Posts Tagged ‘classic rock’

24 Jan

Wishbone Ash Reading Festival 24th August 1975

Posted by vintagerock in Wishbone Ash. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Wishbone Ash Reading Festival 24th August 1975
readingprog75The Reading Festival hit its peak of success in the mid 1970s, and the 1975 festival sold out in advance, largely due to the appearances of headliners Yes (Saturday) and Wishbone Ash (Sunday) who were both massive bands at the time. DJs for the weekend were John Peel and Jerry Floyd. The weather was cold, with some rain, and beer can fights became constant throughout the weekend.
Following their experience of recording in the USA, Wishbone Ash decided to make the country their base, and all four members moved to Connecticut in early 1975. In April and May 1975 they undertook a US tour with Aerosmith, and then in July and August they went out on a major festival tour of Europe as part of manager Miles Copeland’s “Startrucking” package tour. The “Startrucking” tour featured Wishbone Ash, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Lou Reed, Soft Machine, Caravan, Climax Blues Band and Rory Gallagher and played major festivals in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Spain, France, Switzerland, Austria, and Reading in the UK. The tour ran into problems when headliner Lou Reed pulled out at the last moment, and became a financial disaster which resulted in Copeland having to liquidate his management company. At Reading the line-up featured “Startruckers” Wishbone Ash, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Soft Machine, Caravan, and Climax Blues Band. Lou Reed was billed to appear but did not. Wishbone Ash took out full page adverts in the UK music press saying “Welcome back to Britain. Steve – Andy – Laurie – Martin. Wishbone Ash. See them at the Reading festival”. We were all looking forward to it.
Village_Stores_at_Reading_Festival_1975It was a cold and dark as Wishbone Ash took to the stage to close the festival. A capacity crowd gave them a welcome befitting returning heroes. Their visits back home were becoming less frequent and the fans had really missed seeing them. Wishbone Ash’s set was, as always, musical perfection and included tracks from current album “There’s the Rub” alongside old favourites like  “Time Was” and “Blowin’ Free”. They started with the introduction to Pheonix, and the set closed by returning to the ending sequence of that epic song. Hearing the opening riff of “The King Will Come” cut through the air and drift across the packed field was pure magic. A great way to end the weekend, with the twin guitars of Andy Powell and Laurie Wisefield soaring through the late Sunday evening. Then it was back to our tents and a last night under the stars to the shouts of “Wally”, which continued until the early hours.
Setlist: Phoenix (intro), Rest in Peace, The King Will Come, Warrior, Persephone, Half Past Lovin’, Trust In You, Time Was, Blowin’ Free, Bad Weather Blues, Phoenix (closing section)
Thanks to David Major for allowing use of his picture of the Reading “Village Stores” through the Wikimedia commons licence. I remember the “Village Stores” very well. I can still feel the cold and the dew now. I would rise early at dawn; I could never sleep well in a tent, and the ground was so hard. At perhaps 5 or 6am I would leave my tent and walk around the site until the stores opened. I would then buy some fresh bread and milk. Luxury 🙂 It all seems so long ago now; a different age, a different place and almost a different world. Happy happy days.

 

