Strawbs 1972, 1973 and Newcastle City Hall 23rd September 1976
My mate Tony had the Strawbs lp “Just a Collection of Antiques and Curios” which we listened to endlessly. It must have been 1970 or 1971. Our favourite tracks were “Fingertips”, the epic “Where Is This Dream of Your Youth”, which still sounds great today, and (strangely) Rick Wakeman’s piano solo “Temperament of Mind”. I didn’t get to see Strawbs live until May 1972 at the Lincoln festival, where they played on a cold wet evening between I think Stone The Crows and The Faces. By then Rick Wakeman had departed and the line-up was Dave Cousins (vocals), Tony Hooper (guitar), Richard Hudson (drums), John Ford (bass) and Blue Weaver (keyboards). By that point their set contained classics such as “The Man Who Called Himself Jesus”, “The Hangman and the Papist” and “Benedictus”.
There was, and is, something unique about Strawbs music which sets them apart from many of their folk-rock contemporaries. Dave Cousins voice has a strange, other worldy, yet vpleasant, quality and their songs tell great stories.
The line-up of the band changed dramatically in late 1972 and early 1973, and Strawbs began to pursue a more rock/pop sound, hitting the charts with the excellent “Lay Down” and “Part of the Union”. By the time I saw them again in, I think, 1973 at Sunderland Locarno the line-up was Dave Cousins (now the only original member), Dave Lambert (guitar), Chas Cronk (bass) and Rod Coombes (drums). This was much more a rock band; Dave Cousins even wore a bright sparkling glittery jacket 🙂
The ticket here is for a later gig, in 1976 at Newcastle City Hall. By then the band were focussing more on playing in the USA. They called it a day in 1980, but soon reformed. Cousins, Lambert and Cronk continue to play today. I’ve written elsewhere on recent Strawbs gigs which I have attended, and pretty good they are too.
Posts Tagged ‘music’
3 Jul
Strawbs 1972, 1973 and Newcastle City Hall 23rd September 1976
2 Jul
Secret Affair March of the Mods Newcastle 1979 and 1980
“We are the Mods. We are the Mods. We are, we are, we are the Mods.” So went the chants, reverberating around the Mayfair ballroom, coming from the mouths of young guys in parkas festooned with patches proclaiming their support for The Who, The Jam and our new mod heroes Secret Affair. This was Friday 31st August 1979 and the March of the Mods Tour was stopping off at Newcastle Mayfair. The tour was headlined by new mod faces Secret Affair, supported by The Purple Hearts and Back To Zero. The Mayfair was packed with a mix of new mods, a few rock fans who were becoming increasingly frustrated at “losing” their Friday night out to gigs by punk and new wave acts, and groups of mean looking skinheads, who had come to taunt the mods, and “sort them out”. The skins had their own, far more sinister chant: “We hate the Mods. We hate the Mods. We hate, we hate, we hate the Mods.”
There was an air of edginess around the place all evening. You could feel it as soon as you entered the venue.
From early on there were skirmishes between the mods and the skins, with small tussles and fights breaking out on the dance floor. The support acts were greeted by showers of beer, complete with glasses. As the evening progressed the fights became more frequent and nastier. Marie and I thought of leaving, but hey I don’t give up easy, and I wanted to see how this new mod band Secret Affair would shape up. By the time they took to the stage, things were starting to turn really nasty. The mods were shouting loudly now “We are the Mods. We are the Mods. We are, we are, we are the Mods”. The skins responded equally as loudly “We hate the Mods. We hate the Mods. We hate, we hate, we hate the Mods.” The band were onstage playing while the ballroom was turning into something out of a Wild West film. The dance floor was becoming one mass brawl. Some guys started throwing tables and chairs from the balcony down onto the crowd on the dance floor below. The chairs hit the massive chandeliers which hung from the ceiling and one of them fell down onto the fighting crowds. Scary stuff. Marie and I were wandering around the balcony being careful who we looked at, smiling sheepishly at any other rock fans we saw. I felt quite out of place and vulnerable, being one of a small number of people with long hair. The bouncers came into the crowd complete with Alsatian dogs, and eventually managed to stop the fights. Secret Affair played on and were pretty good, although the gig was marred by the evening’s events.
I saw Secret Affair on two further occasions.
The first was at Newcastle City Hall on 17th April 1980.
The place was packed and me and my mate Norm were right down the front, surrounded by the Glory Boys. “We are the Mods. We are the Mods. We are, we are, we are the Mods.” That chant again. But this time no skins, no fights and a joyous evening. Secret Affair were at the height of their success, and at the time were a hot live act, with some great songs: Time for Action, My World, Glory Boys. The music was a mix of power pop and soul with Ian Page the coolest front man, wearing the sharpest of suits, neat shirt and skinny tie, and Dave Cairns on guitar and sporting a smart regency style jacket. “We are the Mods. We are the Mods. We are, we are, we are the Mods.”…the chant continued as we left the venue.
