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WriteWyattUK 2019, in quotes – the first six months

Posted on December 29, 2019 by writewyattuk

As another busy year for the WriteWyattUK website draws towards a close, an annual opportunity arises to wander back through a few of our 2019 feature/ interview highlights, with a chance to click on each highlighted link and relive those moments in full.

January

Drum Major: Mike Baillie in live action for the Skids at Newcastle Academy in June 2017 (Photo: Mick Burgess)

“I just remember the whole chaos and this rush of energy, the whole place going absolutely crazy. Richard (Jobson) still talks about it, and how important it was to be accepted by your idols. It was completely surreal that this could happen in your grubby little grey town. It was an amazing experience.” Skids drummer Mike Baillie on the Dunfermline punks supporting The Clash at the Kinema Ballroom in August 1977

Complementary Therapy: Pauline Murray with Penetration at Preston’s Continental (Photo: Gary M Hough)

“He found a different way to write the love song. Love songs have been written again and again and again. Most of pop history is based around the love song. But he had a different take on the love song, more of a realistic take, which was what punk was about – trying to say what was happening for real. So ‘Orgasm Addict’ – who’d ever written about that? Or a song about falling in love with the wrong person? The gay side of it. Nothing had been expressed like that in the love song. A lot of stuff about punk was expressing all things in a new way, and by being nihilistic you actually get something come out that – putting all the other love songs to one side. And I’m sure someone like Pete Shelley was a Bowie fan. You can hear a lot of Bowie inflections in what he sings. But it was a new take on the love song, and teenage love was different to how teenagers expressed love in the ‘50s, ‘60s, or even the ‘70s. It was like, ‘We’ve had enough of all these slushy love songs. Let’s look at what love is really like’. And it’s quite angsty, y’know.” Pauline Murray, of Penetration, on losing close friend and Buzzcocks frontman Pete Shelley

Live Presence: Kirk Brandon, back in live action in 2019, this time with The Pack (Photo copyright: Warren Meadows)

“Looking back, the lyrics to the songs were simplistic, aggressive, confused, funny and silly – much like myself at the time. Life consisted at the time of trying to survive on the streets and squats of the south London – the whole period was funny, violent, grim and all at the same time, the band mirrored its surroundings – so no excuses made. The band’s first gig, now consisting of myself, Canadian brothers John and Simon Werner and Rab, was as much a shock to the band as to startled filmgoers. I remember they showed Marlon Brandon in The Wild One before we went on, so we were all juiced up for some kind of riot! What actually happened was about 150 people with thousand-yard stares stood stock-still, stunned at the power at the noise of the band – we were fucking angry! A lot of the shows we played ended up in mini-riots and many venues were trashed. One night we played Deptford, South London at The Crypt, and I recall thinking, ‘Great, everybody’s dancing!’ Only when we had finished our set everybody was still dancing – in fact they were all trying to kill each other. We left the stage as The Crypt was being deconstructed.” Spear of Destiny/Theatre of Hate frontman Kirk Brandon on first band, The Pack, who regrouped in 2019

Uke Lee Device: C.P. Lee, still very much in love with Manchester all these years on, by all accounts

“If you mention it internationally, people tend to think of MerseyBeat, but that was only a couple of years, and while The Beatles were of course a fantastic influence on music, they left and never went back, whereas here in Manchester … I know Liverpool has had its renaissances since, and some great bands, but it’s more fits and starts on the Mersey, whereas Manchester’s had this consistent trudging towards a musical nirvana. We had a quiet bit when the Chief Constable shut the clubs down, but musicians revolted and founded a cooperative, a tremendous thing that kept it spinning.” Writer/broadcaster/ lecturer/performer C.P. Lee, extolling the virtues of his home city over the main regional opposition

February

Odditorium Exports: The Dandy Warhols, celebrating 25 years and a little luck in the business

“Luck only gets you so far. You have to work hard, take advantage of the luck. We already had a pretty decent work ethic under our belts before the serious luck happened.” Dandy Warhols guitarist Peter Holmström, whose band had their biggest slice of luck in the UK through ‘Bohemian Like You’ being used on a Vodafone TV ad

Gray Day: David Gray was back with his 11th album in 26 years in 2019, with a tie-in tour thrown in

“Who doesn’t love those two? I mean Marvin … we’d all be thanking him forever for What’s Going On? if that was the only thing he’d ever done. It’s just knockout. To get some of that feel … and I’ve got that soul in the way I perform. That’s my thing. I’m a British soul singer in a way. That’s where my voice goes. It’s got a natural bluesiness. To dig into that and that kind of feel and sense of scatting off the rhythm, and being playful within the frame, those things get me high and so excited, working off the beat that way.” David Gray, on being compared to Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder by this scribe

Tunnel Vision: Norman Watt-Roy, Wilko Johnson and Dylan Howe, going underground (Photo: Leif Laaksonen)

“Funnily enough I had a heart attack, while playing with Wilko at Hampton Court (Lido) in 2017. I wasn’t in any pain. We were coming up to the end of the set and I just felt really weak. I told Wilko, ‘I can’t play’. I took my bass off and Wilko looked round and said to Dylan, ‘Do a drum solo!’ I came off and they called an ambulance and I got rushed to hospital. The guy in the ambulance was looking at his machine, saying, ‘You’re actually having a heart attack now, Norman. I said, ‘Am I? I’m not in any pain’. But within three hours they’d operated and put this stent into my arteries and I was fine. I took a month off then we went to Japan and started another tour! They took me to St George’s at Tooting, because they knew I lived in Fulham, and that’s one of the best for heart care. I later got to know my surgeon, Zoe, very well, and she told me it was a minor heart attack, but I was very lucky to be surrounded by people and for the paramedics to be there, being an open-air festival. She said there are people who have felt a little funny, gone to bed and died in their sleep, so I was very lucky. Since then, people have said how the Grim Reaper’s tried to get both me and Wilko, and failed!” Blockheads/Wilko Johnson bass player Norman Watt-Roy on him and his boss’ brushes with health in recent times

Happy Wending: Glenn Tilbrook, back out on the road, in headline and support act roles (Photo: Rob O’Connor)

“In a nutshell, my belief – and it’s almost an old-fashioned belief now – is that the role of taxation and Government is to provide these things for people, so this sort of situation doesn’t happen. As a society we’re slipping backwards to an older time where there were poorer people who were despised, thought of as lesser people, and rich people who may or may not deign us with their magnificence. And if I look back on my life now … growing up as I did and as Chris did in council housing where we had space to play and they were well maintained … that was the ’60s, and in many ways that was the golden age of the Welfare State. I don’t look back on things and get nostalgic very often, but about that I do. There was still Cathy Come Home, there was still private landlords milking poor people and being heartless, just as there are today, but the problem is that all that stuff is growing now.” Squeeze singer/guitarist Glenn Tilbrook, who was supporting food bank charity the Trussell Trust on his band and solo dates in 2019

March

Three’s Company: Steve and his acoustic bandmates James Lascelles and Barry Wickens, doing the rounds in 2019

“I’ve no regrets. At the age of 21 when I walked away, I’d done my three-year indentures, had 120 words-per-minute Pitman’s shorthand and had covered some really good stories, particularly in my last year at the East London Advertiser. We were in Krayland, opposite The Blind Beggar, covering some big news. It wasn’t provincial anymore, and in those days local papers were always run by juniors – around two seniors and five juniors. Every Wednesday night we put the paper to bed in Dagenham, and the next morning we’d find our stuff all over Fleet Street, because it was all good national news. I enjoyed it. I liked the life, until I grew tired of it – having spent a lot of time in Bow Magistrates’ Court, wearing the seat of my trousers out, covering stupid shop-lifting stories. But I was writing songs and playing in folk clubs at that time. The only downside of it all and the only point I regret was that leaving all that really distressed my parents. My Dad was pretty heartbroken. I hadn’t got anywhere to go. In those days you could leave a job and get another. But I was on the dole for around 10 months, busking, writing songs and forming Cockney Rebel. But I’ve had a great life – 45 years of this and I’ve still got an audience.” Celebrated singer-songwriter Steve Harley, on his days as a London newspaper reporter while moving towards his chosen career

Sole Men: Fisherman’s Friends await the next influx of emmets, media interest, and good tides for singing at The Platt.

“The first time we officially walked out as a group was on the Platt. That was the first time we decided we were actually going to do this. We were planning to go to America to join up with some singing friends over there. At some point we were having a rehearsal over in Billy’s chapel, and just said, ‘Right, let’s not have a rehearsal over here, let’s have it on the Platt. We didn’t advertise. That was the start of it really, and we never really looked back.” Jeremy Brown, on vocal group Fisherman’s Friends’ first public performance in their home town of Port Isaac, North Cornwall

Dropping By: Gretchen Peters at Glasgow’s Cottiers Theatre in 2019, with Barry Walsh, left, and Conor McCreanor

“Just little glimmers – they’re little fireflies in a jar at this point. They’re not real songs. The thing I do on the road that I am able to do is catch ideas and write them down and squirrel them away. The thing I’m not able to do is flesh them out, finish and edit them. That’s really a kind of hammer and nails aspect of it, and that’s the thing that really requires that downtime.” US country noir singer-songwriter Gretchen Peters on the complications of trying to write songs while out on tour

London Calling: Esteemed broadcaster Gary Crowley, still at the top of the dial. Ask nicely and he’ll give you a smile.

“All these bands were coming through, and I don’t forget that I was incredibly lucky – brought up a stone’s throw from my school, and that was on Edgware Road, where I saw Joe Strummer go into the café there, and got an interview with him. This was the Metropolitan Café, sadly no more, so when we went to the fish and chippy to spend our money, I literally bumped into him. I said, ‘Oh my God! Listen, we’ve just started a punk fanzine, and Joe – would you be up for an interview?’ And I can only assume that he was impressed by my hutzpah! I got back to school, told a couple of pals, and then the word got around. This would have been early summer in ’77. I said, ‘Can I bring a friend’, and he said, ‘Of course’, but when word got around, I think seven or eight turned up from my school at (The Clash’s Camden HQ) Rehearsal Rehearsals. And bless his cottons, he couldn’t have been more welcoming.” Radio DJ and TV presenter Gary Crowley on his chance meeting and subsequent interview in 1977 with The Clash’s Joe Strummer while still at school

Vest Behaviour: Neville Staple in action at Glastonbury Festival (Photo: John Middleham)

“The way we brought ska to the mainstream was by mixing Jamaican music with the English style, which at the time was punk. The movement helped transcend and defuse racial tensions in Thatcher-era Britain. The actual black and white chequered imagery of 2 Tone has become almost as famous as the music itself. I remember the massive reactions to hit songs like ‘Ghost Town’, ‘Too Much Too Young’ and ‘Gangsters’, and fans still write to me about my rugged, energetic and fun stage presence.” Neville Staple on the legacy created by the initial 2 Tone bands, including the Coventry outfit with which he broke through, The Specials

April

Guitar Man: Dean Friedman, who was most likely heading for a venue near you in 2019, four decades into his career

“Here’s the thing, I grew up listening to all kinds of music but always had a special affinity for folk singers like Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon and Bernie Taupin, storytellers who painted pictures in their songs. There was a narrative where you could really envisage what was going on, almost a cinematic quality. That was something I aspired to do, starting out and to this day, and someone like Chris Difford … I know Squeeze are acknowledged as a legendary band, but I think they’re even better than they’re given credit for. Someone like Chris, I don’t think he has any peers as a lyricist.” Cult US singer-songwriter Dean Friedman, not just a fan of Half Man Half Biscuit

Three’s Company: Ian Hunter (centre), Morgan Fisher and Ariel Bender, reunited in the UK, with Ian’s Rant Band

“I heard Jerry Lee Lewis do ‘A Whole Lotta Shaking’ when I was 15 or 16 and thought, ‘Oh, thank God! I’m here for something’. There was nothing before that. I didn’t understand why I was here. A lot of people don’t know what they’re doing, then they hear something or see something and know what they’re supposed to do.” Mott the Hoople’s Ian Hunter on his 1950s’ rock’n’roll lightbulb moment

Nouvelle Chanteuses: Phoebe Killdeer and Melanie Pain were out front when I saw them at Gorilla in Manchester

“It all really happened as a little accident. I was dating a musician who was looking for a singer for his project. He asked me to record a demo. I wasn’t singing at all at that time. I was maybe 20. He said, ‘Could you sing it, so I have something to send to singers?’ I recorded that and he sent it to producers and people he knew, among them Marc Collin, who said, ‘I like the voice of this girl singing. Can you give me a phone number?’ He called me and I said, ‘I am not a singer’, he said, ‘Perfect!’ It all happened super-quick after that. I went to his studio, we did two tracks, first take – the two songs I did for Nouvelle Vague, ‘This is Not a Love Song’ and ‘Teenage Kicks’.” Nouvelle Vague singer Mélanie Pain looking back on her big break in music

May

All Together: The Undertones and The Neville Staple Band, playing live together in 2019, the Spirit of ’79 still intact

“The main thing was that we were always huge fans of music, and were soaking everything in – a wide variety of music. That was the core for me, Damian, Mickey and Billy anyway. We’d just play records. Our entire life revolved around listening to music, trying to find out new sounds. It was like osmosis almost. It came on to us, and once we’d got signed and knew this was our job – at least for the next few years – we wanted to make the most of it and try and write as many songs as we could. It wasn’t always easy. I remember the sessions for Hypnotised, when Mickey’s father died halfway through, so we cut the recording off. And we realised before that we hadn’t enough songs written to finish the record. So we went back and wrote two or three other songs, between those recording sessions. I’m sure every musician would say the same though – if you’ve got a deadline and the pressure’s on, that focuses you.” John O’Neill, recalling the writing process behind those first two wondrous Undertones LPs

Bull Park Life: The Undertones, ’79 style. From the left – John, Feargal, Billy, Mickey, Damian (Photo: Paddy Simms)