23 Jan

Wishbone Ash Newcastle Odeon 10th October 1974

Posted by vintagerock in Bullfrog, Wishbone Ash. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Wishbone Ash Newcastle Odeon 10th October 1974
wishbone74tixTed Turner was replaced by Laurie Wisefield, who had been in Home. Andy Powell had seen Home in New York and was impressed by Laurie’s guitar work, so when Ted Turner announced his departure he seemed the obvious replacement. Laurie was to stayed with Wishbone Ash for 12 years. I’d seen Laurie in Home, and knew that he was an excellent guitarist. I could also some similarities between the melodic rock music of Home and Wishbone Ash, so I thought that he would fit well with the band. With Laurie fully onboard, Wishbone ash decamped to America and recorded “There’s the Rub”, which was their fifth studio album, the title coming from Shakespeare’s Hamlet; “To sleep—perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub.” The album contains a number of tracks which would become live favourites including “F.U.B.B.” (which caused controversy because of the acronym’s meaning: “F***ed Up Beyond Belief”), the haunting ballad “Persephone”, and “Lady Jay” which was based on the Dartmoor folk legend of “Kitty Jay”.
Wishbone Ash toured the UK in Autumn 1974, calling at Newcastle Odeon on 10th October to play to a sold out theatre. I went with my mate Norm. We had bought tickets late, perhaps even on the night outside and ended up with single seats upstairs in the circle. We watched the support act, local band Bullfrog, in our separate seats a few rows aoart. There was an empty seat next to me, so for Wishbone Ash’s set Norm sat in it, only to be challenged by an usherette shining her torch at him, when a guy arrived late to claim the seat, and he had to move swiftly.
TheresTheRubWishboneAshSetlist (thanks Mitch): Don’t Come Back, Silver Shoes, Lady Jay, The King Will Come, Warrior, Throw Down The Sword, Persephone, FUBB, Blowin’ Free, Time Was.
Encores: Home Town, No Easy Road, Where Were You Tomorrow.
Local blues rock band Bullfrog gigged a lot around that time, and were very popular in the north east. They featured Pete MacDonald on vocals who would go on to have chart success in the band Goldie with the hit single “Making Up Again”. Bass player Steve Thompson explains on his web site how they got the call for this gig: “On October 10th 1974 I got a call from our manager to say there was a gig going that very night supporting Wishbone Ash could I contact everyone and get the band together for the show. I rang round everyone including the roadies and we were ready to rock. When the call came in I had been dying my platform boots (well it was the 70’s) I fancied green but because of that call I had to turn out that night with one green boot and the other still the original cream colour. The show was at Newcastles Odeon Cinema, the one and only time we ever played there. This was before they split it up into smaller cinemas and was a huge venue.”
The next time I saw Wishbone Ash was headlining the Reading Festival in 1975. I’ll write about that tomorrow.

22 Jan

Wishbone Ash Newcastle City Hall 24 June 1973 “Live Dates”

Posted by vintagerock in Wishbone Ash. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Wishbone Ash Newcastle City Hall 24 June 1973 “Live Dates”
wishbonetix1974Wishbone Ash released their fourth album “Wishbone Four” in early 1973. It represented a departure from the sound of their first three albums and their most successful release “Argus”; there was less evidence of their trademark twin guitars, and more of a focus on harmonies and songs. A group of school mates were absolutely massive Wishbone Ash fans, and went straight out and bought it, but we all felt that it didn’t quite reach the standard which had been set by “Argus”. The music on “Four” had more of a folk-rock sound, although the album did contain a couple of rockers more typical of their earlier music, notably “No Easy Road” which had been a single in 1972, and which I’d seen them perform at Sunderland Mecca, and “Rock ‘n Roll Widow”. A few of the songs from the album were played live at the time, including “So Many Things to Say”, “Ballad of the Beacon” and “Everybody Needs a Friend”.
Wishbone Ash were back touring the UK in June 1973, and recorded a double live album at concerts in Croydon Fairfield Halls, Reading University, Portsmouth Guildhall and Newcastle City Hall, using The Rolling Stones Mobile Recording Studio. wishbonelivedatesI attended the Newcastle gig, during which three tracks: “Warrior”, “Blowingg Free” and “Throw Down the Sword” were recorded for the album. We didn’t know about the recording until we got into the City Hall. We could see a couple of mikes hanging from the ceiling (aah, such was the technology in those days 🙂 ). Then it was announced over the PA, to a big crowd cheer, that they were going to be recording the show for a future live album. The place was packed and the capacity crowd gave Wishbone Ash a tremendous reception, cheering before and after each song, all of us hoping that our voices might be heard on the lp.
Set list (thanks Mitch): The King Will Come, Warrior, Throw Down The Sword, Ballad Of The Beacon, Rock N Roll Widow, Everybody Needs A Friend, The Pilgrim, Blowin’ Free, Jail Bait, Doctor, So Many Things To Say, Baby What You Want Me To Do, Phoenix.
Encores: No Easy Road, Where Were You Tomorrow, Lady Whiskey.
I’ve just listened to my copy, but couldn’t pick out my own cheering 🙂 This was the last time that I would see the classic Wishbone Ash line-up of Ted Turner (guitar, vocals), Andy Powell (guitar, vocals), Martin Turner (bass, vocals) and Steve Upton (drums) (at least for many years, until later reunions). Ted Turner left the band later in 1973, and Wishbone Ash decamped to the USA to record their fifth album. They returned to the UK with some new songs and a new guitarist in late 1974. I’ll write about that tour tomorrow.

