The Professionals Jimmy's Music Club New Orleans 12th May 1982

 

I don't know for sure what people's opinions are on The Professionals. Personally, I really like the couple of albums that they did (here I am talking about the band in the early 1980's). What did they brand this music? Power Pop? Rich Kids got lumped in as well I think. It wasn't Sex Pistols for sure, although 'Silly Thing' is the best 'non-Sex Pistols' song that Sex Pistols did!

The Professionals bootlegs that I have heard to date have all been pretty rough sounding. This one from New Orleans on their 1982 US tour is a cut above those that I have heard, quality wise.

I saw the band (without Jones) a few times and still thought they were pretty good. I was at their last gig at the 100 Club a couple of years ago, after which came the unexpected announcement that they had made the decision to call it a day. At that time we were not to know that a big Pistols reunion was just around the corner and was the reason for the parting of the ways.

Many thanks again to mark for sharing this one with me (and you). Cheers!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-KuxeMTdUcKKnGKYc

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-cazBO2mytyQw9DSG

TV Smith Cafe Nova Essen 3rd November 2004

 

An anniversary for this one. Quite a nice recording from one of TV Smith's many tours of Germany. At this time I think he was promoting 'Useless' a best of compilation. For half of the night's set he was joined on stage by Garden Gang. These were the early days of Tim coming to terms with playing Adverts' songs... something now he does with relish!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-Vd4r46gwaC4Zi22m

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-AU9DwWB2wVq2qkwY

Peter Murphy (With David J) Paramount Theatre Austin Texas 31st January 2019

 

Well it was Halloween a couple of days ago. Not that I need reminding as I plough through my own body weight of unclaimed sweets in the form of bats, skulls and eye balls!

But who needs all that American nonsense when on this side of the pond we have Samhain, marking the start of the dark half of the year, from the old religion... and Bauhaus!

This is one from from a while back when would be man bat and sometime cassette tape salesman, Pete Murphy, teamed up once more with bassist David J to toll the bell for the fortieth anniversary of the goth band without compare.... Bauhaus.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-VQDg64aV6dbVbqrG

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-vX9NhBXjWzEENGf3

The Tube Newcastle-Upon-Tyne 21st January 1983

 

Here we have another one presented from an alternative source. Checking today I can see that the earlier post from 2011 has long expired. This then from the band's first of two appearances on one of the greatest shows in the history of British television's music broadcasting. Enjoy, you groovy fuckers. Thanks once again to Mark for the share.

FLAC & MP3: https://we.tl/t-BDNSybxxFOsVr4hr

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-VTE3YajySLnC6JOw

The Specials Liberty Bell Park Philadelphia PA 22nd August 1981

I believe that this has been uploaded on here previously. But this version shared by Mark has been speed corrected and I have put together some new artwork. Many thanks Mark! This and the Oakville gig are two of my favourite Specials bootlegs. This was the last tour the original band played on, in fact the last gig the band did with Jerry Dammers was just a week after this. By this time the band were spent, having been pretty much touring constantly since the success of 'Gangsters' two years previously. They were always very different people with different ambitions for the band. The bass player was into jazz, the guitarist into rockabilly and the keyboard player was experimenting with easy listening. The members of The Specials clashed both musically and physically. Any surprise!?

I love this set, it is a mish-mash of styles, but brilliant for it. There's the fantastic anti-racist anthem, 'Why?' recounting an attack suffered by Lynval Golding, next to the harrowing rape account as told by Rhoda Dakar in 'The Boiler' (originally a Bodysnatchers song). Everyone gets in on the act, including trombonist, Rico Rodriguez as the band play his 'Chang Kai Shek'.

So this is the farewell sound of one of Britain's most important bands. In the months to come the disparate elements of the band would re-emerge in very different forms, Terry, Lynval and Neville as The Fun Boy Three, Roddy with his Tearjerkers and Brad, Horace and Jerry reverting to the Special A.K.A., a project that a couple of years down the line that would contribute massively to the overthrow of the Apartheid regime and huge political change to South Africa. Not bad for a little ska band from Coventry!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-MtiLbJjRvN4dVswp

Artwork:  https://we.tl/t-sNCQz0NpYhR0L615

Le Transbordeur Lyon 27th March 2007

 

One from the 'Suite XVI' French Spring Offensive. I did a couple of these with Paul Cooklin and a fine time was had indeed. Small venues, cheap alcohol and a band still buoyed up after the band's recent personnel change. It was a very different feel to 1991. 

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-XgQEGgKaHOeM8osQ

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-oRLo1n96rTg7gebc

Kabuki Nightclub San Francisco 5th May 1983 - UPGRADE

 

This US Feline gig has been uploaded to this site in the past in a fuller form. This version excludes the encore tracks of 'Nubiles (Cocktail Version)' and 'Genetix'. It is however a marked upgrade sound wise from the more complete version. Thanks to the original Dime uploader, mgoldey.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-PAZkPotPg9rXGFdw

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-0bWrcPHLhihqHYaf