Feargal Sharkey 'Interview' Flexipop July 1981

Before Feargal was up to the top of his waders in shite on his worthy and welcomed crusade to free our rivers and waterways of poo, he was a great frontman with The Undertones... not that you didn't know that!

Here's one of those bitesize 'star chats' from the page of Flexipop from the Summer of 1981.

The Undertones Alabamahalle Munich 30th September 1981

 

Here's one that I came across when recently sorting through a mass of unlabelled discs. This proshot TV gig was new to me and it's really rather good. This is from around the time of 'The Positive Touch' tour of 1981, the band's third studio album. Clearly the band were looking to shed the parka image at this point and change the sound of the band and whilst at the time and in the years that followed I was focused on the first two albums what came after was OK, some of it very good in fact. 'Crisis of Mine' is particularly worthy of praise and the band must rate it too since it features in their sets to this day.

Disc Image: https://we.tl/t-MFPMZtdLi4

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-KbEuvQEZti

The Stranglers Photostory (Flexipop March 1981)

I am not sure whether this is still a thing in mangazines aimed at the teenage market. Come to think of it, I am not sure whether teenage magazines are still a thing in these more tech orientated times. But back in the '70s and '80s such magazines were a newsagent staple for which young adolescents were prepared to be parted from their pocket money. Photostoris were born out of girl's magazines that used photostrips to play out teenage dilema's, of the boy meets girl type. Occasionally, for humerous purposes some of the weekly music papers ran such photo stories in which they featured current bands and this is something that was carried through into the pages of the excellent but short lived 'Flexipop' publication, so named as each issue can with a flexidic single from a featured band. As an aside, these discs were notoriously fragile. Any mishandling of the waffer thin plastic would deform the disc such that your record players stylus would be thrown from the surface of the record rendering the disc unplayable! Anyway back to the photostory thing. 

The Stranglers had appeared previously in at least one such photostory within the pages of Record Mirror, so when Barry Cain moved on and set up Flexipop I guess he pulled in a couple of favours and got the Meninblack to repeat the process. Barry had long been a fan and supporter of the band, and in turn, he was one of the few music journalists whose name did not appear in Burnel's black book... indeed, the friendship and respect endures to this day. In this photostory, the band are forced to live in close proximity to each other for 60 days in a nuclear fall-out shelter as part of a scientific experiment sponsored by the military.

In some respects this could be seen as a portent for things to come.

Interview (Record Mirror 7th February 1981)

 

SAUCER ENFORCER

Chris Marlow Stateside Meninblack

Not many bands have a publicist who's afraid to go out to dinner alone with them. Such was the case,

however, when the Stranglers first toured America in July of 1978. Forced to play hostess, the young lady employed by A&M Records invited the four or five friends to join her.

As it turned out, her caution was justified. She was unsettled by Jean Jacques Burnell suddenly leaving for New York in a fit of anger, and then during the meal Hugh Cornwell graphically discussing the various functions of the human body, Jet Black screamed and fell backwards into the middle of the aisle for no apparent reason, and Dave Greenfield displayed a disconcerting awareness of the laws governing the practice of witchcraft in England. Combined with the atmosphere created by the sensationalist press clippings that had preceeded them, it was quite an evening. Two and a half years later, the Stranglers returned.

Initially, it didn't seem as though much had changed. Songs like 'Dead Loss Angeles' and 'Genetix' were

hardly endearing little dimes. Word of their arrest in France had also drifted over. And then there was the spontaneous interior re-decoration of the Whisky (in Los Angeles) during the soundcheck.

There is a large section of removable chairs on the floor of the club, and whereas the Mexican

employees had instructions to set them up, the Stranglers had requested the option of more dance

floor space. Already initiated by the fact that the only person in the world who had a key to where the

microphones were had not yet arrived ... Hugh and Jean were frustrated in their attempts to breach

the language barrier and thereby stop the placement of the chairs. Like a scene from Disney's "Sorceror's Apprentice', the workers relentlessly carried the chairs in, two by two, ignoring the exhortations to the opposite. Monosyllables, gesturing, and even threats to call the immigration authorities were of no avail.

Finally, JJ resorted to non-verbal communication: he jumped off stage, picked up one of the offending pieces of furniture, and smashed it against a ceiling support. With the aid of Jet's helping hands, about three dozen chairs and an odd table or two were reduced to a pile of dismembered components. As the two photographers who had been waiting hours for a session prudently blended in with the wallpaper, the group went off to find a cup of tea. But such events were the exception rather than the rule.

"I am not ashamed of anything I've done or of what I am. Nevertheless, I am constantly reappraising any views, not only about myself but of the world in which I live as well.

