This recording links to the earlier Undertones post of this morning and introduces a Stranglers connection. 11th August 1990, a calamitous date for many fans of the band as up there on a hill in north London, Hugh Cornwell eeked out his final hours as a Strangler. As most will recall this trio of events occurring over that August weekend was to mark the 5th anniversary of the Town & Country Club (these days the O2 Forum in Kentish Town). I wonder to this day why the organisers saw fit to host the birthday celebrations for a large London venue in another, even larger, London venue!?
It pains me to say that I was not there to see Hugh Strangler bow out. I was several hundred miles away in Whitehaven at my brother-in-law's wedding. Don't worry though, I have long since come to terms with this fact and acceptance was helped by the knowledge that sadly The Stranglers on the day were lacklustre at best.
As far as That Petrol Emotion was concerned I would liked to have seen them too. I did have a second opportunity to see them when they were due to play the Christmas Ball at Brunel University in 1990... however the poor December weather intervened and TPE got stuck enroute from Wales. On the night Captain Sensible and The Family Butcher saved the day and agreed to play a second set for the princely fee of an ounce of dope and a case of beer! Incidentally, the Captain's first set is on here. I asked the tour manager for the tape from the mixing desk.... and he sent it to me. That recording is excellent and has been in circulation since early 1991.
Back to That Petrol Emotion, by the time that the Ally Pally gig came around the band were promoting their fourth studio album, Chemicrazy. At this time the Undertones connection had been diminished by 50% with the departure of John O'Neill.
Thanks to Sewer Rat for the recording.
Artwork: https://we.tl/t-ZNd8lOotzA
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