Nigel and the Ripsnorters

[graham]

Does anyone remember Rick the Vic and the highly controversial gig by Nigel and the Ripsnorters he put on in Saint Pauls Church in Salisbury Ave in 1977?

This is how I remember events;

Rick the Vic was a priest at St Mary's Church, but was also a 'head' and a complete hippy, anyway, one day the vicar of St pauls church went on holiday and Rick was left in charge for a week. So he decided to put on a gig in the church (as you do), featuring a jazz rock band who's name escapes me, and Nigel & the Ripsnorters an example of what was then the very new and very shocking punk movement. It was a brillaint night, with everybody dancing and pogoing amongst the pews, and various hippies who managed to get on top of the church tower and were tripping out of their boxes.

I'm not sure how but someone got busted for drugs, and the next thing was Rick the Vic got arrested and it was all on the front page of the Daily Mirror!

I think he served a bit of time, but definately got defrocked as a priest, and went off to live at teepee valley in Wales. The next I heard of him was in CJ Stone's book 'Fierce Dancing', wherin he is said to now be the keeper of the box made by penny Rimbaud (of Crass) in which the ashes of Wally Hope were kept after his cremation (see Last of The Hippes, the booklet that came with Crass' 'Christ the Album www.southern.com/southern/label/CRC/text/09438.html ).

Rick the Vic recently posted a message of support to the camp bling website, so I contacted him, and he too rmembers Nigel and the Ripsnorters and that fateful night, but is still happy living at teepee valley following the true word of Christ (rather than the distorted versions of organised religion)...

[thedimlocator]

I went to that, I remember it was a hot night and Rick The Vic had very little control over what was going on, people had stocked up on beer and cider on the way there. We were stood outside at one point and thought, something's not quite right, looked up, and thankfully ahead, where a couple of punks were peeing off the roof into the bushes. We went back inside.

[stevegee]

Hey Graham, I remember that gig ...............Your recollection of it seems the same as mine so obviously we both were a little to young to bother with alcohol then! I seem to remember being totally wide eyed about what was happening that night , the same way I felt about the very start of punk in Southend. As you have mentioned earlier here, just a few months prior we went to our first gig (Yep my first too!), Thin Lizzy at the Kursaal. Fantastic!
I'll always remember the lead singer of Nigel and the ripsnorters ( Nigel, perhaps?) in the pulpit at the church snarling his lyrics. I was gonna say into his mic but I can't remember if they had amps? Sure they must have, don't think the ripsnorters were ready for an unplugged session that early in their career! If they did, then was that gig prearranged? My recollection was that it was totally spontaneous and if thats true, where were we when we heard about it?
Also remember going up the tower that night so hope it wasn't me proving one of Newtons laws with my bladder!
When it made the papers and I heard my parents tut tutting I had to laugh into my smuggled Zig Zag mag!
I also remember the Slaughter and the Dogs gig at the Queens, I'd never seen dancing like it! I see they still play now.............
By the way you owe me 75p for all those tapes you made of my Guy Norris purchases!
Steve.