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

2011-02-10T15:46:00.000Z

Tom Petty has largely gone unnoticed in my world save for a tape given to me of his first solo album Full Moon Fever by an older work mate in 1990.

Lunatic van driver Johnny Radbone was trying to teach me that there was more to rock and roll than The Stone Roses,The House Of Love and The Clash.

Running Down A Dream with it's descending guitar lines seemed to hit home but the rest was a bit wet for my early 20's earoles. Also that distinctive Jeff Lynne production was all over it which to me is about as attractive as a 50 year old man in a suit jacket and faded jeans with cowboy boots.

(That's you Jeremy Clarkson)

Bare in mind he was also a Travelling Wilbury who were pretty much the anti christ with most young kids who were cotcheled up with releases on independent labels such as Creation,Heavenly and Factory Records.

A buck toothed bloke from Florida with girls hair was not where it was at.

Forward to Autumn 2010.

A Friday night on BBC 4 is usually worth a watch for at least half hour every week if you love music.

I'll watch most things to do with all forms of sound apart from Dire Straits.
This Friday in question had Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live from that well known hotbed of rock and roll Hitchin,North Herts.

The Regal was well used in the early 80's for Sight and Sound In Concert where BBC2 would show concerts simultaneously with a BBC radio broadcast, with a band of the day.

I'd never seen anything of early Petty stuff so i was quite intrigued to see if they were any good .
I vaguely recognised the single Refugee which has a fantastic opening and an almost bratty sneer type vocal with a killer middle eight.

I was watching intently but part of me was looking at them thinking they were a bit too good,too flash as most new wave bands were although good, partial to make a few mistakes live.
This lot sounded well drilled,well versed and well a bit too clever.
Not that they're bothered but i was still to be impressed and didn't take to them though i could now understand why George Harrison and Dylan though highly of them.

Forward 2 months later,same channel it's Tom Petty night.
Above concert, a brand new Classic Album and the Peter Bogdanovich ( proper film maker) directed
4 hour (yes 4!) documentary Running Down A Dream.

What band has 4 hour docs?! Especially a band that no one over here takes much notice of !!
That should have put me off but i Sky + the fucker for another time and watched the classic album as it played.
I thought i was too long in the tooth to discover new bands that have been about nearly as long as you've been into music.
The 3rd album watershed release Damn The Torpedoes was being featured and it was fantastic!

Listening to the band re live those moments of making the album and the stratospheric rise that pushed them thought the roof in their homeland was a real eye opener for me and i got right off and hearing the 60's British invasion influences on nearly every song.
And not one of them were spoilt,annoying or foolish.

The original line up with Mike Campbell (Guitar) Benmont Tench (Keys),Stan Lynch (Drums & BV's) and Ron Blair (Bass) really had a warmth that the conveys in the skilled songwriting and crafted playing.

They had a real spirit as embodied by such luminaries such as The Band ,a real respect for the people who helped them and a real love for pure guitar led pop music such as the Beatles (naturally) and The Byrds. Also the Rickenbackers were looming large!
Now that got my attention.

2 weeks later whilst recovering from a bout of unwanted fisticuffs i decided to play the doc.
I can honestly say that i was ashamed to get an artist so wrong but also thrilled that i'm not that old or stupid to dismiss bands/artists like some of my generation who seem to think life begins and ends with groups from the 60's & 70's

The 4 hours of superbly paced mix of interviews and concert footage from the present and the past with the Southern boys was beautiful to my eyes and ears.
Also there was a steely backbone from each member to strive for the best whilst making the rise from Gainsville FLA to the USA's most loved band.
Artists such as Stevie Nicks and Johnny Depp wanted to be a part of the band as it seemed like a great place to be.
Tom like Springsteen but with better shirts and trainers (Tom sports Adidas SL80's at one point) is a blue collar guy singing for the people about escapism and love.
Also when Tom sings he doesn't look like he's having a turnout unlike The Boss.

Tom's old record company played hardball with the release of Torpedoes and he was moving the tapes after a day's work to a safe house ,so no one could grab the recordings when Tom wasn't about.
Tom didn't back down in his battle, and Tom won.

When TP's record company wanted to make the follow up to Torpedoes,Hard Promises the first $9.99 album he steadfastly refused to give them permission to make him the fall guy for their cashing in greed.
After a stand off Tom won and MCA released it at the regular price.

When Tom was only offered a solo deal at the start of it all and told to ditch the guys,Mr Petty told the hoods to do one.

Tom won and kept the band.

When producing his friend Roger McGuinn of the Byrds and looking at a song that these two A&R guys where trying to force Roger to record who was pretty low on confidence it seemed,Tom told them that this was THE Roger McGuinn and he deserved better.
Tom won and the young twats folded (and made themselves look right mugs)

All this had me enthralled and although as with most bands that have seen a bit they were not without it's grief when the Ron's replacement, Howie Epstein died of a heroin OD and some fucker torched Tom's house with intention.

Luckily no one was hurt,but you could see in 2006 he still couldn't his head round why anyone would do that.

The American dream is alive and well as long as these fellas are about and goes to show that although cars and girls might be a bit 2 dimensional for some but when put into the mix of some fantastic soulful musicians who play with conviction it's as pure as it gets.

The album Mojo from last year proved that the Heartbreakers will still be around for a while and i would love it,just love it if they came to our green and pleasant so i could get all misty eyed to such new found classics such You Got Lucky,American Girl and Into The Great Wide Open.

And any band that has a bloke with a name straight out of a Frankie Vaughn in Benmont Tench,well they're bang on with me.

"And I'll keep this world from draggin me down,
gonna stand my ground and I won't back down...."

Steve White

2011-01-28T21:10:00.009Z

Most of you know who Steve White is.
If you haven't seen him live,then you own a record that he has played on.
And for the 1% of you that don't have such an artifact, not only should you be given a slap but i think you should also be forced out of your abode, to be given to a member of the Travelling community who wants to settle down and bake hedgehogs in peace.
All of you have heard his drumming at some point on the radio,car,watching football on the purveyors of non sexism Sky Sports and on such wonderful programmes such as the Wire.
It was in fact The Wire that in a real intense finale of Series 4 that some genius at HBO with proper ears programmed Paul Weller's cover of I Walk On Gilded Splinters from Stanley Road as people were being hurt,bumped off,set up and turned over.
After getting over the shock of this perfect marriage of sight and sound, the drumming was so intense at the end the Mrs was asking me if i was alright with the look of horror.
It probably didn't help that i was rocking in my chair like a patient out of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest with a twisted grin on my face.

As a member of The Style Council and backing Paul Weller for 17 years he's been part of a massive part of my life.
There's something special about seeing Weller and White on stage together.
John Weller (Paul's dad) said something similar to Steve on a plane once about how they they could do 200 songs together at the drop of a hat.
A connection that holds a lot of us of a certain age,sent a few a bit weird when the two gentleman wanted to do different things after the long time line up came to it's natural end after Glastonbury 2007.

Steve has pushed on, started and ended Trio Valore who were a great outfit and did a cover of Roy Budd's Get Carter that rocked my gaff ,put back the experience that he's learnt over the last 30 odd years into various drum schools and clinics and helped young kids to middle aged Radio 2 presenters the art of drumming.
Worth checking out is Sky's First Love where Steve teaches Mark Radcliffe how to play rather than bash and the man from Bolton ends up on stage with Rufus Wainwright at the Manchester Apollo which was really touching.

He's also helped fund the testicular cancer charity checkemlads run by the force of nature Philly Morris who Steve selflessly took an interest in when Philly was suffering with the disease a few years back.
Possibly because he was one of the very few scousers who didn't try and nick the rider at the gig where they met.

Steve was voted into the top 20 all time Drummers last year by a specialist mag which name escapes me but he was the only one who favours Lacoste and Adidas rather than leather waistcoats,headbands and ripped jeans.

This year he's on board with the talented Mancunian Sam Gray to finish off his debut album Aeroplanes and Possibilities and has the fire and skill of the excellent Lynch Mob Productions to oversee matters,and he's also helping out with the up and coming Abi Phillips.

Away From The Numbers asked Steve if he could share a few of his favourite things and recollections of his past with us and he duly obliged.

What was the first single you bought?
First single was " Cum On Feel The Noize " by Slade in 1973 .

First gig ?
Probably Louie Bellson at the Croydon Fairfield Halls where I got a pair of his sticks from the great man.

Can you remember your first motor?
Yes,a purple Morris Marina JKM 364A,there is a story about that car but I'll be a gentlemen .

Favourite Venue?
Glasgow Barras and i love the Manchester Apollo too.

Favourite all time player?
I've got a few,the mighty Derek Hales,Paolo Di Canio and just as a pro Chrissy Powell who is now the boss of Charlton.

Anyone you like now?
I don't really care that much for any of them but I do like Lionel Messi .

Favourite films?
I have 100s but A Clockwork Orange, Matter of Life and Death and Carry on Camping .
Also my fav actors and actresses are Malcolm McDowell,De Niro,Kenneth Williams,Julianne Moore,Liv Tyler and Sally Lindsay .

Down to music, name 3 singles and 3 albums that mean the most to you....
Let Their Be Drums by Sandy Nelson ,Starman by Bowie and Let's Stay Together by Al Green .
and the 3 albums Big Swing Face by Buddy Rich,The Kick Inside Kate Bush and Otis Blue by Otis Redding.

What are your favourite cities?
London / Manchester / Tokyo / Palma Mallorca .

Who would you get on the piss with if given the chance?
Well I've drunk with Gazza and Liam Gallagher at the same time ,which wasn't pretty and definitely not the old lead singer either !!
Also myself and Mick Talbot did share a drink with Lauren Bacall ,but i would love to have had a drink with Sammy Davis Jnr in 1966 and present day the director Shane Meadows ,

What item of clothing still resonates from your past?
Without a shadow my first Lacoste after getting paid for Long Hot Summer ,
And now? I'm loving my Stone Island Parka.

Are you the sort that likes a punt? Anything stand out?
Charlton V Tottenham a few years ago, I accidentally backed Chris Powell with a fiver at 80 - 1 to score as he had a lot of appearances under his belt but had never scored ball come across,caught a deflection and we were 1-0 up!!

Best gig you've ever been to ?
Buddy Rich April 12th 1982 at Ronnie Scotts London . Amazing.

Last question is on a personal level for me,i always say if asked the best gig I've ever seen PW play solo wise was Glastonbury 1994.
I've been to possibly better technically gigs and had some unbelievable nights out in Manchester,Glasgow,Brixton and the Royal Albert Hall in the last twenty odd years but that early evening sticks out.
When you came on and fired up the Pyramid Stage there was a lot of nodding heads but not much interaction but with each song the crowd swelled,grooved and by the end of Foot Of The Mountain as the sun was setting ,the crowd were just soaking up the band smashing the ley lined up field and around me the people were just getting off on the the Southern (Counties) Soul.
What do you remember?

It was a magical day as Paul had really caught the Zeitgeist of the time and we were a pretty awesome band .
Paul has always had a reputation for his live performances and that band and the group from 2002 to 2007 really stood out for me.
Glasto 94 was the crowning glory of nearly five years hard work and touring and two great albums with a third (Stanley Road) on its way .

Nice one! All the best for 2011.
Cheers!

Steve White - Casual,Cool,Charlton Athletic.

http://www.whiteydrums.com/

http://www.checkemlads.com/

Where Were You When You Were Shit?

2011-01-11T22:39:00.005Z

It's a chant you'll hear at Stamford Bridge by the opposing team's fans on a regular basis.

Usually with misguided venom by replica wearing mongs from the likes of Aston Villa and Sunderland who are notoriously bad travellers and just as fairweather on their own manors or the facepainted buyont daytrippers from Colchester and Burnley who then get 5,000 at home the following week.

We were no different from most teams in the 80's.

Only Man U and Liverpool regularly got 40,000 + but Arsenal ,Tottenham and Newcastle all failed to hit previous heights and suffered from the "English disease" hooliganism and poor facilities.

(Not that i give a fuck,i went to watch football and didn't worry about heated padded comfy armchairs and a frothy mocha latte)

Most people don't realise that our post war average attendance is the 5th highest in England.

So the notion of us not turning up in the past is not without foundation but as much as a part of the time.

Reece Sestak gives Away from the Numbers his unique view on what most Chelsea fans of a certain age view as the greatest season ever seen when we were supposedly shit.

Promotion favourites Derby get whacked 5-0 on a glorious sunny afternoon on the opening day of the season.
John Neal and Ken Bates had brought in 5 key players to totally radicalise the squad that had nearly got us relegated to Division 3 the following season.

Brighton, a side fancied to make an immediate return following their relegation, are beaten 2-1 at the Goldstone ground in our first away game. Oh .... by the way ..... in the background as we did throughout that season, you'll probably find that 3 sides of the ground are occupied by travelling Chelsea fans.
On this occasion we had 15,000 at Brighton .
Mighty support for a club that nearly went out of business 5 months earlier.
That ... all you Talksport listeners and Sky TV mongs, is where we were when we were shit

Fulham away.
Gordon Davies gets a Hat-trick and still ends up on the losing side.
Chelsea win the most exciting West London derby i've ever seen 5-3 and it was fucking soaking in that Putney End in the second half!
We Are The Famous,The Famous Chelsea....!!

There was this fella called Kevin Keegan who had gone to Newcastle for the last 2 years of his career.
His big spending Newcastle side arrived at Stamford Bridge in November 83 in what was our biggest home game so far. In the days leading up to the game however, the Brut 33 loving Newcastle starlet and his bouffant headed sidekick Terry McDermott had actually done our team talk for us.
You see these stylish northern nuggets had spent so much time telling the newspapers that they were going to walk this league, they forgot all about a little fella from Glasgow that went by the name of wee Pat Nevin. Now wee Pat, who looked as though he'd struggle to keep upright in a breeze, was actually quite good at football, even though he looked like he'd prefer to spend a Saturday afternoon discussing radical communist thinkers and the Cocteau Twins.
The little fella proceeded to run rings round the Geordies by himself, even showboating a little when he nutmegged "King" Kev, only to wait by the corner flag so he could do it again. Chelsea went on to smash the fucking granny out of Newcastle United 4-0.