Saw Secret Affair once more at Newcastle City Hall a few months later on 30th September 1980. The venue was nowhere near as full. Perhaps the gig was just too close to their previous visit, or maybe the mod scene was already passing. The band played ok, but the power, passion and craziness of the first two gigs I attended was missing.
Secret Affair have recently reformed, with original members Ian Page and Dave Cairns. The Glory Boys return.
“We are the Mods. We are the Mods. We are, we are, we are the Mods.”
Secret Affair were Ian Page – vocals and super sharp suits, Dave Cairns – guitars, Dave Winthrop – saxophone, Dennis Smith – bass, and Seb Shelton – drums.
Mod. It’s a way of life.
“Cause we’re the Glory Boys
So scared of getting old
We’re the Glory Boys
We may look cold but our hearts are gold.
You look at me boy you tryin’ to match my stare
Dont you know Im a Glory Boy?
I can cut you down by combing my hair
Nothing touches a Glory Boy
We look too good for you
If you wanna know about us
You gotta be one too”
(Glory Boys, Cairns & Page, 1979)
30 Jun
Stray Cats Newcastle Mayfair 1980 & Sunderland Poly 1981
Stray Cats Newcastle Mayfair 1980 & Sunderland Poly 1981
The Stray Cats were an American rockabilly band formed in 1979 by ace guitarist and vocalist Brian Setzer, double bassist Lee Rocker, and drummer Slim Jim Phantom. The group came through just after punk and new wave and relocated to London, hitting the charts in 1980 with “Runaway Boys” and again in 1981 with “Rock This Town” and “Stray Cat Strut”. Marie and I went to see them at the Mayfair on their first UK tour, just after “Runaway Boys” was released. They were just starting to make a name for themselves and the ballroom was pretty empty, as I recall. They pulled out an amazing high energy performance, Brian Setzer being particularly impressive. Stray Cats were a breath of fresh air at the time, a welcome diversion from punk and new wave, and very different from anything else around. 
You could, of course, see the rock’n’roll and rockabilly influences; Brian Setzer becoming a cross between Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, and Gene Vincent on stage. By the time I saw them again at Sunderland Poly Wearmouth Hall, less than one year later, the place was packed, and lots of rockin’ and rollin’ went down that night. Great gigs by a great band.
The Stray Cats reunite now and then for live performances, and Brian Setzer is now part of his 1990s swing-revival band The Brian Setzer Orchestra, and a pretty amazing guitarist.
28 Jun
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band 17th October 1977
Bob Seeger and the Silver Bullet Band 17th October 1977
Bob Seeger was the business; pure class. He did a short tour of the UK in 1977, calling at Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow and London. This was before he had big success, and as I recall the Newcastle concert, which I attended, was far from full. The guy was awesome. I would love to see him again.
I don’t recall what they played but I found a listing from a bootleg, which was recorded in the Boston in the same year. I would imagine the set would have been something like this: Rock And Roll Never Forgets; Travelin’ Man; Beautiful Loser; Turn The Page; Sunspot Baby; Ship Of Fools; Main Street; Come To Poppa; Mary Lou; Sunburst; Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man; Heavy Music; Katmandu; Night Moves; Let It Rock Medley.
Seger is performing again in the US; hope he comes back to the UK one day.
26 Jun
Steel Pulse Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt 11th June 1978
Steel Pulse Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt 11th June 1978
Steel Pulse are a roots reggae band, from the Handsworth area of Birmingham. They formed at Handsworth Wood Boys School, composed of David Hinds (lead vocals, guitar), Basil Gabbidon (lead guitar, vocals), and Ronald McQueen (bass). They achieved considerable success in the late 70s as part of the interest in reggae alongside the growth of punk. This gig at Middlesbrough Town Hall Crypt was around the time they released their first album “Handsworth Revolution”. The place was packed and this was a great concert. I recall that they played the single “Ku Klux Klan” which discussed the evils of racism, and during which they donned the Klan hoods, Heavy stuff.
25 Jun
Peter Straker New Tyne Theatre Newcastle 26th Nov 1977
Peter Straker New Tyne Theatre Newcastle 26th Nov 1977
Sorry if my posts are a little short for the next few days. We are off to Glastonbury, so I have set up a few posts and scheduled them to appear each day, but my time was limited so they are briefer than they would normally be (and there will probably be even more typos than normal, which is saying something 🙂 ). I will return to normal next week and will also reflect on our Glastonbury experiences.