"Some people in rock music actually are involved in things that they, however naively, believe in," he

sarcastically rejoined . Acting on his beliefs, JJ rides only Triumph Bonneville motorcyles, because

they're made "by the sole remaining workers co-operative in existence, and it's very much an on artisan

oasis". Far from what his reputation would indicate, Burnel patiently devoted over an hour of his full time to working out an interview with a Japanese fan who's-command of English left something to be desired. Among other eccentricities, Jean carries a tape of a Radio Free Moscow news broadcast on the road with him, and over that "I listened to much rock music before Kraftwerk."

Hugh Cornwell is the other Strangler who attracts the most attention. He is at least as opinionated as the younger Burnel, but Cornwell's outspokenness covers a broader range of topicS. Also, Hugh seems to state his points of view in a deliberately provocative manner. Some selected examples cover a

spectrum of concerns. On evolution, Hugh postulated "man could have been a bio-chemical experiment by alien intelligence placed here among indigenous life forms, its functioning being based upon the systems already in evidence."

On religion Cornwell stated, "I get a religious experience when I have a crap. It's emotional, you've become decongested. You're communing heavy with God." And delighting in the effect, he responded to an all-too-familiar charge of sexism by promising, "The Stranglers love women, have always loved women, and will continue to love women at every possible opportunity ."

Jet is a bearish man, has a predilection for long quiet conversations with liquor bottles, and in fact owns more than one liquor store in England. He is soft spoken, and when he does decide to talk his words are carefully chosen and they reveal an intelligent, thoughtful mind behind his extensive vocabulary. Black works closely with the Stranglers Information Service ("We don't have a fan club"), whose publication 'Strangled' contains many of his contributions. He is basically self-educated and advises, "The happiest people I know have, like me, no qualifications for anything. They just go out and do it.".

True. To his philosophy, Jet has held quite a variety of jobs prior to becoming a Strangler, from being an

ice cream vendor to a merchant of fine wines.

Dave was originally the most controversial member of the band, solely due to the fact that he played

keyboards. Back when the public first began noticing what these boys were up to, no self-respecting  "new wave" band used keyboards. Especially not synthesizers. Dave still lives under the spectre of comparisons to the Doors, regardless of the fact that "the only tracks I heard before joining the band were the two big ones they had in England, which were 'Light My• Fire' and 'Riders On The Storm.' So if people say I sound similar, it's because of parallel development."

He is the most affable of the lot, and was frequently seen wandering around talking to early arrivals at

venues. Dave's unusual main interest is in the occult. He doesn't fit the image invoked by the label 'Warlock,' but Jean Jacques reaffirmed that "Dave is quite involved with the occult. I think he's a second-degree initiate, which is by then-um-serious. But you've get to get him drunk before he'll talk about it."

The past year has not been kind to the Stranglers. "It has definitely been the worst year of our lives," stated JJ bluntly. There was the arrest in Nice "for nothing," Jean insisted. "Because we're totally innocent." Officially, the charge was inciting a riot. Burnel was hit the hardest by the suit, since he was the only band member who spoke French. Then there was Cornwell 's much publicised drug bust.

The sentence imposed was so strict by conventional standards that the League of Common Sense and

Decency awarded Hugh an honorary membership. Two things of particular note resulted from his incarceration, however. One is that Hugh has written a small book detailing his experiences. The other was a pair of gigs at the Rainbow. "A lot of people helped us out in order to stick our fingers up at the judge," JJ explained. "Hugh was sent down about a week before the two gigs in London were scheduled, so we had the choice to either cancel or do them. And these people volunteered to play with us, which was great."

Then IRS released a compilation album in tbe United States, called 'Stranglers IV'. One side is 'selected

tracks from The Raven, and the other is odd B-sides and the like, all of which were previously unavailable in America. Within weeks, the Stranglers arrived in The Land Of Opportunity. All too soon, Hugh was moved to rechristen the colonies The Land of Opportunists when every bit of the

equipment that the band had brought over was stolen. Truck and all. Not only was the loss' considerable in financial terms, but it had taken over five years to accumulate and customise everything.

Dave was particularly devastated since several components of his keyboard setup are not commercially

available, and certain numbers proved impossible to play without them. As if to remind everyone that things can always get worse, the band then found out that nothing was insured. Making do with rented and borrowed equipment, the men in black continued across The Promised Land.

In Los Angeles, the Stranglers played two shows a night for four nights. Jet bought a new drum kit, and it was delivered incomplete. Dave had a small mixer stolen from right on stage. And the press came out in force, representing everyone from glossy skin magazines to Xeroxed fanzines. For the most part, the band showed amazing restraint in the face of the usual interminable string of questions like how long they'd been together and how to pronounce Jean Jacques. Unfortunately, their patience ran out in the midst of an interview on KROQ, arguably the best radio station in Los Angeles.

