Buckle up and behold pals: as we bring you, blasting their way out of Canvey's sea-walls- The Ends. As featured in session here on Podrophenia last year.
A live session in fact, that sowed the seed for the idea of our second release on the Podrophenia record label.
When can we get our sticky mitts on a copy they chorused. Febuary 28th...with a live night in Southend, Natch!
Behold and buckle up West-enders as Nagasaki noise rockers Guitarwolf hit London’s legendary 100 Club tonight as part of their British blitz and finishing at Southend's Railway Hotel tomorrow (with support from Eight Round Rapid).
Expect an explosive evening of firebrand garage by way of Guitarwolf’s signature sound.
But what makes this event extra tempting is the one-off, double-whammy deal – as for this date only, Guitarwolf’s guests on the gig are The Mutants – the mutated all-star line up of legends this site and Vive Le Rock mag, have been bringing you up to speed with over the last year
Featuring Chris Constaninou on bass and vox, Paul Frazer on guitar and Rat Scabies on drums, it'll all be kicking off on Oxford Street tonight
Your recommended reading for this month: the most rock 'n' roll mag on the shelves Vive Le Rock
From me, you've got a meet The Mutants feature, catching up with Chris Constantinou about the band and how the Mutie co-conspirators were recruited. Also an interview with Wilko on how the MC5 changed his life..
Reviews-wise Ian McLagen's newbie and a Wilko Johnson double-barrel best of are under the spotlight as well also Barry Cain's Wet Dreams, Dry Lives.
Other nuggets between the covers include the Eight Rounds Rapid album reviewed. interviews with Bob Mould, the Bunnymen, Neville Staples, Sisters of Mercy and the Bermondsey Joyriders.
Available at WHSmith and all in the know newsagents...
The Mutantsareatwin-turbo unit of Chris Constantinou (The
Wolfmen, Adam Ant) and Paul
Frazer (Black Futures) penning new
tunes and recruiting three generations of all-star icons and idols for guest
appearances
In a Mutant’s
super-scoop, lead-off singleWalking
Wounded reunites two pure bred legends Wilko
Johnson and Wayne Kramer - back
together for the first time since sharing a bill at The London Rock n’ Roll
Show, Wembley, 1972. Wilko has repeatedly said seeing the MC5‘s performance that
day changed his life, as he quit teaching to become a full time rock ‘n’
roller.
A key moment of rock 'n' roll history, Walking
Wounded not only reunites Wilko and
Wayne but, is the first time the duo
have recorded together. A full-pelt belter ‘Wounded’ sees Johnson
and Kramer trading and exchanging Oil city skitter and Detroit squeals, while out-front
is a raw power performance from Belfast's finest, Jake Burns – backed by a
dream team rhythm section of Rat Scabies
and Norman Watt-Roy alongside Chris Constantinou and Paul Frazer
Flipside Brixton Est Loco: is agit-punk-reggae with sound system boom and TV Smith and Neville Staples tag-teaming, backed by Rat Scabies, The Specials Horn Players and Chris Constantinou and Paul Frazer
Walking Wounded and Brixton Est Loco are twin teaser
trailers for the album The Rhythm And
Punk Review with you later this year where The Mutants are joined by Wilko,
Wayne, Rat and a rogues gallery of Norman Watt Roy, TV Smith, Charlie Harper, Jake Burns, Knox, Neville
Staple, Judy Nylon, Charlie Harper, Beki Bondage, Texas Terri Bomb, Preston
Heymanand more - for filthy
and furious floor-shakers, retracing the roots of punk, new wave and
ska, and reuniting first generation icons and pioneers with the nest new
young-bloods blazing away today.
A punk
primer for the iGeneration
The Mutants are coming. Are
you ready to be mutated? For more info head over to the Mutants HQ...
What a team-up, what a tear-up, what a two way split of Saturday night flavours are due at Southend's Railway Hotel tomorrow night. Why?