“Laurie was a very well-known Derry photographer, normally taking pictures of rioters or buildings or local singing competitions and showbands. The session was done by Bull Park, famous in Undertones folklore, near our headquarters – O’Neill’s, Beechwood Avenue – and where we always played football. We did a few corny showband poses, deliberately, and he wanted us to go a bit further, put our hands out. John especially wasn’t having that! But we picked what we liked, and I really like that cover. I especially like the front cover, it shows us as we were. There’s no thrills. We were a pretty ugly-looking band! And it’s very punk. No pretence.” Damian O’Neill, on how photographer Laurence O.Doherty and the band came up with that debut Undertones LP cover

Bearded Theory: Alan McGee, out on the road and telling tales throughout 2019, and still the inspirational figure

“I had five quid in my pocket, and I was effectively, technically homeless. But I managed to squat. These were the days when you didn’t need to be homeless, back in the ’80s – you could squat.I was there for about six months, then got a little bedsit. If I couldn’t have done that, I couldn’t have made it in London. I look back now and wonder how the fuck I done it really. I came with no money but actually made it work. Unbelievable really. I’m not saying I’m really talented. I have got talent. I’m not denying that, but the truth is that even if you’re the most talented person in the world, the odds would still not be fantastic. I really did it because of the tenacity, I suppose … that tenacity I got from Glasgow.” Alan McGee, music industry exec., label owner, musician, manager, and much more, recalls moving as a 19-year-old from Glasgow to London in 1980

Celebration Ratio: A Certain Ratio, going strong in 2019, celebrating four pioneering decades (Photo: Kevin Cummins)

“Football was my life really. All I wanted to do was play for United and play for England. And I was lucky enough to play for United until I was 17, signing schoolboy terms at 15, becoming a ball-boy. But at 17 I broke my ankle badly, was at a loose end, and finally found myself in A Certain Ratio.” Jez Kerr, on a late career switch from being on the brink of top-level football to joining Factory Records-bound industrial punk-funk pioneers A Certain Ratio

Wild Wood: Jim ‘Jim Bob’ Morrison, long after his Carter USM days, takes to the trees (Photo: Paul Heneker)

“If we made one mistake it was naming a famous album 30 Something! But you can’t really go back on that. I remember around then a meeting with a lawyer or accountant type, advising us to get pensions, saying nobody in the music business would work beyond 50. That’s massively untrue now. But at the time the idea of anyone being in a rock band beyond that age … I had little to do with the financial side. I’m the same now. I switch off when anybody’s talking about all that. My manager now seems obsessed with spreadsheets, but there could be anything on them. I have to pretend I read them!” Jim Bob Morrison, ex-Carter USM, on his lack of interest in the financial side of the music industry

Boat People: From the left, Darek Mercks, Pip Blom, Gini Cameron, Tender Blom (Photo: Raymond Van Mill)

“Well, I did know what he did with the band, because he always told stories about that, but it was really nice recently playing with them at the John Peel Centre (for Creative Arts, Stowmarket, Suffolk). That was so much fun, our two bands together and lots of people who knew each other. A very special moment. I really like seeing them touring as well, and playing gigs in the UK. He’s showed us lots of videos and pictures, all that kind of stuff. I thought it was so cool.” Dutch indie star Pip Blom on sharing a bill with her Dad’s band, John Peel favourites Eton Crop, at the Suffolk venue named in the legendary DJ’s honour

June

Space Invaders: The Membranes’ John Robb and Rob Haynes at Preston Conti in 2016 (Photo: Joel Goodman)

“With the nature of The Membranes we always try to move forward. No point in repeating ourselves. This album’s more about the choir and the amazing harmony of the human voice. When you get 20 people sing the part at the same time, it’s a transcendental experience … quite beyond … at the highest level of sound as possible … pure harmony. And in these discordant times we’re living in, pure harmony is an interesting concept.” John Robb waxes lyrical on the subject of rightly-acclaimed 2019 Membranes double LP, What Nature Gives … Nature Takes Away

Folk Roots: Eddi Reader swapped busking for the charts and international recognition (Photo: Genevieve Stevenson)

“I was a massive folk music fan, and what I liked about folk was that it was a brilliant alternative to Amanda’s Wet T-shirt Night in the local disco, y’know. I found a lot of solace in folk music. To go in and hear unaccompanied females sing in a Scottish accent, songs of love, murder, death and life, I kind of felt I didn’t need anything else. My family were a bit worried – ‘what’s all this folk music?’ They didn’t really get it. But I was going to all the folk festivals in 1979 and 1980, when it was all dying. I was there at the latter half of the pre-folk revival and remember how well attended it was then. The first would be Inverness Folk Festival in April and I was there as a young punter. I’d sneak in the back and you’d get a floor-spot. It was a place where you could perform. You couldn’t perform anywhere else, unless you had sound equipment and were in a band. If you were in a folk club you could stand on stage and ask if you could sing or play something and there were a lot of people my age who did the same thing. That graduated to busking and singing those songs, like ‘Lord Franklin’ and Blues Run the Game’, learning about the alternative music scene. And the alternative scene for me would have been Gram Parsons, Neil Young and Bob Dylan. All of that had been dying a death during the late-‘70s. But the folkies were all for it.” Singer-songwriter Eddi Reader on her folk roots

Band Substance: Brix and the Extricated, including the Hanley brothers, released an acclaimed new LP in 2019

“It was more luck than good fortune that I ended up playing the one instrument that none of them played. I had no musical training whatsoever. I was going to learn guitar at school, but my Dad wouldn’t stump up for a guitar case. He said we’ve still got the box it came in, so he put two strings on the cardboard box. And there was no way I was carrying that to school, so I never pursued it.” Brix & The Extricated/The Fall drummer/music writer Paul Hanley explaining how he ended up behind a kit

Cancer Beware: Mark Radcliffe doing his bit for North West Cancer Research’s #SpeakOut awareness campaign

“I was lucky really, my cancer was visible – it was a lump in my neck. They got to it quite quickly. But they call it a silent killer as you’ve no idea of knowing what’s going on there. With any sign, you need encouraging to get it checked out. I think blokes tend to think, ‘Oh, it’ll be nothing’. And not necessarily just blokes. Some women are like that. It’s a very simple message – just get it checked. It’s amazing, if you catch something early – things that would have killed you 10 or 20 years ago – they can get you back from that point now. They said with mine it would have killed me in months, not years. So I’m lucky to be here and I’m enjoying life – loving every day.” Broadcaster Mark Radcliffe with his personal spin on the importance of early diagnosis for cancer treatment

Stay tuned for part two of our 2019 WriteWyattUK feature/interviews’ quotes special, pop kids.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Comedy & Theatre, Music | Tagged A Certain Ratio, Alan McGee, Brix and the Extricated, Buzzcocks, C.P. Lee, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, Chris Difford, Damian O'Neill, Dandy Warhols, David Gray, Dean Friedman, Eddi Reader, Eton Crop, Fisherman's Friends, Gary Crowley, Glenn Tilbrook, Gretchen Peters, Ian Hunter, Jeremy Brown, Jez Kerr, Jim Bob, Joe Strummer, John O'Neill, John Robb, Kirk Brandon, Manchester, Mark Radcliffe, Marvin Gaye, Mélanie Pain, Membranes, Mike Baillie, Mott the Hoople, Neville Staple, Norman Watt-Roy, North West Cancer Research, Nouvelle Vague, Pauil Hanley, Penetration, Peter Holmström, Pip Blom, Port Isaac, Skids. Pauline Murray, Squeeze, Steve Harley, The Clash, The Fall, The Pack, The Specials, The Undertones, Wilko Johnson | Leave a comment

Dirty Hit Tour Presents … Beabadoobee, No Rome, Oscar Lang – Gorilla, Manchester

Posted on December 24, 2019 by writewyattuk

Oscar Party: Opening act Oscar Lang and his band went down a storm live (Photo: Ianthe Warlow & One Great Song)

My fifth visit to Whitworth Street West in 2019 and a second in five nights, with the clientele far younger under the Oxford Road railway arches this time. But in a similar manner to punk legends Buzzcocks on Sunday, all three acts on Thursday also had the place moving.

Heavy traffic between the M61 and M60 ruled out two-thirds of the first set for this punter and daughter, but Oscar Lang and his band went down a storm judging by the last two songs, the spirit of the season strong as they gave us the heart, cockle and yule log-warming ‘Christmas is Home’, us wishing we’d caught the rest of the set.

It could be the slowest-burning festive No.1 hit of all time, making its Soundcloud debut last year and now, properly recorded, still to crack the charts. It’s only a matter of time though. By Oscar’s admission, it carries ‘full-on cheesy, ‘80s Christmas song vibes’, but certainly hits the spot. Watch this festive space, or at least catch it on Spotify then shell out, get his royalties flooding in.

In an NME interview, he reckoned his synthpop-heavy but chilled indie sound mixes elements of Mac DeMarco (lost me there), John Lennon (I get that, yet hear Julian Lennon more) and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker (fair enough).

Oscar’s certainly been busy since signing to Dirty Hit, his Silk LP – Beabadoobee guesting on one track – and mini-LP Teenage Hurt and To Whom it May Concern and Bops, etc. EPs making an impact, the latter including an obvious choice for set-closer here, the super-chirpy, especially-catchy ‘Hey!’, the crowd reaction suggesting a whole lotta love for this London five-piece in the snowflake-white tops, and too soon melting away backstage.

It was a similar tale of adulation for capital-based Filipino artist No Rome, the audience in large part intimately knowing his nine-track set, presumably picking up on him via past tour supports with The 1975 and fellow label-mates Pale Waves. Was this the biggest act out there I knew nothing about? To be fair, my shock at their reaction was comparable to his own as he held the mic. out and they sang along. There were even kids being linked in at home via FaceTime. Sign of the times, eh.

Pop Royalty: No Rome led the crowd a dance at Gorilla in Manchester (Photo: Ianthe Warlow & One Great Song)

With 2018’s RIP Indo Hisashi and this year’s Crying in the Prettiest Places Eps behind him, he appears to be brimming with confidence, a natural performer switching regularly between guitar, keyboard and vocal walkabouts, finishing with The 1975 co-write, ‘Narcissist’. Too reminiscent of Drake-like mellow pop for these ears, but who am I to judge? No Rome is potential pop royalty on this evidence, the warmth between performer, audience and back again truly something. And remember, when he does make it big, you heard it here last.

That was the thing about this evening – that enveloping love for all three acts, not least the collective spirit between the bands themselves, who when not on stage were often spotted peering down from the room above, partying along with their label-mates.

This was night 19 of 20 – starting in Cambridge in late November and with just one more sell-out to come at The Dome, Tufnell Park, handy for the label’s West London base – and they still got on, the second Dirty Hit three-act tour – following Superfood, King Nun and Pale Waves in 2017 – a triumph.

There’s clearly a buzz about this label, which had just marked its 10^thanniversary, its eclectic roster – also including WriteWyattUK favourites Wolf Alice – really going places. And for me, the brightest star was still to come, Beatrice Kristi Laus – aka Beabadoobee – personifying post-teen spirit and expertly straddling that line between grunge and indie-pop.

Doing my homework over previous weeks to get to know her catalogue, I wondered how she’d sound live. And as it turned out, I was duly impressed, the recorded versions given extra bite. her live show defintely at the grungier end of the spectrum. My sole niggle was that her gorgeous vocal was a little lost in the mix beneath her guitar work, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how she likes it – hiding her light under a bushel, so to speak.

Besides, that modesty does her justice, this frontwoman with a difference seemingly happier snuck to one side of the stage, just one key component of a dynamic three-piece. It wasn’t a classic three-piece though – there’s a holistic fourth member, pre-recorded parts giving this Brit Rising Star 2020 nominee a freedom of movement so she can just let loose with her six-string, her rhythm section pitching in perfectly.

KickStart: Beatrice Kristi Laus, aka Beabadoobee, has true star quality, both live and in the recording studio

From the start the more Dodie-like dreamy nature of her early recordings was cast aside, launching straight into ‘Are You Sure?’ and barely holding back from there. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of room for the acoustic side of her songcraft. But this made for a more full-on live experience.

I told Kristi during our interview I could hear snatches of The Cardigans, The Sundays and Suzanne Vega in her work, and having now caught her live I can add the likes of The Breeders, and maybe Lush and Sleeper at their more raucous.

Kristi’s had a busy 2019 too, releasing a selection of mini-LPs and EPs, and touring the US in support of Clairo, and her live presence appears to be growing accordingly. Yet there was no sign of complacency, the artist more about grim determination at times, only briefly giving us that winning smile, with none of the easy-going between-song banter we experienced earlier on.

In a sense, she seems to have outgrown ‘Coffee’, the track that signalled her arrival, a remnant of a long-ago phase (albeit barely two years back) in her career. It went down a storm, a mass sing-song ensuing, and she delivered it perfectly, but it might have fitted better at the top end of the encore she never had time to claim.

She seems more at home on harder, faster numbers like ‘I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus’, ‘If You Want To’, ‘Disappear’ and ‘Space Cadet’ though, the crowd surging and moshing to their hearts’ content, with more laidback tracks like ‘Apple Cider’ and ‘Ceilings’ taken up a notch, and ‘Angel’ ramped up a little more.

Our Queen Bea ended in top gear with the bass-driven ‘You Lie All The Time’ then a crowd-pleasing show-stopper paying tribute to Eliana, her left-hand woman, ‘She Plays Bass’ providing a neat ending to a cracking night that suggests the future of indie-pop might just be safe in such hands.

Queen Bea: Beabadoobee ruled the roost for this scribe on Dirty Hit’s tour (Photo: Ianthe Warlow & One Great Song)

For WriteWyattUK‘s recent feature/interview with Beabadoobee, head here, and for the latest from Dirty Hit Records, try here or check out the label’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter links. For more about Beabadoobee, you can follow her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter links, and you can also nip over to find Oscar Lang via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and No Rome via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

With thanks for the photographs to Ianthe Warlow and One Great Song, where you can see a parallel review and lots more photos.

