Royal Court Liverpool 26th November 1981

 

Not the greatest recording soundwise, but a great set for sure and not uploaded before.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-BhoB8y20T4

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-dOugfk04YM

RockPop (German TV) Compilation

 

I received this DVD in a trade last week... a trade! I haven't done one of those in the longest time. To be honest I was not aware that this was in circulation. I had seen some of the excellent RockPop footage that appears here on other compilations (Buzzcocks, The Rezillos), so I was hopeful that the quality of the footage on this compilation would be comparable and it is! The only critisism I would have is that throughout, the programme designers included a TV screen through which the footage is seen.. a watching television on television effect. I guess that this was just another case of programme producers experimenting with early video technology that was coming into play in the late '70s/early '80s, which with hindsight does nothing to enhance the audiences viewing experience, if anything the outcome is precisely the opposite. That notwithstanding, the footage is excellent, opening with a 'Nice 'N' Sleazy' that I had never seen before. 

Most of the footage featured sits reasonably comfortably on a 'Punk & New Wave' compilation. There are some exceptions.... Cheap Trick for one. For some reason over many years that band have quite often cropped up on new wave compilations... to my ears they are American college rock, a long way from New Wave, regardless of whether you are considering New Wave from a US or UK perspective. I guess the cover of 'Since You've Been Gone' by Cherie and Marie Currie gets a foot in the door by virtue of the former having been a member of The Runaways.

Some of the other stuff is just interesting to see. John Foxx's Ultravox side by side with the Midge Ure version, Toyah's 'Neon Womb' from 'Sheep Farming In Barnet', the best song the band ever recorded and a typically madcap showing from Devo.

Aside from the 'new' Stranglers' footage my highlight is the inclusion of 'Die Roboter' by those Dusseldorf funsters, Kraftwerk. Brilliant to watch!

DVD Disc Image: https://we.tl/t-ehWwOH67tM

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-GaUfzEYrEl

The Jam Northstage Theatre Glen Cove NY 16th May 1982

 

So now we conclude this six year journey with The Jam. Listen to all six uploads and it is quite evident how the band changed musically.... philosophically I think they were very consistent throughout. Here they are in the US, Long Island I believe. The sound is again excellent. The audience seems to be well into it or perhaps it is just the over-enthusiastic bloke, in close proximity to the taper, whooping and hollering throughout that gives a false impression! Elsewhere in the recording Weller chastises some of the audience seemingly not sufficiently engaged with what's occuring onstage.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-DAqSO95cFV

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-ySP3ELn4mi

The Jam Cornwall Coliseum St Austell 25th June 1981

 

A very listenable gig from a mini-tour in the Summer of '81. Another great set, obviously incorporating much 'Sound Affects' material as well as the darker, tumultuous single 'Funeral Pyre'.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-U7rmDPBIYs

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-apxZdzrKWk

The Jam Fox Warfield Theater San Francisco 15th March 1980

 

A new decade has dawned and The Jam are unassailable as a live act. Take a look at that set, it is as close to perfect, in my opinion at least. This is the pick of the crop when it comes to this series of posts, a soundboard recording from the US leg of the 'Setting Sons' tour.

Paul Weller sets out his stall with the opener 'Saturday's Kids', an inspired piece of song writing (worthy of the Ray Davies comparisons). Previously, I mentioned that class is a common thread that runs across The Jam's albums and 'Saturday's Kids' is the prime example of Wellers' position on the subject. Far from being judgemental, it is nothing less than a kind of love poem to The Jam's audience.

'Saturday's boys live life with insults,

Drink lots of beer and wait for half time results,

Afternoon tea in the light-a-bite - chat up the girls - they dig it!

Saturday's girls work in Tesco's and Woolworths,

Wear cheap perfume 'cause its all they can afford,

Go to discos they drink Babycham talk to Jan - in bingo accents.

Saturdays kids play one arm bandits,

they never win but that's not the point is it,

Dip in silver paper when their pints go flat,

How about that - far out!

Their mums and dads smoke Capstan non filters,

Wallpaper lives 'cause they all die of cancer,

What goes on - what goes wrong.

Save up their money for a holiday,

To Selsey Bill or Bracklesham Bay,

Think about the future - when they'll settle down,

Marry the girl next door - with one on the way.

These are the real creatures that time has forgot,

Not given a thought - its the system -

Hate the system - what's the system?

Saturdays kids live in council houses,

Wear v-necked shirts and baggy trousers,

Drive Cortinas fur trimmed dash boards,

Stains on the seats - in the back of course!'

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-lFFbox68Nu

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-kOalWLsvKa

The Jam Guildhall Portsmouth 24th May 1979

 

Please note that the FLAC file in this post has been replaced by a speed corrected version. Many thanks for the correction!

Ok, so it's 1979 and The Jam are on top of the world. This gig, coming only six months after the earlier posted Manchester Apollo gig, has a very similar set list with 'Strange Town' now added. This sounds like a recording from the desk. Great stuff indeed! Thanks to the original uploader.

WAV: https://we.tl/t-hwlKoxbkVo

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-pGIBXjefN7

The Piranhas John Peel Session 17th July 1979 (TFTLTYTD#17) - RIP Bob Grover

 

It was with sadness that I learned yesterday of the passing of Bob Grover. I never knew the guy, I met him only once, briefly in the bar of The Square in Harlow before his band, The Piranhas, played as part of Atilla The Stockbroker's book launch. The Piranhas were a stalwart of the Brighton music scene.... I believe, although I may be wrong/out of date here, that Brighton & Hove Albion come onto the pitch to the strains of 'Tom Hark'. Well, that's a vast improvement on 'Sussex By The Sea' that I remember from the '70's. 'Space Invaders' was always a favourite of mine... I think it is on Spotify somewhere, buried deep on a compilation.

Here's an old Peel Session they did from back in '79.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-McyYcVV4bm

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-9kkW9RPcEt