Anyway onward with the first of my pre-written and scheduled entries which is going to be Peter Straker. This guy was simply amazing! Peter Straker is a Jamaican born singer and actor, best known for appearances in Doctor Who (in the 1979 serial Destiny of the Daleks) and for being a friend of Freddie Mercury. He starred as Hud in the original 1968 London production of ‘Hair’. More recently his critically acclaimed one man show ‘Peter Straker’s Brel’ has featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
In 1977 Peter Straker was forging a career as a pop star, and had just released an album “This One’s on Me” which was produced by Freddie Mercury and Roy Thomas Baker. The tracks on the album were: Ada; I’ve Been To Hell & Back; The Day The Talkies Came; Heart Be Still; Alabama Song; Ragtime Piano Joe; Jackie; The Annual Penguin Show; The Saddest Clown; Vamp. His set consisted of tracks from the album. Straker’s performance was simply sensational, very theatrical, passionate and emotional. I remember both Marie and I really enjoyed the concert and thought that this guy was going to be massive. He has found success following a more theatrical path. The theatre was pretty empty, as I recall, which was a shame.
24 Jun
Shanghai Redcar Coatham Bowl 1975?
Shanghai Redcar Coatham Bowl 1975?
This was one of the first gigs I went to at Redcar Coatham Bowl. It was probably in 1975 or 1976. Shanghai were a rock band fronted by ex Rebel Rouser and top 60s R&B vocalist Cliff Bennet. The rest of the bands line-up featured former Pirate, ace guitarist and big Wilko Johnson influence Mick Green on choppy Telecaster; Brian Alterman, also on guitar; Speedy King on bass; and Pete Kircher on drums (who would later join Status Quo). This band had all the right ingredients but just never quite made it; another potentially great rock band who were passed by when punk came along and brushed everything aside. I also saw them supporting Status Quo around the same time. Shanghai lasted a couple of years, released two albums, and then split. Mick Green went on to reform the Pirates and sadly passed away in 2010, while Cliff Bennett continues to perform to this day. Wonder who the support act was. I think it may have been Raven, who were a North East band which formed in 1974 and gained popularity during the NWOBHM movement in the late 70s.
23 Jun
Splinter “Costafine Town” live at Newcastle City Hall
Splinter “Costafine Town” live at Newcastle City Hall
My friend John mentioned the band Splinter to me in an email the other day, which brought back memories of this fine duo. Splinter was a two-man vocal group from the North East, South Shields in fact. The two members were Bill Elliott and Bobby Purvis and they formed in the early 1970s. Elliott and Purvis had both been members of local rock band Half Breed, who were quite popular on the circuit in the early 70s; I remember seeing them at Newcastle Mayfair or Sunderland Mecca. Splinter were connected with George Harrison, being the first act to sign to Harrison’s Dark Horse Records label. The band’s sound was often compared to The Beatles and Badfinger. Their debut album, “The Place I Love” was released in 1974 and contained the hit single “Costafine Town”. “Costafine Town” is a great pop song, and a favourite of mine at the time.
I remember seeing Splinter live at the City Hall at least once; I think they were support act for the Kinks. I recall making a special effort to pass on visiting the City Tavern or the City Hall bar, so that I could see them, largely to hear them play Costafine Town, which they of course did. I have an old vinyl copy of their debut lp upstairs. Time to get on the turntable again.
I often wondered what Costafine Town was about, and a little googling revealed the answer, which I found on the Sheilds Gazette website: “Costafine Town took its inspiration from Corstorphine Town in Shields, the stretch of the riverside between West Holborn and Templetown, which includes McNulty’s shipyard. The name was said to derive from Robert Corstorphine, the landlord of the Cookson’s Arms there in the 1830s, but it later emerged that his surname was actually, originally, Robert Marsham, and he had simply adopted the name of the locality.”
“A dirty old hole, In the side of the road, For the man who cleans the streets, Open pub doors, Where the working class goes at night.
Written on walls, Where the cats never crawl, For the glass along the top, Man I was born there, I’m gonna walk right back.
Costafine town, it’s a fine town, I’m coming home
I feel so lonely, I’ve been too long away
Costafine town, it’s a fine town, I’m coming home
I wish I’d never, Made up my mind to stray”
(Splinter, 1974)
There’s a YouTube video of the guys performing Costafine Town on the Whistle Test. Check it out. Great song.