Put together and promoted by Retro Man, Southend Punk and Podrophenia - the evening's bill of events opens with Eight Rounds Rapid's returning to Southend after a snatch of London gigs and a slot supporting Wilko Johnson at Koko..
8RR have had a glowing year, gathering nods and noises from reviewers, record shops, radio presenters, and - have been voted as one of the best bands of 2013 by David Quantick.
Any remaining copies of limited seven inch Writeabout/Steve (Podrophenia Records) will be baggable on the night
Returning for a third visit to one of his favourite UK venues - TV Smith. If you’ve ever seen TV at one of his solo shows you’ll know you’re never left feeling short-changed by his performance. Every syllable is deployed at full trajectory, as is each wrenched sweat-bead and shred-throated vocal.
Confessions, observations, opinions and solutions are are delivered with sharp eyed acoustic analysis. As TV said in an interview this week with our local paper The Echo 'The industry rejected me, now I'm rejecting it, and I can tell a better story at the age of 57, than I could at 17'
Post bands Piley and I will be slinging in a mix of Podrophenia favourites and floor-fillers until 1. Come on down, it will be a belter... If your winging your way down sign up here
The spiritual home of punk'... they chorused. How so?
Ian Dury: Essex boy and day tripper to Sunny Sarfend, where, he caught his polio dose, giving him a buckled bearing later aped on stage by Johnny Rotten. Following the High Roads era, Dury and The Blockheads signed to Stiff Records - see below.
Dr Feelgood: described by Joe Strummer as 'a machine' - The Feelgoods parenting of punk can't be over-estimated: snatching pub rock back from an infestation of denim-clad, pseudo Americana musos, then charging it with an amphetamine, booze fuelled, grubby-suited aggression, Anglicised angle and confrontational face-front stare... With a run of ram raiding residencies at key London venues delivering battering Estuary rhythms. Venues that would become the birthing pools of punk.
Clem Burke has gone on record saying the Feelgoods album Malpractice was a perma-play and source of sonic inspiration at New York loft parties among the gathering gutterati of the NY scene - Blondie, Talking Heads, Television.
Then there's the matter of a £400 loan from Lee Brilleaux used to setup Stiff Records - who, released the first punk single New Rose, and punk album Damned, Damned, Damned from - The Damned..
Eddie and The Hot Rods: a younger snarlier Feelgoods and Stiff label-mates to The Damned. Southender Paul Gray eventually left the Hot Rods to join The Damned. And has just recently reunited with Captain Sensible for The Sensible Gray Cells
TV Smith a Romford boy, whose Adverts One Chord Wonders single was released on Stiff (leading back to the Brilleaux loan) ..
So where does this windy theory wind it's way to - well, TV Smith is back for his third Southend visit on the 7th December. Support comes from Eight Rounds Rapid (with a Feelgood offspring hiding in the line up).. An evening of baton-handing from first generation punk to the nu-New Wave of 8RR
And there's an aftershow shindig from Piley and myself..
It's brought you by the Retro Man Blog, Southend Punk and Podrophenia - and takes place at The Railway Hotel - Wilko Johnson's favourite local, and the venue of choice for spiky tops on tour,. John Cooper Clarke, Glen Matlock and Clem Burke,
We had stage diving at the first TV gig, a stage invasion at the second - and as TV said, how are we gonna top it next time - let's found out on the 7th....
Teenage Dream achieved - interviewing The Damned about their 35 year career
It's a double helping of Peel themed treats for this year's John Peel Day. Find your own unique Peel Band Name, and two Peel session exclusives from The Damned...
The Peel Name Band Generator..
How does it work? Dead simples. Take...
A) a charity you support - National Trust
B) a parents job - Newsagents
Bolt them together - and there's your Peel Band name - National Trust Newsagents
Examples submitted include....
Mind Cleaner
Leprosy Reps
Macmillan and Housewife
Guide Dog Librarian...