Posted in Music | Tagged Beabadoobee, Dirty Hit Records, Gorilla, Manchester, No Rome, Oscar Lang, Philippines, She Plays Bass | 1 Comment

Buzzcocks / Shanghai Treason – Gorilla, Manchester

Posted on December 22, 2019 by writewyattuk

Higher Ground: ‘God bless you, Pete’. Steve Diggle makes contact on his Manchester return (Photo: Gary M Hough)

It made sense to start my final week of live shows in 2019 with the Buzzcocks, my first two having involved tributes to Pete Shelley, lost to the world a few weeks before.

Back then, the headliners were the Skids and Penetration, both set to join Buzzcocks in June for a long-planned Royal Albert Hall show that took on new meaning over the new year.

Understandably, those Preston appearances included poignant nods to the man himself, Richard Jobson giving it his all on ‘What Do I Get?’ while Pauline Murray’s ‘Nostalgia’ and ‘I Don’t Mind’ proved just perfect.

And then, at the business end of the year, we kind of got the real deal, Steve Diggle’s 21^st century Buzzcocks back in the city where it all started for them, and where many others were moved to form bands in their wake, the inspiration well running deep.

I’m not sure if it was ever touch and go that this seminal punk outfit would regroup and return, but from what I gather from Steve they carry on with Pete’s blessing, and this short run of festive gigs with a fresh line-up set out the stall for a new decade.

Perfect Harmony: Steve Diggle, with Chris Remington, as part of a new-look Buzzcocks (Photo: Gary M. Hough)

Besides, Chris Remington (guitar) and Danny Farrant (drums) have 24 years’ service to the cause behind them, so it was only latest recruit Mani Perazzoli (guitar, backing vocals) on trial here. And he passed with flying colours.

So, after the summer’s RAH memorial wake (and a cruise ship warm-up), we had a momentous eight-gig return run – part-tribute, part-glimpse into the future. And punk rock was never about standing still. ‘Nostalgia for an age yet to come’, as a great wordsmith once put it.

This could never be business as usual with just one remaining survivor from their revered Class of ’77 (when they found their feet, post-Devoto). But I guess it never will be again, however determined the current four-piece are to set out their stall for the next chapter of this legendary outfit’s existence.

Some have inevitably voiced doubts about the resumption, but having been part of the band since the start (discounting an early Devoto/Shelley Bolton Tech existence) guitarist and now lead vocalist Diggle has every bit as much right to carry on. And here’s a way to keep those wondrous Shelley compositions alive, from a band who retain that original punk spirit, with a healthy balance on this occasion between heritage/legacy songs and more recent set additions.

The night before the band played Preston, but for me Steve’s first return to his old Manchester stomping ground since Pete’s passing made more sense. And so it turned out, and we were left in no doubt that the star turn here was doing this for all the right reasons, the sheer warmth radiated and mutual love between artist and audience something to see.

Stage Presence: Buzzcocks’ Chris Remington and Steve Diggle on form, Gorilla, Manchester (Photo: Gary M Hough)

When I arrived, a homeless guy outside – yep, welcome to Food Bank Britain, where the turkeys voted for an early Christmas and we seem doomed to five more years of the same gloom – was eager to point me in the right direction, a Big Issue donation duly handed over, my new pal telling me in a rich Manc accent he could tell I was a proper Buzzcocks fan. I begged to differ though. He looked far more the part. What stories he could tell, I bet.

It’s been an issue at recent gigs that the ignorant tend to talk through supports and sometimes even headline acts, but there was no chance of that here, my friend Richard having to wait until folk-punk five-piece Shanghai Treason had belted out a full-on set to recount his Buzzcocks live at Loughborough ’79 anecdote, and how there were barely 30 punters in the main hall for special guests Joy Division.

For their part, Sheffield’s Shanghai Treason were loud and proud, banjo suggesting a Men They Couldn’t Hang meets Pogues vibe, while the singer seemed to bring a hard rock element to proceedings. Either way, they impressed, the determined playing and passion for their craft ensuring the crowd were on their side throughout.

Soon enough, the Rocky theme signalled the main act’s entrance, the grin on the face of Steve – stylishly turned out, as ever – hardly slipping all night, emotions soon kicking in, this punter on a high as the mighty ‘What Do I Get?’ gave rise to first LP opener ‘Fast Cars’, ‘Why She’s the Girl From the Chain Store’, and Devoto-era debut EP mainstay ‘Boredom’, the latter just as powerful 43 years on.

There was a reminder of recent strong fare with 2003’s ‘Sick City Sometimes’ before the glorious sub-two minute punk pop of ‘I Don’t Mind’ and new single ‘Gotta Get Better’, a number that started life as a Diggle solo track a perfect vehicle for this latest phase. Back we went to the debut LP for ‘Autonomy’ before a baggier middle section, 1999’s ‘Speed of Life’ and 2014’s ‘Third Dimension’ teeing up ‘Moving Away From the Pulsebeat’, a snatch of Buddy Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away’ within, Diggle briefly veering from Keith Richards territory to move like Jagger.

Buzz Light: Another Music in a Different Venue as Buzzcocks return to Manchester (Photo: Gary M Hough)

Now and again there was a ‘God bless you, Pete’ aimed above, the legacy of Peter Campbell McNeish truly honoured, his old compadre knowing full well what an honour it was to be the custodian of such great songs … and so many of them.

Steve was clearly enjoying the craic, trading fist-bumps with the devoted, throwing a few Richards-like shapes and delivering those buzzsaw riffs we so love, the now-undisputed frontman giving an impromptu line from Slade’s ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ before they launched into ‘Fiction Romance’, a mighty jam on ‘Why Can’t I Touch It?’ and the B-side of the new 45, ‘Destination Zero’, the main set ending with Spiral Scratch‘s ‘Time’s Up’.

I reckon the rider was taking a hammering, with more than a hint of the ‘tired and emotional’ as Steve introduced ‘Love is Lies’ on returning, the man himself admitting, ‘You can take the Manc out of Manchester, but you can’t take him out of the fucking pub!’ I too was on a high, having requested that very song, happy in the knowledge there was a slurred ‘Malcolm’ in his intro, And from there I was in raptures with a glorious take on ‘Promises’, the song Diggle wrote and Shelley kidnapped, his political statement turned into ‘another bloody love song’ … to great effect.

Two more numbers followed from The Way, ‘People Are Strange Machines’ and ‘Chasing Rainbows’, before we were back in our late-‘70s bubble, a crowd-pleasing ‘Orgasm Addict’ followed by Steve’s rowdy masterpiece, ‘Harmony in my Head’, then what else but ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)’, tears welling again with those opening chords and lyrics.

Long after the band had departed, Steve remained, shaking hands with all and sundry, chatting some more, the applause continuing. What a night. Buzzcocks past, present and future all in one, back in Manchester, and as vital today as ever.

Twin Guitars: New addition Mani Perazzoli gets the seal of approval from Steve Diggle (Photo: Gary M Hough)

With thanks to Gary M. Hough for allowing access to photographs taken on his Sony RX100 III on a rare night off. For more of his great work, head here.

For the latest WriteWyattUK feature/interview with Steve Diggle, head here, and for a 2015 chat with Steve, try here. And for details of the new Buzzcocks single and all the latest from the band, head to their website and keep in touch via Facebook.

Posted in Music | Tagged Buzzcocks, Chris Remington, Danny Farrant, Gorilla, Harmony in my Head, Manchester, Mani Perazzoli, Penetration, Pete Shelley, Preston, Shanghai Treason, Skids, Steve Diggle | 2 Comments

To the moon and back with the Space Cadet – the Beabadoobee interview

Posted on December 18, 2019 by writewyattuk

This was a tricky interview in more ways than one. First off, my subject was on the road, between dates at the Cardiff Globe and Bristol Louisiana, using her manager Natasha’s phone, with mobile reception poor and sound drifting in and out, me calling back at one point after we were cut off (yeah, I know, probably my fault).

I also had a dilemma in how I should address my interviewee. A bit like when I spoke to Rosy Bones from Goat Girl (not convinced that’s her real name), Fish from Marillion (should I call him that, or Derek?),CP Lee and PP Arnold (Pat in the latter case, of course), The Reverend, of The Makers’ fame (I went for plain Jon), J. Willgoose Esq. of Public Service Broadcasting, and … erm, Beans on Toast (going for Jay both times).

But how about Beatrice Kristi Laus, the artist behind Beabadoobee? Beatrice? Bea? Kristi? I certainly wasn’t going to attempt her stage name. I’d need a few drinks first. As it turned out, I chickened out of using any name, and that felt wrong. But for the sake of the interview, let’s go for Kristi.

It was my 17-year-old daughter who introduced me to her music, showing me videos of ‘Disappear’ and ‘If You Want To’ from earlier this year. And here, I quickly realised, was a talent, one that’s not gone unnoticed in music industry circles of late, judging by several prestigious plaudits for her recorded work so far.

Not as if Brit nominations usually make me sit up and take notice. But the proof’s in the product and I was impressed by what I heard, not least more recent tracks like ‘She Plays Bass’, seeing something I saw in a few ‘80s and ‘90s indie outfits I coveted, such as The Sundays and The Cardigans, as is the case on sparkling Pavement frontman tribute, ‘I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus’.

The morning I tracked this talented 19-year-old Filipino-British indie singer-songwriter down, she was eight gigs into a 20-venue Dirty Hit Records showcase tour also featuring label-mates No Rome and Oscar Lang, the latter also part of her band.

Kristi had just learned she’d narrowly missing out on the 2020 Brit Rising Star award, formerly known as the Critics’ Choice – past winners including Adele, Ellie Goulding, Florence and the Machine, Rag’n’Bone Man, Sam Fender and Sam Smith. But while Kristi and fellow nominee Joy Crookes lost out to Celeste, my interview was far from dispirited.

“I was just glad to be a nominee, and to be named along with two incredibly strong women. I’m so grateful for that. I didn’t expect to be nominated so early in my career. And Celeste is amazing.”

Joy Unconfined: Fellow Brit Rising Star 2019 award nominee Joy Crookes, at Abbey Road Studios recently

My youngest daughter is also a fan of Joy Crookes, seeing her live not long ago at Manchester’s Deaf Institute, and she’s another great talent.

“Ah, she’s amazing!”

And what a year it’s been for Kristi, also named on the NME’s list of ‘Essential New Artists’ in the first month of 2019, alongside the likes of Billie Eilish. Another impressive accolade.

“Yeah, it’s super-surreal! I didn’t make music to deal with this sort of thing, and I’m so incredibly grateful.”

You’ve not hung around either. There have been three studio albums, two extended plays and eight singles since 2018. That’s some going, isn’t it?

“It’s insane. I write a lot, and continuously release … I can’t help that! It’s part of me. I write music to organise my brain a bit. So there’ll be lots of that for a while.”

How would you class your own development over that period? How would you compare, for example, laidback, lo-fi debut single ‘Coffee’ with the later, grungier ‘I Wish I was Stephen Malkmus’?

“Yeah, I’m very proud of all that – the songs from Patched Up and from Space Cadet kind of show the growth I’ve had as an artist. And I want to reflect that in my (next) album. I think everyone expects me to follow this grungey path, and I do want to make really loud, grungier songs, but at the same time I still want to keep that stripped-back acoustic sound. The new album’s going to be a real mixture. But I’ve basically had a different phase for every EP release.”

Kick Start: Beatrice Kristi Laus, aka Beabadoobee, most likely on the town near you over these past couple of weeks

Looking back to the early recordings, you seemed more akin to the likes of Dodie, not least on early, more mellow tracks like 2017 Karen O cover ‘The Moon Song’ and 2018’s ‘Susie May’ and ‘Dance With Me’, but perhaps there’s always been a more indie, harder spark in there.

“Yeah, I’ve always loved the bands I love now. I was very Daniel Johnston-inspired.”

Well, there’s the thing. As a teen, I gather you listened to indie bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Alex G, Karen O and Florist. But who put you on to Pavement? And what’s your excuse for knowing cool music by the likes of Elliott Smith, Pixies and Sonic Youth, bands – let’s face it – way beyond your years?

“My parents had very different taste to me. My Mum introduced me to The Cranberries, The Cardigans, Suzanne Vega, and all those amazing artists. But I had to find my way through the sub-pop category, and my boyfriend’s brother’s pretty cool and showed me Pavement. My boyfriend’s Dad was in a band too. Yeah, all big fans of good music.”

Funny you should mention two of those artists. Listening to a few of your songs yesterday, I felt I could hear a little of The Sundays and The Cardigans – and Sundays’ singer Harriet Wheeler was a big influence on The Cardigans’ Nina Persson, so that takes things full circle really – and on ‘She Plays Bass’ there’s that kind of breathy, Suzanne Vega quality …

“Oh! Really? Ah, that’s nice. A few days ago, I was listening to Suzanne Vega a lot and I think she’s amazing. I love her voice, and if f I had to choose who I wanted to sound like, it would be her.”

I make myself sound even older to Kristi there, letting on that I saw her hero play Glastonbury back in 1987, some 13 years before she was born.

“Wow! Did she play ‘Tom’s Diner’, a capella? Insane!”

I seem to recall she did. Perfect festival fare.

Meanwhile, Kristi has fans of her own among established acts, and we soon get on to label-mates The 1975, an outfit with whom she’s set to tour early in February, on the UK leg of their Music for Cars tour.

You’ve been mutual fans for a while, haven’t you?

“Yeah, it’s crazy, and a bit terrifying! But I’m very excited about that.”

But right now, it’s about their own live shows, with Kristi’s band topping the bill, out on the road with label-mates No Rome and Oscar Lang.