21 Jun
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 30th November 1982
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 30th November 1982
I get the impression that the mad axe man was probably not the easiest guy to work with. Come 1982 and vocalist Gary Barden was out of the MSG, to be replaced by ex Marbles and Rainbow front man Graham Bonnet, he of the powerful voice with an amazing range. On top of that drummer Cozy Powell and Schenker’s UFO mate Paul Raymond were also off. A new album “Assault Attack” was recorded and released and a tour followed soon after. However by the time the tour started Graham Bonnet was gone, and the vocal spot was refilled by Gary Barden. What was happening! I was looking forward to seeing Schenker and Bonnet together; now that would have been some gig. The rest of the line-up was Chriss Glenn on bass (aha someone stayed constant) and his SAHB pal Ted McKenna on drums.
The tour called at Newcastle City Hall on 30th November 1982, and it was another good concert, even if we didn’t get the chance to see Graham Bonnet. Less UFO songs this time around, but we still got “Doctor Doctor” 🙂
An audience recording exists; I found this comment about the gig on the Live Rock Avenue blog spot: “Assault Attack tour but no Graham bonnet, unfortunately. Assault attack was a masterpiece, on the same level of the first two studio album but rawer,harder, heavier, bluesier…Barden’s abilities weren’t the same as Bonnet’s. Assault attack, Dancer, Samurai, Broken promises were left out of the set list due to Barden’s inabilities. However a great concert. Also Looking for love was played!”
Setlist: Ulcer; Cry for the nations; Attack of the mad axeman; Rock you to the ground; Bijou Pleasurette; Victim of illusion; Into the arena; Desert song; Curvoisier Concerto; Lost horizon; Let sleeping dogs lie; We are looking for love;,Armed and ready; Doctor doctor; Ready to rock; Rock Bottom
This was the last time I saw Michael Schenker, which is a mistake on my part. Another one to add to my list of people to see again. I see he is touring again in December….
20 Jun
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 2nd Oct 1980 and 4th Sep 1981
Michael Schenker Newcastle City Hall 1980 and 1981
Michael Schenker was (and still is) a true guitar legend. Back in the mid 70s, Shenker was the man. Great rock attitude, a reputation for being a pretty wild guy, great screeching riffs, fast fingers up and down the neck of his Flying V, a little bit flashy, so skinny, and amazing long blonde hair. I saw him many times with UFO right back from the early days when they used to play quite regularly at Sunderland Mecca. I would stand on the dance floor transfixed by Schenker’s playing, and had a few mates who swore down that he was the best guitarist at the time. “Doctor Doctor” was of course a big favourite of all of us, and the dance floor would always fill when it was played. Then around 1978, shock horror, Schenker announced that he was leaving UFO. He was becoming known for drug and drink excess, for being unreliable, disappearing for spells. The usual tale of a young guy (he was only 17 when he joined UFO) and too much too soon. However it seemed that he soon got his act together and that by 1980 he was of sufficient stature to lead his own band, and to go out and headline his own tour. Schenker set about assembling a band of top rate musicians. By 1981 his band included Schenker on his signature Gibson Flying V lead guitar, newcomer and Schenker discovery Gary Barden on vocals, ex SAHB Chris Glen on bass, his old UFO pall Paul Raymond on keyboards and rhythm guitar, and powerhouse drum supremo Cozy Powell.
I saw Schenker on his 1980 tour, in support of his first solo album “The Michael Schenker Group, when he called at Newcastle City Hall on 2nd October 1980 and at the same venue again on 4th September 1981 when he played in support of his second solo lp “MSG”. Both shows were opportunities for Schenker to show us what virtuoso rock guitar playing is all about. The set featured a mix of his new solo stuff and UFO favourites like “Rock Bottom”, “Shoot Shoot”, “Lights Out” and of course “Doctor Doctor”, which, for me, is one of the great classic rock songs, and a track that I play to this day.
Setlist from the Hammersmith Odeon gig of the same tour: Armed and Ready; Cry for the Nations; Victim of Illusion; Natural Thing; Feels Like a Good Thing; Into the Arena; Looking Out from Nowhere; Rock Bottom; Tales of Mystery; Lost Horizons; Shoot Shoot; Doctor Doctor; Lights Out
From the 1981 tour programme:
“The Mad Axe Man is Back.”
“Is it Loud Enough?”
I just have to hear the first few bars of “Doctor Doctor” with that magnificent swirling guitar, and I’m back on that dance floor again – just to the right of the plastic palm tree 🙂
“Doctor doctor, please…..
Oh, the mess I’m in
Doctor doctor, please…oh, the mess I’m in
She walked up to me and really stole my heart
And then she started to take my body apart
Livin’ lovin’ I’m on the run
So far away from you
Livin’ lovin’ I’m on the run
So far away from you”
(Schenker and Mogg, 1974)
Wow is that song really 40 years old ? 🙂
It all seems like yesterday…..so recent, and yet so long ago
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