There were other tour highlights. The van broke down' in a town called Buttonwillow. One of their roadies got involved in an incident that left him hospitalised ("It took five Texans to put him down," Jean Jacques boasted). A record store in Colorado had the band immortalize their signatures in wet cement. Most importantly of all there were the shows themselves. Without any of their own equipment and with less than one right off out of every 14, the Stranglers put on an excellent concert time after time. By the groups request,  the only illumination was pure white light (as Jet so tactfully  put it, " This is no Las Vegas extravaganza").

There was an unexpected degree ef sophistication and technical skill as the musicians offered selections from all of their albums. Every set began with an introductory tape of Waltz ln Black, an instrumental from 'Meninblack', that features a lumbering calliope sound from the keybaards, and then ranged from the snarling and snearing of 'Down In The Sewer' to the haunting beauty of 'The Raven'. On occasion they would present another, longer cut from the impending album. Other songs were also shifted and substituted, but the end result was nearly always impressive.

Despite the lack of appreciation, the Stranglers virulently negative opinion of the States has softened. JJ

admitted. "You can't say that you hate a country when you like people from that country, once you've met some real people from that place. It kind of compromises your ideals. So' I've become more discriminating about my likes and dislikes. I dislike what America represents in the world. I don't dislike America."

The most recent country to receive Strangler scrutiny has been Australia now that they've studied the United States.

"We were chased over the county line from Queensland, which is run by Jon Bjelke-Petersen," Burnel

explained, "He• became prime minister on 17% of the vote by jerry mandering." (Changing the

boundaries). "He's also kicked Aborigines eff their territorial lands in order to mine uranium. We wrote

'Nuclear Device' about  that. They came and tried to smash up our show." Even England still receives analysis. Burnel stated, "England doesn't exist. .. England was the original imperial aggressor in that part of the world. The English have dominated the Welsh for 900-odd years. It's an artificial union."

The latest preoccupation of the band, both collectively and individually, doesn't have anything

directly to do with politics, however, the new album is heavily influenced by it: that is the Stranglers belief in life on other planets. Not just alien creatures, but highly evolved intelligent beings. According to the band, these aliens appear regularly to humans at least as UFOs, and they actively influence life on Earth.

As Cornwell explained. "Throughout Biblical writings strange phenomena are constantly and our

technilegical knowledge is advancing so fast that certain passages which in earlier times were mysterious and without any apparent meaning, have now been interpreted as descriptions of possible futuristic space craft and space beings." Jean Jacques offered the thought that perhaps the

Immaculate Conception was actually a case of artificial insemination by highly developed extra terestrials to alter the course of human evolution.

With a new album, a pending British tour, lacking an American contract, and considering their penchant for accumulating lawsuits aleng with their gold records, the Stranglers are not in the business for perks. 

As Jean Jacques put it,"Fun? That's Western decadence, isn't it?".

Hammersmith Odeon 15th February 1981

 

I surprised myself to find that I had not posted this Hugh era London date on the site at all. A classic 'Meninblack' visitation to London NW10 (Hammersmith that is for those unfamiliar with london Post Codes!). 

Just look at that set, the contrary bastards! As Chas de Whalley mentions in the reciew below it's rather light on the hits with just two tracks lifted from 'Rattus' and nothing at all from 'No More Heroes', their most commercially successful albums. Oh, and put 'Meninblack' in there for good measure.... that'll mess with their heads. Personally, I would have no issues with this set, but then again I do not crave the hits, in fact I would happily replace most of them for obscurities that would see the casual gig goer racing for the exit!! Gimme 'Wasted'!

The gig was reviewed in the February 21st issue of Record Mirror by the aforementioned Chas de Whalley. He who gifted us the tag line 'Like a Force Nine Gale of Bad Breath' purloined for the site's header. He was the first national music journalist to give the band column inches and it's great to see that he was still impressed with the band four or more years later at a time when his fellow hacks had  almost universally got the knives out for the band.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-n289PSbmls

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-xFQd0sKiRh

Record Mirror (21st February 1981)

Modern Eon - Radio Sessions and Live in 1981- UPDATE

 

Some days ago I was requested to update a couple of dead links associated with an early post that I did back in 2012 on Liverpool band, Modern Eon. Try as I might, I was unable to locate the original files which resulted in an appeal for help to which you responded. I would like to thank here Pod who sent over replacement files.

Whilst these new files are in MP3 format, they are of excellent quality, and more complete than what I had previously posted. 'Second Still' and 'Watching The Dancers' in Liverpool are here whereas these two songs were missing from the original post and the Dutch gig from Groningen is new.

There is one thing puzzling me here. Modern Eon were tour support for The Stranglers in February 1981. Records show that The Stranglers played at Liverpool University on 20th February and Manchester Apollo the following night on 21st. And yet, according to these files, Modern Eon played Liverpool's Royal Court Theatre on 21st. Maybe the band raced back to Liverpool to perform a headline slot after the manchested support?

So, here you have it, I am no expert on Modern Eon, but I would imagine that aside from official studio recordings, the material here would be pretty much the extent of what is out there for the band.

Thanks again for the help.