“Yeah, and this tour’s been insane. I get to watch them every night, I love their music, and it’s sick, because we’re all mates. It’s super-comfortable and every night we have a little party.”

Ever get to hang out with label-mates Wolf Alice?

“I’ve not had a chance to meet them yet, but really want to. Hopefully the day will come very soon.”

According to the vital statistics, Beabadoobee had attracted more than 36 million accumulative streams on Spotify up to August. Impressive, and yet – I suggest, tongue firmly in cheek – isn’t that worth about £25 in royalties?

“Ha! I don’t even know! I’m just happy that people give a shit about my music!”

Kristi was born in Iloilo City in the Philippines, emigrating with her parents at the age of three.

I’m guessing you were too young to remember your formative years overseas.

“I do a bit. I used to visit every year.”

Are there still lots of proud family out there following your career?

“Oh, I’ve got family everywhere, so when I did my US tour with Clairo there were a bunch of family there that I’d never met before who came to watch me. I was like, ‘I don’t know who you are, but … sick!’ They were like my third cousins.”

I haven’t mentioned the Clairo link yet, have I. The stage name of lauded US singer-songwriter Claire E. Cottrill – two years Kristi’s senior – invited her to join a 30-date Immunity American tour this September, those dates complemented by Kristi’s first ever international headline show, a sell-out at New York’s Chelsea Music Hall. Another highlight of an amazing year.

But now she’s back on home ground, or at least she will be when this current tour’s out of the way. And home’s been London for much of her life, hasn’t it?

“I grew up in Camden and I’ve just moved to Harrow. Yeah, London’s my home.”

Would you say there were Filipino influences in your music?

“Oh yeah, I grew up with all that.”

Was there a lot of music playing around the house in those formative years?

“My Mum would sometimes play The Itchyworms, a really cool band from the Philippines, and had her own music taste. She had this OPM (original Pinoy music) CD she put on every morning, with those melodies amazing and just so memorable.”

Apparently, Kristi, who finished her schooling as a sixth-former at Hammersmith Academy, spent seven years learning to play the violin, before getting her first guitar second-hand at the age of 17, teaching herself via YouTube tutorials.

Do you still pick up the violin now and again?

“Oh man, I wish! It’s been a few years and I’ve genuinely forgotten how to play.”

Is that right that the film, Juno and its soundtrack was a major inspiration on you setting out on this career path?

“Oh, 100 per cent. Kimya Dawson is one of my biggest inspirations, although I’m yet to find a tattoo that reminds me of her! She’s amazing. I loved that loud and grungey Moldy Peaches stuff, but also her laidback stuff, like on Juno. That inspired me a lot and I wanted to do the same thing.”

How old when you first saw that film?

“I think I was about 14 or 15. That was like a pinnacle part of my adolescence … just wanting to be Juno.”

Without the aspects of the pregnancy, I guess?

“Oh yeah, yeah! Not like that, ha!”

That might be something you want to try yourself in the near future – not the pregnancy, maybe, but composing film soundtracks?

“Oh yeah! That would be one of my goals.”

Was it a thrill to perform at Abbey Road Studios as part of the Brit Rising Star shortlist process?

“Ah, dude, that was insane! I’ve got every Beatles album on cassette.”

Now there’s a quote I wouldn’t have expected to hear a couple of years ago. Cassettes clearly are back in vogue. I really must get those old tapes of mine out of the garage, see if they’ve survived 25 or so years in most cases without being played. Anyway, carry on, Kristi.

“Oh, that was crazy, and in the studio where they recorded most of their songs. There’s this picture of Ringo and Paul standing by the stairs … ah, that was the best!”

Did you get a chance to do the time-honoured thing and go over the crossing while you were there?

“Well, I used to live around there, but remember asking my Dad to go there, just to look at it. Cool!”

There was more of that, but again I lost her down the line for a while, and time was against us now. So I moved on.

Incidentally, since our conversation, I’ve learned that Kristi’s live debut, in 2017, was as a support act in Guildford, my hometown, so I’m guessing it was at Boileroom. On that occasion she borrowed Oscar Lang’s band, the two friends trading songs, with accompaniment. And along the way, Kristi has certainly built a huge, dedicated Gen-Z fan base with her winning output of confessional bedroom pop songs and DIY aesthetic.

That first release, ‘Coffee’, from September 2017 – the first song she wrote on her guitar – has attracted more than 300,000 YouTube views, and also proved the catalyst for Dirty Hits Records’ interest. Has her label been really supportive?

“Very supportive. It’s very much a family atmosphere. It’s been great.”

Oscar Lang: Long associated with Beabadoobee, and with her on the current 20-date Dirty Hit Records tour.

That initial single was followed by the release of debut EP Lice in March 2018 and debut album Patched Up that December. And a year on, she’s clearly still on a high, loving it all. What have been the best live shows and venues you’ve played so far?

“Well, Brighton was one of my favourite shows I’ve played on this tour. That was at Patterns. And then there was Cambridge (Portland Arms). That was super-cool. I guess the UK’s different because it feels more like home, especially when I’m touring with my mates.”

Earlier this year, she released her second album, Loveworm, followed by an acoustic version in July, Loveworm (Bedroom Sessions). And now there’s that next record on its way.

“Yeah, I’m currently writing an album, which should be out sometime next year. I want to spend some time on it. I’ll be recording a lot at the beginning of next year.”

Her five-track Space Cadet EP has certainly made an impression since its release in October, just after the Clairo US tour, including ‘She Plays Bass’ and her ‘Stephen Malkmus tribute. In fact, she also made it on to the cover of the NME at the end of that month.

And now she’s finishing this landmark year back on the road, the 20-date Dirty Hit Records showcase tour moving on tomorrow (Thursday, December 19th) to Gorilla in Manchester (upgraded from the nearby Deaf Institute), before a sold-out London finale at The Dome, Tufnell Park (Friday, December 20th).

So how about after that – what will she be doing for Christmas?

“I’ll probably chill with my family, just taking a little break, hanging out with friends too.”

Also on the bill with Beabadoobee on the Dirty Hits winter 2019 tour are:

No Rome: also touring with Beabadoobee, right now

No Rome: the most recent self-produced single, ‘Talk Nice’, is seen as a firm statement of intent from this 22-year-old Filipino artist, following his acclaimed Crying in the Prettiest Places EP, which saw him amass a staggering 100 million streams globally. His publicists tell us, “No Rome confidently manages to distil a hugely eclectic range of influences, from production genius J Dilla to shoegaze bands such as My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive to irresistible pop melodies – cleverly juxtaposing high-end, contemporary pop production with a raw guitar sound. Having recently played to several thousand people in his hometown of Manila and support flooding in from the likes of The Guardian, NME and The Fader to name just a few, No Rome is firmly establishing himself as one of the most exciting, talented new breed of pop stars.”

Oscar Lang: this 18-year-old Londoner recently released his self-produced Bops etc. EP, his first music of 2019 and his debut release with Dirty Hit, who tell us, “Having already worked on a string of acclaimed releases from friends and fellow up-and-comers, including label mate Beabadoobee and Norway’s talented Girl in Red, Oscar is carving out a reputation as the songwriter and producer pushing bedroom pop to exciting new heights: a budding Brian Wilson for Gen-Z. His self-released 2018 records Teenage Hurt and Silk set the tone for his solo work – spanning lilting psych hooks to dreamy washes of guitar to punchy millennial lyricism; drawing in hundreds of thousands of listeners in the process.”

Dirty Hit 2019 tour, remaining dates: Manchester Gorilla (Thursday, December 19^th); London Dome (Friday, December 20^th). For ticket details and more about her label, head to www.dirtyhit.co.uk or check out the label’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter links. And for the latest from Beabadoobee, you can also check her out via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Beabadoobee, Brit Awards, Clairo, Dirty Hit Records, Iloilo City, London, Manchester, No Rome, Oscar Lang, Pavement, Philippines, Stephen Malkmus, Suzanne Vega, The 1975, The Sundays, Wolf Alice | 1 Comment

Remembering Pete Shelley, and entering a new Buzzcocks era – back in touch with Steve Diggle

Posted on December 11, 2019 by writewyattuk

Avant Garden: From the left – Chris Remington, Steve Diggle and Danny Farrant, now joined by Mani Perazzoli

Punk idols Buzzcocks are back, a year after losing revered frontman Pete Shelley, with a new single to mark the occasion, officially released in mid-February but available during the band’s short run of December dates.

And latest 45, ‘Gotta Get Better’, released by Cherry Red Records, neatly sums up co-founder Steve Diggle’s take on the last 12 difficult months for the band and himself … and the state of the nation right now. Is this a sign that there’s a new album on its way?

“Yeah, we’ve got a few tracks. I like the B-side too, ‘Destination Zero’, always a difficult thing to do, y’know. We’ve recorded them, and I’ve a lot of others we’re working on, but we wanted to get these new songs out there to tie in with this tour – something current.”

The title suggests a desire to move on, channeling the power of positive vibes.

“Exactly. It’s kind of a universal statement, but kind of applies to us and me personally in the band, with Pete dying and that. It’s been a difficult year, one way or another. But it’s a song of inspiration, one everyone can relate to, and in classic Buzzcocks vein, like ‘Promises’ and ‘What do I Get?’”

Pete Shelley formed Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in Bolton in February 1976, but it was with the arrival of Steve Diggle (initially on bass) and John Maher (drums), that they became a functioning band, making their debut in style – opening for the Sex Pistols on their memorable return to Manchester’s Lesser Free Trade Hall that July; Lydon, Matlock, Cook and Jones’ famous first visit a month earlier having been organised by Pete and Howard.

By early 1977, Buzzcocks, one of the first bands to form their own independent label, New Hormones, had released the seminal ‘Spiral Scratch’ EP, but soon Howard left to form Magazine, bassist Steve Garvey joining in his place, his namesake switching to guitar. And that August, the new line-up signed a recording contract with United Artists, releasing the landmark ‘Orgasm Addict’ single, swiftly followed by ‘What Do I Get?’, their debut UK top-40 entry and first of a string of chart hits.

Over the next three years, they toured extensively, releasing a trilogy of revered LPs, Another Music in a Different Kitchen followed by Love Bites (both 1978) then A Different Kind of Tension (1979), as well as the mighty Singles Going Steady compilation.

In 1981, the band went their separate ways, but the same four-piece reconvened in 1989, and while Steve and John would in time move on, the Shelley/Diggle partnership remained intact until Pete died of a suspected heart attack in Tallinn, Estonia – where he moved with his wife, Greta, in 2012 – last December.

But they honoured a special show booked for the Royal Albert Hall in London in June, that event – already planned to include long-time friends Penetration and the Skids – becoming a tribute to Pete and the band’s legacy, involving various high-profile guests. And after honouring a further summer engagement overseas, it soon became clear that they’d decided to continue, starting out with this eight-date UK tour, Steve taking over lead vocal duties, announcing, ‘I’m going to raise the mast and set the sails for the next voyage of the good ship, Buzzcocks’,

And on that journey, he’s joined by fellow survivors Chris Remington (bass, since 2008) and Danny Farrant (drums, since 2006), plus new guitarist Mani Perazzoli, who featured in the earlier show.

Incidentally, Steve, now 64, hinted about a new Cherry Red reissue boxset when we spoke last week, that project following previous reissues, although details are sketchy at this stage.

“The first reissues put the spotlight on those albums we did back in the late ‘70s, but these we did later on were good as well, so a boxset of those will make a lot of sense of that latter phase.”

Last time we spoke, in late July 2015, we talked a fair bit about The Way LP, and you suggested you were enjoying the new material more. I get the impression you’ve never really been content just playing the old hits. Proper punk spirit, maybe.

“Well, yeah, it’s always good to do a bit of new stuff. But we got heavily into touring, and it took a while to get The Way out. Now we’ve got this single out though, and we’ll get a new album out next year. It keeps it current, and vibrant.”

Was it always clear for this post-Pete phase you would go out under the Buzzcocks banner? You could have toured again, for instance, as Flag of Convenience (also involving fellow ‘Cocks Steve Garvey and John Maher) in honour of that 1981/9 project.

“Well, I also had that (CD) boxset of my four solo albums, Wheels of Time (2016) and like a lot of stuff from that, and a lot of people suggested I carry on with that. I could have done a lot of that and some classic Buzzcocks song of mine. But we were doing our tribute gig to Pete at the Royal Albert Hall already. With Pete dying that became something else, but this band was there already, really.”

Gotta Getta: The new Buzzcocks single, 'Gotta Get Better', available in mid-February but also on the band's December 2019 dates

Gotta Getta: New Buzzcocks single, ‘Gotta Get Better’, available in mid-February but also on their December dates

In the scheme of things, your bandmates Chris and Danny have been with you quite some time now.

“Yes, we’ve still kind of got the Buzzcocks band, so it’s a case of moving on from there, and when we played the Royal Albert Hall I was singing all the songs anyway, along with a few guests.

“We then had a Buzzcocks gig on this boat booked in, from Barcelona to Sardinia and back. And funnily enough, on our last tour Pete came to my room a couple of times after shows and twice during that time said, ‘I’m thinking of retiring, but you carry on, with my blessing’.

“That sounds a bit eerie now, us not knowing what was around the corner, but I’d joke with him, saying, ‘You’re not going anywhere! We’ve still got some stuff to do!’ But I think he’d have been happy for us to carry on.”

I couldn’t get to the Royal Albert Hall show, but as well as some great radio tributes on BBC 6 Music, I heard some fitting live tributes to Pete, starting with two acts who joined you for that London event – Skids when they played Preston Guild Hall and Penetration when they played The Continental across town, with some lovely memories and Buzzcocks covers from Richard Jobson, Pauline Murray, and co. I also recall French outfit Nouvelle Vague’s cracking ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ cover when they played Gorilla, Manchester.