And Kev and Tezza?? Well we made them look like a right pair of tits.
As we all knew we would!

There's 3 things you can count on, births deaths and, whenever Chelsea and Portsmouth meet in the second tier of English football, its a bad tempered affair on and off the pitch with an abundance of missed penalties as well as red and yellow cards.
And there's gonna be a lairy fatty from the south coast in a pink Lacoste tracksuit.

Boxing day 83, Pompey at home, a 2-2 draw, cards all over the place, a tear up at Embankment and a load of penalties

Defeats at home to Grimsby and Manchester City, a draw against Pompey and a defeat at Blackburn meant we were slipping over the Xmas period.
The masterstroke of signing the mercurial Mickey Thomas in January helped us get back on track with a win at the Baseball Ground.

The reverse at Ewood was our last defeat of the season.

Couldn't see this game getting played today ...players would be running around in sleeping bags with an inbuilt snood or worried about messing up their hair or something.
Cunts.
Mind you some bods were wearing just their Sergio Tacchini Dallas track tops and there was literally a few blue faces on the train home before some cunt invented facepaint.

Speedo after scoring the opener at St James Park in a 1-1 draw.
WE only took 8000 up there for that one ... shit eh?

Cardiff away was a day when you knew this was our season ,when being 3-0 down with 15 to go the mighty blues pull it back to 3-3 with a last minute Spackman equaliser.
Cue a nice baton charge by Welsh plod and a little bit of fisticuffs with the Cardiff chaps.
And a array of cuts and bruises to show off at work and school with pride the following week.

And on to Fratton Park where more chaos and major disorder surrounded the matter that a win would have sent us up, but a 2-2 draw after being 2-0 up meant we would have to wait until the Saturday .
We were at home against a club who we share a mutual loathing with ... Leeds.
A proper deep embedded hatred that still runs deep now.

Kerry completes his Hat Trick, Gate 13 go off the fucking scale, Chelsea get promoted !!

Oh and to really rub it in Canners bags a 5th just before the end to spark off jubilant pitch celebrations from 3 sides of the ground not seen since. The ref blows up with 2 minutes left as he's already dazed from the last invasion and it's a moment shared between fans and players when they were us and we were them.
And Leeds ? They stayed in the second division and their fans smashed up the scoreboard which did Bates a favour because it was fucking redundant anyway!

Forget "JT" (Captain, Leader, Legend TM), "Lamps" (as fucking daft a name as I've ever heard),

this is what a REAL CHELSEA LEGEND LOOKS LIKE!!

Foremost, a Chelsea boy through and through, a much underrated midfielder who gave Chelsea Football Club almost 20 years of loyal, committed and unwavering service.

Johnny B .... we salute you sir!

Promotion secured against Leeds but we also had a chance of the title although, it has to be said, Sheffield Wednesday were firm favourites and arguably the easier run in. Chelsea headed up to Maine Road on the Friday night in front of the TV cameras live to face a Manchester City side who still had a chance of promotion, albeit a very, very outside one despite being one of the favourites the previous August.

Goals from Pat Nevin and Kerry got us a 2-0 win as we went top of the league, for hours at least!

I went to the Manchester City away game last season where it made me very amused to hear a (large) section of their support chanting the usual "Where were you when you were shit" rubbish.

I missed this game as I was on holiday and I've never been one much into all the aggro. I'll also say that I respect past/present match going fans of EVERY club as long as they support their club for the right reasons. BUT, Chelsea took over 12,000 to Manchester that night and proceeded to smash the fucking granny out of City to a point where all their pubs were taken over and it was admitted by City faces that this was easily the biggest and best mob that had ever descended on them.

The Final day ... Grimsby away and Kerry Dixon gets our goal in a 1-0 win to give us the second division title. Its easy to underestimate "just going to Grimsby and winning" but they had had a very good side and enjoyed a fine season themselves, punching above their weight and finished in what now would be a play off spot.

The Mariners were also one of two clubs who had left SW6 that season with all three points after coming from 2 down to win 3-2. Where the attendance figures were obtained from that day is beyond me as Blundell Park was bursting to the seams with Chelsea, 15,000 up there and that's being conservative.

I was chatting to a Grimsby lad I met a few months back who was there that day and he was telling me that most Grimsby fans weren't too bothered about the result, preferring Chelsea to Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds by miles. He was also telling me that, in a way, he was hoping Chelsea would score just so he could see what it would look like. We duly obliged and he said that in all the years he has been going to football matches, he had never seen anything as wild as that, and at the final whistle.

In 32 years following Chelsea Football Club home, away and abroad, I have been moved to tears of pride and joy on two occasions. One was the FA Cup final of 1997 where we finally laid to rest our failure to win a major trophy for 26 years.

This was the other, perhaps not even this game but the season as a whole. The previous year, we had endured the worst campaign in our history, narrowly avoiding relegation with a late, late win at Bolton and finishing in our worst ever league position.

Even the most partisan, hardcore, blue tinted Chelsea fans weren't that optimistic of achieving anything other than avoiding the drop as the Second Division campaign of 1983/4 approached.

There had been a massive overhaul in the playing staff over the summer months with our new squad consisting of players that no-one had ever heard of and a couple of last chance saloon gunslingers like Tony McAndrew and Joey Jones. However, our management team of John Neal and Ian McNeill were nothing if not good tacticians, motivators and fantastic judges of a player's abilities.

It is said that Harry Redknapp is a "wheeler dealer" when it comes to acquiring players. True I suppose, but he is always given money to spend and to a certain extent, can afford the odd wrong un'.

Neal and McNeill had no money and, more importantly, no margin for error.

The achievements of these two, the former a wily old character from Teesside and the latter a respected but underrated coach at Wigan Athletic, nowadays go unnoticed among the Sky TV/Premier League/Soccer AM circus and sadly many of our new fans.
So too do the travails of Joey Jones, a proud Welshman who had been pivotal if not as celebrated in the first two European Cup winning Liverpool sides as well as several of their 18 league titles.
Although Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones' compatriot and great friend was only with us for 18 months or so , he certainly left his mark in SW6.
The general consensus in today's football world is one of greed, indifference and spin so perhaps we remember the efforts of previous players and coaching staff with even more warmth and affection.

When newspapers report that Ashley Cole is disgusted at 60,000 a week and John Terry (Captain Leader Legend TM) needed "reassurances", oh alright a salary of 130,000 a week, we look back to Joey Jones and Mickey Thomas, both full internationals,both who said they would play for Chelsea Football Club for nothing and raise a glass to them.
They regularly slept rough in the ticket office at Stamford Bridge as they couldn't afford to heavily commute nor move to the London area.
Mickey didn't even own a car and I very much doubt that Joey Jones cruised around Rhyl and Prestatyn in the latest Bentley or Aston Martin.

The players and management of that era are as important to our club as the goals of Peter Osgood and the celebrated teams of the 1960s and 70s.
Men of honour, who you really believed were proud to pull on our shirt!

Inspirations - Daniel Ash

2011-01-10T21:24:00.010Z

The best thing to come out of Southampton since Micky Channon's windmilling arm (ask your dad) are The Lost Boys.

Currently in rehearsals and ramping up for the coming year, front man and songwriter Dan took some time out to share with us the songs that have shaped his near 21 years.

THE JAM- WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG

I remember when I first discovered The Jam I was in Year Nine of School. (Aged 13 for you older bods )
I came back and started the new term with an awful chopped up Weller haircut ,a pair of bowling shoes and the crappiest nastiest parka on the market. I thought I was the dogs bollocks!!
How wrong I was.
On reflection though, the phrase 'trying to hard' springs to mind.
I've now realised drawing targets on a desk and knowing all the words to 'My Generation' doesn't make you a mod.
But I was young, obsessed and head over feet in love with The Jam.
This tune is one of my all time favourites.

To me it represents all that carelessness and naivety of your early/mid teens where anything goes.

''You're fearless and brave, you can't be stopped when you're young."
Spot on P!

OASIS - DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER

I missed 'Definitely Maybe' on first time round (I was only four, mind...) but I think this was my first major introduction to Oasis and to me it didn't get any better than this.
My sister had the cassette of 'What's The Story.....' and I used to steal it every time she went out the house so I could play it on my ghetto blaster.
This was the track I would play over and over and it's so anthemic and I'm sure Noel must have known in the studio they were creating something quite special.
The last chorus after the drum solo is a complete ear-gasm moment.
Maybe not the most original Oasis track to pick, but it was massive to me because it was so undoubtedly a towering song of beauty.

SQUEEZE - UP THE JUNCTION

Perfectly crafted pop.
A melody that runs round and round your head with lyrics that crams in so much information into it's three minute running time.
You'll be listening again just to listen out for lines that you missed first time round.
It's storytelling at it's finest covering love, employment, pregnancy, divorce, and remorse.
Excellent chord changes in the bridge along with some solid drumming and an instantly hummable opening/closing riff.
Records this good should be in everybody's collection.

ARCTIC MONKEYS- BIGGER BOYS AND STOLEN SWEETHEARTS

Nothing like a song that you can relate to, right?
This early Monkeys track off the first album really clicked with me. I have a lot of respect for Alex Turner.
Lyrically, he never disappoints and he knows his way around writing a decent hook too. I love Dancefloor, When The Sun Goes Down and Mardy Bum, but this one went that extra mile with me.
I'd been in the position described in this song before; left by the wayside for an older and more popular boy.
I was gutted, but it was songs like this that I would listen on to for repeat for ages and think ''Oh it happens to Alex Turner too. Now I don't feel quite so sad''.

THE LIBERTINES- TIME FOR HEROES

I went on a Ski trip to Italy once near the end of my time at School. I was dreadful at it.
I hated every second of going down mountains looking like a solid gold twat.
However two great things did come out of it....
1) I entered a Pizza eating competition
2) I had this new CD that I recently got by a band called The Libertines.
This was long before Doherty was constantly in the papers so I didn't really know anything about the members of the band, but the songs on the album (Up The Bracket) were nothing short of spectacular.
Time For Heroes hit me like a train!
I became quite obsessed with the use of wordplay in songs from this track (The stale chips are up and the hope stakes are down) and the trebly guitars reminded me of The Jam, while Doherty's slurring and shouting put me in mind of another band I had recently fallen for (The Clash).
It's a fantastic record that has stood the test of time.

THE BEATLES- IN MY LIFE

Everybody has their own favourite Beatles songs for their own reasons. Mine is this perfect piece of pop from Side B of Rubber Soul. Rubber Soul was the first CD I ever got (A christmas present when I was 4 or 5) but I asked for it because my parents used to play the greatest hits all the time and I loved Drive My Car and Girl.
It started an obsession that I still carry to this day, and from then on I was always asking for more Beatles albums for Christmas and Birthdays.
This track itself is beautiful and reflective and one of Lennon's all time best.

A touching track with a killer melody. Also a cracker to listen to on train journeys.

THE SMITHS- PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET ME GET WHAT I WANT

There's many Smiths tracks to choose from but I think this is my favourite. Hatful of Hollow is a great album and this works brilliantly as a closer. It's just such a desperate track, it pulls on your heartstrings- after hearing it; you want to pull Morrissey to the side, give him a small man-hug, and buy him a pint. (He'd probably run a mile but the offer's there)
It also shows off how solid a guitarist Johnny Marr is (not that we need reminding...).
It's over so quickly, I wish it went on forever.

BUZZCOCKS- EVER FALLEN IN LOVE?

A floor filler I'm sure on many indie clubs up and down the country, and for a good reason too, it's a damn good tune.
It has an irresistible hook and those brilliant teenage-angst type lyrics describing those situations we've all been through. I've listened to this song time after time and it still doesn't bore me.
Whenever I make a mixtape for somebody, this will certainly always feature on it.
What other songs can you sing along to by the end of your first ever listen?

BLUR- TO THE END

Parklife was another album that I had on cassette growing up. I loved it. It went from the jolly and upbeat quintessentially English tracks like 'Parklife' and 'Tracy Jacks' to truly moving moments like 'This is A Low' and 'To The End'. What I always loved about 'To The End' was the vocal performance, especially when Damon sings ''...and it looks like, we might have made it" in the songs unmissable chorus.
You can't teach emotion like that.
I'm a sucker for honesty in music and you can hear it Damon's tone that he means every single word.
Plus, theres also a very sexy-sounding french lady in the background, which defiantly gives it the ooh la la down my way.

THE ZOMBIES- TIME OF THE SEASON

Odyssey and Oracle is my favourite album of all time. I couldn't pick a song to write about because I love every single second on that record so I thought I'd choose the most well known as it is probably the best place to start.

I discovered this record when I was sixteen. I had just started College with my bog-brush Weller haircut, a dozen cheap Fred Perrys and an addiction to trading in my CD's at a record shop in Totton so I could buy as much Vinyl as I could fit into my satchel.

This tiny and often empty shop introduced me to a record that would pretty much take over my life.

After all, Odyssey and Oracle is the kind of record that just stares at you from the shelf.
The cover, just as colourful as Sgt. Pepper is bright, intriguing and trippy, painting pictures of a late 60's Britain where love was all around, moustaches were de rigeur and acid was being dropped left, right and center.

These inspiringly colourful illustrations painted a perfect backdrop for the psychedelic sounds contained on this beautiful piece of plastic. And I haven't even started on the sounds it makes yet.

It's a masterclass in how to write perfectly crafted baroque type pop.
Time Of The Season closes the album on a bleak tone with an exceptional organ solo.
The album sits bleak, moody tracks comfortably next to bright and breezy pop killers such as Care of Cell 44.
I've played it to death.
I own 3 copies on different formats.
I know every lyric, every chord progression, every harmony by heart and still it continues to amaze and teach me how beautiful pop music is created.
It's the closest thing I've ever found to my musical nirvana.
Beg, steal or borrow a copy of this while you can.
You'll be thanking me later.

Well there's ten tracks that would sit in any pantheon of classic pop moments of the last 50 years.
So what's in store for the band now squire?

I would like to spread the word of us more than anything mate.
We've had a few small deal offers so far, but nobody would have a clue who we were so they'd be no point having our CD in a shop.
We want to create some sort of buzz this year, so we'll be playing London once a month minimum and recording the next 2 songs which will go alongside Flowers, In My Sleep and Loser Rock onto an EP.
I want it to stand up properly and be something we can put out to the rest of the world to make our mark.
Also on the cards is a BBC Introducing session to be recorded next month which is a great push for us.
We want to hit radio stations, magazines,websites, blogs, labels,clubs and most importantly the people.