MP3: https://we.tl/t-r4EiBLC8NO

John Peel Session 21st January 1981

01. Real Hymn
02. The Grass Will Grow
03. High Noon
04. Mechanic

Richard Skinner Session 10th September 1981

01. The Foist
02. Garland Leaves
03. After The Party
04. From The Window

Royal Court Liverpool 21st February 1981

01. Second Still
02. Watching The Dancers
03. Waiting For The Cavalry
04. Mechanic
05. Choreography
06. Euthentics
07. Real Hymn

Sterrebos Groningen 23rd August 1981

01. Choreography
02. Playwrite
03. Child’s Play
04. High Noon
05. Real Hymn
06. After The Party

Modern Eon 1981 Radio Recordings - Can anyone help out?

I have recently received a request to reactivate the links to a post that goes a long way back (January 2012). I have searched my PC and a number of external drives but to no avail. I can only assume that the files were on the one hard drive that failed outright some years ago. 

Did anyone download this FLAC post of Modern Eon's 1981 Radio Sessions back in 2012?

Thanks.

John Peel Session BBC   1981-02-05

1. High Noon
2. The Grass Still Grows
3. Mechanic
4. Real Hymn

Richard Skinner's Radio One show 
Recorded 10th September 1981

1. The Foist
2. Garland Leaves
3. After the Party
4. From the Window

BBC In concert Royal Court Theater, Liverpool, UK
FM broadcast 1981-02-21  This is incomplete.

Second Still     --    missing
Watching The Dancers  --   missing
01 Waiting for the cavalry
02 Mechanic
03 Choreography
04 Euthenics
05 Real Hymn

Motorhead Port Vale F.C. 1st August 1981 (TFTLTYTD #5)

 

'WE ARE THE ROAD CREW!' I was never really much in favour of Heavy Metal, to my way of thinking 'Bad News' wasn't as much a pararody, rather just the way it was. Unfortunately, at school there was little opportunity to get away from it or ignore it. On the coach to school (12 miles from home!), it was Kerrang rather than Sounds that got passed around at least in '80/'81. This coincided with the emergence of NWOBHM (or the New Wave of British Heavy Metal) meaning that bands like Saxon, Iron Maiden and Samson were receiving a lot of column inches (also in Sounds). The popularity of this new guard lead a lot of kids in search of the old guard, AC/DC, Black Sabbath and this lot, Motorhead.

For me Motorhead were somewhat apart from the metal tribe. They looked the part, and to an extent, sounded the part and shared stages with many of the established metal bands. And yet, they or at least Lemmy had a cowboy boot firmly imprinted in the London punk scene. Do a google search in images for 'Lemmy punk' and it will throw up pictures of Lem with The Damned, Lydon, Sid and Gay Advert. He understood punk and many punks took to his band.... 'Gimme Some Motorhead' indeed.

Most bands that can boast a certain longevity have an agreed 'classic line-up' and it was no different with Motorhead. As stated in an earlier post, this 'Too Fast Too Live Too Young To Die' is remembering the bands that have lost members too early. In the case of Motorhead, this includes all three members of the classic line up, guitarist Fast Eddie Clarke, Philthy 'Animal' Taylor and Lemmy Kilminster himself.

This gig captures the band at their peak, playing what was billed as a 'Heavy Metal Holocaust' at Port Vale Football Club. On this occasion, Motorhead shared the bill with metal pioneer, Ozzy Osbourne, who had been kicked out of Black Sabbath a couple of years earlier. In the notes that accompanied this Dime upload (thanks to the original uploader) it is stated that for this gig the biggest PA ever to be used in the UK was assembled. During 'Bomber' parachutists descended upon Vale Park with one unfortunate missing the ground altogether (Spinal Tap anyone?). The set could not be bettered, taking in as it does material from the classic trilogy of albums by that classic line up, 'Overkill', 'Bomber' and 'Ace of Spades'. You could throw in the live album 'No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith' for good measure if you want.

Enjoy this if you don't mind a bit of Motorhead in your punk collection.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-6o0FRIzvuX

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-bOKeDIiqvK

01. Intro/Ace Of Spades

02. Stay Clean

03. Live To Win

04. Over The Top

05. No Class

06. The Hammer

07. Metropolis

08. Leaving Here

09. Jailbait

10. Iron Horse Born To Lose

11. Fire Fire

12. Too Late Too Late

01. Fast And Loose

02. Dead Men Tell No Tales

03. We Are The Road Crew

04. Capricorn

05. Train Kept A Rollin’

06. Bite The Bullet

07. The Chase Is Better Than The Catch

08. Overkill

09. White Line Fever

10. Bomber

11. Motorhead

Taxi Girl Seppuku Demo Versions 1981

 

So I am a few pages shy of finishing JJ's book and read the chapter where he took it upon himself to be a champion, promoter and producer of French bands and French music. This lead me to dig out The Rat Zone presentation of the Seppuku demos from 1981.

m4a: https://we.tl/t-hEBdMPLz5n

999 On TV And On Film

 

Here's a DVD compilation that I put together some years ago that features a collection of TV and live appearances from 1978 to 2007. Quality varies, but it's a nice collection. Anyone recall where 'Bomb You' came from or is it another of those tracks like 'People Who Died' and 'White Trash', songs that saw the light of day for the briefest of times?

