XTC John Peel Session 20th June 1977

 

XTC became throughout the '80's a quintessential British band, in much the same way that Squeeze did in a similar period. There is something about the style and quality of the writing that sets the two bands apart. However, it was not always thus for XTC. When I hear their '77 material I am more minded of Devo than anything home grown. This is the first session that they recorded for the late, great John Peel.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-yWnMfmDH8V

01. She's So Square

02. Crosswires

03. Radios In Motion

04. Science Friction

Wreckless Eric Lower Sproul Plaza Berkeley California 16th November 1979

 

Eric.... an English eccentric in the great musical tradition. With Stiff Records he found a natural home. I saw Wreckless once about 20 years ago in the tiny (and now gone) 12 Bar Club in London's famed Denmark Street. I always thought that Eric's madcap reputation did him a great diservice in the long run since he was and still is a songwriter of great talent.

See what you think of this recording from Berkeley back in 1979.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-aRgqkf2rZs

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-KCZs9gg2iD

01. Let's Go To The Pictures

02. Walking On The Surface Of The Moon

03. Semaphore Signal

04. Veronica

05. I Wish It Would Rain

06. It'll Soon Be The Weekend

07. Reconnez Cherie

08. Hit And Miss Judy

09. Whole Wide World

10. Roll Over Rockola

11. I Need A Situation

The Vibrators John Peel Session 13th June 1977

 

  

A favourite band of our bass player!

WAV: https://we.tl/t-FabpKgE6Yq

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-6szHr6bVEP

01. Petrol

02. Keep It Clean

03. Baby baby

04. London Girls

05. She's Bringing You Down

Urban Dogs Cambridge Junction 22nd November 2016

 

Well, I think I was premature in my hopes of making a break for my local on 2nd December, so like the Subs, being close to the end of the alphabet I'll have to think up something else to mark the days. 

This particular gig was a welcome surprise. The Damned headlined, but as I recall, no support was announced so it was a real surprise to see Charlie and Alvin on stage (Knox wasn't present).

The band, a long -standing UK Subs spin-off really brought Alvin and Charlie together with Knox from The Vibrators... well Charlie had to have something to do on the one weekend of the year when the UK Subs were not on tour!

Essentially a bit more rootsy rock 'n' roll, the Urban Dogs gave the Harp an excuse to wield his harp! So here they were this week four years ago promoting a new album 'Attack'.

I am guessing the artwork is from Charlie's hand

(a brief excursion from cats!)

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-CdbtbdM0Gj

01. Wanna World
02. Dancing On The Head Of Snakes
03. I Cant Stand It
04. War Baby
05. Limo Life
06. Sidewalk Baby
07. Pawn Shop Special
08. New Barbarians
09. Warhead
10. Brand New Cadillac
11. Cocaine
12. Rock-N-Roll Nurse Going To My Head
13. I Wanna Be Your Dog

'Pawn Shop Special' by Urban Dogs

Cambridge Junction 22nd November 2016

Toyah Sheffield City Hall 18th May 1981

 

I loved it at the time. 'Anthem' was Toyah's 1981 album with two of the biggest hits of the year, 'It's A Mystery' and 'I Want To Be Free'. As mentioned elsewhere on this site I saw the band in 1982. Before 'Anthem' I had 'Sheep farming in Barnet' which is a far more interesting proposition, and for those that still do appreciate a bit of Toyah, an album just about to be released as a 40th anniversary deluxe reissue.... and it does look lavish.

Hey, in '81 I was 12... much as I would have loved to have seen The Stranglers then, my horizons were limited by entry restrictions to under 18s.... that limited the options to The Brighton Centre and Toyah and Adam and the Ants as first gigs. Oh well.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-NUa3rM5MYp

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-oiKoFVMDLs

01. War Boys Victims Of The Riddle

02. Race Through Space

03. Obsolete

04. Insects

05. Jungles Of Jupiter

06. We Are

07. Waiting

08. It’s A Mystery Intro

09. It’s A Mystery

10. Ieya

11. Danced

12. I Wanna Be Free

13. Indecision 

The Jam Gaumont Theatre Southampton 24th November 1979

 

More of this particular band in the coming days, but I just wanted to get his up on the site today of all days. Just look at the set. Marvellous!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-OpIF7igKy7

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-pUGhcYLGGM

01. Girl on the Phone

02. To Be Someone (Didn't We Have a Nice Time)

03. It's Too Bad

04. Burning Sky

05. Away From the Numbers

06. Smithers-Jones

07. Little Boy Soldiers

08. Mr. Clean

09. The Butterfly Collector

10. Private Hell

11. Thick as Thieves

12. When You're Young

13. Strange Town

14. The Eton Rifles

15. Down in the Tube Station at Midnight

16. Saturday's Kids

17. All Mod Cons

18. David Watts

19. Billy Hunt

20. "A" Bomb in Wardour Street

The Sisters of Mercy The Black October Tour (Top Rank Brighton 22nd October 1984 and Manchester University 13th October 1984)

 Black, Black, It's All Gone Black!

There are elements of The Sisters of Mercy I quite like. Certainly, 'First And Last And Always' is a great album, as is 'Gift' by The Sisterhood (an Andrew Eldritch spin-off featuring songs originally intended for the second Sisters of Mercy album). 'Floodland' again was a really strong album that saw the band having mainstream success with Eldritch joined by ex-Gun Club member and Mrs Vanian, Patricia Morrison. Nevertheless, I always struggled with taking them seriously, for sure no one could take them as seriously as them did themselves! Even Bauhaus occasionally revealed a glimmer of humour!

I never saw them, but I recall that mates were at the Brighton gig included here.

This posts includes two sets from 1984's 'Black October' tour, the main set from Brighton's Top Rank (minus the encore) and the encore only from Manchester University recorded a week or so before.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-qn0dAxxSSX

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-rGFStLHwJv

Top Rank Brighton 22nd October 1984

01. Intro

02. Burn

03. Heartland

04. Marian

05. Walk Away

06. Body And Soul

07. No Time To Cry

8.  Anaconda

09. Emma

10. A Rock And A Hard Place

11. Train

12. Floorshow

13. Alice

14. Body Electric

15. Gimme Shelter

Manchester University 13th October 1984

01. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

02. Hey Joe

03. Knockin' On Heaven's Door

04. Purple Haze

05. Stairway To Heaven (Instrumental)

06. Ghostrider

07. Louie Louie