The Lost Boys will do everything in our reach to make it happen.
I believe we have something special.

I believe it too. So should you.

http://www.myspace.com/officiallostboys

10 for 10

2010-12-29T20:17:00.017Z

In no particular order

1 Chelsea winning the double - Mind you if it wasn't for that dirty bastard Bonnie Prince Boateng missing the penalty in the cup final, that gyppo John Portsmouth wouldn't have washed again never mind once a year as i didn't fancy our chances at that point.

2 Primal Scream putting on a show worthy of the re introduction of Screamadelica into the national conscience.

3 Raoul Moat - The Big Vern of Tyneside gets out of jail totally unhinged then murders and maims as he's not one for rejection. He then makes Kay Burley well moist as the Ginger poundland OJ Simpson gets on the run.
No copper will take him alive as he decides the ill advised tayser is a bit painful and he couldn't handle another beer with Paul " I've got a curry and some tab's Moaty" Gascoigne.
He kills himself.

4 Paul Weller - Kicks the year in with his most critically acclaimed solo album ever in Wake Up The Nation .
With the diverse songs,sounds and sonics PW still proves that he is the reason why some of his loyal fanbase still leave their kids at home with strange baby sitters just to catch the ever touring geezer live.
Last night at the Albert Hall was immense even though i had a bloke hanging off our box like King Kong to Find The Torch,Burn The Plans whilst shouting "One Step Beyond ,Steptoe you cunt"

5 Student Riots - All for a bit of getting in Cameron's face but when you're looking at a load of posh cunts on a jolly from Godalming and Harpenden smashing up Millbank with those awful fat scarves covering their err neck you hope they get caught and served with a fine that will hurt Daddy's bank balance and standing down the lodge.

6 Climbing Snowden - The hardest thing I've had to do since going to Millwall in 1984 but it was worth every step. The team i was involved in raised over 3 grand for the testicular cancer charity checkemlads and i forged friendships that I'd like to think will always hold .

7 PWC Big Night Out - The first and last that i got involved in was a club night that was top draw thanks to the bods who came from all over to make it a success.
Not even biblical rain,major gridlock and the star DJ turning up with unplayable CD's could come close to ruining the night.
(Next one end of May under a new name)

8 Councils - Apparently complaining about an anti social neighbour for 2 years is not enough for them to take positive action unless the bounders make the noise before 5PM during the week or 12 PM at the weekend.
No the Council haven't got any sound monitors or staff to listen to the shit soundproofing and you have to take them to court to try and get a result.
Or alternatively get some madman from the property to give you and the Mrs a fucking good slap and they're gone the next day.

9 Bosses you hate moving on - Well i fucking hated mine and since then my life has become a whole lot easier. He looked like the ex bald copper in Shameless and was a lying bastard who robbed me.
The day he emailed me he was "heading up another project" i "headed up the pub" and came home 6 hours later covered in dribble and sick. Beautiful.

10 BBC6 Music and the 2018 World Cup Bid - How the best radio station in my lifetime was ever under threat is beyond me but when you look at the prick Thompson (DG) and letting potentially damaging but ultimately appalling programmes on FIFA bell ends go out the week of the 2018 World cup bid you can half understand it.
How the flaky leper humiliated the Prime Minister,the soon to be webbed future king and the sexiest man in Chingford and is still smiling shows that England are well behind the Congo or Equatorial Guinea for the 2026 effort. But we'll waste another 15 mill anyway.

Last Train To Glasgow

2010-12-03T22:03:00.002Z

September 1985.
Myself and two mates Dave and Mark are heading to Glasgow to catch some dates on the Scottish tour that The Smiths are doing.

The Smiths,we love them,others love them but most people around us fucking hated them .
The Chelsea awaydays were littered with " Do you still like them gay northern cunts?"
My old man " What is it with you and this soppy tramp with flowers out of his back pocket?"
Which of course made me love them even more.
I mean don't get me wrong,the London gigs were always full of Student Grants in bins,ripped jeans and acne that would shame a geezer bathing in Country Life.
All of them hoping Morrissey would shower them in Gladioli.
But when Johnny Marr looks the way he does and sounds as great as an early Keef with a Brian Jones haircut well that was my man.

The 11.30PM out of Kings Cross.

Mark - Robert Smith dyed black hair,one of those leather and suede tie up panelled jackets that were popular for 3 months,Adidas Samba,Guinness,few quid in his bin.
Dave - Flat Top, 3/4 length overcoat,DM Shoes,Ripped Levis,Kronenberg,borrowing off Mark.
Stu - Crop,3/4 length Beige Mac,Levi 501's,Adidas Gazelle.Kronenberg,enough to get by .

4 Cans in.....
Mark - Having a kip
Dave - Poof
Stu - Stay awake
Dave - Shut up Stu,always going on about crumpet
Stu - Eh?
Dave - You go on about pulling but you get as much action as old Markie boy
Stu - Just cos your a virgin,don't take it out on me
Dave - I ain't a virgin,ask your mum na na haahaa
Stu - She said you was shit,unlike your mum who told me you was the best shag she'd ever had.
Dave - Fucking out of order
Stu - Mong
Mark - Turn it in

8 Cans in
Dave - What's you fav bird of telly
Stu - Your mum
Bloke behind - Will you two shut the fuck up I'm trying to sleep.
Silence......

9 cans in
Stu - Where are we?
Dave - Up your fucking mum
Mark - SHUT UP YOU CUNTS!!!
Bloke behind and his Mrs - SHUT UP OTHERWISE I'LL DO YA!!!!

Sleep for a couple of hours
Arrive Glasgow Central.....

Hangover kicks in and we have to negotiate a bus to Irvine where the first gig is. It's a Sunday morning and it's wet and cold.
The bus is full of old biddys in headscarves and those upright shopping 4 wheeled trollies your Nan used to have.
As soon as they hear our accents,you can feel the animosity rise on the bus.
I don't feel well but Dave and Mark seem fine. Fuckers.
Start going over a few bumpy hills and the stomach is jumping.
Dave asks me where the gaff is. I cant even answer,i've got water in my mouth.
And like i fucking know, you
quiffed cunt.
Oh no.....WOOORRAARRRHH...i manage to avoid my trainers...everyone is looking .....fuck no...WAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHH...... biddies fuck off...it smells......glad I'm at the back of the bus.......REEETTCCHHH......let that be the last one...why did i drink that gear...I'm a Fosters guy.......i want my bed,any bed.......

Well Dave and Mark just sit there giggling whilst I've got the Over 65 Weegies on a day out to the seaside giving me evils. They look fucking mean,especially the Ena Sharples cunt . I just try and sleep it off...

Arrive at Irvine and then have a wonder looking for a hotel .
Half hour later after several knock backs we find a B&B straight out of the dark ages.
The woman running it has the dress sense of a cabbage and the beard of a pirate.
We have to share a 3 person bedroom and no one wants to to do the double bed. Mark naturally wins the toss as he always fucking does and me and Dave just glare at each other.

After a shower and a wee kip (see I'm getting into the swing of the language) we brighten up knowing we're going to see the best band in Britain. Dave pisses in the sink for a laugh ,so i piss in the bath not to be outdone.
Mark just shakes his head disgusted brushing his teeth,not realising I've had his toothbrush and rubbed it against my nuts.

Get to the venue which is a glorified gym after being in the pub for a few and the lights go out and the music from Romeo and Juliet (cant remember it's official title) booms out ,the band come out to wild abandon and screams and go tearing into.......

Excerpt from the forthcoming book That's Entertainment

Bring Me The Head Of Sepp Blatter

2010-12-02T16:52:00.003Z

Did i truly believe that my country would actually get the 2018 World Cup?
Did i truly believe that our future king,the most recognisable active footballer in the world and the Prime Minister would go down and fellate third world hicks who's idea of sport is throwing it up a well paid for brass? (Well Eton Rifle maybe)
Did i think that a country that has the worst infrastructure I've ever experienced in a capital city,Racism that would try the patience of a Siberian snowman,an economy kept afloat by blatant Mafioso,football stadiums that are no better than anything I've seen since the 1970's and a game that is not the national sport would win it's world cup bid at the first time of trying?

No to all above.

As for Qatar,113th in the world rankings,an alcohol ban,no stadia and a 40 degree summer heat??

We gave the world the beautiful game,and the motherland has been fucked up the arse for it ever since.

FIFA.
In Criminal Activity We Trust.

PS Well done BBC.
Amazing how a bloke shouting the odds behind a tree can be given prime time 3 days before the process in the cause of opening up old news corruption in the most powerful organisation in world sport.
Investigative journalism on a par with Donal McIntyre hanging round Hanworth McDonalds in cap sleeves getting in with "the firm".
At least now bring back Kate Adie to get behind enemy lines,blow apart the filthy unaccountable organisation and bring forth the head of a deluded tamazipan'd up wannabe German dictator and Jack 'got any spares' Warner.

Primal Scream Present Screamdelica Live! - Olympia Grand Hall,London 27.11.10

2010-11-28T21:04:00.010Z

Late July 1991 a band that had i had seen in a previous life were reborn,rejuvenated and spun my world on it's head by putting in a show of epic proportions.
Leicester Square Empire was the place to be on that Monday night and by clubbing up the live experience with Andrew Wetherall and the Orb DJing either side of Primal Scream it left us the punter in a state of delirium normally reserved for the rave/warehouse do's of the the previous 2 years.
A rock and roll band that had you punching the air without any embarrassment,hugging strangers and talking bollocks to members of the Farm?!
OK the doves on offer might have lost you your inhibitions but the band had to do their bit.
Walking into the 3 am warm air on that balmy night,you felt like you had just witnessed something very special.

Forward 19 years and the Scream announce the dates for 2 shows at the West London exhibition hall.
For a band that always looked forward i found quite startling that they would put on such a show,but there was no way i was gonna take the risk of missing out on a night that features one of the truly great records of all time. (Though to some it was more a compilation than a statement of intent).

I absolutely love the Scream,to me they're the ones who truly represent and how i perceive rock and roll in all it's true glory. I was too young for The Clash,but i dont feel i've missed out with the Scream about. The gigs,the attitude,the audience,the characters around the band all have a big alingment with W10's finest.
From the manic Barrowlands of Glasgow to the sedate Kent fields of Tonbridge Wells i've been in pursuit of the party and hitched the ride as much as possible .
Also my wife and i had our first date at a Brixton all nighter and i've pulled as many mates along as possible to be part of the madness and they've come back time and time again.
I've been riding the train from as as far back as 1987 (when i couldn't get how sloppy they were live, but made records that could fill your soul)
OK the last couple of albums have not been up to the groundbreaking LP's as Exterminator,Vanishing Point and the aforementioned ,but live they still have the power to leave you in pieces by the end of the show.
The band cross genre's and youth cults (when there was such a beauty) and can bring a chaos to this slowly boring industry that loses it's sparkle with each year.
You can see the old punks/ravers/mods/rude boys at the gigs and have been totally blown away by the energy and rebel nature of the collective.

These days the waist had thickened,the chin has doubled,the pills have been replaced by pilsner(though a cheeky half never hurt anyone) and the powder is more likely to be for a cold than a state of excited babbling paranoia.

The venue was a throwback to warehouse type do's of old.
The sub zero temperature outside meant for an overcoat frenzy that stayed mainly on the people due to the cavernous size of the Grand Hall.

The Scream were their own support band,kicking off proceedings with an 8 song set just to get your blood up for the main event.
The adrenaline charged Accelerator kicked off proceedings and a stomp through classics such as Jailbird,Burning Wheel ,Shoot Speed Kill Light and Rocks got the crowd a bit lively though some were bewildered to what was going on (not helped by my mate Tom asking people on the wind up who the first band were, they're fucking shit!) and some were still finding their feet in getting to the bars in near darkness.

The mighty Andrew Wetherall then spun a few tracks that influenced the making of Screamdelica such as Johnnie Johnston's cover of Dr John's Walk On Gilded Splinters and The Temptation's Ball Of Confusion .
Half hour of shuffling and deciding to plot up was then taken over by proceedings as the jumbotron showed cracking glass as the band walked on stage.

Andrew Innes founder member and musical director starts the opening chords of Movin' On Up, someone's turned the volume up and BANG! the crowd are back in the room.
The gospel choir resplendent in white robes back up the elastic Gillespie and the sound is magnificent.
Group hugs all round and a mate who'd been at Loftus Rd is on a roll,pulling Jesus on a cross shapes in a white coat to the most spiritual of tunes and to the amusement of us.

Slip Inside This House brings back the memories of old days running round places like the Hummingbird or Palais like kids on high voltage E numbers but it's not until i hear Don't Fight It ,Feel It with it's opening notes that the place absolutely erupts with the wild abandon of getting high on life,love and the funk.
With the soulful Mary Pearce stepping in for Denise Johnson leading the throng there's big fucking love in the room .
The band with Little Barrie Cadogan taking the lead just seems to weave that groove straight into your heart and make you forget your not a middle aged geezer lacking match day fitness.
I might not get high like i used to but i'm gonna live the life i love,no question.

Now for a turn of pace as thankfully the Scream don't play the game by playing the album in chronological order(as if) and go into Damaged . Bobby sings as sweetly as I've ever heard,Duffy on keys with his beautiful piano playing a la 1972 Nicky Hopkins and a thousand kisses are passed and a thousand arses are groped (mostly by QPR boy).
The mood stays at a pace as I'm Coming Down and Shine Like Stars which floats and tingles the venue but Inner Flight with the choir is given the full feel of music to space travel (though i couldn't help think of the Clangers) and leaves me feeling of being elsewhere/up there/anywhere....

Higher Than the Sun is possibly the greatest song in the rich history of the Scream.
It has now grabbed everyone back and with the two part symphony, Mani takes the Jah Wobble bass line and makes it his own by pushing it to the limit .
As the track builds and builds, the guitars soar and crescend into an almost melancholic feel and at this point i could feel my mince pies welling up .
What seemed like a 15 minute version breaks finally as i get a grip and......WHAT IS IT THAT YOU WANT TO DO? WE WANNA GET LOADED...... (Imagine Wembley ,FA Cup final your team has just gone 2-1 up with a minute to go) drinks in the air, Gillespie encouraging the crowd to party,and the thousands finally become one.
I'm doing that shuffle that only comes out in times of sheer unshackled love!