Either post your Peelers here. Or if you're a Twitterer - Tweet and tag your answers #keepingitpeel to @Foundpeelbands
As a bonus what have we got for tricks and treats? Two cover versions never committed to vinyl, and only ever appearing during John Peel sessions from long haul faves of the PM blog - The Damned.
From 22nd October 1979: Cream's I'm So Glad - refitted as I'm So Bored, meddling together nods and nudges to Gary Numan, The Specials and John Du Cann
Back in the pre-digital dark ages I had both of these cuts rendered to hissing ol' tape, by some late night nifty fingered clicking on play/record.. possibly replaced by a booty from Kensington Market later
Further reading
Dig back for these previous Peel releated run-outs
A Podrophenia special with Roman Jugg talking about, Bowie, the Sex Pistols, The Damned and Phantom Chords - the vid above comes from Podrophenia (with Piley and I doing the spoken word middle section) - download the show below
Following on from last week's record shop round-up, behold as Eight Rounds Rapid Writeabout spends a third week on Norman Records best seller chart - and goes on to Rough Trade's recommended listening list.
But don't just take the rubber stamped Rough Trade/Podrophenia seal of approval as indicator of what a slam-handed wall of sound of the single is. The collected web whispers and reviews are glowing, and gathered together below - a recommended reading list of the Eight Rounders reviews.....
Eyeplug Magazine'Not for years has complaint rock sounded this mean, this exciting, brimming over with anger. An absolutely perfect storm' Sputnik Music 'The infectious energy is absorbing on every level'
Gigslutz - 'Fantastically unique – an exciting cacophony of sound that should not pass you by'.
Eyeplug Magazine (so good they reviewed it twice) 'venomous slice of back to basics rock n roll, coupled with socially observant lyrics'
Ralph's Life'coming at you full on with post-punk ferocity, just plain nasty!'
RW/FF review and Track of the Day: 'A tune that I genuinely can't get enough of, and a must-listen for indie and punk people' Fruitbat Walton - Top Ten Track
Should you fancy a blast of Writeabout. tune into this weeks Punky! Radio - or download here
Friday night is music night: live tonight in Londinium - Eight Rounds Rapid at the Spice of Life, Soho
Swishy, sweaty and spectacular - is the answer! And where we were joined by London based label bosses, journalists, DJs - and our surprise, special guest, watching from side-stage - Mr Wilko Johnson..
Round One... Swindle.
With fourteen songs, one set list to sequence and only two evenings for me to rehearse (at home, playing along to the records) - we set up our stall of seditious and subversive standards, opening with a triple-fisted slam of Bodies, I Fought the Law, and Neat Neat Neat - exiting stage left, one plectrum-snapping, sweat-heavy, sticky-steaming hour later. - closing with a sing-a-long final lap of Pretty Vacant, Blitzkrieg Bop and Another Girl Another Planet (for the encore)
Round Two - Eight Rounds Rapid
The last time Eight Rounds stepped onto a Southend stage, prior to Wilko's Farewell tour - was for our Podrophenia/8RR/Thee Faction team-up. During the course of a sixty minute set mixing known faves and new songs (Bully Boy) 8RR took The Railway apart track by track. Of course there are shadows of the Feelgoods in the sour expressions and ruffled 'n' dusty suits, but these boys are an all-new threat, with the heavy-level menace and cocksure manner of villains at a secret speakeasy planning an international blag.