“That’s great, and I remember a lot of people sending me links to songs they played at their gigs, and even Elton John at a big football stadium gig in Philadelphia dedicated a song to Pete.”

A fortnight after Nouvelle Vague, The Undertones were across the road at Manchester’s Ritz, dedicating ‘Thrill Me’ to your former frontman and reminiscing about the day The Undertones met the Buzzcocks backstage in Sunderland at a festival the previous summer.

“That’s right, we did! And I know we inspired them in the early days. You can hear it in their sound.”

True, and I know John O’Neill readily admits that debt. And in more general terms, there’s still a lot of love out there for Pete and the Buzzcocks.

“A lot of love. We inspired a lot of people in those early days, and there’s a great catalogue of songs out there – another reason for carrying on really. This way we keep the songs alive – my songs, Pete’s songs, and those we wrote together. One of my first was ‘Fast Cars’, for which Pete added the verse. It was the same with ‘Promises’. When we’re singing those, we’re singing together, if you like. It’s keeping Buzzcocks alive really.”

While putting some questions together I was dwelling on one such Shelley lyric, on ‘Nostalgia’ from Love Bites, Pete musing, ‘I guess it’s just the music that brings on nostalgia for an age yet to come’. Fairly prophetic in the scheme of things, eh?

“Yeah, very prophetic! I never thought that at the time. I felt it was more of a cynical thing, and how Pete was at the time. But we’ve sort of lived up to that.

“When I look back there’s such a body of work there. When we’re out on the road playing those songs, we don’t tend to listen to them at home, but now I’m trying to dig out a few that people have asked for, including a few they haven’t heard live for years. Then we’ve got both sides of the new single and all the classic ones! So I’m trying to pick them from all generations and angles.”

It certainly is a mighty body of work, with at least 150 songs to choose from. Deciding on a setlist must bring on a few headaches, albeit positive ones.

“Well, yeah. We’ve got a lot in the pot at the moment, and they all kind of work. But there’s only a given amount of time, so it’s, y’know, ‘We’ve got to condense this’.”

It helps if you can get off the stage before midnight, I guess.

“Exactly! And there will be songs we’ll play at some gigs and others elsewhere. So we fit them in somehow, but alternate them a bit.”

It’s 40 years since your third and final LP of that late ‘70s phase, A Different Kind of Tension, and I’ve probably been playing that more than any other Buzzcocks album lately. And I still love it. That said, listening to the lyrical content of Pete’s songs, he seemed to be … unravelling a little at the time. Or was he just … over-stimulated?

“Well, it was probably getting on for four or five years together, and we’d probably had about eight hits and had been on tour for all those years, including time in America, or in the studio. So people were getting a little worn down. So I think at that point – on some of those lyrics – he’s a bit vulnerable and … not confused, but maybe analysing himself a bit, and the band, or whatever. There was a little more darkness and intensity on that album, I think.”

But it’s stood the test of time, for sure.

“Yeah, and there’s a bit of the experimental there. We brought a bit of the avant-garde on some of it. Not particularly on my songs – I did more straight-ahead songs to kind of balance the heaviness, and complement them.”

Indeed, and you worked well that way, throughout all the years you made records together.

“Absolutely, and songs like ‘Autonomy’, ‘Fiction Romance’ and ‘Moving Away From the Pulsebeat’ on the first album – even though we’re known for the hits – involve a bit of the avant-garde too. And later we did ‘Why Can’t I Touch It?’ and stuff like that, going down all those avenues. And by the time we got to A Different Kind of Tension, it brought elements of that out as well.”

Talking of 40^th anniversaries, that also applies to ‘Harmony In My Head’, your last top-40 hit (their sixth, although it’s a crime that 1978’s wondrous ‘I Don’t Mind’ and 1980’s gorgeous ‘You Say You Don’t Love Me’ never made it there) and another great Diggle composition. You should be proud of that.

“Yeah, we’d had a few hits by then and I felt we had to go on Top of the Pops with a heavy one again, like in the early days, something a bit more solid and a bit harder after ‘Ever Fallen in Love’, ‘Promises’ and ‘Everybody’s Happy Nowadays’. And yes, that has stood the test of time and it’s one of those songs that when you put it on it comes at you a bit steam-rollery! A bit lively.”

You and Pete were in the band together from 1976 to 1981, then again on reconvening from 1989 through to 2018, accounting for more than half of your life working together. I’m guessing over all that time you got to know each other’s thinking well, with real understanding of each other. Erm … do you believe in ESP? Was there a kind of telepathy at times?

“There was, yeah! From the first rehearsal back in ’76, you just kind of knew there was some empathy between us, y’know. If I had a song or he had a song, we’d know where it was going. We’d say, ‘It goes like this …’ and it’d be a case of ‘Yep, it’s alright. I’ve got that.’

“Like ‘Everybody’s Happy Nowadays’, I’d say, I don’t need the chords, and then I came up with the riff. We never sat down and had to slave away at these things. He’d bring things in that were well on their way, but there was that magic between us. And when he’d gone, I thought there won’t be anyone again like me and him who could play guitar together. We had that chemistry between us.

Cruisers’ Creek: Buzzcocks on board, Summer 2019, including Mani Perazzoli, left. (Photo: Will Byington)

“We’ve got another guitarist with us on this tour, but nobody could get what we had. It’s just one of those things that we met and had that thing between us. Personally, as well. We got on well. We had little squabbles here and there, but artistic squabbles. We’d still go to the pub together and have a drink. We had that gap, but it’s still 40-plus years. There was that major part of my life with him as a musical colleague, but also personally.

“We were very close in a lot of ways and always kind of got on. We’d have a bit of a laugh but also talk about lots of heavy things. To be honest, there was only me and him who would stay in the pub too long! All the others used to go, y’know!”

It was great to see your fellow bandmates from that classic line-up, Steve Garvey (bass) and John Maher (drums), involved with the Royal Albert Hall show.

“It was nice to see them, and we had a few days together leading up to the Royal Albert Hall, rehearsing. It was really nice to have them two back again.

“Each player has their own sound, and when that bass and drums kicked in … ‘Ah, I remember that kind of sound!’ That defined a lot of the early stuff. Now Steve lives in America, John’s on the Isle of Harris, and things have moved on. But it was great to spend a week or so together again, rehearsing, the gig, then a sleeve art exhibition we all went to in Great Portland Street. It was a great thing all round really.”

A worthy send-off for Pete.

“It was, yeah.”

Pete was based in Tallinn, Estonia, in later years, but the current band all live fairly close, with Steve in Highgate, North London, not far from another famous Manc.

“Liam Gallagher lives just up the road, so when I’m in the pub with him it still feels like being in Manchester!”

With Pete: Buzzcocks in 2015. From left – Chris Remington, Steve Diggle, Pete Shelley and Danny Farrant.

Famous neighbours also include The Kinks’ songwriting legend Ray Davies, Steve having moved to the area more than 30 years ago.

“I never thought I’d leave Manchester. But I met a girl down here, and now find a lot of my old friends are either teaching in Europe or off somewhere else. I don’t know anybody in Manchester half the time, although I know every street, nook and cranny and still feel Manchester underneath. But when I go back to do this gig, it’ll all come flooding back.”

Are there specific songs you hear from the Buzzcocks’ catalogue that take you back to a time and place and remind you of being there in that studio with Pete?

“I think most of them, really. When he died, it was all over the BBC news, and they were playing our songs on Radio 6 Music one particular day.

“I missed a lot of that, because people were phoning me up and I was trying to sort things out, but at the end of one show – I think it may have been Lauren Laverne – I was listening in to see what people were saying, and heard six songs back to back. That really blew my mind. I thought, ‘Bloody hell! We were really good!’ And hearing Pete’s voice singing, a little tear came in my eye. I was saying ‘You go for it, Pete!’ at the radio, y’know. I think one of those was ‘Why Can’t I Touch It?’ And that’s one that takes me back.

“We did most of our stuff around then at Olympic Studios (in Barnes, South West London), where The Who, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles recorded, and the Rolling Stones did a lot there – ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ and all that. So I was thinking, ‘This is the studio!’ On the cover of the first album, the picture of us in the black shirts, just behind us is one of those famous screens there.

“Anyway, with ‘Why Can’t I Touch it?’ (recorded at Strawberry Studios, Stockport), I remember this groove, and we didn’t really have a groove kind of song at that point, so I went in, did that riff, John and Steve joined in, then Pete – a bit late turning up – came and joined in, adding the words. We recorded ‘Everybody’s Happy Nowadays’, had a meal at a Greek restaurant, then around 10 o’clock that evening recorded that B-side.

“We’d had quite a bit of ouzo by then, but felt, ‘Well, we’ve got the A-side, so that’s alright’. There’s a bit in the middle where me and Pete are jamming, looking at each other, me playing some off-chord piece, us answering each other. But it was all down to a nod and a wink, and ‘OK, let’s get back into the song’, and moments like that take me back to that recording process, back to the Greek restaurant, keeping it going … and the ouzo!”

I mentioned The Undertones, and talked in May this year to Damian and John O’Neill about their experiences recording their debut LP with engineer Roger Bechirian in early ‘79 (and parts of the follow-up the following January) at Eden Studios, Acton, West London, and I presume you and producer Martin Rushent followed into that studio not long after to make your third long player. Was that a good experience?

“Yeah, that was great. And we might have done a bit of ‘Harmony in My Head’ there too, y’know. And a few others.”

Correct, with that single later mixed at Marquee.

“Yeah, the mainstay was Olympic, but if that was busy we’d sometimes do backing tracks somewhere else, then work back on it at Olympic, or Strawberry Studios. At Eden I remember being with Martin Rushent, looking in a cupboard for more microphones, rather than use the standard ones. We found one of those old black ribbon types, and I’m pretty sure that’s how I did the vocals for ’Harmony in My Head’. I think that gave it a great sound. That was quite a key thing, using some dusty old mic. stored in a cupboard!”

Our latest conversation came the day before the first anniversary of Pete’s death, and I asked Steve – busy rehearsing for much of the week – what he might be doing to mark the occasion. Would he be raising a glass to his close friend?

“Oh, absolutely! There will be those moments tomorrow. I often think, ‘I can’t believe it’s been a year,’ but a year’s not a long time at our age, is it? There are often moments where I can’t believe he’s not here anymore, going through all that pain process and getting over it. I remember when my Dad died, and it’s a bit similar in a way. You have to blank it out of your mind for a while, and I’ve kind of done that in order for me to be able to function.

“Now, from tomorrow, it’ll be a new stage really. You’ve done the tears, you’ve done the painfulness, and you just have to remember those lovely moments and try and feel warm and remember Pete in a lovely way.”

You’ve obviously kept yourself busy, and the planning for the Royal Albert Hall show must have helped you focus on something positive during those difficult first few months.

“It did. It was a bit of a painful run-up to that, but you’ve got to move on. Like with my Dad, I decided to put it all in a file at the back of my head. You can’t be getting emotional about it every day, or I’d be having a nervous breakdown.”

The important thing is you still have the band, honouring his legacy that way, remembering him and all those great songs you wrote between you all.

“Yeah, from ‘What Do I Get?’ to ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ and all those, I never thought I’d be singing those songs, but do a pretty good job of it, y’know. And I think Pete would be with me on that as well. And let’s hope we’ll have a lot of love on this tour.

“It’ll be nice to get out there and connect with the audience again. I know we did the Royal Albert Hall, but now we’re getting up north and travelling about a bit, and it’ll be a bit of a celebration wake as well, where we can all celebrate, sing along with those classic Pete songs and remember him that way. It should be a bit cathartic for everyone in that sense.”

On Returning: From left – Chris Remington, Steve Diggle, Danny Farrant. And guitarist Mani Perazzoli makes four.

For July 2015’s WriteWyattUK feature/interview with Steve Diggle, Buzzcocks Going Steady, head here.

Buzzcocks’ December 2019 UK tour: Norwich UEA Waterfront, Wednesday 11th; Wolverhampton, Slade Rooms, Thursday 12th; Preston 53 Degrees, Saturday 14th; Manchester Gorilla, Sunday 15th; Glasgow, Oran Mor, Tuesday 17th; Newcastle, Wylam Brewery, Wednesday 18th; Sheffield, The Foundry, Friday 20th; Leeds, The Key Club, Saturday 21st. For full tour details head here or to the band’s website. You can also keep in touch via Facebook.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 53 Degrees, A Different Kind of Tension, Buzzcocks, Chris Remington, Danny Farrant, Eden Studios, Gorilla, Harmony in my Head, Highgate, Howard Devoto, John Maher, Lesser Free Trade Hall, Liam Gallagher, Manchester, Mani Perazzoli, Martin Rushent, Nouvelle Vague, Olympic Studios, Penetration, Pete Shelley, Preston, Ray Davies, Royal Albert Hall, Sex Pistols, Skids, Steve Diggle, Steve Garvey, Strawberry Studios, The Undertones | 3 Comments

BOB / The Beer Snobs – Leeds, Wharf Chambers

Posted on December 9, 2019 by writewyattuk

Banwell Bluesbreakers: BOB in live action at Wharf Chambers in Leeds, on night three of their six-date November farewell tour. From the left – Richard, Simon (in front of Dean) and ‘Arthur Arthurman’. (Photo: The Dribbling Code)

It would be too easy to start this review with, ‘What a Performance!’ But it was, even if the BOB of 2019 were some way removed from that experienced three decades earlier.

That’s not a dig. I was impressed then and possibly appreciate them even more now, the nostalgia factor only part of the story. But where I seem to recall that back then they were more about indie cool and occasional surliness on stage, the passage of time has swept aside any perceived pretence.

It’s an odd thing. With most bands I’ve followed since that era, there was no more than a few years between sightings. In this case it was 28 years, and I guess we’re all a little longer in the tooth. Life moves on, and I got the impression – talking to two band members in the bar before – that I was just the latest attendee bringing an offspring along who wasn’t even a glint in the milkman’s eye when I saw them last in 1991.