The band are as good as I've ever heard if not better.
Sharp,solid,hard,crisp,sexy ramping up the heat and we're left with the only tune that could finish the evening .
Come Together.
The album version merges with the original version and the place goes absolutely bonkers, the psychedelic feel of the lights and backdrop make for a fantastic close and a last chance to dance, hands in the air moment.
To come into a pretty much unused venue these days and get the sound and lighting so right is a testament to the thought and love that has gone into putting such a show on.

No encore,how could there be?

We came out shaking our heads,excited,drained and knowing we'd witnessed a night of star shining beauty.

Primal Scream.
Know What I Mean?!!

And What You Give Is What You Get!!

2010-10-30T17:49:00.008+01:00

The Jam's 5th album is the greatest album ever made. You can argue the merits of any classic album to me and you could tell me why it's better than SA but it wouldn't make a blind bit of difference.
I've played Sound Affects more than any other record or CD since i bought it,i know every word from Shelley's poem on the back sleeve to every lyric that hit home like an Exocet.
The mix of Weller,Bruce and Rick all at the top of their game with the skilled production of Vic Coppersmith Heaven (what a name,should be knighted for that alone) put them firmly into being nation's best band.
The Police and The Clash might have conquered the world but i don't think a kid from Arbroath or Aberwyswyth was ever gonna dress like Sting or understand Joe Strummer's well meaning politics on Nicuragua.
The front sleeve encapsulates what Paul Weller saw life at that time that represented him and his take on Britain at the turn of the so called decadent 80's.
(Whoever thought the 80's was decadent was hanging with Duran Duran and Katherine Hamnett. Wanker.)
The album was The Jam's most expensive to make and missed several deadlines for completion,as the band were writing in studio time.
Recorded between the 15 June and 22nd October it was eventually released on the 28th November 1980.
It reached No.2 in the UK and the USA a heady 77.
Magnificently crafted at the Townhouse Studios,Goldhawk Road ,London W12 it went on to sell nearly 300,000 copies on vinyl.

First though my story with this work of art started a bit later than it's birth into the public.
Even though i had a few albums usually given to me at Christmas i was predominantly a singles man.
Well when your 14/15 the pocket money and paper round dough was spent on going to football you didn't have a lot left .
So 4 and a half quid for a record was out of the question.
I didn't have an older brother and my pals were mainly into Jazz/Funk so apart from Madness's debut One Step Beyond,Specials first and fucking Regatta De Blanc i was barren like a desert on the Long Player front.
I couldn't nick the old man's records as apart from every household's de riguer Beatles Blue and Red Albums, his taste seemed at polar opposites to mine .
Miles Davis and Simon and Garfunkel didn't resonate till a lot later in life.
John Denver was just plain fucking weird.

I found myself in the summer of 81 looking through the racks of Sellanby in South Harrow there was a second hand copy of Sound Affects at a reasonable price. It was in decent nick but half of me was thinking £2.49 was 3 singles or 2 singles and a bag of chips from the excellent greek chippy next door (RIP).

Fuck it.
It was a calling,i was well aware of the sleeve as I'd mooned over it a couple of times previous but i needed to have it.
I'd got most of the Jam's 7"'s so they were the band that mattered more than any other.
Having seen The Jam do Pretty Green and Boy About Town on an unbelievably crap Saturday morning show that the BBC always put on when the just as shit Multi Coloured Swap Shop had it's holiday, i knew the time had come to step up.
I'd recorded Get Set For Summer on the Ferguson VHS recorder even though the old man refused to let us use it unless he was about (I'd already taped over most of Brideshead Revisited with the Big Match and Tiswas) and had got really obsessed with Pretty Green.
You don't compute at 15 that the song was about capitalism and the evils of money but the whole feel of the stop/start groove really stood out for me.

Get back home,and all those old cliches of buying vinyl back then are true. You study.

The run out grooves,the lyrics,trying to work out what ground the picture of football fans is (Gallowgate end,St James Park?),the inner sleeve picture taken at 5AM to get the dawn light. The record slowly becomes part of you.
You might not understand the full meaning of Set the House Ablaze but you know it's about the nastier side of life.
Monday is universal though. When Weller sings i will never be embarrassed about love again,you know that one day you will feel like that.
Start! with it's now obvious reference to the Beatles Taxman meant absolute jack shit to me as I'd never heard Revolver.
That's why i could never understand all those wanky DJ's and journalists moaning about rip off!
It had already been a chart topper and an overplayed record in my house so was already part of the psyche.

Side 2's opener Dreamtime had an otherworldy feel that i now see as a certain detachedness that i felt at that age. The feeling of being an awkward teenager and not fitting in, it certainly felt unique back then.
With the backward tape loop and the crashing chords i used to put that on especially loud and get right into tennis racket shapes whilst shouting "STREETS I RAN,THIS WHOLE TOWN,BACKSTREETS AND ALL,I WANTED TO LEAVE THERE,JUST NO MATTER HOW FAST I RAN...." I used to feel empowered by just the opening verse and then shrink back into small town paranoia by the end!

The manic pop thrill of Boy About Town and especially But I'm Different Now that had me pogoing round the bedroom.
The use of the word superb is massively underused in music but for someone like Weller who's every step was watched by fans and critics alike throws caution to the wind and pronounces "Superb that your my ...GIRL!!"

That's Entertainment is the hymn that seems to be missing from the church on Sundays. The song written in ten minutes after a sesh down the local,which later turned out to be massively influenced by a poem sent to him by a fan for his newly set up publishing company is as much part of working class heritage as it is Weller's.

Man In The Corner Shop is so simple but so poignant,i used to wonder if my local shopkeeper was jealous of any of his punters. Mind you factory owners were in short supply on my manor.

Music For The Last Couple which i have to say i used to skip if it was just for the fact that my sister used to turn the sound of the fly right up and drive me fucking mad ,still had the single lyric bout poison trains and referencing the shift of nuclear waste through our green and pleasant that the government tried to hush up.
Even the so called throw away track had a deeper meaning.

Scrape Away though was the one that really made me feel deeper and heavier than any song i'd ever heard until that point.
As an end to an album it really left me me in a state of confusion.
It's not a happy ending,it's not a nice send off.
It's no Chipmunks Are Go or Garageland.
It doesn't send you on your way with joy in your heart and a nice cuddle.
The supposed attack on John Lydon is a real sonic assault with it's dub overtones and had the feel of sharded glass on flesh . "You've given up hope,your jaded and ill,the trouble is your thoughts are a catching disease....."
With Bruce's bass line that wouldn't have sounded out of place in a warehouse rave later on and Rick's fantastic drumming the whole band sounded like they'd spent the last 3 months in a rainy and cold Berlin rather than a sunny Shepherds Bush.
I used to play the album again just to take away the disturbed feeling that Scrape Away used to leave me with. The french geezer over the mournful jagged guitars on the fade out was really unerving but absolutely compelling.
A bit like The Shining with Rickenbackers.

The imminent release of the deluxe edition has made me revisit that time and era and you could see where the Weller was at. Desperate to move on from the classic sound.
Swapping the Who for Wire and James Brown for Joy Division .
Lyrically you can almost feel his disenfranchised feeling for England and the world .
As Thatcher started to make waves in the political arena and the real threat of a nuclear war as Russia and the USA went head to head in who's dad was bigger.

Me i was never a happy go lucky kid with just Chelsea and girls on my mind.
Life might have been easier back then if i was but then i wouldn't have had the feeling i get whenever i put Sound Affects on.

Sound Affects Deluxe Edition is out on 8 November.

Pulling Muscles From This Hell

2010-10-09T19:16:00.000+01:00

The air of nostalgia hangs heavy in the air, as I hear Squeeze on the radio and Minder is on the telly.

I’m transported back to the carefree age of living at home with my mum and dad and sister and hound where my only worries was if the girl down the end of the road would laugh at my jokes and smile that smile or if the boys are round the big park for a classic game of 15 a side.
I miss my hometown much more than I ever thought I would…..

I’m in a place that I have little love for and even less for the people around me.
It really is another world. I pride myself upon getting on with most people but it’s a bit difficult when the ignorance and hate is brooding and breeding like the Lonsdale tracksuit slag round the corner who does it for coins and sniff and has made her mum a gran at the age of 29.

To my left the Scottish female middle-aged drug addict who’s handy with an axe and her fists and who’s idea of fun is to sing like a broken record on a cheap karaoke whilst bullying those around her.

Up above the young girl who avoids all gazes and interaction unless she’s on the chance of a ride with some of Bar Armadillo’s young guns.
You know it’s 3.30 AM Saturday morning because she’s woken you up with her latest conquest.
She’s the sort who looks down her nose at others, but only to avoid looking straight in a mirror.

And over the way the nastiest piece of work that would stir your shit for the price of a box of Lambert and Desperate will tell you to your face that black is black and then tell someone else that you said black was red with a flash of orange just for good measure.

You soon find that nothing is what it seems in this shit hole.

So me and the wife sit here so patiently looking for the fortune and grace to deliver us from evil whilst writing letters to the council, waiting for drawmaster Matt to send the right balls down the midweek lottery machine and bemoaning the lack of respect back in the days of when I was a kid…….And behind the chalet, my holiday’s complete.....

The Lost Boys

2010-07-02T17:19:00.005+01:00

As most things i hear these days a new band sort of creeps up on you in a subtle way,rather than when you're 19 and they smash you full in the face. One such group is Southampton's The Lost Boys.
Showing a maturity in songwriting beyond writer and front man Daniel Ash's 19 years,the track that floated my bone was Flowers.
The song's very much rooted in classic English pop such as The Rifles,The Bluetones and XTC and with sharp hooks and a melody Squeeze's Glenn Tilbrook would be proud of.
And unlike half of these muggy new bands that look like either trampy fucks who don't know where the soap is or the skinny jeaned,white plimsoll mob with parrot hair,this lot actually take their cue from well clobbered fellas like Weller and make an effort over their appearance.
Always a good start.

This current line up which features James Millar on bass,Shaun Ashley on BV's and guitar and singing drummer Jason Daniels has been together 3 months and are begging to be signed as the growing following of their home town will agree.

AFTN caught up with The Lost Boys to find how quickly they want to be found.

AFTN : How bad do you want it?
Daniel: More than anyone can imagine. It's all I've ever wanted to do,and what I put every bit of effort into. Plus, I'm crap at everything else.

AFTN : Who are your inspirations?

Daniel: For me, it's always been Paul Weller. He's just got such an impressive and consistent back catalogue, and The Jam were the band that really pushed me to start writing tunes. Aside from that all the normal stuff; Beatles, Kinks, Dylan y'know!.
Jason: There's a lot to choose from but Nirvana were probably the band that made me want to make music and be in a band, just the mixture of heavy and soft, loud and quiet,with the right amount of aggression made them irresistible to me!

AFTN : Who do you dig currently?

Daniel: At the moment..Elvis Costello and the Attractions and The Buzzcocks!
Jason: For me...The Rolling Stones, The Drums, MGMT...

AFTN : Who do you see as the people The Lost Boys should be fighting in this current climate?

James: Talent shows: I plan to get rid of them by strangling Simon Cowell with his own waistband!
Daniel: The above and I'm gonna write some brilliant original tunes to blow that manufactured bollocks off the face of the earth!!
AFTN : Bang on there,X Factor should be a calling card to every young person in this country to not accept this shit.
I mean being told by Danni Minogue you're not very good.
Daniel : I'd be like "And you are?"

AFTN : And what about bands that you'd want to slap?
James: How long have you got?
Daniel: Defiantly think that Mika deserves a smack around the chops.
AFTN : That is one person who deserves to dragged under a motor for a few hundred yards. That would be a proper noise.

AFTN : Who are you into currently chaps?
Daniel: At the moment..Elvis Costello and the Attractions and The Buzzcocks!
Jason: For me...The Rolling Stones, The Drums, MGMT...

AFTN : Knowing your love of Weller Daniel , The Jam or The Style Council for you son?
Daniel: Very tricky, both have played a big part in my life.
But I fell in love with The Jam first, so I guess I'll go with them!
Saying that though the A Paris EP by is perfection!
AFTN : You aint wrong there.

AFTN : What's your favourite record you ever nicked off your Mum or Dad?

James: It's probably got to be any record by The Beatles!
Daniel: I'm with you. My parents used to constantly play Beatles tunes,which defiantly gave me a hell of a headstart.
I mean I must have had all their studio albums by the time I was 10 or 11. Can't be bad!
AFTN : Ultimate boy band mate!

AFTN : Any record companies sniffing about yet ?
James: Not as such, we've sent a few CD's off along with press packs and we're working towards that!
Daniel: Hopefully that's the next step. Just send Flowers out to as many people as possible and hope that someone can help us.

AFTN: Fame or Credibility ?
Daniel: Credibility anyday. Recognition is nice, but honestly, the lifestyle that comes with fame petrifies me.

AFTN: Self belief ?
Jason: Yeah ,we're totally into what we do, we all work well as a group and try to do as much as we possibly can by way of gigs,writing or just hanging out about down the pub. I'm sure the days of us trying to kill each other in tour buses will come but we're focused and assured.

AFTN : The look. Is it as important as the sound and songwriting?
Jason: Not really, if you look cool but don't deliver as a band then you're never going to get anywhere (without people resenting you in some way), Its trying to find the right mixture of the two without being too gimmicky or being compared to thousands of other acts around. Both are important but we don't have a dress code or anything.
Daniel : Mod is my code i suppose,but for me,but it's not just about Targets and Parka's is it?
All that's been done to death.
In fact the targets on our logo are out!!

AFTN : What's next ?
Daniel : Some gigs including the famous Hope and Anchor,Islington on August 12 . Be there!

AFTN : Good luck with the future,and your name? Anything to do with 80's teen movie?
Daniel : Nah,never seen it. An ex come up with it and it's stuck.