Lee Watkins jabs and batters his kit like a boxer at a sparring session. Bass player Juju prowls, grins and winks like a card sharp, while Simon Johnson is all fidgets and tics, hoovering around the stage crackling and overcharged as if he's been wired directly into to the national grid. By contrast Dave Alexander's static, crisp 'n' dry delivery, face-front manner and unblinking stare have the command and control of Michael Caine's performance in Get Carter. A game-raising display that saw the Eight Rounders literally drawing blood, sweat and tear-ups for the assembled home crowd and visiting London callers
Round Three - Podrophenia
For the after-show in bar from 11 onwards, Piley and I tag-teamed between nineties indie-bits and obscure popsters, to soul shakers, funky covers and something that's becoming a standard - passing the disco baton from K C (me) to Donna Summer (Piley).. And behold - as Mike Herbage, he of Department S, takes a breather from shaking a Podrophonic leg to our tunes… (stage right, glasses - holding a drink)
For the full glory and gallery of the evening (and until we re-group again in December) have a thumb threw Paul Hughes Flickr sets hereabouts
So after two weeks of hair-tearing, hoop-jumping, faulty Macs, missed deadlines and infinitely patient PAs - Pal Pete finally came up with goods and popped his replies into my electronic inbox - at literally the 11th hour.
But *breathes and relaxes* it was worth the wait - as his answers are deliciously written and Peter is on perfect form relaying tales of a Catholic upbringing, what BBC engineers clad in lab-coats made of ver 'Haus at their first Beeb sessions - and, talk of his due-soon album produced by youth
It's all browsable in the latest issue Vive Le Rock - six pages of pale and interesting action with original eighties Rocky Horror Show. Alongside a spectacularly accurate take on Bauhaus from Louise Ann Oldroyd, and insights on the band and their cadaverous body of work from Cathi Unsworth, Syd Moore, Paul Tunkin and Tronik Youth...
You'll also find me contributing to the Guida interview and a couple reviews in the back pages: TV Smith and this Northern Soul comp with two related vids on the DVD - Function at the Junction, and The Way of the Crowd...
The explosive Mikabomb hit Southend's Railway Hotel this Saturday. Are they J-pop, is it J-punk?. Either way, come on down and have a J-pogo.
Parked midway between The 5.6.7.8's and The Ramones, - Mikabomb's setlist is loaded with sweet-toothed treats that explode like space dust, and power along like the Tokyo bullet train.
But don't just take my word for it - Steve Lamacq calls them the best band to come from Japan.
It's all free, and I'll be DJing in the bar before and after the band from eight. Sicknotes will be exppected for non-attandence. All the info you need to know is here....
And what's this The Railway coming to Channel 4!!!
A four-way whammy of winners were on Friday night's bill for The Railway shakedown. I'd managed to grab a loose-blues jam with opening act BONE down In the bar earlier that evening, but due to a few backstage scoops missed his and J.D Smith's main stage sets.
Instead, I crept in late to catch the incredible and insane world of Thomas Truax. Who, travels minstrel style around and about the hemisphere pitching up for gigs with an orchestra of self-built percussive and musical mechanicals. The Mother Superior,The Hornicator: think Wilf Lunn goes steam punk for a David Lynch soundtrack, with each song and instrument introduced and contextualised in a Rich Hall style Texan drawl.
Like TV Smith's solo sets - Ed Tudor Pole, sand-blasts punk's energy and attitude back to raw, acoustic roots, deploying his set as almost protest-folk in the tradition of Wat Tyler meets Woody Guthrie. Still as animated and erratic as when first stepped onto a stage to audition for the Pistols, Pal Ed is Wide-eyed, excitable and engages with audience, fidgeting 'n' twitching around the stage like a battery hen liberated and let loose into a widescreen horizon
At the close of Ed's set an in-house scratch band - Dave Deville, (guitar) Dave Dulake (drums) me (bass) were summoned onstage for a few Chuck Berry numbers, a gospel cover and of course Swords of a Thousand Men. And what an absolute first class blast was had by all. A blinder, a belter and teenage dream to share a stage with a former Sex Pistol (albeit by his own admission for just two weeks) .
Saturday and it's along to Old Leigh way for the Woodcock Festival. A shuffle of pre-booked bands and open mic types. After Dave Woodcock kindly pitching up for Podrophenia so regularly - it was a treat to be able to join him for an outdoor jam, with a pint on the table, the estuary behind us and the Crooked Billet ahead, blasting out the Chuck Berry and Little Richard covers.