21 Jan

Wishbone Ash Live in 1972

Posted by vintagerock in FF&Z, Glencoe, Wishbone Ash. Tagged: , , , , , , .

Wishbone Ash Live in 1972
wishboneashtix72I’ve been putting off writing about Wishbone Ash, partly because I knew this was going to take some organising (I have seen the band 20+ times), but also because I wanted to be sure to do as good a job as possible, as the band and their music mean a lot to me. So this is going to be a bit of a marathon, but I promise to combine some of the concerts. It will still probably take me a week or so.
I was, for some reason, slow in getting into Wishbone Ash, and missed some of the early chances I had to see them. The first real memory I have is of a group of friends coming into school one Monday morning, raving about this new up and coming band that they had been to see at Newcastle Mayfair the previous Friday night. It was late 1971, and that band was Wishbone Ash. We were all aspiring guitarists, so guitar bands were “our thing”, and they were telling me how Wishbone Ash had twin guitarists, who played carefully worked out guitar parts which complemented each other. I was so jealous, and from then on I made it my business to listen to their music, and committed to go and see them the next chance I got. That chance came in early 1972 when Wishbone Ash next played the City Hall.
Roll on to 12th February 1972, and I was at the City Hall to see Wishbone Ash. The venue was probably around 75% full, and support came from the excellent Glencoe who featured Norman Watt Roy on bass and John Turnbull (from Newcastle) on guitar. I’d see John before in Bell and Arc, and he and Norman went on to be members the Blockheads, with Ian Dury. Tickets were 50p. Wishbone Ash had just finished recording their third, classic, album “Argus”, which was released in April 1972, and their set featured new songs which were to feature on that lp. Seeing Wishbone Ash around this time was watching a band at the peak of their creativity, and with a set of classic rock songs which no-one could match. They would start with “Time Was” which was the perfect opener, starting quiet and melodically and slowly building into a rockier song, Martin Turner centre-stage, Gibson Thunderbass bass hung low, singing the lead vocal, and the others adding those gentle harmonies. wishboneandysoundsThey would, of course, always play “Blowin’ Free” with its intricate (and tricky to play, at least for me 🙂 ) twin guitar opening riff and its catchy singalong, almost pop, chorus. The first time I heard “Jail Bait” I thought its thumping beat and screaming guitar riffs sounded so fresh and so different; in concert it was a great rocker, often reserved for later in the set. New tracks “The King Will Come”, “Warrior” and “Throw Down the Sword” usually featured and remain prog-rock classics. “The King Will Come” is classic Wishbone Ash from that period. And then they might play the “The Pilgrim” with its duelling guitars, and the epic “Phoenix” building to a crescendo as the mythical bird is reborn, rising from the ashes and the flames. At first I found “Phoenix” too long, with too many twists, but over time it too has become a favourite. There were also straight rockers like “Lady Whiskey” and “Where were you tomorrow”. My favourite at the time was the jazzy “Blind Eye” from their debut eponymous album. Andy Powell would have his signature Gibson Flying V and stand stage left, while the longer haired, quiet Ted Turner would be stage right with his Fender Strat. They were excellent, and musical perfection.
wishboneashprog71The next time I saw Wishbone Ash was on 27th May 1972. I was standing on a rainy Saturday afternoon, in a windswept field at the Lincoln Festival, watching them battle against poor sound, and an audience who were cold, wet and tired. The Sounds poster of Andy Powell which I have on my wall, and which is pictured here, was photographed at Lincoln.
I saw once more in 1972, when they called at Sunderland Locarno on 16th September. By now everyone had heard and bought Argus, and the placed was packed. Everyone I knew went, and Wishbone Ash were excellent. Support came from American folk-rock group FF & Z (Fishbaugh, Fishbaugh and Zorn). Pete Zorn from the band is now a longstanding member of Richard Thompson’s touring band and was also a member of Driver 67 who had a 1979 UK Top 10 hit with “Car 67”.
Thanks to Mitch for sending me a photo of his Wishbone Ash programme which comes from an earlier gig, with a great line-up, although Mitch tells me that only Stackridge supported, and Renaissance did not appear. Note the price of the programme: 10p!
Newcastle February 1972 set list (thanks Mitch): Time Was, Jail Bait, Warrior, Throw Down The Sword, The Pilgrim, The King Will Come, Phoenix.
Encores – Blind Eye, Where Were You Tomorrow.
More Wishbone Ash tomorrow.