DVD image: https://go.wetransfer.com/t-F3bWP0s7pr

Artwork: https://go.wetransfer.com/t-OFKLnGXJ5h

Enjoy Yourself It;s Later Than You Think! - Terry Hall Inked

Much like in the case of Dave, Jet and Pete Shelley, I am still struggling with the loss of Terry Hall.

Terry Hall, The Specials

Linoprint 29.7 cm x 21cm

Black ink on cream artcard.

'Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink

The years go by, as quickly as you wink

Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.

Hello, I'm Terry, and I'm going to enjoy myself first.'

20 From '81 (13) Killing Joke City Hall St Albans 3rd July 1981

 

Without doubt, one of the most influential, innovative and enduring bands to have come out of the punk/post punk landscape. No other band sounds like them which is no mean feat nearly 70 years since Elvis. I admire this band for their courage to experiment where other bands opt to play it safe. Those experiments don't always pay off, but when they do something extraordinary results.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-Qm4Z1D0jP7

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-VDhdvbD2Cd

Norwich University 14th November 1981

 

I love the 'La Folie' era of the band. I have said it before, but in my opinion 'La Folie' is one of the most overlooked and undervalued of the band's albums. Like a bag of 'Revels' there is real variety here... but without the horrible coffee ones! And it's clever, a concept album built around the theme of love. Love, but not of the boy meets girl kind of way. 'La Folie' takes on those aspects of love that are not immediately apparent. The devotion of a nun to her Holy Order and her God, the familial love that exists within the Mafia that leads to unquestioning acts of violence and a love so intensely twisted that it results in an act of cannibalism! It's hardly Barry White material.

Here are the band on the first leg of the tour that straddled Christmas and the New Year. The band did not know it at this point but a decision by the band to release the very atypical 'Golden Brown' was about to change the band's fortunes for many years to come. This radio friendly waltz (so long as you didn't dwell too long on the subject matter) opened doors that had been closed to the band since the heady days of '77 when the band delighted in annoying all and sundry. Prime time and kid's TV programs were queuing up to have The Stranglers appear. OK, so perhaps not content with this new found acceptability the band attempted a manner of commercial suicide with the release of the album's title track 'La Folie'! A superb album track, a highlight from the album no less, but a choice that would have made cash eager executives within Manchester Square choke on their cappuccinos! As a follow up to their biggest ever hit, 'Tramp' may have kept up the momentum but who would want to change history?

Music aside by 1981, all of the elements that collectively are the essence of The Stranglers were in place... that whole Meninblack thing. As I said I love this period.

WAV: https://we.tl/t-96gvbvofnr

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-EhKI3NDgWe

01. Non Stop

02. Just Like Nothing On Earth

03. Second Coming

04. Meninblack

05. Threatened

06. Who Wants The World?

07. Baroque Bordello

08. Golden Brown

09. Pin Up

10. Thrown Away

11. Tank

12. I Feel Like A Wog

13. The Man They Love To Hate

14. Let Me Introduce You To The Family

15. Tramp

16. Nubiles (Cocktail Version)

17. Bring On The Nubiles

18. Nuclear Device

19. Genetix

20. La Folie

20 From '81 (12) The Damned To Act Disco Weissenohe Germany 3rd July 1981

 

Great sounding boot from my 'classic line-up' of The Damned. The set is great but for all that the audience seem to be very subdued, maybe that's how it was down in those southern parts of Germany. It has to be said too that the band didn't engage with the audience much on the night... perhaps a language issue I dunno. Thanks to the Second Time Around Damned site for the file. Cheers!

MP3 (as received): https://we.tl/t-casuGNMCo6

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-eUAPntI1nZ

20 From '81 (11) Kraftwerk Captain Video Paris 6th July 1981

 

Back once again to 1981, a great year for music. One band that were at the top of their game were Kraftwerk, then still with the classic line up for a few years yet. Never a prolific touring outfit until Florian left the ranks, they played dates in 1976 and then not again until 1981! In that interval they recorded what most consider to be quintessential Kraftwerk in the form of 'Trans Europe Express' (1977), 'The Man Machine' (1978) and 'Computer World' (1981). As such the world tour that they embarked on in 1981 is the definitive Kraftwerk tour.

Certainly, the shows since have become ever more sophisticated as technology has enabled the band to take their audiences on an immersive musical journey aided by elaborate backing films and 3D technology. Were any other band to use such technology it could be thought of as gimmickry but you kind of expect such measures from Kraftwerk.