The Lost Boys . Subtle but punchy. Floyd Mayweather style.

http://www.myspace.com/officiallostboys

AFTN 21 Questions - Tracie Young

2010-06-23T19:59:00.006+01:00

With the imminent re release of Tracie's debut and criminally underrated album Far From The Hurting Kind i decided to intrude on her spare time and ask her in best Smash Hits style about a few of her favourite things.

If you don't know who Tracie is,she came to prominence after sending a tape singing Betty Wright's Shoorah Shoorah to Mr Weller in 82 who promptly signed her up for his record label Respond.

She sung on the Jam's last single Beat Surrender and the Style Council's first Speak Like A Child.

Had a debut top ten hit with The House That Jack Built ,and blew a few young mod revivalists and casual's minds with a rather tasty TOTP appearance for her second single Give It Some Emotion.
That probably helped to go some way to Tracie winning the Most Fanciable Female 1983 in aforementioned Smash Hits.

The Elvis Costello penned I Love You When You Sleep brought a few new fans in and touring with The Soul Squad made Tracie a far better performer than she was really given credit for.

The pop career ended around the mid 80's where the last chart entry was arguably the best record Tracie made in I Can't Leave You Alone which had old Terry Wogan drooling apparently.

Has been DJing on various local radio stations the last few years and doing the odd gig whilst being vocal in many things from Animal Rescue to raising dough for charity.

Just don't let her love of the Spurs put you off.
And to her credit she didn't tell me to f*** off like Shirley Holliman did.

First Single Bought – Truthfully…it was Why by Donny Osmond. I was about 5 or 6 and I can still remember the words to the B-side, Lonely Boy.

First Gig – Q-Tips. Marquee, March 1981

First Car/Scooter – My first car – a Metro, because that’s what I was learning in. Being a true Essex girl, I soon traded up to an Escort!

Fav Venue – I think Earls Court is great. Who’d go to Wembley for a London gig when this fantastic venue is around? Sadly, it seems its days are numbered. The Albert Hall is also pretty special, to play at and watch in.

Fav Football Team – Spurs, of course.

Fav player of all time – So, so hard! Gascoigne,Lineker,Clive Allen .
I had a soft spot for Graham Roberts, too.

Fav Actor/Actress – Actress- Jessica Lange. Actor – Dustin Hoffman, Bill Murray

Fav Film – I can’t narrow this down to one… The Green Mile, This Is Spinal Tap, Crash, In Bruges, A Matter Of Life Or Death,

Fav Single – The New Radicals – You Get What You Give

Fav Album – Searching For The Young Soul Rebels, Dexy's Midnight Runners

Fav Book – To Kill A Mockingbird

Fav City – Amsterdam or New York.

Who would you most like to go on the piss with dead or alive – Bill Murray

Band/Artist you wished you'd seen – Robert Palmer/Hall and Oates/Sam and Dave/Barbra Streisand

Band/Artist you wished you'd never seen – I left this question til last and I still can’t think of anyone!

Most Money won on a bet – Weird question! It was £102 on a Lucky 15 – I think the bet cost about 3 quid. My last horse, called Alan Ball, won because the leading horse went off the course. I don’t bet on horse racing any more. I think it’s cruel. But I was fascinated by studying form etc.

Who would you most like to meet/snog/abuse – John McEnroe

Fav item of clothing current – Anything that fits…I’m carrying a few pounds extra right now.

Fav item of clothing past – I liked my hats. I don’t accessorize like I used to. And a great blazer I had, that I wore on Wogan for I Can’t Leave You Alone. Still got it but never wear it anymore. Bring back blazers!

Fav 80's moment – Johnny Mac winning Wimbledon for the first time. I cried.

Fav Childhood memory – Getting my first record player when I was 6.

What's your next move? – Pass……

Far From The Hurting Kind is out on July 19.
Comes with loads of extra tracks and extensive sleeve notes by top Weller biographer John Reed.

It'll be the best 8 quid you'll spend this summer.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Far-Hurting-Kind-Tracie/dp/B003ODL3PQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1277318056&sr=1-1

Positive Education - The Story of Naked Records

2010-05-04T19:42:00.004+01:00

On my 27th birthday (1993) i was bought a discount card by a friend for a record shop i often passed on the way to see her in Wealdstone High Street,North West London.
Like a lot of people at the time i was immersed in house music culture but only really buying the latest 12"'s from the Virgin Megastore as most shops in London were well cliquey and an absolute mare to get to listen to anything unless you sucked off the wanker behind the jump or you was in Mixmag as this week's latest star. (Flying aside).
So armed with card i started going through the racks and picked up a few bits.
The big fella who served me said good choices (Mark) and then sold me the then import Alex Party's Read My Lips (Don't laugh,it smashed many a late night sesh....)
Pleased with what I'd bought i started heading in there once a week and finding out that the curly long haired geezer who liked to talk out of the side of his mouth was the owner Sean and the quieter studenty type was Alvin.
Mark was usually the focal point as he was the loudest and could slaughter a punter in a second if deemed necessary but as long as you wasn't the sort of person to listen to 50 records and then spend a fiver you was well looked after.

3 lovers of music having the crack,and influencing a whole range of customers in quality dance music from all over the world.
As I'd recently got in contact with Mark and Alvin again thanks to Facebollocks, i thought I'd interview them to see how fondly they remember what i consider the best record shop I had ever been in and if they're still active in their love of music.

First Mr Mark Ruston....

When did it open and was you there from the off?

Mark - Stuart ,you will have to ask Alvin when it opened ,
he will have to tell you when it opened it was in the early part of the nineties i think !! .. it was a fucking long time ago anyway
I started work there about 6 months after it opened as i lived ten minutes away and was down there most days looking through the racks of tunes and giving Sean or Alvin lists of obscure and hard to get tracks i was after each week. I knew my tunes and i offered to help out if needed then ended up working there for about eight and a half years,which i enjoyed hahahahaha !!!
But i still couldn't tell you what year it was !!!

Remember your first day ?

Fucking do i !! ....It was the Saturday morning after a spontaneous yet twisted night out the .
On the friday two of my mates came round along with my brother about 10pm and we decided to go to the Splash party on Hastings Pier at which John Digweed, Darren Emmerson ,Steve Proctor were playing.
On the way we picked up a bag of these new pills on the block .... they only turned out to be the famous snow balls!
Anyway had a great night but got fucking twisted big time and sleep was a no no,so i tried to level myself out by having a couple of lines but could not get my head together.
I arrived to the shop to start and i could just about remember my name let alone concentrate on serving anyone, after an hour Sean & I realised it would be better off me starting on the following Monday !!

What was the best thing about working in Naked?

It was a fucking sin bin at times !!
It was good to try and get my foot in the industry a bit more so working in a proper shop enabled me to have my finger on the pulse for new releases.
I was already DJ'ing at various places and had a few residencies around the country.
I lived and breathed vinyl at the time,i didnt have to travel far to get to work and i made some great friends with some of the punters so it was all good.
Also it didnt look like hard work behind the jump and what better for a DJ than having a day job working in a record shop getting paid to listen to new music all day and occasionally coat off some mugs!!!
And it was next door to an off license ha ha ha!!!

I suppose looking back i was the sin bin,especially when half my mates would turn up carrying!

Anything you'd dislike about working in Naked?

Idiot mates doing my nut in whilst trying to graft,
Having the typical record shop idiots asking for shit music,
Having to listen to hardcore / jungle / drum and bass / R&B,
Having some cunt who wants to listen to everything and buy nothing,
The barrage of school kids from local school that used to piss us off daily,
The fucking arcade machine,
Customers that knew it all,
Crusty Spiral Tribe type cunts,
The mega in love couple that used to listen to every track on about 10 new R&B CD import albums ,gaze into each others eyes" i like it if you like it" type of thing. I fucking hated them !!!

You were notorious for not suffering fools ,what did you do or say to get rid of people?

Normally just told them to fuck off , get out or even chase them out sometimes.

I used to give school kids snide 20 pound notes to go and get me a loaf of bread from the local bakery and bring me back 19 pound change !! ( maybe you shouldn't put that in !! )
Certain people we would all run to out the back to try and avoid them . Loads of "You serve them,no go on he's your mate,he likes you..."
If it was a proper idiot punter we had to work old stock on them !!!

Which DJ's used to come in?

Brandon Block
Dom Moir
Ricardo Da Force
Kevin Hurry
Dean Thatcher
Mad Al
Micro
off the top of my head.

Was there any parties after the shop shut?

Yes and a few when it was open hahahahahaha!
It was one big party most of the time to be honest
When we moved shop from the High St to Headstone Drive we had a proper big party then with a few 100 people all night !!

Did you ever ruck with Alvin or Sean or ever get sacked?

Mark - We had a couple of little tiffs but as a whole we got on well.
We had 3 very different characters but that's what made us unique compared to other shops in that we worked as a team.

What funny stories you got?

Well there was many a time I'd get into work throw a pile of t shirts on the floor out the back, make myself a bed and have a kip!

We used to have a jolly boys outing to the Derby most years. 2 coaches, untold beer a generator,decks etc tarpaulin over the two coaches and have a mad day.
The coach journey there and back was legendary !!!
Proper fucking madness didn't see a horse all day !!
Me and a few mates were on it the night before and ran out of beer. So knowing the record shop was full of it for the outing i decided to open the shop up at to get to the beer!
It was midnight and i could not remember the alarm code. Course i set off the alarm and the old bill turn up.
Trying to explain what i was up to off me tits to Harrow plod was a challenge to say the least!

Did you have much thieving or people trying to sell drugs for records,etc?

Did we?! We had the little hardcore cunts and the jungle freaks. They used to thieve untold gear and being on then just off the high street we were offered anything and everything from clothes to TVs through to puppies. It was like Fagin's den !!

What 3 records remind you of your days there?

Dee Patten - Whos The Badman
St Etienne Only Love Can Break Your Heart ( Wetherall mix of two halves )
Leftfield - Song of Life

And what are you up to now?

Still mad on music
DJing various places in from London to Spain & Finland
Running my own nights,still partying,still cunting people off !

What's Sean up to now mate?

Spoke to Sean last year, he now lives in Spain. Gone back to sparkying but whether the pony tail's gone is a mystery.
The big fairy!!

Right Alv- When did Naked open, how many years did it last and was you there from the off?

Naked Records opened in late 1990 / early 1991 and was situated on Wealdstone High Street, next door to Wimpy, about a mile from Harrow town centre. It moved to Headstone Lane in Wealdstone, near the post office about a year or two later, then briefly to Rayners Lane at the end of its reign in 1996 / 97.
The Propreiter, Sean Bastie got in touch with me through an ex-employer who knew i was a music and record shop obsessive. They were both hardcore Spurs fans. At the time i was 19, on the dole and living with family in Hampshire. I was DJ`ing at clubs and raves around Bournemouth,Weymouth and the south coast. He sorted digs out for me and i moved back up to London and started working in the shop straight away.

Remember your first day ?

Alvin - I don`t specifically remember my first day, but i remember the first shelving units being fitted in to the shop and the first 12 inches that filled the racks. It took a few weeks to get the stock in and the place looking and operating like a record shop should. I also remember feeling quite excited and eager to get things started and operational.

What was great about working in Naked ?

The best thing was the music obviously. The thrill of getting in white labels or imports upfront and selling them on to your customers was great. The shop quickly gained a reputation of being the first to have certain tracks in the area. Then the track would get played heavily in say...Ibiza or on Pete Tong within the next few weeks, then it may get picked by a major label and be on daytime Radio 1, 3 or 4 months later. Being involved in the beginning of this process as a retailer was great. Although that wasn`t always the way. Some tracks sold by the bucket load but remained underground, successful in their own scene only.

Secondly, the best thing were the customers...no...really!
Record shop staff have this image of being aloof and uncompromising, and we were.., but a lot of the customers became life long friends and obviously still are.

Also talking turkey about such and such record on such and such label with people and passing on knowledge was great too and listening to your customers to gauge what they wanted and how many you could sell was interesting too. It could get quite nerdy i guess, but you had to be in that line of work.

Really, those were the days that 12 inch vinyl sold by the bucket load, no....truck load, ...no...skip load. We could sell 150 - 200 copies of a 12 inch record in one weekend. Easy ...

Did you hate anything about working in Naked?

I don`t think there was much i didn`t like about working there. Maybe a few wet and grey tuesday afternoons when the shop was empty

Had you known Sean long?

No, i`d never met him. The first time i met was on the first day in the shop.
He always had one eye on the business side of things obviously as it was his shop, where as with my youth and inexperience, it was all about the music for me.

What DJ's used to come in and did any of em get on your nerves?

From memory, Brandon Block, Dean Thatcher, Ricardo Da Force (KLF and Xpress 2), Scott Braithwaite, Dan & Jon Kahuna used to deliver Herb Garden, a northern fanzine, to the shop, which i later wrote record reviews for. Lisa Loud...once or twice....Alfredo,Stuart Patterson, Courtney Pine as he was local. It was a provincial shop, so not the same as a store in central London, most customers were local to the area.
Lemon D who recorded for Metalheadz.

David James, the ex England goal keeper was playing for Watford at the time and he used to park his white Golf GTI convertible outside the shop every other thursday evening and regulary spend £100 or so on jungle and drum`n`bass.
A few a&r men, Simon Dunmore (A&M Records), Stephen Bass (Go-Beat / Go - Discs), Phil Howells (London Records).
Various local DJ's who played at Middx & Herts Country Club or Watford night clubs.

Did any of them get on my nerves ? No, not really....although spending an hour with someone and sorting them out with the best tunes and then they walk away without buying anything, occasionally took the wind out of my sails.

Did you get much DJ work out the shop?

I was DJ`ing before i started working at the shop, i had been DJ`ing on and off since the age of 15 years old, but yes i did play out quite a bit whilst i was there.
I used to play at Shrink to Fit, which was run by Stuart Patterson and Leo Elstob, i guess it was a pre-cursor to FAITH and i used to play in the `alternative` room with Leo.

I also got to know Dan & Jon Kahuna who asked me to play at the early Big Kahuna nights in Soho and Farringdon. At the time i was frequenting Full Circle with Sean Bastie as well as the Drum Club, where i first saw the Chemical Brothers, who were then called the Dust Brothers. I also used to go to Andrew Weatheralls, Sabresonic nights and started sheepishly hanging out at the Heavenly Sunday Social, which blew my mind. I thought the musical mix that they played there was the best thing since sliced bread.