There are even whispers we may be reuniting for a repeat performance on the 28th of April at the Sarah Moore - should you be buzzing about the Broadway that evening.
In the summer of 1980 as a trembling teenage punk - and some several years below the age requirement of an X Certificate - I managed to blag my way in to the local Odeon (wearing a homemade Who Killed Bambi T-shirt) to see the Sex Pistols cinematic release - the Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. A rambling, scrappy and ultimately disappointing ninety minutes that could have offered so much more (are the hours of unseen out takes and extras ever going to be released?)
Although the opening moments had me wide-eyed and gripped, seeing live(ish) Sex Pistols actually moving around - in an era when the only snatched exposures of musical heroes and idols were frozen monochromatic music press photos - intercut with Helen of Troy collecting together the Swindle lettering while the Pistols auditioned for a Johnny Rotten replacement. A role that eventually went to the manic, erratic Ed Tudor-Pole -
The date of my visit to the flix is documented hereabouts (19th). So a mind-frying Friday night lies ahead tonight as I'll be sharing a stage for a few tunes with ex-Pistol himself - Tenpole Tudor!! It's a return visit to Southend's most rock 'n' roll local The Railway for Ed TP, on a bill that also includes J.D Smith, BONE and Thomas Truax And finally Dave Deville and myself will be joining Mr Pole for a few covers and of course....
If you're round and about Southend way swing by and come on down for a Friday night bounce...
Our first Podrophonic Live Night of 2013 takes place in just four Fridays time at Southend's most rock 'n' roll local - The Railway Hotel
Friday the 1st February sees the two-fisted team up of Thee Faction and Eight Rounds Rapid reunited once again after their high-firing first twin-billing back in September - a night rubber-stamped as 'thebest night out in Britain. Fact' by Thee Faction and 8RR saluted as 'the best young band in Britain'
If you haven't heard either - try a taste below
After the gig - (upstairs), Piley and I will be winging in a few tunes by way of the Podrophenia Roadshow in the main bar - (downstairs). so come along, raise a glass and shake a leg.
But if you can't make the evening- spin the words and whispers and spread the revolutionary ripples redirecting pals to the event info here
Last call, last call - for TV Smith at Southend's Railway Hotel tonight.
The evening's programme of events will open with a solo spot from Mr Dick York (of Crysiss)
.
Followed by Southend's own Tuppenny Bunters, a drums and keys two piece, consisting of Fi and Dave Dulake - managers of The Railway (so no excuse for late arrival there)
And finally Mr TV of Smith rabble-rowsing the crowd with his mix raw-rooted acoustic punk and protest folk.
But behold: there'll also be merchandise stalls: CDs, Sophie Lo posters and handmade Gaye Advert jewellery for sale.
In and around the bands Piley and I will being slinging in some Podrophonic stompers 'n' stampers throughout the aftershow in the main bar until 1am.
It's free and starts at 8:30.
So don't just sit there pal, hoof yourself Southendwards from 8
Two weeks. A fortnight. Fourteen days - until TV Smith of The Adverts returns to The Railway for his second Southend run of the year, and our fourth Podrophenia Roadshow.. Which, sees Piley and I teaming-up with Retroman Promotions and Southend Punk to bolt together a night of acoustic and stripped down punk and funky tracks between the bands.
Our June do was an absolute ram-out. The September charabanc with Thee Faction and Eight Rounds Rapid was described by Thee Faction as 'the best night out in Britain'
So book the babysitters, ready your pogo-ing legs and lend us your attendance here
for Friday the 23rd of November
What a gent, what a legend - what an articulate and intelligent chap. Who? Hugh Cornwell - as interviewed (by me) - for the latest issue of Vive Le Rock.
Fourty minutes seems to be the going rate for a natter-about with yer Elders of Rock - not so Sir Hugh of Cornwell. Two hours of dinner, drinks and chattery, parked up in a polite gastro-pub Ladbroke Grove way. Where, we discussed the new album Totem and Taboo, the new tour, and his recent reworking of Golden Brown in a Marachi style - a cover that's caused crackles in the hackles of some Stranglers avids...