But now I am talking about Kraftwerk in the present day, a time when we are far more conversant with all matters technological.... even my Mum has heard of AI! Back in 1981, Kraftwerk were predicting a world where the computer ran the show, whilst for most of us the pinnacle of electronic wizardry was Simon Says!

Unfortunately a couple of tracks on this recent remaster are cut, but the quality is great. Many thanks to  finkployd49 (the original Dime seeder) and to Viv for the remaster.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-UzJejl1hEV

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-DQlgT1GCkx

01. Intro / Numbers

02. Computer World

03. Home Computer

04. Computer Love

05. The Model

06. Neon Lights

07. Radioactivity

08. Stimme Der Energie

09. Ohm Sweet Ohm

01. Autobahn

02. Hall Of Mirrors

03. Les Mannequins

04. Trans Europe Express

05. Le Mini Calculateur

06. The Robots

07. It's More Fun To Compute

20 From 81 (10) The Revillos JohnPeel Session 29th April 1981

 

Here's a John Peel Session from 1981 recorded by long standing band associates, The Revillos. 

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-HtFn594teT

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-gGEBieMmEo

01. Snatzo Mobile

02. She's Fallen In Love With A Monster Man

03. Man Attack

04. Caveman Raveman

Bad Manners Paris Theatre London 22nd July 1981

 

Bad Manners had been doing their thing (in fact they still are!) down in The Smoke for a few years prior to the arrival of 2 Tone. Musically aligned they found a place on the stage with the other bands if not on the label itself. 

Although they enjoyed considerable chart success, unlike the other bands, Bad Manners were never on my albeit limited purchase list, but there is no doubt that they had their place in 2 Tone history.

Here they are appearing on BBC Radio 1's 'In Concert' in the Summer of 1981.

MP3: https://we.tl/t-IEnXgZ3NyU

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-uxzDiH1kgh

01  01. Intro
02. Echo 4-2
03. Just A Feeling
04. Ben E. Wriggle
05. Lorraine
06. Ivor The Engine
07. Suicide
08. Night Bus To Dalston
09. Here Comes The Major
10. Walking In The Sunshine
11. King Ska/Fa
12. Dansetta
13. Weeping And Wailing
14. Lip Up Fatty
15. El Pussycat
16. Ne-Ne Na-Na Na-Na Nu-Nu
17. Inner London Violence
18. Don't Be Angry
19. Special Brew
20. Wooly Bully
21. Can Can

Dance Craze - The Reception

 

Promo poster for the screening of the original film in New Zealand.

Record Mirror (7th February 1981)

THE PREMIERE of 'Dance Craze' , the Two - Tone movie, was an extra special event held on Saturday for several hundred under - 18s. Tickets were distributed via a Record Mirror competition and direct invitations to childrens' homes such as Dr Barnardo's. Our 14 year old correspondent Sean O'Donovan hot - footed it from Canvey Island to the Sundown in Charing Cross Road and sent us this report:

AT 4 PM the waiting crowd were at last let into the premiere of 'Dance Craze'. hailed as 'the best of British ska - live' and starring the Beat. Madness. The Bodysnatchers, Bad Manners, Selecter and the Specials. As the mass flocked in, the walls were stripped bare of all posters and LP covers. Down on the stage. Radio One's Richard Skinner was playing some of the aforementioned groups' hits, which got us up onto the dance floor for a moonstomp. At 4.20 the first of the groups' members entered - John Bradbury,  drummer of the Specials, came in rather unnoticed. Suggs. However  made a dramatic

entrance and was immediately mobbed by autograph hunters. I don't think anyone could not have noticed Madness because they were wearing black dress suits with red carnations and canes for the event.

Arriving later were Terry Hall, Rhoda of the Bodysnatchers, Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling of the Beat, Charley ex of Selecter and many others. They gathered in the Liggers' bar above the main hall, talking to fans and signing the posters and LP covers previously decorating the walls.

The music played for an hour, with records, T-shirts. posters (which were ripped to bits) and badges being distributed to the madding crowd. Five o'clock and the film was underway. The fans were not exactly ecstatic - no one danced! – but clearly enjoyed it nevertheless.

As the crowd filed out, the announcement came over the speakers that more merchandise was being given out at the door. This caused havoc, but luckily order was maintained.

The one question being asked at the end of the event by all the girls was about Suggs and Bette Bright. Is she really going out with him? SEAN O'DONOVAN

THE OPENING of the Two - Tone movie is a spoof of the old 'Look At Life' short films that used to precede the main feature at Odeons up and down the country, and though many of its audience won't remember such things, it's a nice witty way to start.

The Specials' 'Nite Klub' is first up, followed by Madness with 'The Prince'. A new technique has been used for the live footage of which the film largely consists, and very effective it is too. The hot, jumpy atmosphere of the various gigs is splendidly captured throughout.

