Birmingham Odeon 2nd February 1983

 

Poor track splitting on my part... London Lady is indeed there and follows 'Duchess'! Artwork has been updated.

OK, thanks to DomP I have a new copy of this Feline gig (my copy degraded somehow). This sounds very good to my ears, I don't know whether Dom has tinkered with this one or not. Hugh is on fine form on this evening winding up the good resident's of the city of Birmingham. The track listing that I had my old version included 'London Lady' between 'Duchess' and 'Tank' which I think is correct as it correlates with the tracks in an old copy of Colin Mace's list. Other than that it is complete. Cheers DomP!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-6MQvbE1e1u

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-1kiJYS32Fg

01. Intro

02. Nuclear Device

03. Toiler On The Sea

04. Ships That Pass In The Night

05. It’s A Small World

06. Just Like Nothing On Earth

07. No More Heroes

08. Who Wants The World?

09. Never Say Goodbye

10. Baroque Bordello

01. Golden Brown

02. Princess Of The Streets

03. Midnight Summer Dream

04. European Female

05. Tramp

06. The Raven

07. Duchess/London Lady

08. Tank

09. Genetix

The Stranglers Are Again Cover Stars Of The Latest Issue Of Vive Le Rock

In true Stranglers' fashion the band have come through one of their worst periods of their long career (and things don't get much worse than losing a founder member of the band to COVID-19) with their heads held high and their reputation as one of Britain's finest and most enduring bands intact. 'Dark Matters' topped the magazine's Festive 50 as the best album of 2021. If I believed in the afterlife it would be nice to think that Dave Greenfield would raise a glass of whatever's on the optics up there to acknowledge a job well done!

Basil Brush - I’m Gonna Dream This Christmas (That It’s 1979!)

 

Best Christmas song for 30 years!! Basil Brush knows... don't argue! I love that creature. Boom! Boom!

RIP Thomas Mensforth (Mensi) of The Angelic Upstarts

 

Very saddened tonight to hear that Mensi of The Upstarts has succumbed to COVID. How terribly sad for a devoted father of a young family. 

The first time that I met Mensi would have been a brief encounter when we demonstrated against the annual march by the National Front just on Remembrance Sunday, just an hour or two after the real deal,to lay wreaths at the Cenotaph in Whitehall to commemorate those that that fell in the struggle against nazism and fascism.... all the while holding aloft swastikas..... I mean, I ask you!?

Before the early afternoon ended with an adrenaline filled game of cat and mouse with officers of the Metropolitan Police, I walked past Mensi in the crowd,. I said 'Hi Mensi', to which he replied 'Awreet son' without his steely gaze ever deviating from the street corner from which we knew that the NF column would first appear. Total commitment.

I first saw the Upstarts live at about the same time, 1988, Marquee, supported by Blaggers ITA and Atilla. As I remember Max Splodge was carried off his drum stool and the stage in a comatose condition. Mensi was in his element with the crowd, would not leave the stage until the management pulled the plug on him. 

On another occasion I saw The Upstarts at the Garage in Islington I think and someone passed Mensi in a Skewdriver shirt. Bad mistake, the young nazi acolyte ended up shirtless.

Sleep well big man, you were an inspiration.

Vive Le Rock Awards 27th March 2019

 

As part of this disastrous renovation that we have embarked upon I have been trying to consolidate my bootleg recordings as I am a bit disorganised in that respect. In doing so I stumbled across this gem which I had forgotten that I even had. Apologies to the kind soul that sent it to me as I can't remember the source.

It's a great little recording of a short set that was culmination of for me and Gunta a highly emotionally charged night. There were the highs, a chance to see The Rich Kids for the first and probably only time, and clearly The Stranglers playing after receiving the best band of 2019 award and the lows... we lost Pete Shelley the previous December (Pauline Murray paid great tribute to him) and just a week or so previously The Beat's Ranking Roger succumbed to cancer. Regular visitors to this site will be aware that I hold 2 Tone very dear and The Beat were a very important band for me.

WAV: https://we.tl/t-WWBIMzD0Le

Sleeve: https://we.tl/t-Y12aj3LdP4

01. Intro and Award Presentation
02. 5 Minutes
03. Tank
04. Unbroken
05. This Song
06. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
07. No More Heroes

Dave at the Vive Le Rock Awards

O2 Academy Islington

27th March 2019

Born Toulouse

 As I write this I should be at the front of The Stranglers at the Bikini club in Toulouse. To hell with it, as one of the first few gigs that I could have attended in the last 18 months and more I may even have worn a bikini to mark the significance of the occasion!!

However, it wasn't to be thanks to that little spiky bastard ball in its new omicron guise. The costs of the required PCR testing instantly doubled the cost of the trip which coupled with issues spiraling out of control at home on an extensive home renovation resulted in me bailing out of a long anticipated trip to France.

I do however have a recording of one of the gigs already with more to come. But as ever, these will not be posted until the French leg of the tour is done and dusted.

Back in the game.