It's all available to view in the latest Vive Le Rock
As a Men in Black bonus, Barry Cain pitches in with an exclusive two-fisted tale of accompanying The Stranglers while they fire up a full-flight riot in Rome.
Barry and the Boys in Black, in Rome
So where in the name of Gary Gilmore does TV Smith come into all of this? Well, Mr Tim returns for his second visit to Southend's Railway Hotel on November 23rd. In fact TV was so buzzed after his last gig he booked this one the very next day! With a note that read
"I'm definitely putting the Railway on my list of "regulars!" Venues run by music lovers for music lovers are something I'm used to in the rest of Europe, but they're a rare thing in the UK..!"
We're running it as three way whammy of : Retroman Promotions, Southend Punk and Radio Podrophenia (we're DJing on the night). The Facebook page is here if you need all the dates and details
We'd love to see you on the night, whether you're a local or a grockel....
Take a stroll to the bottom of this post and you'll see the cover of the latest issue (# 8) of Vive Le Rock, an edition frothing over with interviews: Richard Hawley, Kevin Rowland, Steve Jones, Wayne Hussey - also album, book and gig reviews.
Take a thumb through the reviews section of VLR and you'll find me holding up score cards for the New York Dolls, Suzi Quatro, Dirtbox Disco and Zoe Howe's Wilko Johnson biography - written in collaboration with Wilko himself.
Understandably with such a packed programme, editorial tweaks and changes were necessary to keep to the word count. So, here's my submitted review of Looking Back At Me - and the published version. A tip of the titfer is due to all at VLR HQ for trimming it down, and, keeping the essence intact.
You'll also notice a couple of questions pitched at his Royal Wilko-ness, click on the VLR cover pic to get the rest of our chat and natter...
It's no overstatement to say I've probably ploughed through too many rock biographies in my time. Although only a handful are so supremely sculpted that they will stay with me forever. Looking Back At Me is one for this hand-picked library. Much more than the sum of it's parts - and larger than a life story, this is John Wilkinson walking and talking you through an oral and pictorial history (school reports, rare paintings/photo's memorabilia) of all that is Wilko: academia, anarchy, art, rock 'n' roll and carrying forward the tradition of journeymen blues musicians handing down their tales of troubles and travels.
If you've been lucky enough to have met Wilko ( I have, several times as we drink at the same pub) you'll know what you see onstage is exactly what you get offstage, an explosion of arm flailing, bug eyed-expressionism, intellectual theorising and raconteurism. Wilko isn't someone who knows stillness in anyway. There is no off button.
Zoe Howe's sensitive positioning of all the multi-faceted pieces that make up her study, perfectly renders Wilko's unrelenting restless energy and constant forward motion - she's pulled off the impossible trick of bottling Wilko's (smokestack) lightening. There's blood on the scratchplate, Canvey mud under his nails and the Thames Delta blues runs through him like a stick of Southend rock. Looking Back at Me is a stunning reinvention of the rock memoir format - a combination of compendium and confessional - creating a new standard which all future music biographies should measured against.
To catch the rest of our Looking Back chat - click on the VLR pic
As mentioned at the top the page, the New York Dolls blitzing new album Live From The Bowery is lent a critical ear in VLR - taste test one tune from it here....
It's something of repeat motif around this semi detached corner of Cyberspace - but, The Railway Hotelis Southend's most rock 'n' roll local.
Run by two multi-instrumentalist musicians -Fi Jacobs and Dave Dulake, it's a pub with a platinum plated pedigree that - over the recent run of months has hosted: Chas Hodges honky-tonking it up on the pub's grand piano (joined by his son on drums), one of Britain's premier league harpists Wes Weston regularly hooting 'n' tooting along with Martin McNeill's Bottletop Blues Band. A pub quiz hosted by Ed Tudor-Pole and John Cooper Clarke winging in for a gig (with Wilko Johnson in the audience)
And the Feeding of the Five Thousand. An all-you-can-eat endurance challenge, seeing who can chow down and plough through the all-veggie pub menu before the Crass album of the same name completes.