The Bodysnatchers' cover of old fave '007' comes next, and it's a heartening sight to see the girls - girls! hooray! - keeping well up with the male musical competition. Pauline Black of the Selecter looks exceeding well, too, and I hope she' ll forgive a totally non - sexist comment here: the camera seems

reluctant to move away from her bottom (clad in white ski - pants) and I don't blame it a bit.

During Madness's ska 'Swan Lake ' there's some really tasty footage of loafers and Dr Martens slow - motion dancingl, and amusing cuts to a ballet company performing to 'Swan Lake' in its onginal form. I only wish there'd been more of this sort of thing; it would have broken the relentness flow of live

performance to good effect.

Ah well, on with the bands . .. Bad Manners don't come off too well I'm afraid. particularly when following the Bodysnatchers; they look so big and white and male. The Beat quite simply steal the show, with Ranking Roger in particular walking off with my personal Oscars for best dancing, best hat, most charm and totally infectious enthusiasm.

Halfway through we break for a section of Pathe News, hilarious stuff showing dance crazes of yesteryear. This would have been better cut up and shown in bursts throughout the film methinks,  but it's a good idea .

More stand - out bits: Madness's 'Razor Blade Alley ' and ' Night Boat to Cairo' . the staged fight during Selecter's 'Too Much Pressure ', the bottle of Lucozade on Jerry Dammers' piano and the closer - ' Nite Klub' again – with Terry Hall deadpanning beautifully throughout the scathing lyrics.

See it, dance to it, sing along and cheer for your laves. It's that kind of movie and I loved (almost) every minute of it. SUNIE.

Record Mirror (7th February 1981)

DANCE CRAZE (Soundtrack)

(CHR TT 5004)

By Sunie

YOU'VE FLOCKED to the gigs, you've thrilled to the hits, you'll soon be queueing for the movie - now hear the soundtrack! Let's skank through the tracks on this live monument to the Two-Tone story so far, before sitting back for some armchair analysis ...

Side One opens with the Specials' 'Concrete Jungle', followed by the Beat's 'Mirror in the Bathroom', the

latter surprisingly sounding more sinister here than on the studio version. Anti-stoutism's firmest

advocates Bad Manners are next with 'Lip Up Fatty', which is hearty enough but suffers rather from

foliowing the much more subtle Beat sound.

Absolute stand-out on this side is 'Razor Blade Alley' by Madness, a superb slice of finger-snapping

sleaze closer to Tom Waits than to Prince Buster, which tells of losing virginity and health in one brief

encounter. On to 'Three Minute Hero' by the Selecter after that brief change of tempo; I never reckoned

this song much, but that's just my grouse. The Bodysnatchers' sole contribution to the LP is 'Easy Life',

wrapping the liberation v procreation dilemma in delicious girly harmonies and what I imagine to be a rock-• steady rhythm; it sounds different from pure ska, anyway. The Beat reappear with 'Big Shot' and

Madness end the side with an insanely fast and saxy 'One Step Beyond' .

Side Two kicks off with the seat's 'Ranking Full Stop', a lively if unexceptional number brought up to

scratch by Ranking Roger's sheer exuberance. Specials next with 'Man at C&A'; then the Selecter's

'Missing Words', smashing melodic pop deftly performed. Bad Manners' 'Inner London Violence' is more of their razzy stomp, but with considerably more musical ' substance than their previous effort.

'Night Boat to Cairo' is the song that made me fall for Madness, and here it is in all its glory: I don't know

which I love more, Lee Thompson's marvellous sax or Suggs's inimitable vocal. Then we're back to the

Selecter for 'Too Much Pressure' , and the set ends at the 'Nite Klub', with brass ensemble Dick & Rico well to the fore of a steamy Specials sound.

Each group uses its own producer, and since the list of those gentlemen's names reads like a studio

'Who's  Who’, you may rest assured that the quality throughout is triff.

It's positively mind-boggling to consider that each of these bands owes their first taste of success, at

least in part, to J Dammers Esquire's vision, and trying to count the sum total of their hits brings me and my abacus out in a cold sweat. It's been said many times before, but it is a truly joyful thing that such groups as these are actively breaking down barriers of race, age, gender and musical style. More

power  to them. + + + +

Smash Hits (19th February 1981)

New York Times (25th April 1982)

The sloppy but cheerful ''Dance Craze,'' which opened Friday at the Eighth Street Playhouse, is a concert film devoted to the musical hybrid known variously as ska, or two-tone, or rock steady. The English bands featured here owe a lot to reggae - the best-known British band rockers playing anything of this sort are the Police, who do not appear in ''Dance Craze'' - but have added a thing or two of their own. Flat tops. Checked jackets. Persistent hopping, preferably from one foot to the other. An overall spirit of jubilation.