19 Jan

Wreckless Eric Ashington Regal 16th April 1978

Posted by vintagerock in Showbiz Kids, Wreckless Eric. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Wreckless Eric Ashington Regal 16th April 1978
wrecklesserictixSupport from The Showbiz Kids
Back in the 1970s there were still some lovely old cinemas around, and many of them were being used as venues for concerts. In the North East, I attended gigs in Newcastle Odeon, Jesmond Cinema, Gosforth Royalty and this concert which was in Ashington Regal. These were all beautiful theatres, very ornate, with plush comfortable seats, and sculptures of cherubs looking down at the audience. They brought back memories of going to the pictures in the ’60s and the Saturday morning picture clubs that we would all troop off to, such as the ABC Minors. The whole street would meet at the bus stop and get the bus down to the down to watch old Laurel and Hardy, Flash Gordon and Perils of Pauline films. Sadly all of the cinemas I have mentioned here are now no more.
Regal, Station Road, Ashington, NorthumberlandThe Ashington Regal Theatre was built on the site of the Miners’ Theatre. It opened in 1939, and had a 39 feet wide proscenium, an orchestra pit that could hold 15 musicians, and a cinema organ. It was taken over by the Noble Organisation in 1972, and closed in November 1979, just over a year after this concert. The building then lay derelict for several years until it was eventually demolished, and a nursing home was built on the site.
In 1978, in what I would imagine was a last chance saloon move to keep the cinema open, a series of Sunday concerts were put on at the Regal. I think this Wreckless Eric gig was the only one I attended, although I may also have seen Slade there, but can’t be sure. I know Whitesnake also played the Regal as part of the series, and I think Squeeze may also have featured at one of the shows.
WrecklessEricLPWe knew Wreckless Eric from seeing him on the Stiff tour and for his classic Stiff single “(I’d Go The) Whole Wide World”. Eric had just released his first album, and gave a typical shambolic, yet enjoyable performance. I saw him once more a couple of years later supporting Squeeze at the Mayfair. The Regal concert was quite poorly attended; Wreckless Eric was not such a big name at the time, and headlining a cinema of this size was probably quite an optimistic move. Support came from local band The Showbiz Kids, who were managed by local promoter Geof Docherty (who I think also promoted this gig) and featured Olga (later of the Toy Dolls) and Rob Kane (now of Dr Feelgood).
“We are the boys and girls well known as Minors of the ABC. And every Saturday we all line up, to see the films we like and shout aloud with glee. We like to laugh and have a singsong, such a happy crowd are we. We’re all pals together, we’re minors of the ABC.” Happy days 🙂