However, as Martin Fry would have us believe, that was then, but this is now, the years melting away as soon as they unleashed evergreen opening instrumental, ‘Extension BOB Please!’ But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start a little earlier, having set off post-rush hour on the M61 and M62 for a 125-mile round-trip to find the nearest show on this long-awaited six-date farewell tour.

I’d clearly have fancied an appearance closer to my Lancashire base, but as it turned out, Wharf Chambers proved an inspired choice, providing the kind of quirky set-up I appreciate from a venue. Besides, time and again I caught this esteemed outfit off the beaten track in my native South East back in the day, the random locations adding to the flavour of some truly memorable gigs, several of which I recalled in a recent feature/interview with Dean, BOB’s drumming Leggett … sorry, legend (wuth a link here if you missed it).

Another Crow: The BOB drumkit, all primed and set for action, just awaiting Dean Leggett (Photo: The Dribbling Code)

This particular occasion unfolded in the heart of Leeds, in a club run by a workers’ co-operative, a couple of minutes’ walk from the River Aire, my youngest daughter – making her BOB debut three years younger than I did, and 31 years later – describing the adjoining function room as a converted garage.

In fact, the location screamed Yorkshire, not least having chosen to wet the whistle with a pint of Brassneck before heading out the back. With a name like that, I half expected Wedding Present guitar legend Peter ‘Grapper’ Solowka to have brewed it, and I’m not convinced the front-man of support act The Beer Snobs hadn’t already supped a few himself ahead of their short set.

I kind of liked this rough and ready three-piece, their young drummer regularly gazing up at his bandleader, whether to seek guidance or absolution I know not, while the bass player’s flat cap added a further dash of White Rose identity to the proceedings. They brought many a smile to us assembled, even if I can’t be sure that the damning verdict of a loudmouth a few rows behind after the last song was part of the act. I’d hate to see his TripAdvisor reviews.

Soon enough, the main attraction had taken to the stage, a week rehearsing in the Far West of Cornwall and opening nights in Birmingham and Hull paving the way for what we were about to receive (and for which we were truly thankful).

Co-frontman Richard Blackborow took to keyboards for the aforementioned opener, spending much of the evening there, later revealing he was struggling with his back after a slip on an earlier date. In fact, once they’d carved out spaces, there was little else the band could do, restricted by the lack of leg room, a week of intense choreography before heading upcountry largely wasted.

Ton Up: BOB on their last-ever UK appearance … maybe, in live action at the famed 100 Club in that there London

To our right was Simon Armstrong, the ‘60s Beatles cap of the ‘80s publicity shots seemingly swapped for half-moon specs, helping him tread carefully across the massed wires and find the sole setlist, reminding himself what was next, greeting each number with a pleasant surprise, as if the other three had decided on the running order in his absence.

Tucked in behind Simon was a new BOBette to me, fan turned bass guitarist Arthur Tapp (or Arthur Arthurman, apparently) with even less space to negotiate, but on fine form, his demeanour suggesting he was having a great time up there with this cult outfit. And behind those three, Dean led from the rear, so to speak, and was more animated than I recalled, touches of Keith Moon dynamism throughout his performance.

My notes were a little sporadic, but by the time we reached ‘Tired’ they seemed fairly settled, renditions of old faves ‘Kirsty’ and ‘What a Performance!’ suggesting the trusty Swagsack was still intact. I’d reintroduced myself to the back-catalogue on the lead-up via the two splendid Cherry Red double-CD packages, and one of the tracks impressing me of late was ‘Another Crow’, an add-on to the polished-up pressing of Leave the Straight Life Behind and arguably one of the best songs written about the touring process, up there with Mott the Hoople’s ‘Saturday Gigs’ for my ears.

And how were they holding up? Well, Richard seemed to be loving it. Perhaps his painkillers had kicked in, but they were certainly firing on all cylinders, the inspirational call to arms that is ‘Flagpole’ leading to ‘Skylark III’ then a further delve into the distant past with the song that kick-started the BOB story, the naïve lo-fi pop of ‘Brian Wilson’s Bed’ followed by most recent catalogue addition, ‘Queen of Sheba’, available on flexi-disc on the night.

Then came the almost-hit, ‘Convenience’, a rousing crowd sing-song ensuing, mobile phones primed in a way that could never have happened all those years ago when it somehow missed the UK top-40, that iced gem followed by its latest reissue’s B-side, ‘Coquette’.

Flexi Time: ‘Queen Of Sheba’, originally only available at the November BOB farewell gigs, a ‘full circle’ development for a band who started out with ‘Brian Wilson’s Bed’ in a similar format, as picked up on by a certain John Peel.

By now, they were truly flying, a barnstorming ‘95 Tears’ giving rise to the glorious ‘Trousercide’. Favourite day? Today, as it happened. They briefly departed, but returned soon enough for the wondrous title track of the LP that landed shortly after my last sighting.

And there’s another thing. Leave the Straight Life Behind was never quite the album I’d hoped when it landed. I tried, but maybe too hard, in time moving on, the band themselves calling it a day before any more LPs could follow, giving up on the big time, carving out careers elsewhere. But the recent tightening up in the studio of that album by the band themselves has truly added something, and now I love it. Perhaps I was just blind to it first time around, missing the point. Who knows. It certainly deserves wider recognition.

‘Leave the Straight Life Behind’ itself provided my highlight on the night, as I suspected it might, with Simon’s guitar solo supreme. And that’s coming from a scribe who tends to prefer one-note Buzzcocks-like solos to Clapton and Page-esque over-gilded pomp. They then finished with the highly-charged ‘Skylark II’, matters brought to a climactic end, the band clearly still capable of waking the dead on this showing.

This was no polished performance, but the rougher edges added to the experience. And the banter between songs was a touch I’m not so sure I recall to the same degree back in the day. In short, here’s another band from my formative gigging days doing it for all the right reasons now, any desire to achieve pop stardom wisely cast aside.

Yep. BOB have still got it, I reckon. But if you caught this show, the earlier two, or those that followed at the John Peel Centre in Stowmarket, London’s 100 Club, or the finale at Hamburg’s Astra Stube, you probably already know that. Now, we have to just convince them to come out on the road again. So here’s to the next last-ever tour, eh? As Del Boy Trotter would say, ‘No, not goodbye, Margaret … no, just bonjour’.

Performance Artists: BOB, live at Leeds – making a big impression at Wharf Chambers on their final tour. From the left – Richard Blackborow, Simon Armstrong, Dean Leggett, and Arthur ‘Arthurman’. (Photo: The Dribbling Code)

With thanks to Yorkshire-based non-league football photo blog and research unit (mostly) The Dribbling Code for the Wharf Chambers shots. To check them out on Twitter, head here.

And to keep up to date on everything BOB, head to their Facebook page, or check them out via Twitter.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged 100 Club, Arthur Tapp, BOB, Convenience, Dean Leggett, Hamburg, John Peel Centre, Leave the Straight Life Behind, Leeds, Richard Blackborow, Simon Armstrong, The Beer Snobs, Wharf Chambers, Yorkshire | 4 Comments

Erland Cooper / AVA – Band on the Wall, Manchester

Posted on December 6, 2019 by writewyattuk

Literary Landscape: Erland Cooper’s ensemble take in their surroundings on tour at Lancaster Library

Having entered Erland Cooper’s world via The Magnetic North, then retrospectively discovering original band venture, Erland & the Carnival, it was a small step from there to ensconce myself in his solo project, exploring this creative composer’s further sonic tribute to Orcadian roots.

And yet, after two previous Band on the Wall trips in 2019, I was unsure how my third visit might pan out, not least on entering this Northern Quarter venue to find the chairs out. I don’t tend to do seated gigs, and with so few spare when we walked in, it was a case of heading for what was left then craning my neck around a pillar for a better vantage point.

I had a similar concern when legendary Queensland visitor Robert Forster called at this characterful Swan Street location in mid-May, finding myself – standing that time – wedged into a confined space, barely able to see more than half his band at a time. But in both instances, my misgivings were swiftly forgotten, the music soon transporting me. And with Erland and his talented ensemble, I was just thankful to be there when other prestigious dates on this brief seven-date UK tour so quickly sold out.

Friends in high places like Paul Weller and support from various on-the-money BBC 6 Music presenters has helped ensure word continues to spread about Erland, who like Magnetic North bandmate Hannah Peel seems to be on a trajectory to a whole ‘nother level. And on this showing there was proof aplenty that he deserves such accolades.

If there were nerves from the night’s performers, it didn’t seem to be an issue. In fact, I was greeted by AVA’s Anna Phoebe at the top of the stairs as I held back from taking my seat too early, the Kate Bush of the violin – rising more slowly than a Fair Isle weather pattern from the dressing room – cheerfully confiding in this random stranger that she’d lost her pianist.

Riding Waves: AVA’s Anna Phoebe, left, and Aisling Brouwer, lost in the moment on tour with Erland Cooper

In a duo that could be worrying, but thankfully Aisling Brouwer, her creative other half, soon entered the fray, this Berlin-based cinematic, orchestral duo soon in their element, AVA engaging throughout this brief sonic journey, redefining mood music merely through violin, keyboards and electronica.

A short selection of tracks from the pair’s Waves album, including a beguiling ‘In Motion’, climaxed with an emotional, increasingly-intense interpretation of London Grammar’s ‘Wild Eyed’, the scene set neatly for what was to come, the audience metaphorically left sat on a suitcase on the quayside at Scrabster, awaiting a connecting ferry to take us across the Pentland Firth.

Lo and behold, when Erland and his crew welcomed us aboard, there was Anna Phoebe again, part of a beating heart string section (and occasional synth player) helping navigate towards the rugged coastline of the bandleader’s beloved archipelago, alongside fellow talents Jacob Downs (viola, keyboards), Klara Schumann (cello) and soprano/violinist, Kalliopi Mitropoulou.

Between Sule Skerry’s expansive, gloriously slow-building ‘Flattie’ and ‘Haar’, with its sweet signature motif, we reached the open water, us passengers somewhat transfixed by the sight of the main-man giving his all on keyboard, hunched over as if facing a mighty storm.

At times he resembled a mad sea captain battling the swell, the piano his ship’s wheel. At others he circled the deck, conducting and cajoling his crew to a level of recital he sought, as if reluctant to momentarily relinquish control, retaining ownership of the wondrous soundscape he’d created, inspiring ever-greater extremes of performance.

Tidal Journey: Erland Cooper, in charge of the captain’s analog tape loop at Brighton’s Unitarian Church

We were soon lost in the moment, Erland switching between sea and air and back again, the metronomic low croaking murmur of the northern gannet on his tape loop giving rise to piano again on Solan Goose’s title-track, textures piling up as land grew closer, the more reflective ‘Sillocks’ from the next LP seeing Kalliopi as our spirit guide amid Klara’s mournful yet achingly beautiful cello.

Spoken word intros on a few songs further fed the imagination, Erland’s soprano again soaring on ‘Cattie-Face’, amid a fusion of accompanying string harmonies, the ethereal tones of ‘Bonxie’ taking us further in, mist rolling, the band-leader requesting the house lights and power be cut until the mid-point of ‘Maalie’, a spectacular sonic sunrise duly experienced, imaginations well and truly stoked, Will Burns’ poetry incorporated.

‘Shalder’ took us further, riding the currents, before the free Orcadian jazz of ‘Spoot Ebb’ closed the main set, ‘a bugger to play’ according to our self-effacing headliner, who before the last notes died away had fled, his band taking the applause before following suit. But all five returned soon enough, a re-interpretation of an earlier number introduced with a modest rider that they really ought to learn more songs.

If that all sounds too grand, I should add that it was never over-polished, the occasional glitch and a sense of fun and experiment making it all the better, moments of humour and gratitude that we were there to witness it at all further endearing us to Erland, at one stage distracted as his brother watched from the front rows, afforded a better view than me.

Our epic journey ended with Erland and Jacob’s understated vocal duel on a stirring ‘First of the Tide’. And as per the lyrics, we were collectively away, our quintet leaving on a high after a truly memorable trip to our own Far North, delivering an analog masterclass for a digital world en route.

Sonic Worship: Erland Cooper and his ensemble in action at Glasgow’s Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church

For a limited period, you can listen via this BBC Sounds link to three exquisite songs from AVA and Erland Cooper at the end of Mary Anne Hobbs’ special BBC 6 Music broadcast from Art is Everywhere at the Turner Contemporary Gallery in Margate, the touring party having arrived in Kent after two hours’ sleep, finishing their tour at The Sage, Gateshead, the previous night.

To find out details of AVA’s first London headline show, at the Moth Club, Valette Street, Hackney, on Tuesday, December 10^th, head here, and to follow the duo on social media, try these Facebook, Instagram and Twitter links.

Follow this link for my recent feature/interview with Erland Cooper, and for details of Erland’s An Orkney Triptych show at the Barbican Centre with the London Contemporary Orchestra on June 13th, 2020, head here. You can also visit his website and keep in touch via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Aisling Brouwer, Anna Phoebe, AVA, Band on the Wall, Erland Cooper, Jacob Downs, Kalliopi Mitropoulou, Klara Schumann, London Grammar, Manchester, Mary Anne Hobbs, Orkney, Solan Goose, Sule Skerry | Leave a comment

Ignore Alien Orders – talking The Clash with Tony Beesley

Posted on November 30, 2019 by writewyattuk

Live Presence: Joe Strummer out front with The Clash at Sheffield Top Rank on the band’s 16 Tons tour in early 1980, the first time that Ignore Alien Orders co-writer Tony Beesley saw his favourites play live (Photo: Nick Hawksworth)

As the 40^th anniversary of The Clash’s acclaimed London Calling double-LP approaches, it’s time to not only remind you that a few copies remain of my biography of the band, This Day in Music’s Guide to The Clash (subtle hints, we got ’em), but also treat you to an interview featuring the latest fan of this seminal punk outfit to tackle their story in print.