''Dance Craze,'' which was directed by Joe Massot, shows so little concern for the ordinary cinematic niceties that it never even identifies the bands on screen, except in the opening credits. These groups are the Specials, the Bodysnatchers, Madness, Bad Manners, the English Beat and the Selecter.

The personnel is racially mixed -which is part of why the music is nicknamed ''two-tone'' - and a couple of the lead singers are women. One lead singer, from Bad Manners, is a fat man in T-shirt, droopy pants and suspenders, wearing army boots and a skinhead's hairdo. No one can accuse these bands of lacking either enthusiasm or character.

''Dance Craze'' isn't anything more than a chance to watch these groups for an hour and a half, and to hear a very muddy version of their sound; the lyrics are almost indistinguishable throughout. For anyone interested in this happy, energetic music, that may be more than enough. Janet Maslin

The Cast

DANCE CRAZE, directed by Joe Massot; visual concept and photography by Joe Dunton; edited by Ben Rayner; music produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley; produced by Gav- rik Losey; released by Nu-Image. Running time: 86 minutes. This film has no rating. At the Eighth Street Playhouse, at the Avenue of the Americas.

Some were critical...

London Trax

20 From '81(9) A Flock Of Seagulls John Peel Session 12th May 1981

 

And whilst we are on the topic of wayward images here's another in the recently neglected '20 From' series. Liverpool's Flock Of Seagulls enjoyed some success in the UK in the early 1980's before decamping to the US. Perhaps too much attention to Mike Score's barnet detracted from the music, but I thought that they were alright. The first album had some great tracks on it.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-KGgOmiqUCS

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-ZrTQHOGn8h

01. (Talking) It's Not Me 

02. Messages

03. I Ran

04. Committed

The Specials Paramount Theatre Staten Island New York City 21st August 1981

 

So I have come to the last post themed around the song 'The Boiler'. Here, one of the last gigs that The Specials played in their first incarnation is presented. It features what is perhaps one of my all-time favourite sets. Heavy on the 'More Specials' material. the set also features 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning' (surely, the best coming of age songs ever written!), 'Why?' (one of the best statements on the utter futility of race related violence) and of course 'The Boiler' of which much has already been said.

As we well know, the band fractured in two with Terry, Lynval and Neville sheering off to form The Fun Boy Three, whilst Jerry, Brad and Horace formed the nucleus of The Specials with a reinstated A.K.A. The former followed a more chart palatable path whilst the latter introduced a jazzy and soulful sophistication to The Specials sound. 

The legacy of Jerry Dammers is astounding! His vision for The Specials was revolutionary at the time. Just the existence of a multiracial band leading the first meaningful music scene since punk was a statement in itself....  before they had even played a note!

To conclude the existence of the band with a song that so perfectly captured the mood of young people across the spectrum in Great Britain 1981 was a masterstroke. 'Ghost Town' remember was at number 1 when many of the country's inner cities burned as a result of wide spread rioting. 

'The Boiler' was a courageous move on the part of Jerry Dammers and the 2 Tone label tackling as it did  the subject of rape and sexual violence at a time when such issues remained unvoiced, especially in the 'pop' world (although it has to be said that  The Fun Boy Three recorded the disturbing 'Well Fancy That!' the following year). It is difficult to imagine just how far from a 'woke' society we were living in in 1982.

The Special AKA were not finished yet either. Unarguably, their finest moment came in 1984 with the release of 'Nelson Mandela'. A song which, along with a huge 70th birthday tribute show staged some years later, played a pivotal role in the events that lead up to the release of Mandela who after 27 years in captivity went on to become the first president of South Africa. Our Rhoda was a vocalist on this track too.

It could be said that 'Nelson Mandela' was a swansong of the 2 Tone era, a journey of some five years that broke down barriers and even changed people's lives. On the recording (produced by Elvis Costello, as was the first Specials album) were Jerry, Brad, John Shipley (a former Swinging Cat), Rhoda and Dick Cuthell, whilst Lynval, Elvis, Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling offered backing vocals. A proper 2 Tone collective effort. A live performance of the song with the Special AKA with Elvis, Roger and Dave on backing vocals is a classic bit of 2 Tone footage.

Those who do not see beyond the boisterous, playful side of 2 Tone should take some time to venture into the label's back catalogue. It is for this reason that I consider the 2 Tone label and the bands associated with it to be as important as the original bands linked to punk's Year Zero.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-tQNkhcRoZ7

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-tgzwAgl4MI

01. Concrete Jungle

02. Sock It To ‘Em JB

03. Hey Little Rich Girl

04. Crowd Problems

05. Rat Race

06. Why?

07. Pearl’s Café

08. I Can’t Stand It

09. The Boiler

10. Friday Night, Saturday Morning

11. Maggie’s Farm

12. Chang Kai Shek

13. Stereotypes

14. International Jet Set

15. Do Nothing

16. Man At C&A

17. Nite Klub

18. Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)