We also had the occasional coach trip to Venus in Nottingham when Dean Thatcher used to play there, on the premise that Nottingham had 8 women to every 1 man or something like that.

I also started a bi-weekly Sunday afternoon / evening event at the Ibiza Bar in Stanmore called Daydreaming.. the bar was run by an ex page 3 girl who used to invite other page 3 girls down for cocktails on a Sunday afternoon. My idea was to turn it into our own little Full Circle in Middlesex and had DJ like Brandon Block, Fabi Paras, Lofty and Dean Thatcher lined up to play over the up and coming months. However the owner soon got agitated at the sight of various local herberts munching on cheeky halves and dancing and gurning to Guerilla / Boys Own and Cowboy records. I don`t think it even got past its second date, so that was that.

I DJ`ed at a few events that Mark Ruston put on but often ended up cross-eyed at them, so i cant remember much from those parties.

Any parties after the shop shut?

I used to spend a bit of time in the original shop after hours making up mixtapes as it was the only place i knew that had facilities t do that. It wasn't always a good idea though as people used to bang on the door at 10pm to come in and buy records.
We did have a party in the new premises in Headstone Lane, before it was fitted out and Harrow and Wealdstone's finest degenerates and drunkards turned up and raved till the early hours. I still have the photos somewhere...

Besides that, Sean used to organise yearly `away days` to the races in Epsom, which involved taking down a sound system on a coach, setting it up, filling dust bins with ice and bottles of beer and getting absolutely wasted. Some of the fella`s used to try and pull the posh totty who would come and rave with us. I dont think i ever saw any horses or made a bet.

Did you ever ruck with Mark or Sean ?

No, never. I had one disagreement with Mark which i sorted out by throwing a well aimed price gun at his head, that was it. It was all peace and love and good times...and er...hazy, crazy times..ha ha.
Mark Ruston was the local lad that literally used to come in to the shop every day to look for new records, right from the start. He was offered a job.

Over the years there were a few other temporary staff that knew their particular genre of music well and had a good shop manner.
There was a young lad called Andy who we called `Jungle`, because that was his specialist genre.

I think over the years we lived through Hardcore, Drum`n`Bass, Jungle, US Garage, Italian House, Progressive House, US & European Techno, Trip Hop, Hand Bag, Balearic, Gabba Techno, Acid, UK Techno, Alternative....the list goes on...

Each member of staff in the shop had their own specialist genres which helped in the buying and selling of stock.

You need to remember as well that this was all mainly vinyl. I`d say 90% of what we sold originally was vinyl. Cd's came in about midway through and that was albums only. CD singles were given to us by sales reps to sell but we would either give them away to loyal customers or use them as beer mat's
It was a great time for selling music. Records sold by the 100`s out of our shop, week in, week out. Mail order was also healthy and we had customers from all over the world.
The timing was good, it was post acid house but pre Britpop, so the vibe and London in general was on a high. The `repetitive beats bill` only came in midway through the shops life so the post rave mentality of spending all your wages on records of a weekend was the norm, and people did have cash to spend.

What funny stories you got?

Any funny stories.. ? Those `away days` to the races were pretty funny.

I remember the flat above the first shop leaving the bath running over night which soaked half our stock below one time...i guess that's not that funny.

The customers made it funny...a few used to turn up with a shopping bag full of beer for the staff and themselves and they would sit in the shop for a few hours just listening to music, chatting, buying a few records....it was that kind of vibe.

Did you have much thieving or people trying to sell drugs for records,etc?

Yes, I'm sure that their was more thieving going on than i really ever knew about. We used to have a listening room to the side of the counter where you could take in a stack of records to listen to before buying. Im sure the stack of records came out lighter on more than a few occasions before we noticed what was going on.

After that, we requested customers leave their bags outside and take their jackets off before going in there....but you live and learn.

What 3 records remind you of your days there?

That's a difficult question as my records are currently boxed up and in storage so i cant flick through them....but off the top of my head, these 3 were particularly good sellers ...

1. Nightcrawlers - Push The Feeling On -
2. The Ganja Cru - Super Sharp Shooter -
3. Robert Armani - Circus Bells (Hardfloor remix)

....And what are you up to now and do you miss it?

After i left Naked Records i worked at Power Promotions for a few months, mailing records to djs, then i went to work for a record label that had recently started up called Wall of Sound and ive worked there ever since alongside artists such as Propellerheads, Royksopp, Les Rythmes Digitales, Grace Jones, The Wiseguys, Aeroplane, Reverend and The Makers, Tiga, Infadels, Mekon etc etc...

I still DJ's now and then and run a night called ASBO once a month at the Lock Tavern in Camden with two other DJ's called Riotous Rockers with guests such as Erol Alkan, The Glimmers, Matt Walsh, Horse Meat Disco DJ's etc.. We also put the same night on occasionally at Stealth in Nottingham and Fabric in London. Its our 5th birthday in June.

I am also a father and reaching the big 40 next year.

I don't think i miss the shop as it was the right thing to do at the right time of my life and i learnt a lot about what music sells and how to sell it, but i do think, and I'm going to sound like an old fart now, that the demise of record shops is very very sad. The personal interaction you get with the staff, their knowledge, their recommendations of tracks you have never heard before by artists you have never heard of before is priceless. Also meeting like minded people in a shop environment cant be beat. Its more of a social thing on a human level if you get my drift.

I do buy WAVS and mp3s from Juno or where ever, but i still go to Rough Trade at least once a month where they know what i like and give me a stack of records to go through of a Saturday afternoon. You cant beat that.

Right I'm off to dig out Packet of Peace by Lionrock sold to me by a young Alvin and relive the mid 90's but swapping the Vodka Lime and Soda for PG Tips's and exchanging the Benny Hill's for a Viscount.....
...'Ave it.....Naked Forever.....

An Evening Of Unknown Pleasures with Peter Hook - Milton Keynes Stables 15.4.10

2010-04-16T19:29:00.008+01:00

Looking through the Sunday Mirror a few weeks ago i spotted an ad for the above title. Sounds very interesting. Hooky had long been someone who i'd admired as he has been part of two bands that i truly love and himself is always a great interviewee so i thought, have some of that and i might get to ask him about one of the best putdowns i've ever heard from a stage.

The Stables is lovely venue on the outskirts of Milton Keynes which was built by the recently departed Jazz ledge John Dankworth round the back of his gaff. Holds about 500 and lets you have a beer in a proper glass and allow you to take it inside the venue. Felt almost grown up.

Across the stage was a few of Hooky's basses,A big painting of Ian Curtis,Some Hacienda memoribillia and some rare tapes of unreleased Joy Division and New Order demos. They were in a glass box and for the real geeky fucks who were hogging the view you could almost see the stiffness in their pants as they were dribbling onto the counter.

Lights down and a load of rare footage of Joy Division and New Order are shown on the big screen but with real shocking sound quality.

After 10 minutes of that Howard comes on thank fuck, looking like a mad rock and roll grandad but still cool and collected and announces very slowly who we've come to see and Mr Hooky arrives on stage to very polite applause.

He looks a bit nervous as he picks up his iconic 6 string and the backing tape to Elegia from Low Life ramps up he and starts to play along. The sound is bang on now and the ambient waltz sounds fantastic as Hooky from his seated position,nut down plays the bass like a lead guitarist (as ever).
Then a Technique out take Happy One is where the fella gets up and starts pulling the shapes we've come to know and love.

After this Hooky sits down with Howard in two comfy armchairs and slowly the stories start to come out at random. Mr Nice is very laconic but totally on the button with some excellent comebacks and memories of debauched nights.

Tales of Mick Hucknall getting punched as he left the Hacienda as his minders were making a fuss to get him out, to the sadness still of Ian dying because of the lack of knowledge of epilepsy back then and how to treat it ,to the he's made more money Djing in the last 2 months than he ever did in 16 years of the Hacienda etc.

A gig of 2 halves so after the break Howard invites questions from the audience which i was convinced would be banal shite like how did you get the bass sound on Ceremony or will New Order reform?..., but this fella gets up and asks ....
" I saw New Order do a gig at the Festival Hall in 84 and would like to know who came up for the working title before you got to The Perfect Kiss?
Fookin hell what was the title?
"I've got a cock like the M1!!"

And on it went,from laugh out loud to bizarre and poignant......
Mark E Smith got some grief,Entwhistle's his favourite ever Bassist and also a nod to the Clash's Simonen for the low slung bass action ("never gonna be that cunt Mark King is it?!")
The time he saw the gob from dirty fuckers mouth at Macclesfield Leisure Centre land on his leg and the twat gave him a sickly smile. He then retaliated by coming to the edge of the stage and smashed him and subsequently dropped the bloke with the neck of the bass and gave him the same smile back.
"And then the bass head fell off..."

How Barney and himself are still not talking,the mad nights in FAC51 with the all of Madchester's leading lights and how Bez nearly got him killed at a party in Hulme.
The gangster who told him he was a cunt because they shut the Hac and him and his mates had nowhere to go.
"No,you cunts shut it down."

Apart from the prick behind me who woudln't stop shouting out bollocks and pissing everyone off who to his absolute credit Hooky answered very gracefully each time ,it really was a flawless night .

It finished off with Peter and Howard Marks showcasing a mad Pop Art Poem called Dark Star Diva which will be on his new project Freebass's album . Totally bonkers but compelling none the less.

A great night and thoroughly recommended to any one who loves a jackanory about a period of time and music that has left their mark on not only Manchester but the world.

As for the best putdown i ever heard?
I actually got to speak to Hooky afterwards as i was buying a Hacienda mug (the way you do!) and as he was signing autographs next to me i relayed him this....

Kentish Town and Country Club 1986
Someone threw some flowers on to the stage,and Hooky looked into the corner where they come from and said..... "This isn't a Smiths gig.....you coont"

He shook my hand, laughed and said something about Rough Justice......

Spike Island 1990 - One Love

2010-04-02T15:16:00.016+01:00

The Roses are playing a massive gig, fuck man the Roses are playing a massive gig who’s going, we’re going anyone else fancy it…… I think I must have gone round the whole of the pub yelling it in everyones faces. I’ll be going to Manc to get tickets anyone who wants one give us a tenner now and your sorted. I think half the pub said they were going but only 4 or 5 came up with the notes there and then, the rest probably needed what they had on them for some acid or whizz later.

I ended up driving over on a Saturday to picadilly tickets and getting 4 tickets and a mate who came with me got 2, we probably drifted off to Afflecks palace to buy a couple of tops, have a browse through the racks at Eastern bloc and just hang out thinking we looked cool, no scratch that knowing we were cool as fuck . We may well have headed back over to Manc that evening to go to the Hacienda or Konspiracy we seemed to live in Manc and even talked semi Manc which for a set of Yorkshire lads would have been sacrilidge at any other time. But this wasn’t any other time it was we were told Madchester, it was when proper bands came back and created a scene that just said fuck you to the establishment and aligned itself with Acid House ….
I guess you could say it was the new Mod to us lot, cos we spent every penny we had on clothes, going out and getting fucked on drugs all weekend, but having the best time of my life.

I can remember the morning of Sunday 27th May like it was yesterday we got picked up about 9 and loaded the car with ale and a footy and set off not having a clue where we were heading. We were all a bit pissed off as we’d managed to get loads of acid and some draw for the day, but we’d hammered the acid that weekend and a mate let us down getting some more. Fuck it we’d get some there, we were gonna have it, this was our day, an outdoor gig the first one really by a band since, well I don’t know since probably a long time before that.

It only took us just over an hour to get there, we pulled into a car park near some Industrial units about 10.30am, we were way too early, tickets said it didn’t start til about 1pm. Out came the footy and some ale and as time wore on more and more cars stopped and lads who suddenly were our mates were playing footy and passing round joints and just really enjoying it. It was gonna be a blinding hot day as well, everyone was happy as.

When we headed over to near the entrance there was a sea of people hung around, thousands and thousands of folk just amassed near the entrance where the bridge to take you to Spike Island.
Quick dash into an offie to get some cans of ale 12 each for the day and off we went. I couldn’t believe how many faces I saw in that next half hour that we knew, it was like half of Yorkshire had come over.
Then some wanker told us they wouldn’t let us take any ale over the bridge, ahh fuck it 12 cans each, I think we sat for about an hour trying to down as much as we could, then we just left what was left for anyone that wanted them.

Two beer tents and a few t-shirt stalls and the beer queues went on for ever and ever …… Eventually after about an hour and half queueing we got some beers and headed into the field wondering who the support bands would be. The La’s were one of the favourites, Inspirals maybe or Charlatans, maybe some local up and coming bands…… err no we had Frankie Knuckles or whatever he was called and a host of other djs all afternoon, boom fucking boom, telling us he was in the area. Alllllllll afternoon, its red hot in a field, were de-hydrating and were having to listen to dj’s pumping out rave music ….. So what do we do, we score some acid of course and smoke shit loads of dope. I think I laid there for a few hours buzzing off my face but strangely propped against a lass I didn’t have a clue who, well she never complained.

What can I remember about the Roses….. Well Brownie came on with a large inflateable globe and threw it in the audience. We got to hear One Love and Somethings Burning and the almost legendary unreleased Where Angels Play and err the sound was shit, all you could really hear was everyone around you singing, it was really windy by then and I had a big fucking lump in front of me that was tone deaf and sounded like a Moose on dope. But it didn’t matter really, it wasn’t really about the music, it never is now really when I go to festivals, its more about having a great time with your mates and getting hammered and then being able to say Spike Island I was there, we had a right laugh and got fucked in a field.

Ed,Leeds

The Stone Roses announce a big gig in a place no one's heard of ,which it makes it even more intriguing. Especially as 6 months previous they were playing tiny clubs in Reading and Walsall.
Now i'm obsessed with the band. They were the most exciting band since The Jam .
The Smiths were great,but The Roses spoke my language and looked sharp,cool.
Morrissey is a lyrical genius but i like getting up in the morning ,not lying about all fucking day waiting to die or get run over.
Know what i mean?