And a splendid tome it is too, Ignore Alien Orders: On Parole With The Clash the result of a joint project involving Tony Beesley and Anthony Davie, this colourful new 300-plus page hardback comprising fans’ accounts of seeing them live and in person.

So many great books have been written about the so-called ‘only band that matters’ since Marcus Gray’s trail-blazing Last Gang in Town in 1995, yet Yorkshire-based Tony still felt there was a gap in the market for his ‘history of The Clash by the fans and for the fans’, co-written with a fellow fan who previously penned Vision of a Homeland: The History of Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros. However, there’s no ‘better than all the rest’ posturing here, Tony instead suggesting they’ve ‘created a new, vibrant and enjoyable volume to sit alongside the shelves of Clash literary work’.

He describes Ignore Alien Orders – its name taken from the slogan Joe Strummer pasted on his battered Fender Telecaster, a phrase thought to have originated among California’s 1960s’ ‘turn on, tune in, drop out’ generation – as ‘the definitive Clash fans’ scrapbook’, and I get that. There’s certainly a look in places of the old ’70s and ’80s colourful music annuals, and I mean that in an affectionate way. A touch of nostalgia, yes, but with proper depth and substance and plenty to draw you in, not least through lots of seldom seen photographs and the accounts of those who were actually there, either out front or joining the band backstage or between live engagements.

I won’t give you a full-blown review here – put it on your Christmas list, maybe, and find out for yourself. But I’ll give you a little taster, starting by mentioning the illuminating accounts of Steve Bush and Nigel Lockwood, there at the very first Clash gig on July 4th, 1976, at Sheffield’s legendary Black Swan, aka the Mucky Duck (later regenerated as the Boardwalk), when a five-piece Clash including Keith Levene supported the Sex Pistols. Then there’s Ant Davie himself (on a ‘trip out into the sticks’ from South London) and Steve Carver (with The Jam camp) recalling the first date of the ‘White Riot’ schedule on my old patch at Guildford Civic Hall on May 1st, 1977, before a bust-up between respective managers Bernie Rhodes and John Weller led to The Jam leaving that noteworthy tour.

As with all these fans’ account type books, it’s the early stories in particular that fascinate me, however accurate they can be after all these years. After plenty of research on the subject myself, accounts of 1976 and 1977 appearances will often be at odds with the acknowledged versions, but personal testimonies from London’s 100 Club (Michelle Brigandage stepping up), Screen on the Green, the ICA, RCA, and Fulham Town Hall, plus Barbarella’s in Birmingham and further pre-Bill Grundy Today shows at Tiddenfoot Leisure Centre, Leighton Buzzard; the Nag’s Head, High Wycombe (from Kris Jozajtis); and Lacy Lady, Ilford, will always appeal to this scribe.

Even before that, there are tales from Joe’s Woody Mellor days with the 101’ers, courtesy of old friends Cathy Cooper and Paul Roundhill (who also writes about and supplies photos from a May ’77 University of Sussex show), Derek Humphries, and Don Hughes (who adds a nice piece about New Year’s Day ’77’s Roxy opener in Covent Garden). Similarly, Steve Emberton’s photos of the band in their stencilled shirt era are great to see, presumably snapped at Rehearsal Rehersals, Camden, of which Ray Gange – in the book’s foreword – writes that it was ‘a cold, damp shithole, but it was The Clash’s cold, damp shithole, so it was hallowed ground and I felt privileged to walk through its doors and shiver with everybody else’.

Fan’s View: Tony Beesley, the co-mastermind behind Ignore Alien Orders: On Parole With The Clash

As well as Ray, who played the lead role in the 1980 film, Rude Boy (the ‘fakeumentary movie’, as the man himself puts it), which also starred The Clash, contributors also include key member of the entourage/close friend of the band, Robin Crocker (aka Robin Banks), music journalists Kris Needs and Jonh Ingham – who also supplies some amazing early gig photographs – broadcaster and WriteWyattUK interviewee Gary Crowley, and several musicians duly inspired by the band, including Duncan Reid (The Boys), Andy Blade (Eater), Chris Pope (The Chords), and Brian Young (Rudi).

Apparently, Tony’s co-driver here, Ant Davie, was working alongside the BBC for a Clash documentary project based around fans who attended Clash gigs, when the pair first made contact. He ran the Mescaleros’ official strummerdsite.com site, which later combined with the superb blackmarketclash.com site, giving him handy access to a database of some 12,000-plus hardcore fans.

“He got in touch late last year and I contributed a piece for his prospective Kindle book about The Clash, later a paperback. We met and threw some ideas about merging aspects of this with what I was already doing and in no time at all it started to come together. My idea of a fans’ scrapbook, highly visual, containing scores of rare and unpublished photos fit perfectly with his existing idea of grass-roots fans’ experiences.

“I did all the layout and design apart from the cover (designed by Tony’s friend and regular cover designer, David Spencer) and Ant meticulously collated a smattering of fan accounts along with some of his own experiences, which merged perfectly with what I already had.

“It was all perfectly cohesive and right from the outset we were on the exact same track. We have had some superb Clash-related chats, bouncing ideas around throughout the period of this project. And it’s been a real pleasure to work with Ant, a fantastic bloke who always has a great story to tell.”

As well as the contributors already mentioned, there are those from Tony himself, this 54-year-old father of two (his sons now aged 29 and 27) from Rawmarsh, near Rotherham, whose past career opportunities (the ones that never truly knocked) included spells as a painter and decorator, running his own market stall, as a storeman, a brief stint with Royal Mail and a 12-year spell running WH Smith’s book section in a large retail park unit, before he turned his attentions to self-publishing.

While that was going on, he also played in a series of bands, writing his first songs as far back as 1978, coming closest to the big time with The Way, who once got a demo tape to Paul Weller after a gig. But while Weller protege Tracie Young later joined them, Tony had already left by then, and of all that, he simply adds, ‘I no longer own a guitar’. Instead, he focused attentions elsewhere.

Cover Star: Joe Strummer caught live by James Melik for the cover of the latest Clash publication

“It was about writing initially. I always wanted to move into that direction, from fanzines I created to discarded manuscripts I did on music and film. My first book, Our Generation, was self-financed and published in 2009 and sold around 1,000 copies in a few months, so from there it just snowballed.

“Being made redundant in 2015 was the perfect time to give it a go full-time. Since then our small independent company has moved on to publishing books by other authors, most successfully Boys Dreaming Soul by Neil Sheasby of Stone Foundation (who also contributes to Ignore Alien Orders and was the subject of a recent WriteWyattUK feature/interview, with a link here).”

Beyond Our Generation, Tony’s overriding punk/post-punk/ mod theme continued with two other titles, and he’s now written and designed eight books as well as published three by other authors. So what’s next for him as a publisher? What’s on the pre-production list?

“I have a few prospective book project ideas, but in all honesty, nothing confirmed as yet. A couple may be photograph-based books, but I’ve not decided yet.”

Not giving a lot away there, so let’s go on a bit of an Odyssey, in a Richie Havens style – zipping up our boots and going back to his roots. Who was the first artist/band he saw live or caught on the radio or on record and thought music might be where it’s at for him?

“Probably a series of defining experiences. My first music experience was hearing ‘San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)’ on a small transistor radio as a very young kid, towards the end of the ’60s. That and the later ‘Wand’rin’ Star’.”

Well, that Scott McKenzie hit ended its 16-week run in the UK Top-40 the week I was born in late ’67, while Lee Marvin’s sole vinyl success was in early 1970, with Tony pretty young himself at the time. Anyway, carry on.

Complete Control: The Clash live. From left – Joe Strummer, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon (Photo: James Melik)

“My first gig, of sorts, was a local hard rock band called Bitter Suite, who my brothers followed around on the club circuit. They sneaked me into one of their gigs in 1975. I had to stand right at the back and keep away from the bar. Not really my style of music, but their tight sound and volume made an impression.

“I also used to listen to my older brother’s Bowie, Marc Bolan and other glam and pop records, taking it upon myself to look after them and later claiming most of them as my own.

“But the real surge of ‘I wanna do something in music’ was when I first caught The Jam playing their single ‘All Around the World’ on Marc. I was way too young to take any serious steps, but it was kinda in the pipeline for me. That was the catalyst, I suppose.”

Your books often cross cultural, tribal camps. Were you an out-and-out mod or punk or something in between?

“Those influences have always been a huge presence for me and will always remain so; more the attitude of punk nowadays – though I still love the original punk and post-punk music – and the attention to detail of mod.

“My take on punk was probably a poorly-improvised look and nothing like the striking look that those far more clued-in older fans had. But, it was genuine, and the desire to be creative and follow an alternative path – one different to the adults I knew in my life – was completely driven; obsessive in a way.

“I don’t need labels now, but yes, as a teenager, my life, attitude and music were firmly in line with punk; it was an amazing time to be young, even for us younger wide-eyed and naïve punk rock obsessed kids.”

Classic Album: London Calling, 40 years old this week.

Which bands meant more to you than any other back in the day? And what about now?

“It’s hard to say really. My tastes are so diverse. I’m a huge soul fan too, so there are lots of artists I really like within that genre … but at a push it would have to be The Clash!”

And why not. At what point did you decide you had to write a book about the band?

“I always wanted to, but didn’t want to do an historical biography. That’s already been done a few times, and very well done too. But about seven or eight years back, I started compiling photos, memorabilia and some of my own Clash memories with this in mind.

“I did a two-part Clash in Sheffield feature for a local magazine and this helped formulate the idea somewhat. The project did go on the backburner for quite some time, but last year – after positive encouragement from friends and my wife – I decided to go for it. The only way I wanted to do this was through the experiences of fans. At that point, to my knowledge, it had never been approached.”

Bearing in mind your Yorkshire links, I should ask if you have recollections within the book of The Clash’s live debut, supporting the Sex Pistols at the Black Swan – aka the Mucky Duck, later reborn as the Boardwalk – on July 4^th, 1976.

“Yes, there are. A couple of older friends of mine were there, so their memories are included, along with some little-known facts I uncovered about the actual gig while doing my research.”

And your own Clash live debut followed in the same city.

“Yes, on the 16 Tons tour (promoting London Calling) at Sheffield Top Rank, and there are some amazing full-colour photos of the gig included in the book, along with artefacts.

“It was a life-defining experience and completely changed my outlook to music. I started buying the records in 1978. I’m probably a Clash obsessive but not a completist – I don’t collect all the memorabilia as such, although I’ve had some very nice items over the years. But their music and hugely profound influence on me has been a constant force since discovering them and will always be part of me.”

Debut LP: The Clash’s revered self-titled first album.

Ever get to meet them back in the day?

“With a lot of effort and persistence me and a mate managed to cajole ourselves on to the guest-list at Sheffield Lyceum, in October 1981, on the day. I spoke briefly with Mick, got my Clash t-shirt signed, the inside of my leather jacket by Joe – someone somewhere may have that jacket still – and chatted with Paul and Topper for a while. We had pics taken with them but sadly they didn’t develop!”

I guess I should ask what your favourite Clash song and album is.

“The debut and London Calling are my two faves. Sorry, I can’t separate them, ‘though I do love all the albums … Cut the Crap aside! I also have a very strong fondness for Sandinista, which I loved right from release. In fact one of the conversations I had with Joe when I later met him was my love for the album, and he was very pleased to hear this after all of the derision towards it. I clearly remember him saying he thought it would have made a much better single album, or maybe a double. Fave songs? These would be ‘Complete Control’, ‘White Man’ and ‘Spanish Bombs’ – along with ‘Rudie Can’t Fail’ and ‘Stay Free’. But there are few I don’t like or love with a passion.”

How about your favourite post-Clash record or project from ex-members of the band?

“Do y’know, I loved Joe’s soundtrack for Walker. I’ve always been a big fan of film soundtracks and really enjoyed that one. I also enjoyed most of Big Audio Dynamite and Topper’s Waking Up LP from 1985. Havana 3AM, I am sad to say just about passed me by at the time, but a mate later gave me their LP. Good songs, but I wasn’t keen on the overall sound as such. Perhaps I need to revisit that album.”

And when was the last time you saw Joe?

“Post-Clash, I spent some time with him at an after-show party in Sheffield, and we sat chatting for hours about all sorts of subjects. He was very accommodating, generous and friendly: a memory I will always cherish.

“He actually inspired me to get back into my writing after I mentioned my fanzines, and he offered to help. I suppose that was yet another inspirational milestone for me in influencing my eventual move into writing full-time.

“I last saw Joe live when he and the Mescaleros were touring with The Who in 2000. Little did we know, at the time, that he would soon be no longer with us.”

Revered Company: Joe Strummer with Tony Beesley after a 1988 Rock Against the Rich tour show at Sheffield Leadmill

To order a signed copy of Ignore Alien Orders, and find out and catch up on other books on Tony’s publication list, try www.tonybeesleymodworld.co.uk. The book is also available via Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles, eBay and other outlets, and in-print titles can be ordered from most good book stores.

Meanwhile, for information about this blogger’s This Day in Music’s Guide to The Clash, and how to get hold of a copy, follow this link, scrolling towards the end for details.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Anthony Davie, Gary Crowley, Ignore Alien Orders, Joe Strummer, London Calling, Marc Bolan, Mescaleros, Mick Jones, Neil Sheasby, Our Generation, Paul Simonon, paul weller, Rawmarsh, Ray Gange, Sex Pistols, Sheffield, The Clash, The Jam, This Day in Music's Guide to The Clash, Tony Beesley, Topper Headon, Tracie Young, Walker | 4 Comments

The Wedding Present – back at the Boileroom, Guildford

Posted on November 24, 2019 by writewyattuk

Band Substance: The Wedding Present keeping an eye on drummer Charlie Layton at Blackpool’s Waterloo Bar, July 2019. From the left – Danielle Wadey, David Gedge, Charles Layton, Melanie Howard (Photo: Richard Houghton)

‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times …’

Three Wedding Present shows in less than three years in my hometown after 30-plus years without a single visit, and again all unfolding at the Boileroom, Stoke Fields, a few minutes’ walk from our Alan’s. Another winning night in store, not least for my fellow attendees, both about to reach landmark birthdays, one over from Finland to mark the occasion.