18 Jan

Jimmy Webb Lyric Theatre Hammersmith London 21st May 2005

Posted by vintagerock in Jimmy Webb. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Jimmy Webb Lyric Theatre Hammersmith London 21st May 2005
jimmywebbtixI’d fancied seeing Jimmy Webb for many years. “MacArthur Park” is one of my favourite songs. There is something about it that sets it apart from all of the other songs of the late ’60s; it has an epic, timeless nature. The twists and turns of the enigmatic storyline, the dramatic melody changes, the lush orchestration, the hints of psychedelia, the pathos of Harris’ vocal, all add up to a masterpiece. I still play my old scratched vinyl 45. In fact, I subscribe to the view that Webb is a genius, and that as a young man he created some of the best pop songs ever written. For example, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is the third most performed song in the past 50 years. Until recently his visits to the UK were few and far between, so when we saw concert advertised at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, Marie and I decided to go. The Lyric is a tiny theatre and was full of Webb fans from all over Europe. Jimmy sat alone with a grand piano, telling great stories and playing highlights from his back catalogue and tracks from his (then) latest album “Twilight of the Renegades”.
“Webb’s music has never fitted into a single category: it somehow spans pop, country, musical theatre and vaudeville. Here, he linked his pieces together with some well-polished yarn-spinning, like the one about driving around Ireland [on a big drinking spree] with the actor Richard Harris (who recorded Webb’s “MacArthur Park” and “Didn’t We”), or [in introducing “Highwayman”] the time he ended up on stage at Farm Aid, impersonating Johnny Cash alongside Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. “I wish they hadn’t invented computers,” said Webb “They’re puttin’ us out of business.” “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” was an odyssey of heartache, with Webb’s repeated right-hand trill mimicking the ringing of an unanswered phone. “Wichita Lineman” evoked the endless horizons of the American midwest. For an encore, Webb attempted the epic folly that is MacArthur Park – “Believe me, it’s an adventure” – and made an astonishingly good job of it. He could have played for twice as long and nobody would have left.” (extract taken form The Guardian review of the time, 2005).
Webb’s singing was interesting to say the least. He put his own interpretation on the songs, periodically throwing his head back as if to somehow squeeze out the high notes. His piano playing was exquisite and added a further dimension to “MacArthur Park”. We had seats in the front row of the balcony, looking down on the stage. The guy next to us had travelled from Ireland for the show, and was shouting requests to Jimmy, talking to him as if he knew him. It was that sort of concert, a gathering of fans and friends who had come to savour the delights of a clutch of songs that a young guy wrote in the ’60s and ’70s, and that told us stories and painted pictures the like of which we had never seen before.
Jimmy Webb has toured the UK more regularly in recent years, playing concerts locally. I greatly enjoyed the concert at the Lyric, yet for some reason, I haven’t thus far felt the need to go and see him again. Rather, I have wished to keep my memories of that night in London, and of watching and hearing him sing “MacArthur Park” in particular.
Setlist: Crying in My Sleep; Highwayman; Galveston; Spanish Radio; No Signs of Age; Belmont Avenue; P.F. Sloan; How Quickly; By the Time I Get to Phoenix; Didn’t We; Wichita Lineman; Golden Girl
Encore: MacArthur Park; Adios

17 Jan

Wah! Newcastle University Students Union 28th Nov 1981

Posted by vintagerock in Pete Wylie, The Set, Wah!. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Wah! Newcastle University Students Union 28th Nov 1981
whattixSupport from The Set
Pete Wylie was born in Liverpool and began his career in 1977 forming a band “Crucial Three” with future Bunnyman Ian McCulloch and future Teardrop Exloder and druid poet Julian Cope. Wylie then went on to be in a stream of short-lived bands, sometimes with Cope, including the Mystery Girls (also featuring future Dead or Aliver Pete Burns), the Spitfire Boys (pretty sure I saw them as a support act), the Nova Mob, the Opium Eaters (also featuring future Banshee Budgie, future Frankie Goes to Hollywooder Paul Rutherford and future Lightning Seeder Ian Broudie), and Crash Course. So, as you can see, he was very much part of the Loverpool and Manchester Rock new wave scene.
In 1980 he then formed Wah! Heat, who received critical acclaim, became a John Peel favourite, and released two singles “Better Scream” and “7 Minutes to Midnight” Their biggest hit single was of course the great “The Story of the Blues”, which was released in late 1982, and reached number 3 in the UK Singles Chart.
I saw Wah! once, at a Saturday night gig at Newcastle University students union. In was in late 1981, before Wah! had released The Story of the Blues. I’d read of Wylie and the band in the music papers, and heard Peel championing then and went along to see what Wah! were like. I’d heard the Wah! Heat singles, and remembering enjoying the gig. The music was a mix of new wave and electronica as I recall.
Based on a published set list of the time it is likely that they played the following songs: The Wind Up; Better Scream; Some Say; Forget the Down; Don’t Step on the Cracks; 7 Minutes To Midnight; Hey Joe.
“Here in my pocket I’ve got the story of the blues,
Try to believe me cos’ it could be front page news,
I said I live it like it hasn’t happened yet
I keep thinking of everyone how I’m the one, the one they’re trying to get.
To tell…The Story of the Blues…..
First they take your pride, then turn it all inside,
And then you realise, you got nothing left to lose.
So you try to stop,try to get back up,
And then you realise you’re telling The Story of the Blues.”
(Pete Wylie / The Mighty Wah!, The Story of the Blues, 1982)

