Union Transfer Philadelphia 5th June 2013

Good morning! Here's is another recording from the band's 2013 Stateside trip, this time from that music stronghold Philadelphia.

MP3 (as received): http://we.tl/vdiHzxNLxT

01. Waltzinblack
02. Toiler On The Sea
03. Goodbye Toulouse
04. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
05. Norfolk Coast
06. Nuclear Device
07. Freedom Is Insane
08. Mercury Rising
09. Peaches
10. Relentless
11. Golden Brown
12. Skin Deep
13. Always The Sun
14. Walk On By
15. Burning Up Time
16. Nice ‘N’ Sleazy
17. Hey! Rise Of The Robots
18. Who Wants The World
19. Time Was Once On My Side
20. Duchess
21. No More Heroes
22. 5 Minutes
23. Straighten Out
24. Hanging Around
25. Tank

Baz on stage at the Union Transfer

5th June 2013

The Vapors - Marquee London Gig Review (Sounds 1st September 1979)

A gig review to make Owen Carne weep! Despite the article title, in actual fact on this night the Vapors were supporting the bigger band in the Autumn of '79, The Chords. The Vapors however clearly are deemed more worthy of the column inches on this occasion. The yet to be released 'Turning Japanese' is singled out (no pun intended) as a stand out track in the band's set.

'Turning Japanese' was actually the first single that I purchased from WH Smiths with my own money. Then I am sorry to say that since my next door neighbour bought it as well, I agreed to exchange mine for something else so we could double our music collections in less than 15 minutes by recording the other. I hate to say it but I exchanged a new wave classic for......... 'Kool In The Kaftan' something of a novelty hit (weren't they all!) by Scottish songwriter and Multi-Coloured Swap Shop collaborator B.A. Robertson! Oh the shame of it all..... I do stand however by the fact that technically 'Turning Japanese' was still my first purchase.

In the above review, I like the reference to 'the Foxton-faced Dave Fenton'.

Here's a somewhat later radio gig from March 1981 when they played a home turf gig at the Civic Hall in Guildford.

FLAC: http://we.tl/k52ELDkUL1

01. News At Ten
02. Johnny's In Love (Again)
03. Sixty Second Interval
04. Jimmie Jones
05. Turning Japanese
06. Daylight Titans
07. Magnets
08. Isolated Case
09. Letter From Hiro
10. Live At The Marquee
11. Civic Hall
12. Bunkers

Buzzcocks - A Different Kind Of Tension (Record Mirror Review 22nd September 1979)

I have banged on about it on many occasions. 1979..... a year without compare in the terms of music (or at least the music that floats my boat). Buzzcocks' third album is certainly one of at least 20 albums of the year for me.

The term the 'difficult third album' is a bit of a cliche in the music business but it is one that makes good sense, the first album elevates the status of a band and propels them into the limelight, the second album sells on the back of the first's success, but the third album must be something different so as not to repeat the formula.... and that can cost fans. 'The difficult third album' could be defined by 'A Different Kind of Tension'. It takes the band in a slightly new direction sure, but more than that it can be difficult to listen to in parts. To my ears it is all about tension...... oh, with a liberal helping of paranoia with which it fairly drips. I rather suspect that substances were involved at the time. In actual fact, the band were motoring through lashings of drugs at the time of the recording, notably acid. The resulting tunes like 'Hollow Inside', 'I Believe' and 'Money' are very claustrophobic and at certain times can put me rather on edge (depending on my mood). Add to these tracks other contemporary songs like 'Something's Gone Wrong Again' and it's quite apparent that Buzzcocks where occupying quite a dark place in 1979!

If you don't own this record I would urge you to get the two disc reissue.

The album appeared to be well received at the time (well at least as far as the Record Mirror review goes scoring a maximum 5 stars).

The band toured the album extensively across the UK in October/November 1979 (the Rainbow date on 9th November has been released as 'Small Songs With Big Hearts') before heading Stateside in December.

From that US tour, here is a full set show from The Stardust Ballroom Hollywood California on 12th December.

WAV: http://we.tl/ksgsxrYnPL

01 I Don't Mind
02 Autonomy
03 Ever Fallen In Love With......
04 Mad,Mad Judy
05 Sixteen
06 Moving Away From The Pulsebeat
07 Noise Annoys
08 Love You More
09 What Do I Get ?
10 Harmony In My Head
11 Everybody's Happy Nowadays
12 You Say You Don't Love Me
13 I Don't Know What To Do With My Life
14 I Believe
15 Breakdown
16 Fast Cars
17 Boredom
18 Oh Shit !

Oh, How The English (and the Anglo-French!) Love To Queue

A new photo for me from the Wembley photo session. Admission with a racecard included relates to the use of the stadium as a greyhound track.

Shepherds Bush Empire London 3rd June 1995

Here's a boot that has been requested (sorry I haven't your name) from the first part of the 'About Time' tour in the summer of '95. Notable is the inclusion of 'English Towns' considered by some to be a filler track on the 'No More Heroes' album, but thought of by others, myself included, to be a classic Stranglers track.

MP3 (as received): http://we.tl/DOuHOwYVxo

Artwork: http://we.tl/cmwZdzwaVW

01. Intro (Waltzinblack)
02. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
03. Golden Boy
04. Bring On The Nubiles
05. Money
06. Nice 'N' Sleazy
07. Face
08. Golden Brown
09. Paradise Row
10. Laughing At The Rain
11. Straighten Out
12. Still Life

01. Lies & Deception
02. Goodbye Toulouse
03. Sinister
04. 5 Minutes
05. Something Better Change
06. Duchess
07. Nuclear Device
08. Go Buddy Go
09. All Day & All Of The Night
10. English Towns
11. Thrown Away
12. Hanging Around

The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Belfast 1st May 2015

Here's a festival set from the beginning of the month when the band crossed over the Irish Sea to play the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast. Many thanks to Ronnie for this one!

MP3 (as received): http://we.tl/EIcc3k8oWl

Artwork: http://we.tl/OrBJV4Zr0N

01. Toiler On The Sea
02. Straighten Out
03. (Get A) Grip (On Yourself)
04. I’ve Been Wild
05. Four Horsemen
06. Relentless
07. Baroque Bordello
08. Golden Brown
09. Always The Sun
10. 5 Minutes
11. Freedom Is Insane
12. Time To Die
13. Norfolk Coast
14. I Feel Like A Wog
15. Skin Deep
16. Peaches
17. Time Was Once On My Side
18. Lost Control
19. Duchess
20. Curfew
21. Walk On By
22. No More Heroes

The Rezillos The Dome Brighton 3rd March 2015

From the opening night of the tour, here's Anglo-Scottish pop punkers The Rezillos. Many thanks to Chatts for the recording and Andy Miller for the pictures.

FLAC: http://we.tl/ocR16bZxh1

Artwork: http://we.tl/OLDomveTw6

01 Destination Venus
02 Flying Saucer Attack
03 Groovy Room
04 Sorry About Tomorrow
05 Bad Guy Reaction
06 Tiny Boy
07 Nearly Human
08 Life's A Bitch
09 Good Sculptures
10 Top Of The Pops
11 River Deep Mountain High
12 I Can't Stand My Baby
13 Someone's Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight