Tiffany's Leeds Review 7th February 1982 (Melody Maker 13th February 1982)

Back in the day I hated reviews, singles, albums, gigs whatever, that left you none the wiser as to whether the gig was actually any good! Melody Maker's Frank Worrall was clearly nonplussed by his evening's entertainment.

He is clearly echoing the sentiments of the time as held by the UK music press in general i.e. that by the beginning of 1982, The Stranglers were washed up and had nothing more to offer. Couple the garbled review (an attempt as some manner of satire?) with a stock photo many years out of date and it amounts to lazy journalism.

I suppose that it is the music journalist's dream and perhaps their primary function to get their claws in to a new act early so they can take the credit and kudos to be the first to give a band truly destined for bigger things their earliest coverage. This being the case, an instruction from your editor to spend a cold February night in Leeds in the company of a band that you consider to have passed its sell by date back in 1978 probably does inject a bit of poison into your pen.

Early coverage of The Stranglers did the likes of Chas de Whalley and Barry Cain no harm! However, it takes many nights out enduring bands, for which 15 minutes of fame is perhaps 10 minutes too long, in order to strike it lucky with a band that will endure.

Sharing the live review section of Melody Maker's 13th February 1982 issue are:

True Life Confessions (Fulham Greyhound, London)

Machito (Venue, London)

The Onlookers/The Times (Marquee, London)

Mood Six/Miles Over Matter (The Fridge, Brixton)

Cockney Rejects/The Business (The Bridgehouse, Canning Town)

Ruby Braff/Scott Hamilton (Pizza Express, London)

Aztec Camera/The Secret Goldfish (Kings College, London)

Altered Images/Vic Goddard & The Subway Sect/The Bluebells (Hammersmith Palais, London)

Drastic Measures/The Gymslips (The Starlight, West Hampstead)

Hula/The Surface Mutants (Limit, Sheffield)

Animal Magnate (The Venue, London)

Flip Phillips (Canteen, London)

To the best of my knowledge of those bands reviewed only the Cockney Rejects, The Business, Altered Images, Subway Sect, The Bluebells and Aztec Camera achieved any sort of longevity.

The Stranglers have done better than that!

Unfortunately, I don't believe that this night in Leeds was ever recorded so you will have to judge it through Mr Worrall's eyes and ears... or maybe not.

Rotterdam Festival Stockholm August 1977

 

Always something of a mystery this one. Occurring on an unspecified date in August 1977 this free (?) festival features a blistering 'No More Heroes' era set. The only problem with this one is that the sound quality is pretty poor. As such, although there is a small error in Meanie's artwork ('No More Heroes' and 'Sometimes' are in the wrong order), the quality of the recording does not really warrent the time and effort to put the error right.

Still it is The Stranglers in 1977 and therefore it deserves a listen... even if just the once!

Oh, and can anyone confirm or dispel whether or not a 'Rotterdam' festival took place in Stockholm?

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-4RrBx5CM4NPtiZXO

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-LUjY0BQW3KnQKWB9

Short Piece On Rebellion 2026 (BBC Radio 4 7th August 2026)

If you can put aside for ne moment that the current image of the Blackpool Tower looks a little bit like the cover of one of those 'What If?' alternative history scenario books, the flag atop of the tower announces that it is Rebellion weekend!

This year, by virtue of the fact that punk is 50 and Rebellion is 30, there has been quite a bit of media coverage of the event both on TV and radio. This morning I woke to the following report on BBC Radio 4.

WAV: https://we.tl/t-dmtEDVBeSmG0YA41

Annual Subscription Covered in Full!

 

This morning I received a notification of a donation that took the total up to 100% of the crucial WeTransfer subscription fee that will now take me through to 18th July 2027. Really, a big thank you to all to contributed. I truly do appreciate it along with many of the kind words that I have received about the site.

Remember, I am always on the lookout for Stranglers recordings that I am missing (and there are a lot... especially from my 'wilderness years'). If you can help, please get in touch. 

With Rebellion 2026 now ongoing, I am hopeful that, if I have been a good boy this year, I may land a few recordings from Blackpool so keep a look out for those.

Cheers!

Adrian.

The Skids Cambridge Junction 17th January 2026 (10 For Rebellion #10)

 

Earlier in the year The Skids were on the road celebrating their 1980 album 'The Absolute Game'. This gig was recorded on my doorstep (almost) in Cambridge. Great set from a great band who have given us a great deal of entertainment since they got back together. Thanks to Soledriver for the share.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-TbJR6BsNE6d18M1D

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-RFZ5PhjheyWiRbmC

The Skids play Club Casbah on Saturday (23:20 - 00:20).

Jobbo pulls off a more convincing Rejects' face than Olga!

Cockney Rejects The Voo Doo Lounge Fukuoka 21st February 2023 (10 For Rebellion #9)

 

Always good value. The Cockney Rejects, here in their near original form, fronted by brothers Jeff and Micky. I am not sure what happened internally with the band. At one stage it was agreed that having been playing post reformation for a number of years they were planning on winding down, limiting appearances to bigger festival shows. Then Jeff Turner seemingly had a change of heart and decided that he was not ready to throw in the towel, but Micky and Vince were not in tune with this plan and so buggered off. Jeff subsequently put together the current version of the Rejects whilst Micky formed the Punchdrunk Saints.

Here are the originals (Jeff, Micky and Vince ) in Japan in 2023. Thanks to the original Dime uploader (smores).

WAV: https://we.tl/t-5ptW4qOAw38Tpqq0

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-X9EPHx4saNKXNV29

The new line up playing the Empress Ballroom on Saturday night (21:55 - 22:55).

Olga goes for the mean Rejects glare but doesn't quite pull it off!

Channel 3 Punk In The Park San Francisco, The Cow Palace, Daly City CA 3rd May 2025 (10 From Rebellion #8)

 

Another band that came my way via those old Rodney Bingenheimer taped compilations - 'I've Got A Gun' being one compilation track, Channel 3 are a fantastic melodic punk band hailing from suburban California. I have only seen them on one occasion when they supported Flag a the Underworld in London.... and they were great!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-rxKzfzKHsWD2KZGc

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-UPyNKM03PcKxaqEi

In addition to Channel 3 appearing in the Empress Ballroom early doors on Sunday (14.30-15.00), Mike Magrann, guitarist and co-founder of CH3 is appearing on the Literary Stage to talk about his follow up book entitled 'Tin Knocker', on his life and times in a Californian hardcore band. 

See him in conversation on the Literary Stage at 5pm on Sunday.

‘Tin Knocker' continues the story of LA’s Channel 3, as the band moves into the latter half of the ‘80s. The hardcore heyday has passed, the future is uncertain, responsibility calls, and the definition of success keeps changing. Written as a fictionalised memoir, Tin Knocker is a novel about a punk band trying to expand their horizons, though some would call it selling it out. It was the ‘80s in Hollywood, after all.’