13 Jan

Steve Winwood York Barbican Centre 3rd March 2004

Posted by vintagerock in Stevie Winwood. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

Steve Winwood York Barbican Centre 3rd March 2004
winwoodtixbaricanThe next time I saw Steve Winwood was more than 20 years later at a concert at York Barbican Centre. David was a student at Leeds at the time, and I drove down to York and met him at York station. This was my second visit to the Barbican, having been there once before to see Jethro Tull. The concert was all standing with a modest crowd gathered to see Winwood. Although the ticket lists “Special Guests”, I am pretty sure that this wasn’t the case and that there was no support act, with Steve playing two sets. The concert was very much a run through his career from the ’60s onward, with selections from his time in The Spencer Davis Group, Blind Faith, Traffic and his solo work. The concert came at the time of his eight solo album “About Time” and he was accompanied by an excellent band with heavy use of percussion, which reminded me of the Rebop era Traffic. A great show and a chance to get very close to a legend.
steveflyerBased on a setlist from the London show on the same tour it is likely that the set was something like this:
Set 1. Pearly Queen (Traffic); Different Light; Cigano (for the Gypsies); Empty Pages (Traffic); Can’t Find My Way Home (Blind Faith); Crossroads; I’m a Man (Spencer Davis); Glad (Traffic); Freedom Rider (Traffic).
Set 2: Talking Back to the Night; Bully; Higher Love; Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring (Traffic); Keep On Running (Spencer Davis Group); Back in the High Life Again; Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic); Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic).
Encore: Why Can’t We Live Together?; Gimme Some Lovin’ (Spencer Davis Group)
Band: Steve Winwood (vocals, Hammond), José Piresde de Almeida Neto (guitar), Walfredo Reyes, Jr. (drums, percussion), Karl Vanden Bossche (congas), Richard Bailey (timbales), Karl Denson (sax, flute).
I’ve seen Steve Winwood a couple of times since then, once at the Sage and once at Wembley Arena when he toured with Eric Clapton, and I’ve already blogged about those concerts.

12 Jan

Steve Winwood Newcastle City Hall 6th July 1983

Posted by vintagerock in Stevie Winwood. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

Steve Winwood Newcastle City Hall 6th July 1983
winwoodtix83This was Steve Winwood’s first full solo tour, and was in support of his third solo album “Talking Back to the Night”. Winwood was on a high at the time; having had considerable success with his first two albums “Winwood” and “Arc of a Diver’ and chart hits with “While You See a Chance” and “Valerie”. He had recorded the albums at his home in Gloucestershire playing all instruments himself, and this was the first time that he had gone out and played the songs live in concert with a band. I went along with my mate Ian and we were secretly hoping that he might play a clutch of Traffic and Spencer Davis Group songs. We had seats close to the stage and a great view of Winwood, and his excellent band and he did indeed play some of those songs we were hoping for later in the concert. I wasn’t familiar with a lot of Steve’s solo material apart from the singles, but was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I got into the new songs. Winwood is one of our top artists from the 60s, with an incredibly soulful voice, a very under-rated guitar and Hammond organ player and he always looks incredibly fit and so young, to this day. winwwodprogMy favourite has always been “No Face, No Name, No Number” but I don’t think he played that particular song at this concert. However we were treated to a clutch of classics from the ’60s which included “Somebody Help Me”, “I’m a Man”, “Keep On Running” and “Gimme Some Lovin'”, along with Traffic’s “Dear Mr Fantasy”. Great stuff.
Setlist will probably have been something like this: Roadrunner; Help Me Angel; Arc of a Diver; Valerie; It Was Happiness; Second-Hand Woman; Vacant Chair; Talking Back to the Night; Slowdown Sundown; Dust; Night Train; Somebody Help Me (Spencer Davis Group); Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Traffic); Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic); I’m a Man (Spencer Davis Group); Big Girls Walk Away; And I Go; Your Silence Is Your Song; While You See a Chance.
Encore: Keep On Running (Spencer Davis Group); Still in the Game; Gimme Some Lovin’ (Spencer Davis Group).
Steve Winwood band: James Hooker (piano), Bobby Messano (guitar), Eric Parker (drums), Carole Steele (percussion), Fernando Sanders (bass/vocals), Godfrey Wang (keyboards).