However, the events you look forward to most don’t always hit the spot, and there was a danger that might be the case, the situation ultimately saved by a storming last third of the set.

Those who read my take on February 2017’s visit (with a link here) may recall me moaning about the price of the ale in house, so this time we called pre-gig at our nearby local … but that ultimately proved a mistake. By the time we arrived at the venue, the place was packed – the show long since sold out – and it was all we could do to squeeze through to the left for a half-glimpse of the stage.

It wasn’t just the view affected but the sound too, David Gedge’s between-songs banter partially lost in a setting where talk from the bar drifted. I turned and glared, but it seemed to be coming from further away. The same applied for the quieter numbers, not so much drowned out as distorted. Of at least 24 past personal Wedding Present encounters from Glastonbury to Reading, London to Portsmouth, and Hebden Bridge to Preston, and a further four Cinerama shows in Manchester, I wondered if this might be the worst. Why would people pay £20 for a ticket then jaw all the way through? It was beyond me.

I could see the Boy Gedge (guitar, lead vocals) and Melanie Howard (bass) okay, but didn’t slap eyes on Charlie Layton (drums) all night, and it was only when Danielle Wadey (guitar) stepped up to the mic. that I could tell she was out there. Don’t ask me how that baby bump of hers is coming on.

Wonderful Copenhagen: From the left – Danielle Wadey, David Gedge and Melanie Howard, out front with The Wedding Present, live in Denmark on a Bizarro anniversary date, September 2019 (Photo: Nicklas Rosén)

Still, I was back from Lancashire for the weekend, on my old patch, in great company and in the presence of the semi-legendary Wedding Present. Why complain? And from the moment they kicked into ‘California’, ‘Brassneck’ and ‘Crushed’, there was no doubting the quality.

The louder the numbers the better, but too often Gedge’s banter with the crowd and his band was lost, as was the case when less-committed punters didn’t seem to know the songs. Promising new track ‘Don’t Give Up Without a Fight’ and lesser-known 2008 number ‘Hulk Loves Betty’ suffered accordingly, separated by Festive Fifty fave ‘A Million Miles’, the crowd briefly attentive.

I got the impression many of those assembled lost interest beyond 1992, this evergreen outfit mere reminders of indie youth gone by. But as so many of us know, they’ve missed out on so much, as next choices ‘Deer in the Headlights’, ‘Montreal and the sublime ‘Click Click’ proved, the harmonies on the latter never failing to impress.

Talking of more recent indie-pop perfection, there was ‘Rachel’ too, but I was too distant to experience its subtle charms. The fact that I was getting dripped on by overhead pipes running parallel to the stage further distracted, the crowd chatter continuing through ‘Don’t Touch That Dial’, ‘Fifty-Six’ and further new number, ‘Telemark’, lost on so many.

But then came a seismic shift, Gedge’s questioning ‘Oh why do you catch my eye then turn away?’ signalling the wondrous ‘Everyone Thinks He looks Draft’, a large swathe of those in front heading forward to dance up front, that extra couple of feet gained making all the difference, the sound if not the overall visual spectacle much improved.

Peak Performance: The Wedding Present, Devil’s Arse, Castleton, Derbyshire, August (Photo: The Wedding Present)

On they went with ‘Heather’, ‘You Should Always Keep in Touch With Your Friends’ (I have, that’s why I was here), and a pleasing take on 1980 Magazine classic, ‘A Song From Under the Floorboards’, and it was the show I’d hoped for. Still the pipes dripped, but it didn’t matter. They didn’t seem corrosive.

‘Kennedy’ was next, the pub erupting into an unseemly siungalong, while that gloriously grungey tell-tale opening riff of ‘Corduroy’ ensured we remained on a high, this finely-honed quartet finishing in style with the always-thrilling ‘Flying Saucer’ and the most heart-searing of break-up songs, ‘My Favourite Dress’. In fact, that final third was up there with my very best TWP experiences, perhaps more accentuated by the disappointment experienced earlier.

It was a memorable occasion for the band too, David revealing that Danielle and Charlie were heading ‘off on leave’ that night, the long-serving duo about to become a three-piece in their own right, a baby on the way. And it has to be said that we got ahead of ourselves after, raising a few glasses back at the King’s Head at the prospect of a new arrival in the Scopitones camp. Cheers both.

Don’t think for one moment that’s scuppered matters for the main man either, two new members already in rehearsal, the next dates lined up, starting in Köln this Thursday (November 28^th), four mainland Europe engagements followed by 10 more on home ground before the year is out. Yes, The Wedding Present continues apace, and here’s to the next mesmeric instalment.

To check out the most recent WriteWyattUK Wedding Present live review, from their visit to Blackpool’s Waterloo Bar in late July 2019, and further links to a 2014 interview with David Gedge, past reviews and an earlier band appreciation, head here. You can also check out my take on David‘s recently-published SleeveNotes book here.

The Venue: Guildford’s Boileroom, playing host to The Wedding Present again (Photo: https://www.coolplaces.co.uk)

For details of The Wedding Present’s remaining 2019 live dates and screenings of George Best documentary, Something Left Behind, try this Scopitones link. You can also keep in touch with David Gedge and co. via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Boileroom, Brassneck, Charlie Layton, Danielle Wadey, David Gedge, Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft, Festive Fifty, George Best, guildford, Köln, Kennedy, Magazine, Melanie Howard, My Favourite Dress, Something Left Behind, The Wedding Present | 3 Comments

The Selecter – Guildford G Live

Posted on November 23, 2019 by writewyattuk

Band Substance: The Selecter in somewhat dynamic live action on their 40th anniversary tour. From left – Andrew Pearson, Winston Marche, Pauline Black, Gaps Hendrickson, Neil Pyzer-Skeete (Photo copyright: Rob Marrison)

As regular readers of this website know, Guildford and I go way back, and it was as a 13-year-old that I saw my first band at the Civic Hall, catching The Undertones on the Positive Touch tour, a mile and a half from my birthplace.

That was in June 1981, two decades after this London Road venue opened for business, with many more visits following – from The Stranglers in January 1982 (as ’Golden Brown’ climbed the charts) through to Squeeze in September 1995 (just before Ridiculous, the last great LP of their second coming).

The old building was gone nine years later, just over 40 years after the Rolling Stones played there (having that week dented the UK top-20 for the first time with ’I Wanna Be Your Man’, pop pickers), by which time I’d been in Lancashire a decade, my first return as an outsider perhaps my favourite Civic moment, fellow Surrey boy Paul Weller headlining between his Wild Wood and Stanley Road LPs in early ’94.

But amid at least 16 visits, the list of bands I missed out on in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s was also impressive, and records suggest The Selecter first visited 40 years ago this month, on an amazing bill topped by The Specials and also including Dexy’s Midnight Runners (tour replacements for Madness, who’d just signed to Stiff Records). And they returned as headliners in early March 1980, barely a week after the release of seminal debut album, Too Much Pressure.

Double Act: Pauline Black and Gaps Hendrickson, on the ‘Frontline for the 40th anniversary (Photo: Rob Marrison)

Where the Civic once stood, we now have G Live, opened in 2011, and two years ago The Selecter shared a bill there with Ranking Roger’s version of The Beat. I missed out then, a victim of geography as ever, but finally got along last week, helping celebrate the 40^th anniversary of this iconic Coventry ska outfit, with a supporting DJ set and guest spot for fellow 2 Tone survivor Rhoda Dakar – whose band The Bodysnatchers supported The Selecter in Guildford in 1980 – and much-touted young Londoner, Emily Capell.

The latter was with her band, plugging her debut album, the wonderfully-titled Combat Frock. But that’s a sore point. I only managed to get away from Leyland at half two, rolling into town four and a half hours later, arriving at the venue after a swift stroll from my host Alan’s place to hear the final chords of her set. Sorry, Emily. Next time.

Actually, scouring the ‘net, I see The Selecter played the Boileroom – even closer to Al’s – seven years ago, and after my latest visit to that Stoke Fields venue to see The Wedding Present two nights later (yep, review to follow), I’m intrigued as to how a seven-piece outfit had room to skank the night away on that small stage. But they certainly had plenty of room this time, off to a flying start with their finely-honed take on the theme tune of The Avengers, the years melting away as evergreen Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson led the charge out front with Pauline Black.

From there they barely paused for breath, old hits like a perennially-supreme ‘Three Minute Hero’ perfect alongside more recent wonders like ‘Frontline’, this band just as relevant, socially aware and every bit as much of a draw all these years on. And if anything, Pauline’s voice is as strong as ever, the band tighter than we were faced with the thought of buying three more bitters at the bar for eighteen bastard quid (the venue laughing all the way to the bank).

Enduring Image: Paul ‘Hammy’ Hanlon’ caught by Toni Tye back in the day in Coventry, remembered on the big screen

Throughout, the main act had the crowd on their side, proving masters of the ‘la-along’ on Justin Hinds & the Dominoes’ ‘Carry Go Bring Come’, Winston Marche leading from the rear on drums, a human dynamo from the off.

On ‘Murder’, Gaps defied his advancing years, fellow first LP numbers like ‘Everyday’ and ‘Danger’ also shining. If you’re unsure what you’ll get at a Selecter gig all these years on, I can vouch for a quality night out, audience members seeming to know far more tracks than they realised. By all means, do your homework and listen back through the catalogue, but either way you’ll fully appreciate a band with extra live kudos.

A big screen at the back of the stage displayed images matching the songs, from early shots of the band to that of a certain blond moptop PM with Pinocchio nose and problems telling the truth, and classic shots depicting the good old days of the ska revival, Pauline later asking if anyone among an audience of all ages recognised themselves in the photos. And as it was, I did, having recently read Stone Foundation bass player and friend of this site Neil Sheasby’s splendid Boys Dreaming Soul memoir and spotting his late pal, Hammy captured outside Tiffany’s in Coventry at the age I was on first visiting the Civic, in a celebrated Toni Tye image that seems to have gained a life of its own.

With such a shit-hot band – Gaps and Pauline backed by John Robertson (guitar), Andrew Pearson (bass), Lee Horsley (keyboards), co-producer Neil Pyzer-Skeete (sax) and afore-mentioned Winston, I reckon they’re better in places than on the early records, and here’s a confession to go with that. For me, of those great first LP singles ‘Missing Words’ never really resonated. But I can confirm that track sounds better than ever for these ears now.

Guest star: Rhoda Dakar – then & now – joins the band, with Winston Marche (Photo: The Selecter on Facebook)

Of course, it’s easy to compare this outfit with illustrious city neighbours and labelmates The Specials, but The Selecter were never some mere ska tribute band making up the numbers. They always offered much more, Pauline and Gaps’ continued stagecraft and work in the studio continuing to show that.

There’s a great example in the most recent LP’s ‘Remember Me’, Gaps with a little Gregory Isaacs-like Lovers’ Rock, while The Skatalites’ classic ‘Train to Skaville’ remains in safe hands with this ever-happening combo, and we stayed on a ‘60s footing for a little Monty Norman, all ska-d up, ‘James Bond’ just one of their many engaging B-sides.

The place was certainly moving for the delightful ‘On My Radio’, old Top of the Pops performances brought to mind and smiles on faces all around, and soon we had Rhoda giving the front two a breather, leading on both sides of her Bodysnatchers debut 7”, her ‘Ruder Than You’ then flipped over for ‘Let’s Do Rock Steady’, her voice also as good as ever, her enthusiasm proving contagious, an extra serving of class added to the mix.

And the shared vocals were spot on for a cracking medley of ‘Too Much Pressure’ and Toots & the Maytals’ ‘Pressure Drop’, Rhoda – who also saw service with The Specials and The Special AKA – sticking around for the old 2 Tone finale, Prince Buster’s ‘Madness’ given an expanded Selecter treatment.

But as I suspected, that wasn’t the end, an emotional finale following in a heartfelt tribute to a close pal, The Beat legend Ranking Roger, Andy Williams’ ‘Can’t Get Used To Losing You’ providing a poignant moment to close the proceedings, an image of this cherished performer – eight months after a far too early departure – looking down on old friends in the band and out among us.

Stage Craft: The Selecter, skanking into a brighter future, all these years on (Photo copyright: Rob Marison)

For this site’s October 2019 feature/interview with The Selecter’s Pauline Black, head here.

The Selecter’s final show of their 40th anniversary tour takes place tonight (Saturday, November 23rd) at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, with late ticket details via this Facebook link or via www.theselecter.net

Posted in Books Films, TV & Radio, Music | Tagged Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, Boileroom, Boys Dreaming Soul, Coventry, Emily Capell, G Live, guildford, Guildford Civic Hall, paul weller, Pauline Black, Ranking Roger, Rhoda Dakar, ska, The Beat, The Bodysnatchers, The Selecter, The Specials, Too Much Pressure, Winston Marche | 1 Comment

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WriteWyattUK 2019, in quotes – the first six months

Dirty Hit Tour Presents … Beabadoobee, No Rome, Oscar Lang – Gorilla, Manchester

Buzzcocks / Shanghai Treason – Gorilla, Manchester

To the moon and back with the Space Cadet – the Beabadoobee interview

Remembering Pete Shelley, and entering a new Buzzcocks era – back in touch with Steve Diggle

BOB / The Beer Snobs – Leeds, Wharf Chambers

Erland Cooper / AVA – Band on the Wall, Manchester

Ignore Alien Orders – talking The Clash with Tony Beesley

The Wedding Present – back at the Boileroom, Guildford

The Selecter – Guildford G Live

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