On a similar riff a couple of weeks previously, Piley and myself popped in for our usual pre-show pint and noticed a petit, pixie faced lady framed with a floss of backcombed hair, topped off with a red beret. Who, it turned out - was Crass vocalist Eve Libertine.
Eve had dropped in to taste test The Railway's Crass Burger, loved the grub, the pub and parked herself there until closing time.
Luckily I managed to grab a handful of natter with her...
Me: Relaying how Reality Asylum is still one of the spookiest tunes ever rendered to record and rattled me somthing rotten as a teen. Eve: That she's still musically active and working with Mark Webber at the mo' - but has also been pitching with in with Mark Stewart ex of The Pop Group.
And what a fine slice of elctro agit-pop they've produced with Nothing is Sacred...which you can grab for free - at Mark's website hereabouts..
And check out his newie due in Feb (20th) - a Primal Scream team-up
Should you be hanging around town Southend way - whizz your way to The Railway. You never know who you'll meet. Or track them on the Twitterverse. The Railway
Whether you're a long-haul reader or casual browser of this blog - you'll probably know if there's one band that kick-started my passion for punk, fired my energy and enthusiasm for gig-going and wide-screened my musical horizons with their technicolour productions tuning me in to strange new worlds: psyche, garage and power-prog - it is The Damned.
A regular rant of mine typically riffs on how under-valued and hugely influential this national treasure of a group are. A group with one of rock's (not just punk's - but rock's) finest guitarists on fret 'n' jangle-duties. So, it's no overstatement to say - getting yer actual Captain Sensible on this ol' blog is an absolute super scoop of the century for me...
Well, what are we waiting for gang - let's get to it and crack on with Captain.
Christmas seems the perfect time for your tour with the Glitter Band. What can we expect to see in the setlist..Glam anthems, Damned tunes (Sanity Clause?) Captain solo hits and Christmas bits - and is it a double bill or team up.
I'm definitely going back to revisit my 80s pop material. Not just Happy Talk.... there's some lovely tunes in there. Right jangly stuff too, that in my opinion gives Pop a GOOD name. Like before Simon Cowell made you avoid the charts.
I have ALSO been invited to do a song or two with the Glitter Band which might be a giggle.
The Damned appeared on Mike ‘cue the music’ Mansfield’s Supersonic pop show in early 77 – alongside: Cliff Richard, Guys and Dolls and Leo Sayer. How did these established polite pop acts react to having such a hi-energy punk band on the bill..
Cliff hated us, he just doesn't get punk at all. He's old in the head, even back in the day. Couldn't he see that we were getting the same bad headlines that his hero Elvis had gotten? Supersonic was good cos they mixed up the acts.... a little bit like Jools. Holland - except for the fact that the Jools show won't have us on. Even when we release albums. What the problem is I have no idea.... I used to get on OK with Squeeze and JH himself. Maybe it's just some daft production policy - no UK punk bands maybe?
And THAT would be a disgrace for, whatever anyone thinks of 1977 and all that the eyes of the world's music scene were VERY MUCH on Belfast, London and Manchester and the UK in general where there was a music revolution going on. Crazy days that will be talked about for decades to come. This country should be PROUD of it's punk days - and play the bands on the radio occasionally - the BBC take note!!!
Marc Bolan took The Damned on tour as support in '77. I've read mixed reports of him during the mid 70s - but what are your memories of Marc
Nice chap, VERY helpful... full of advice about the music biz. Took us on the road in his tour bus. Sociable too. I used to pop in his dressing room as there was always a bottle of bubbly on the go. He lent me his shades one night after I sat on mine.
