Sex Pistols Review Marquee London 12th February 1976 (New Musical Express 21st February 1976)

 

If gig reviews could obtain iconic status then this would be in the top 10. Fifty years ago this month Neil Spencer writing for the New Musical Express gave Sex Pistols their first review in the 21st February issue. The review related to a gig that took place on 12th February at The Marquee Club on London's Wardour Street, the headliners on the night were Eddie & The Hot Rods, the support, Sex Pistols. As was often the case, through the band's shambolic stage antics rather than through musicality, Rotten and Co. stole the show. Spencer's review gave us two quotes which are still cited today, half a century on... 'Don't look over your shoulder, but the Sex Pistols are coming' and 'Actually, we're not into music.... We're into chaos'. These words were sufficiently stirring to prompt two soon to be Buzzcocks to venture down to London to see for themselves what fuss was afoot. Within months 'punk rock' began to establish itself as the 'new music' when a scene started to come together in London and Manchester.

I have to say that on Friday night the TV was on and as we often do we were watching BBC Four and repeats of old episodes of Top of the Pops. The year was 1976 and the musical offerings being aired were dismal, horrible and turgid. It is only when you see and hear just how bad most music was by 1976 that it becomes possible to understand the seismic impact that the arrival of the Pistols had on young people.

And finally, much was made at the time of the unsightliness of Rotten, but I tell you some of the bands performing on Friday's Top of the Pops could have given him a given him a good run for his money in the beauty stakes (or lack of it)!

Tom Robinson and Adam Phillips Victoria Hall Theatre Old Harlow Essex

 

3rd gig of the year and the great thing was that this one was pretty much on the doorstep. Having raved about a TRB gig last year I looked forward to this one very keenly, Tom acoustic with his TRB sidekick Adam Phillips. Old Harlow doesn't feature prominently in gig listings so the Victoria Hall Theatre was completely new to me, despite my having worked in Harlow for 23 of the last 31 years.

Tom explained that the night's set had been hastily rearranged on account of him removing the top of a finger in the course of preparing vegetables. The required five stitches put paid to the possibility of him playing guitar on this 10 date tour, thus a keyboard was swiftly brought in and the set reconsidered around his temporary digital limitations.

From my perspective this was no bad thing. Never having seen one of his acoustic shows, much of the set would be new to me either way. This was also something of a TRB light show. In the spirit of Tom's 'Introducing' section of his radio show, his TRB rhythm guitarist, Lee Forsyth Griffiths, opened with a handful of his own material. Then, 5 minutes later Tom himself ushered all out of the bar area as he was due to come on.

Opening with '(What If We Live To Be) Fifty' from his 1994 album 'Love Over Rage' it was lyrically reworked by Tom, now 75, to '(What If We Live To Be) Eighty', it was followed by 'Cold Cold Ground', a powerful piece addressing homelessness. Whether electric or acoustic, Tom Robinson's stance on injustice and inequality is consistent and unwavering a quality that for me at least makes him and TRB so important in such intolerant times. That is not to say that his shows are in any way maudlin or sermonising. Tom has an easy, self-depreciating style that frames the songs in the set with both humour and meaning.

Of course the hits were present and correct from '2-4-6-8 Motorway' to 'War Baby'. When it came to the audience participation singalong of 'Glad To Be Gay' Tom let on that sometimes he told reluctant elements in the audience that 'to sing along to 'Glad To Be Gay' you don't actually have to be... glad! 'Up Against The Wall' (with ukulele accompaniment.... I know, but it worked!) and 'Days That Changed The World', a reflective song looking back on the tumultuous days of punk, brought a great evening to an end.

On RAR Carnival in Victoria Park ('Days That Changed The World') :

'When Ziggy* got his big idea

And Slowhand** showed his cards

We rallied to the carnival

And partied in the parks

Fat Martin*** and his bullyboys

From marching were deterred

When black and white united in

The days that changed the world'.

* David Bowie appeared to give a Nazi salute upon his arrival at Victoria Station after his self-imposed Berlin exile (May 1976).

** Eric Clapton delivered an expletive laden racist rant on the stage of the Birmingham Odeon (August 1976) that resulted in the formation of Rock Against Racism.

*** Martin Webster - a National Front leader at the time of the Victoria Park rally.

Tom Robinson... man of the people!

Rock School Barbey Bordeaux 3rd February 2009

 

Here's one almost upon its 17th birthday from down Bordeaux way. A nice sounding recording. Thanks to the original Dime uploader (Linkerman?). Ian deputised on the drum stool for these French dates.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-jTQbSV4gpb

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-ysaGUunawO