Through my enthusiasm and Fools Gold on TOTP, all my mates are now on it as the cultural revoloution that is Acid House is bringing us all into one large gathering of old tribes for a big day out.
A phone call is made to a chief organiser and before you know it we're on a trip to Manchester to buy 30 tickets for Spike Island.
We drag my mate Loz along and we're bouncing up the M6 with pound signs in our eyes as we know this will be a proper event for a good mark up.
We get to Manchester park up and get in Piccadilly Records to buy and buy large.
Course it's 4 per person so we get the first 12, and then go back in each others coats to avoid detection but some Manc bod in one of those pathetic On The Eighth Day God Invented Manchester long sleeved tops is grassing us to the staff.
After the sad cliche is given daggers we decide to go to a pub and work out how to get the remaining tickets.
After getting a beer down we start talking to this old piss head who we bribe for the price of a pint to get another 4 tickets .
Feeling a bit sweaty giving this old boy 60 notes and wondering if he's down the road he comes back in as i'm about to have one,briefs in hand and a cackle as he we have a pint of Boddington's waiting for him.
He downs it ,cackles again and says "give us another 60 quid and i'll get George over there to do it as well"
He points to this bloke who looks like a bath would kill him,never mind cleanse him.
This fella says "If you buy me and George a couple of pints each he'll get the remaining tickets lad"
George is duly despatched with the cash and staggers into Piccadilly.
Fuck knows what the staff must have thought as this Manc penny stamp is dribbling on the counter asking for Stone Roses tickets.
George comes back,doesn't break his blank expression and mutters "Come on you cockney cunts where's my pints?" as he puts the tickets on the table.
4 pints are put in front of George and mystery Manc and we're out of there laughing our bollocks off as we pull 28 tickets out of what was the centre of the youth cultural universe at that point in time.

As we're driving back down i decide rather than tout out the remainder we'll do a coach.
Better crack and a chance to make more money on consumables.
I already had 8 tickets coming by post and we can sell the rest of the coach as seats only.
At first it sold slowly,but with each week word soon got out and we were down to 15 tickets.
I then put an ad in the NME classifieds and that was it,within a week they'd gone.
And the phone didnt stop until the day of the gig,could of done three coaches!

Right anyone who was on that coach knew i was a bit nervous as this was new territory for me and i had visions of the coach not turning up or breaking down as my mate who had booked it had got the cheapest firm in West London to run it.
As it happened it was worse.
Harry the coach driver picked us up on time from The Swan,unfortunatly he was pissed from the night before. I got hold of him and told him to not stay out of sight till everyone was on the coach and get that flask of coffee down he had.

We're away and after a brief introduction on the coach mike and getting the usual "Shut up,you wanker" i settle down as we head out up to the M1.
Then i think fuck it ......you know it,i'm on a clear cap and i'm away with the fairies talking absolute drivel and buzzing off my tits within half hour.
I remember getting to Corley Services for a piss stop and letting Harry get a full English inside him to sort him out.
Whilst sitting on a grass verge everyone's joining me in my altered state and getting smashed blissfully in the sunshine.

The rest of the journey is a blur but as well pulled into this site everyone looked at each other and as if to say this cant be it?!
Well those that could see straight. I could have been in Beirut and it would have looked like Barbados.
It was a rubble strewn temporary car park that looked more like a bomb site rather than a venue set down.
As we walked off the coach the vibe though was immense.
Coaches from Exeter,Aberdeen,Blackburn and other faraway towns filled the area and everyone was milling about drinking ,smoking ,chatting and baggy dancing hunched round dodgy Escort XR3i's
So many bods were wearing faded flared jeans,long sleeved band t shirts and a Reni hats, it was a miracle no one got blown away.

As we traipsed into the venue across the worst man made bridge i've ever seen we walked into this field and it really was a sight to behold!
(How this bridge never collapsed is beyond me as the stewards were more fucked up than the audience).
30000 people in a field/park ready to party and but as most know,it was a shambles of the highest order.

But we the crowd made that day. A double friendly atmosphere and good times were had.
The Roses,you couldn't hear them but they we're secondary to the buzz of all the like minded dancing in radiation dust, sharing spliffs and creating the positivity that surrounded that special era.

Stu,(Ex)West London

PS I saw a punky bloke with hooves instead of feet. Gospel.

Mick & Joe In The Burning Of Acton Town Hall

2010-03-20T14:23:00.038Z

I never saw the Clash. I loved them so much though. They made me pick up a guitar,want to throw a brick through a window, go kick a copper up the arse and jump up and down with fire in my belly and adrenaline coursing through my veins.

From the second single i ever bought (English Civil War) through to Combat Rock and back again , the band help shape the way i looked at life and put an electric shocker through the system every time i came into contact with their music.

Unfortunately by the time i started going to gigs around 83/84, Mick had left and i didn't fancy seeing a 5 piece that looked like a bunch of Rock and Roll rejects with shit haircuts that would have fitted in more with some sort of mutant film shoot than the sportswear that me and my mates were rocking.
We would have enabled a right old off with the dog on a string Camden market punky tramps that would have been been at Brixton Academy. Cut The Crap Joe......

Forward>>>>>>>> 15.11.2002

Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros are playing Acton Town Hall in a benefit for the striking firemen who were risking life and limb for shit money and a cut in service and public safety. The first strike by this union in 25 years. It had the hallmarks of a return to a more potent past in more ways than one.

Never a more deserving cause but such an apolitical landscape would never get these boys and girls the Nation's backing they so richly deserved.

Having seen The Mescaleros a couple of times and seeing Joe's pumping left leg back in full flow the gigs had been absolute celebrations.
I wasn't missing this and neither were the team.
As we started drinking in the bar and checking out the firefighters union banners from all over the country a buzz went round that Mick Jones was in the house. 2 minutes later Mick comes into view and a load of old Clash nonces are on him like flies round shit. (That's not to say,that i didn't get a little tingle watching the geezer greet everyone with a smile and handshake).
My long standing pal,Al says to me - "Do you think he'll get up later?"
"Naaah fuck that,he's just here for the crack"

After a few cans (yes they entrusted us with cans,and at a decent price) and meeting mates from my old manor we go and listen to Mark Steel the social comic do his bit and basically die on his arse.
He hated doing rock and roll gigs as he believed no one was there to listen to him witter on (too true)but he did pay tribute to The Clash and the effect Joe had on him as a kid.
Then after a few more cans,the FBU main man Andy came on and did a magnificent speech reminiscent of a calmer Scargill and rallied the crowd ,the firefighters and their families (loads of kids there as well,hopefully who'll take the inspiration of the evening on into the future).
Like Mark Steel, Andy told us about the effect that The Clash's Rock against Racism appearance in Victoria Park had on him growing up and how quickly Joe agreed to do this gig to help us in the fight against the rancid/warmongering government.
By the time the band hit the stage,everyone's well hyped and ready to party like it's 1978.

Now the Town Hall must have held 500 tops,and was ideal for a gig.
Well those 500+ will remember this night forever.
The band walk on to a football crowd roar and the low lighting works wonders for the hall's atmosphere.
Into Shaktar Donetsk and the groove is clearly bouncing back to the band who look assured and confident.
Then 3rd song in Joe announces Rudie Cant Fail!!
That was it,we're off stepping beats out on the floor like we're 13 again and jumping up and down on each others shoulders. Everyone was in it,no posing,posturing,just sheer love and enjoyment of the moment.

Then Tony Adams was a moment for more cans and as i walked back in the room as i hear
"MIDNIGHT TO SIX...." Joe's supposedly fav song and there's plenty of us who'd agree that White Man In Hammersmith Palais is arguably one of the greatest songs ever written. Carnage!
A rip through a mix of classics and newish anthems reaches another high when suddenly Al bombs to the front for Police On My Back.
To watch my long standing pal going barmy with his fist in the air to the Equals number fired up shouting "Sunday,Monday,Tuesday....WHAT CAN I DO??" is even more remarkable as his only employer has ever been the Metropolitan Police.
Me and Simon are in hysterics,and Sean is shaking his head laughing.
Coma Girl is followed by a riotous I Fought The Law and breather for everyone involved.

The encore..... Bank Robber,again we're in group hugs being silly as arseoles,
"Some is rich and some is poor,That's the way the world is.." and there's movement stage left and Mick saunters on,plugs in and just starts playing??!!!

FORWARD >>>>>>>>>>> 20.3.10

Joe's been gone now over 7 years,The Clash's legacy hasn't been tarnished (as if it ever could) by a reunion,but the resonance of that moment Mick declared his public love for Joe which obviously didn't have the impact until Joe's untimely demise is stuff of legend .
I've heard the likes of Robert Elms and Billy Bragg would have given their right arms to have witnessed the return of the old team for the first time since that massive festival in the US in 83, where they were so far away from each other on the stage they were in different postcodes.

The thing that i remember more than the man love,the fire fighters collecting buckets,the Northolt mob in the back corner like naughty schoolchildren smoking spliffs and cornering credit cards,the old bill outside in case,the kids dancing to Police and Thieves,the sound of cans hitting the floor in a frenzy is the smile and the size of it on Mick's face as he looks at his mate of who he conquered the world with,changed lives with,encouraged new bands to be like with and rocking the house with as he hits that groove......

REWIND >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 3,2,1 and back in the room.....

Wide and high the gaff is grinning,burning,in a heartbeat the band the have gone up a gear and as the cheers ring ...1234 ...WHITE RIOT!!...You can imagine the rest! I think i had a little chuck up after pogoing on 12 cans of Carling.

And then there could only been one finale.... LAAAANDONS BURNING!!!!!
As i was born within the sound of the Westway (just) it has always made me think how a strip of road can be such an iconic landmark and why i'd give a fuck about it?
But thinking about Wilmcote House (the tower block where Mick lived with his Nan) and it's importance in the early days of the Strummer/Jones partnership, i can never go in or out of West London without thinking about The Clash or specifically this song.

Never has the sound of a teenage boredom sounded so celebratory and as quick as it started ,it was over in a flash. "Didwefuckingdreamthat??" was one shout i heard as we were wrestling through the doors.
Another of "They got to get it back on!" was another.
As we excitedly hit the chilly High St drenched in beer,sweat,fucked from the bouncing and hoarse from the shouting (i don't sing) and smiling at the obligatory Socialist Worker seller (which i hadn't seen since a Redskins gig in 1986) and work our way back to the suburbs and home counties little did we know that we had witnessed the first and last reunion of Mick and Joe.

How the death of Joe affected me is another story but what i and most other people love is that , Joe and Mick didn't reform for the tens of millions that always seemed to be on offer,but they reformed to help brave upright working class people in their hour of need.

LET FURY HAVE THE HOUR,ANGER CAN BE POWER
DO YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN USE IT?!

Illumination Part 2

2010-03-17T21:22:00.002Z

As I said in Part 1, I’d never really believed in love at first sight. But a lifetime of ‘love at first listen’s’ should have told me otherwise. If an opening chord can make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up the way that one at the beginning of A Hard Day’s Night does, then why not a shy but cheeky glance across a crowded pub? OK in itself it doesn’t constitute ‘love’ but just as that first chord grabs your attention and makes you want to hear the rest of the song, so a glance like that can make you want to know that person better. And just as the other instruments kicking in on a song can quicken your heartbeat, so can the first exchanges with that person you’ve just made eye contact with. Then in the same way that the lyrics of a song can make you realise that the writer seems to be writing about your life, so that first conversation can make you feel you’ve known that person all your life.

We’ve fast forwarded to 2002 and I’ve just met someone who would change my life. As always with me music plays its part and in particular a certain Paul Weller. Again.

In the intervening years Weller has been the major narrator of my life, somehow capturing my moods and feelings, sometimes leading me to unexpected paths, but often actually mirroring what I’ve already been thinking. He’s not been the only one of course and indeed around the time of Cost Of Loving, the infamous Style Council ‘Orange Album’, you could say we had the equivalent of a falling out. I’d heard It Didn’t Matter on the radio prior to its release and couldn’t believe my ears. The title of the song couldn’t have been more apt. It was the first single Weller had released that felt like it didn’t matter to me – or more worryingly – to him. It was bad enough that it became the first Weller release that I didn’t buy on the day of release. In fact I didn’t buy it at all. As a result, and also for the first time, I didn’t buy the album on its day of release either, and when a mate did and lent it to me, I decided after a few spins that I really wasn’t bothered about buying that either.

Not having a new Weller record to love must have left something of a void in my life but it was soon filled by my love of another group that had come to the fore around that time, and in particular their charismatic singer and genius lyricist. Steven Patrick Morrissey.

Given my apparent need to ‘belong’ to the music I love, my new found infatuation with Morrissey and his band seemed to have a knock-on affect with my sense of style (or some might say lack of). There are photos somewhere of me around this time and two in particular spring to mind. Both have me sporting a ridiculous Morrissey style rockabilly quiff, cowboy belt, drainpipe jeans (they call them ‘skinny jeans’ these days) and brothel creepers. In one I’m wearing a paisley shirt that I loved at that time and an ill-fitting cardigan. In the other I have a James Dean t-shirt and black Levi jacket with the collar turned up. There seemed to be a strange desire to wear lumber-jack shirts for a bit as well. I’m not sure if I can blame Morrissey for that but I want to blame someone!

It was just a fling though and me and Weller soon made up and continued on our path through my life with him as the primary soundtrack contributor.

It was a life that saw me get married, have kids, travel the world and by 2002, go through a divorce.

I won’t go into the details of the divorce too much here, just as I didn’t dwell on my Dad dying in Part 1. Both naturally had a huge affect on me and left me searching for something to make sense of my life again. The feelings that a divorce installs in you more than anything I found, were those of self-doubt and failure. Things were so bad I even found myself listening to a Coldplay song at one point – Trouble. Now there’s a scary thought! In my moments of better judgement I revisited Weller’s debut solo album to listen to how he struggled through his own self doubt following the demise of The Style Council. When I needed an arm around my shoulder to tell me everything would be alright, I put on his single Brand New Start.

In 2002 Weller released an album that many fans consider to be his weakest, Illumination. It’s not surprising really as music more than anything is about connecting and Weller had unwittingly written an album that would become the soundtrack to my new life with my new love. How could anyone else possibly connect with it when it was so obviously about us?

