graham
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There is no authority but yourself
Posts: 208
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Post by graham on May 12, 2006 22:44:02 GMT
For some reason I missed SLF at the college - I think for some reason I was in with a beer boy crowd at the time and we just... didn't go... I don't think anyone else I knew was interested... Always regreted it tho...
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Post by donnap on May 15, 2006 17:14:30 GMT
I can't recall now who else was on the Fall bill, I remember too that they had some good mixes there. Strawberry Switchblade sticks in my mind for some reason but cant remember who else was on that bill, saw the Police there around 1980 I think but that was nothing to shout about . . . must mention too the David Bowie gig at Milton Keynes in 1981 or 2 (not sure now) another Big Train event (14 hours on a train and 2 hours there or something daft) only to sit on a grassy mound and watch a displaced Bowie on a big TV screen - I blew my bedsit rent on that gig too - Damn you.
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Post by marmiteboy on May 16, 2006 11:51:16 GMT
I went to the Fall gig at the Lyceum when the Membranes supported along with the Folk Devils, a brilliant gig that is still up there with my favourites. Both Bunnyman gigs at The Cliffs were great too. I saw them at Reading last year and they were still fab. Ian Mac still has all of the swagger. Some of the gigs on the South Bank as part of the GLC bashes were exceelnt too. I remember The Rdskins in particular when the NF turned up and invaded the stage only to get a good kicking for left wing skins and miners who were also there as guests of Ken Livingstone.
Probably the most memorable gig at Crocs/The Toothbrush was the aformentioned King Kurt. What a laugh. I had chuck my trainers away afterwards because they were beyond saving!!
Another good 'un was Alien Sex Fiend at the Toothbrush. I remember it cheifly for chatting to Nik Fiend about West Ham, Pie and Mash and Jellied Eels. Very surreal.
I'm still gigging like crazy. Two this week and have just got back from seeing Belle and Sebastian in Hamburg.
Mark Lancaster
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gary
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by gary on May 16, 2006 21:05:34 GMT
It sure is a small world. I was in the small group of people dancing at the front to the Redskins when the right wing skins waded in. It was pretty scary and I got out quick. The Smiths played at that one too, I think. They were supposed to have lasers bouncing around mirrors attached to the sides of the walls of the buildings but people had been climbing the walls to watch the bands so they had to cancel the lasers.
The GLC festivals were a golden era. I still, when I see a festival announced, momentarily get excited expecting it to be free!
I was also at the King Kurt Crocs gig and I got the t-shirt ripped off my back. Did anyone see the Meteors at the Tech College? That was the most frightening gig I think I've been to. There was a big group of hardcore fans there and their version of the chicken dance seemed to involve punching each other. People were walking way covered in blood and smiling. Mind you, the Newtown Neurotics gig in Basildon which got taken over by skins was pretty intimidating. I heard of one bloke who got invited to join them for a spoy of "Paki-bashing" afterwards.
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Post by thedimlocator on May 18, 2006 20:33:34 GMT
I remember gigs at The College, Manfred Mann's Earthband,The Enid and Clint Eastwood and General Saint 3 good ones off the top of my head. I also remember it had dreadful acoustics but even worse than that because the neighbours used to complain about the noise it could only put on one gig a term, so it could never get any kind of momentum going, what great punks bands did you see there straight after SLF ? Precisely none, another opprtunity missed . I was hoping that now we've got a Uni and they're involved with The Palace Hotel the ballroom might see some action again, it was ruined when it was turned into a club, an oversaturated market before they even started. A plain room with a flat floor, a brought in stage and holding 400 odd people is what this town needs.
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Post by alaninoz on May 19, 2006 9:25:15 GMT
Charas's last and best gig was supporting General Saint and Clint Eastwood at the college. We used their PA gear and monitors. What a treat to actually hear what you were playing. We started the set with our skanked up version of 'Easy(like a Sunday morning)' by The Eagles. We played it straight for the first verse and chorus, by which time the seriously biased Reggae audience were ready to lynch us. Then Johnny Dee rips out a cracking drum roll, and the band comes in and nails it. Crowds goes wild, band breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. It's great when a plan comes off!
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Post by thedimlocator on May 19, 2006 11:37:08 GMT
"Take it easy", "Desperado", "New kid in town", "Hotel California" all popular songs by The Eagles, "Easy (Like sunday morning)" is by The Commodores though. Was that the gig were Eastwood and Saint were in cowboy shirts ? There was also a period of good reggae gigs at The Toothbrush in the early/mid eighties, Dilinger, Barrington Levy (complete with fracas) Eek a Mouse, Ariwa records showcase etc. etc.
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Post by alaninoz on May 19, 2006 21:35:53 GMT
Sorry, yes, it was the Commodores. The memory is pretty hazy but cowboy shirts sound right.
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Post by alaninoz on May 19, 2006 21:37:46 GMT
We were also lined up to support Amazulu(remember them?) at the 'Brush, but they pulled out.
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Post by thedimlocator on May 20, 2006 0:14:16 GMT
They did play at Raquels in Basildon and were pretty good, think they had King Trigger supporting.
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filf
Full Member
Posts: 206
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Post by filf on Jul 4, 2006 11:39:19 GMT
So many gigs, so little brain left to remember them! Clash at the roxy, awesome except for the skins. SLF of course, think we are all in agreement on that one. The Damned at crocs too. The Ruts at the Marquee was amazing, '79 or '80 cant remember. UK Subs did 4 nights at the Marquee in '80, me and cop went to 2, both were absolutley electric! came out drenched from head to foot in sweat, some of it mine! Went to stonehenge for Crass and Flux, but luckily got out of there before all the trouble with the Hells Angels. Also the Cure at Elephant Fair in Devon '83, were at thier very best, big group of us went down and they played a killer set.
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graham
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There is no authority but yourself
Posts: 208
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Post by graham on Jul 4, 2006 20:14:37 GMT
Went to stonehenge for Crass and Flux, but luckily got out of there before all the trouble with the Hells Angels. I wa sthere as well, luckliy as I had long hair and a general hippy appearance I was safe from attack, but I remember walkning along with Pete (I think was his name??) from Nihilist Corps, who happened to have cropped hair and remmeber this Lynyrd Sykyrd lookalike swinging at his head with a bottle, he missed, and just when on to attack the next random person who happened to have short hair - a very heavy night, and a very long night. Ironic the bikers attacking Crass when you remeber that it was actually Penny Rimbaud of Crass who helpeed to set the whole festival up with wally Hope...
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filf
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Post by filf on Jul 8, 2006 11:08:00 GMT
One gig i forgot worth a mention was Clint Eastwood and General saint, not sure what year (maybe '81 or '82?) but fairly sure it was on Canvey, maybe the Goldmine?? but i nicked Clint's huge rasta beret from the stage after the gig. Think i still have it somewhere! Anyone else at that gig?
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graham
Full Member
There is no authority but yourself
Posts: 208
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Post by graham on Jul 9, 2006 16:09:49 GMT
I did see Eastwood and Saint at Southend Tech College in Carnarvon Road, but I think that was about 1983??
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gary
Junior Member
Posts: 69
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Post by gary on Jul 10, 2006 7:30:08 GMT
I was at the Goldmine gig, but all I remember is the beer tasting awful. I complained and they said that they brewed it themselves! I've imagined, ever since, that they must have used Thames water to make it! Those were the days before I acquired a taste for real ale, so I might have a different opinion now ... maybe ...
The other memorable gig I went to on Canvey was Elvis Costello. He came back for an encore when the lights were up and there was only a handful of people left. Luckily, I was one of the stragglers.
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