11 Jan

W.A.S.P. Newcastle Mayfair Rock Night 21st Sep 1984

Posted by vintagerock in WASP, Wrathchild. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .

W.A.S.P. Newcastle Mayfair Rock Night 21st Sep 1984
wasptixIt was Friday Rock night at Newcastle Mayfair and the headline band was a new act, called W.A.S.P. Now W.A.S.P. are an American heavy metal band, whi formed in 1982, and emerged from the same L.A. scene as Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, and Ratt (and later Guns N’ Roses). There has been a lot of speculation about what the band’s name means, and whether it actually stands for anything. One interpretation is “White Anglo-Saxon Protestants”, particularly as the early W.A.S.P. song “Show No Mercy” contains the repeated line “White Anglo-Saxon / A violent reaction”. However, the original U.S. release of their debut album had the words “We Are Sexual Perverts” inscribed on both sides around the label in the center. When asked about the band’s name leader Blackie Lawless avoided giving a straight answer: “We Ain’t Sure, Pal.” In a later interview, Lawless stated the main reason for the name was the full stops (periods), and that they created a “question mark of uncertainty” to make W.A.S.P. stand out more.
waspprog2These guys were crazy, wild heavy rock theatre. From the fold-out poster programme that I bought at the gig”: “W.A.S.P. is extreme heavy metal. They don’t stop with leather and studs, chains and spikes – they wield circular sawblades onto metal codpieces and armbands. Bare-assed on stage, they throw raw meat at the audience and drink blood from a skull – and this is only the beginning. Blackie Lawless (leader, lead singer, bass, songwriter) hung out with Ace Frehley (Kiss) in a tough street gang until being seriously stabbed at the age of 13. He went on to a two-year sentence at a military school in Florida. After 18 months Blackie was expelled for beating up a sergeant major, but he broke his knuckles in the process….Blackie took up guitar and did a stretch with the notorious New York Dolls. Randy Piper (guitar) quit school at 15 and slowly worked his way to L.A. He worked 10 days in Disneyland sweeping up, before getting fired for drunkenness. Tony Richards (drums) got himself thrown out of a dozen different schools for various kinds of anti-social behavior by the time he was 15. Included with the more common fighting, drinking and drug charges were getting caught in the closet with a young female teacher and burning the school’s football team’s equipment. Chris Holmes (guitar), the madman whose mother was a Hells Angel (and still beats the shit out of people who argue too much). Chris was kicked out of school at the tender age of 7 – for savagery. These four guys were obviously meant for each other.”
Is this for real ? 🙂

waspprog1The programme went on: “By May of 1983, W.A.S.P. could sell out the 3000 seat Santa Monica Civic and put on a show that was truly over the top and very controversial. Blackie arranged for a Red Cross Blood Drive during a three-day sod-out run at the Troubadour: fans who gave blood would get in free. But when the Red Cross found out that Blackie drinks animal blood on stage, they didn’t want the band’s blood, or most of the fan’s blood, either. A greater controversy exists over the ‘rack’ [W.A.S.P. would torture a girl on a rack on stage] and feminist groups condemn the onstage treatment of women by W.A.S.P. …YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.”
W.A.S.P. had just released their latest single “Animal (**** Like a Beast)” and their eponymous debut album, and delighted the Geordie rock crowd with a typically OTT performance of slabs of heavy metal, and very un-PC rock theatre. Good unclean fun. Support came from UK NWOBHM glamsters Wrathchild. I saw W.A.S.P. again at Donington a few years later, and they were equally crazy. Now a Born Again Christian, Blackie Lawless continues to lead W.A.S.P to this day.
Setlist: On Your Knees; The Flame; Hellion; L.O.V.E. Machine; Sleeping (in the Fire); Tormentor; School Daze; The Torture Never Stops; I Wanna Be Somebody; Animal (*** Like a Beast)

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