Why do you think most newbie bands seem happy to gig in their gardening gear - what happened to rockers looking like Rock Stars - why do you think dressing up seems to have disappeared
It'll come round again. When glam was 'cool' everyone had to wear the daft garb and it was reflected in street dress too. And then punk came along, which meant posh people had to ditch the expensive apparel if they wanted to be in fashion. What fun.
Wearing anoraks onstage is taking it a bit far the other way though.
There used to be a tradition of crowd-rousing band members (Rod Stewart, Noddy Holder, Freddie Mercury, Captain Sensible) - any thoughts on why newer performers don't work or interact with an audience in the same way
Can't say as I don't follow the scene at all. After seeing gigs by Sweet, The Groundhogs and Brian Auger why would you want to see these stage school educated bands around today?I'm sure there are WONDERFUL performers around.... some quirky eccentrics with totally original ideas but I can't be bothered to plough through the ubiquitous dross to find 'em.
Couple of local interest bits: I saw The Damned at Crocs in Rayleigh 1983 – with a totally over-capacity crowd in a tiny venue (exploding modern Health and Safety standards) do you have any memories of these shows..
Nup. Sounds like fun though......
The Damned's set-list September 10th 1983
Another Southend question: if you had any free time, which of these Southend Rock 'n' Roll landmarks would you visit?
1)The club where Donovan was discovered in Westcliff 2)Oil City (Canvey Island) home to Dr Feelgood and the Eddie and Hot Rods ,
3)Have an ice cream at Rossi's Ice Cream Parlour (relations of Francis Rossi) 4)Or, being a train fan - can the lot and catch a train to the end of Southend Pier (the World's longest pleasure pier)
Yes, I'm interested in all of these.... Don's 'Catch The Wind' is such a lovely song. I did that onstage myself a few times. You can't beat the Rods and Feelgoods for sleazy R+B..... and 'Ma kelly's Greasy Spoon' by the Quo is a forgotten masterpiece. Recorded just before their sound had gelled into a formula. They used to have a drink in the bar with their audience occasionally too..... a tradition the Damned carried on with some enthusiasm.
I'm still a 'spotter' too.....
[Captain's written a great piece on an Ivor the Engine style adventure here]
Do you think the influence of glam on punk has become overlooked. Which Glam bands did you catch in concert as a teen and who were your faves.
Yes, a lot of punk bands were into glam..... Mark E Smith was well into the Glitter thing, I loved T Rex and their beautifully simple riffy pop and who could not dig Sweet, described as 'brickies in tinfoil' by some wag at the time. Will you be sticking to your signature SG style guitars for the tour or going for something more Dave Hill-ish
I'm not playing a loud raucous set - it'll be full of thoughtful melancholy tinged jangly songs so - no.
Hopefully there'll be no gobbing at gigs - what a disgusting carry on that was, how did you put up with it and when did it die out?
Blame J.Rotten esq for that. And now he advertises butter. How times change.
The Damned's last records Grave Disorder and So, Who's Paranoid are two of the bands career-best albums in my opinion - are you working on any new material
No. It's quality not quantity with the Damned BUT we are talking about a special tour concept for next year maybe playing a couple of classic Damned albums back to back with stage sets and stuff. My choice would be the 1st album and the Black Album but it'll be decided by a brainstorming session round at Mr Vanians gothic mansion over a glass or 2 of port I'd imagine.
If you had to give a novice The Captain's Guide to Glam - what albums, bands or singles - what would you recommend.
Sweet, Slade, Mud, T Rex.... and don't miss out on the hugely influential Glitter Beat just cos the Daily Mail might get offended.
Regardless of what the ex singer got up to these great records should not be shoved under the carpet. Banning stuff doesn't work.
CALLING ALL SOUTHENDERS: Captain Sensible and The Glitter Band play Chinnerys on the 13th of December - click on the pic for all tour details..
A huge salute and a tip of the beret is due to Captain for his help with this and to John Medd for making it happen (Samuel Smith's voucher is in the post matey!)
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