Ours was a long distance relationship held together by texts, phone calls, emails and hours spent listening to this album. Sometimes together but often apart. I was still travelling the world with my job at this stage and the title track summed up perfectly my mood and emotions while spending nights alone in hotel rooms. It was as if Weller’s brainwaves and my own had somehow got their wires crossed, enabling him to write my exact thoughts down and put them to music. On lonely nights this song’s stark melancholy soothed and comforted me, wrapping me in its arms and connecting me with the woman of my dreams thousands of miles away. I haven’t listened to it in a while but I can guarantee its affect next time I do. I will close my eyes just as the song says and it will transport me back to then, just as if I had stepped into a time machine and punched in the date on the dials. Because that’s what it always does.

There were many times when we thought it an impossible relationship. Even without my job taking me all over, we lived at opposite ends of the country and there was so much more than just distance making it difficult. I remember it all getting too much for her at one point and she said it was over. She had gone through a break up even more recently than mine and her kids were struggling with it all. Things came to a head and she felt she couldn’t cope. Something had to give and it was our relationship she said. I couldn’t let it happen. This woman had quite literally saved my life. She had picked me up off the floor, dusted me down, given me a firm shake and made me believe in myself and in life again. I tried all normal modes of persuasion but when they failed did the only thing that a Weller obsessive could: bombarded her with texts of Weller lyrics! I laid there in my rented bedroom listening to Illumination and typed out the entire lyrics to Going Places across about 6 texts and sent it. What a div! Who would be mad enough to want a relationship with a man in his 40’s who did something so daft?

It is probably a strong indicator of why we were meant to be together that it worked. Illumination saved my life. That’s the power of music for you. Well, if you happen to be a bit of a nutter about it like me and you find someone who finds such a thing endearing, even if a little geeky. It’s all in the connection.

Diz

Illumination - Part 1

2010-03-14T21:58:00.002Z

I’d never really believed in love at first sight. I mean it’s corny innit, like something out of a film script meant for a Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks film. Not my cup of tea at all. And yet I’d had plenty of ‘love at first listens’.

Looking back to my early teenage years I think I was always looking for something to belong to. Something where I could be part of a crowd yet remain individual, not one of the sheep. Early on this was difficult. I was too young to be part of the Skinhead scene which had finished by the time I was 13. There was a bit of a Teddy Boy revival going on around my Portsmouth estate that briefly took my interest but I soon decided wasn’t for me. It was a bit of a strange time, well for me anyway, the ‘swinging sixties’ had been and gone and in its place we had Glam Rock and Prog. I never felt I belonged to any of it. There were some good records by the likes of Bowie and Bolan but they looked like clowns. I had no interest in putting lipstick and glitter on thank you very much. Then a revelation hit me. Like a cannon ball smack between the ears.

I had a cousin who had introduced me to music when I was 6 years old buying me, amongst other records, a magical piece of round black 7” plastic with the words ‘Happy Jack (Townshend) The Who’ printed on it. That was 1966. Now fast forward to 1974 and my cousin is married, and there I was looking for this elusive something little realising that there in her living room was something that was going to be a major pointer to my life’s direction. I’d picked up an album that her husband Terry had bought. It was a soundtrack to a film – either ‘That’ll Be The Day’ or its follow-up ‘Stardust’ I can’t quite remember which (the latter I think). And there on the sleeve’s tracklisting was a song by that same group she had brought into my life 8 years previously, The Who. Curious, I put it on. It was called ‘My Generation’. It blew my tiny little adolescent mind to fucking kingdom come! Fucking Hell!!!! Was this real? Surely music couldn’t do this to you? The energy. The power. The intensity of it. A song that summed up being young, that pinpointed exactly that feeling of being in a crowd but not part of the society around you. That feeling that I wanted. All summed up in 3 minutes of stuttering aggression. It was my first ‘love at first listen’.

So now at least I knew what I was looking for. I became immersed in The Who, buying all their records. One in particular took my eye – Quadrophenia. That book that came with it of all those cool looking kids in smart gear – at a time when everyone was wearing flares and big collars and big hair, it looked like pictures from another planet. One I wanted to be part of. I just didn’t know how.

I changed schools around this time. As if being a teenager isn’t confusing enough, even more so when you feel you don’t fit in, my Dad died. Tends to fuck you up that. I wanted to kick off against the world and generally did. Teachers were given short thrift and school in general seemed completely irrelevant. It was much more interesting to my way of thinking to spend my days down the local caff drinking coffee and smoking fags. Not any old fags though. Russian things that came in a choice of bright colours, or in black n gold: Sobranie Cocktail or Sobranie Black. I thought I looked cool as fuck. I must’ve looked gay as fuck!

Anyway, it all caught up with me and I was given an ultimatum to buck my ideas up or look for another school. I chose the latter.

I found two other Who fans there who had older brothers who had been around in the mod days of the mid sixties and they passed onto me their stories of what it had been like. We talked about creating our own mod scene taking advice from their brothers and adding in our own twist by nicking ideas from Clockwork Orange. The trouble was we had no idea how to get the clothes we wanted in Pompey so it was very much a case of good ideas but little action. I still hadn’t quite found what I was looking for – at the risk of sounding like a U2 record!

I was mates with a DJ who bagged himself a regular slot at the Bali-Hi, upstairs at The Locarno. Me and another of my cousins and another mate I’d made friends with at my new school used to go there and dance to James Brown and Prince Buster records that our DJ mate had introduced us to.

James Brown became another love. I remember having a greatest hits compilation of his and taking it to a party and just dancing away in a world of my own to it until a few lads shouted to ‘turn this fucking shit off and put some real music on’, which meant Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin or something. The worst thing of all though was this group that everybody at school seemed to be getting into. I couldn’t understand it – they were fucking hideous. Queen. They made me despair that my generation was never going to have a ‘My Generation’ moment. Fortunately a lifeline was just around the corner.

In 1976 I started to read about a new scene springing up in London. The media dubbed it ‘Punk’ and it seemed to revolve around a band with the brilliant name of The Sex Pistols. It all sounded really exciting. My mate Pete Taylor, one of the wannabe mods I mentioned earlier got hold of the first two singles to come out of this new scene – Anarchy in the UK by the Pistols and New Rose by a group called The Damned. This was much more like it! Later that year I saw The Damned supporting Marc Bolan, and for the first time in my life felt I was close to experiencing what my mate’s older brothers had experienced 10 years before.

My personal ‘My Generation’ moment really came a few months later though and it happened while I was in the bath.

No not that.

By now it’s a Saturday morning in 1977, I’m 16 and I’ve run myself a bath and switched on Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman’s Saturday Morning Show on Radio One. I’ve just eased myself in when it happens. The most electrifying intro to a song I’ve heard since that moment back in my cousin’s house in ’74 when I heard My Generation for the first time. It has such an effect on me that when ‘Fluff’ says that it’s available in the shops today I just have to have it there and then. I jump out of the bath, barely dry myself, dress quickly, grab some money and I’m out the door shouting ‘see you in a bit’ to my Mum’s question of ‘where are you going in a rush?’ I then leg it down to the nearest record shop as quick as I can and breathlessly ask ‘Have you… got… In The City…by a group called… The Jam… please?’

The circle is complete. My generation finally have a band that sound like The Who, are part of a youth scene yet stand alone in their image, are cool as fuck – the picture sleeve cover blew me away – they look like Mods – have the energy, the attitude, everything. I’ve finally found what I’m looking for; all the pieces of the jigsaw.

Incredibly I discover that I have more in common with the leader of the band, Paul Weller, than I first thought. I read in an interview in the NME or Sounds that he too made that same My Generation discovery on that same album I did. Being a hell of a lot cooler than me he also knew what to do with it. Form a band.

The greatest band in the world as it happens.

He goes on to create the soundtrack to my life.
But that’s another story.

Diz
March 2010

The A Paris EP - It's Role In My Downfall

2010-03-11T20:33:00.011Z

The Style Council's 3rd single. Weller's most beautiful record,a 4 track EP recorded in Grande Armee Studios in Paris between the 12th and 17th of June 1983.
It became the record of that beautiful teenage angst ridden never ending summer.
Anyone who lived through that period will tell you it really was a long and hot one.
Echoing the sleeve notes of the Cappuciano Kid's assumption that while some of you will be falling in love for the last time, some of you will be for the first.

Well believe me cappuciano child i was the latter mush.
She lived on the corner of my road and she was a full on happy go lucky mentalist.
She had the boys eating out of her palms offering her lifts in Capri's,buying her B&H and nicking her bags of pear drops. I used to see her walking home from school in a straw boater and green uniform.
She really stood out and i mistakenly thought she was posh.

We struck up a friendship after she stopped another kid from putting a pen knife in my neck after calling him a fat stinky hippy,and she decided i could be her mate as long as i didn't go on too much about Chelsea.
In her Benetton polo shirt and pleated skirts i was a teenage casual totally in love with her not give a shite attitude,her bad language and her lust for life.
We used to get pissed up the Swan or round the big park and dream our mental dreams.
Both on different wavelengths,but both looking at the stars waiting to move out and smash the world.
But really i wanted to do all this together,and used to laugh about what a great couple we'd make. She just used to laugh.
I used to go home at night wondering what was wrong with me and why she's go out with all these other pricks.
Skinheads from the Harrow Rd,Mod Revivalists from Wembley,Punks from Northolt,all never lasting more than a week.
I just couldn't get it together to tell her how i really felt.

Then the A Paris was released,and as I'd already seen TSC do Long Hot Summer on
CH4's Switch i knew there was something about the mood of this EP that just connected deeper than any other record I've ever heard.
I didn't know what melancholy was but my aching heart yearned for this little fucker down the road and again Weller's lyrics put me in a place that made me feel like he'd made this record for me.
I caned that record over and over,my mum worrying my obsession with PW was getting so bad she thought about telling my dad i was a little bit touched.
Even the beautiful piano piece Le Depart could bring teenage tears down my face with gut wrenching confusion.
The Paris Match with it's lyrics " Every night when there's nothing to do,i sit and think every thought is for you..."
I was convinced he was talking to me.(I was 16)
Is the great PW getting all worked up over a mental blonde who loved Toyah?

Then i decided the Long Hot Summer was passing me by and i knocked on her door one day with the record tucked under my Lacoste polo'd arm and she was alone.
She invited me in for coffee and i said "Listen to this, it's about me and how i feel"
We saw The Jam together on the farewell tour so she was au fait with TSC.
She knew the track as it had been hammered on Radio 1 all week.I nervously put the 12" on her turntable and we almost immediatly started slow dancing,holding hands, giggling and fucking about and i thought this is it,THIS IS IT MY SON!!.
We both started singing at the top of our voices on this beautiful hot day,my day SHOOBY DOOBY,DOOBY DOOBY,DWAP...and then i leant in to kiss her.
To my horror she screeched "WHAT YOU DOIN,YOU NUTTER?!,YOU KNOW I'M SEEIN JOHN LATER YOU SILLY CAANT!!.

Well i styled it out,made me excuses,battle weary,broken and torn i made it home without blubbing and then thought fuck this and smashed the record up,and refused to cry anymore over the bitch.

I calmed down a week later,bought myself a new copy of LHS pronto before all the glossy picture sleeves had gone and proceeded to Chelsea go on the rampage in that glorious season of 1983/84!

The power of that record for me cannot be understated and so evocative of a time,a look,a place,a feeling,a love.
Surely that's what a great record's all about??!!

"I play out my role.......

Give Me Sabresonic

2010-02-19T16:49:00.013Z

Andrew Wetherall's famed club which was in London Bridge became a regular pilgrimage on friday nights for with me and mates for a while in 1994.
Based in Jacks,Crucifix Lane the club itself was often cold and smelly but the vibe was full of mentalism and hedonism.
No point me trying to remember the records or shenanigans of because i was proper rock and roll at that time,but i do remember the dark dingy backstreets of that part of the world that seemed like 1894 not 1994. Esp in winter when the ghosts of Ripper and Victorian wrong un's hanged heavy in the mist and tunnels of said part of town.
The trip was always fated with something bonkers or weird.
One incident that does resonate though was the first time i drove there armed with a tiny A to Z and a fuckwit map reader(Hi Jo).
We went round the one way bit in London Bridge twice including a going up one street the wrong way,which alerted the old bill. More for the fact i was a not so proud owner of an Austin Allegro in metallic green.

(I'd already had the rozzers try and put me in the frame for an off licence armed robbery the previous week because it was near the scene of the crime. That only went away because the two thieves were black,and i'm strawbwerry blonde.)

Anyway after another 5 minutes of aimlessly driving around and me trying to hold it together as I'd been smoking leb ,the filth POUNCE!!
"ALL OUT!!!!"
The 3 shitting themselves in the back are Rory,Miggins and Richie,keeping very quiet which in turn makes me well squeeky.
To make their paranoia worse they were all from Ulster.
As the IRA were still doing the odd bit of mainland bombing their thoughts were of mis trials and being someone's missus for 20 years.
The rozzers are in the footwells,glove box,back pockets,boot,engine when to add to every one's nervous disposition another cop car and wagon turn up. I'm thinking I've had it. Ive got 20 pills down me nuts and a bag of jekyll pound coins in my jacket sleeve pocket.
The copper searching me pulls out the coin bag and says
" A lot of coins there son" They always call you son,even the young ones.
" Just been paid in them mate".
He then puts the bag back in the pocket without inspecting them. What a touch!
My heart racing but with a small sigh of relief he then moves on to a body search,but luckily he's Arthur not Martha and the jack and jill's are staying firm.
Double touch!!
As quickly as they pounce they're off as it turns out they were looking for some gun runner not 5 donuts in a spaz moblie off to listen to some difficult techno.
The police apologise and tell me to get two new tyres as I'm running on slicks.
Lurgan's finest get back in and Jo who's been cool as fuck all along,just smiles that clown smile and announces who's for a spliff!!

How we laughed......until we see the size of the queue at the club.
I never drove there again....

PS
The Allegro didn't get two new tyres ,it got buried a week later at Bob's Crusher,Hayes after a motorbike cop decided pull me on the A40 and chip in with " A bet you a pound to a piece of shit you ain't got an MOT for that?!"

I did, you just didn't see it.
You didn't see the wanker sign i gave you as you drove off either.