Two Whole Quails – Dropped in Records

 

Two Whole Quails – Dropped in Records

by Pete Clemons

Surrounded by tons of vinyl this was instrumental duo, Two Whole Quails, first live outing since 2019. They had been looking forward to it immensely. And Dropped in Records, at Fargo Village, was the unlikely setting for an hour or so of the kind of music that consisted of long, elaborate, wordless compositions that circled around a melody of sorts.

The keyboard duo that is Two Whole Quails threw up a series of sounds that mean everything or nothing depending upon the amount of imaginative work the listener is prepared to do in total search of enjoyment and appreciation.

Visual stimulation was provided by accompanying film that was flashed up onto a screen alongside the players. These consisted of film especially prepared for the compositions.

The opening suite was titled 'The Chancellor's Dinner'. It is a twenty odd minute piece against a backdrop created by Two Whole Quails but credited to a whole host of people from both the online and real worlds.

This was followed be a piece called 'Glad', which was made up from parts of an even longer track which the pair recorded during lock down.

The last one was titled 'Emily'. This was an extended version of music made for Emily Mann's' and inspired by 'COVID - 20: The Coventry Isolation Diaries 2020'. The diaries being a part of the very excellent the Coventry Sketchbook project.

Throughout the entire evening I was gripped by the way the music flew off into discursive variations on original themes.

The duo, Lee on keyboards and Chris on keys, guitar and bass explained very little to their audience during the entire course of the evening. Everything was down to those attending taking what they wanted out of the evening.

A sizeable turn out at the venue that also included the more 'dance' inspired, Field Lines Cartographer, took away with them a memorable experience.

Visit Bandcamp Two Whole Quails for more.

The Skabilly Rebels at the Arches December 2021

 The Skabilly Rebels at the Arches December 2021

by Pete Clemons

If Jerry Dammers is credited as the architect of The Specials, by way of his vision of reviving and reinventing past styles of music and fashion, then Roddy 'Radiation' Byers was the guy who brought a touch of originality to that band. Roddy also provided the edge that a band requires.

The pulsating rhythms of The Specials have since found a solid niche within popular music history and beyond. And Roddy is quite rightly recognised, by the Ska music fraternity, as one of the pioneers of that whole 2 tone movement.

Today, Roddy Radiation continues to lead an original band. The Skabilly Rebels play a blend of music repeated rarely. And after many years in the business the Skabilly Rebels have fostered and thrived on their mix of Ska and Rockabilly.

Rockabilly and vintage fashion are not only a statement but they are also a lifestyle. Rock 'n' Roll is your life and your love. It is clear, that no matter the size of gig, Roddy is meticulous in his appearance. His attention to detail is clear for all to see. For every Skabilly Rebels gig Roddy is immaculately turned out without a hair not being in place.

Roddy still has that sharpness and edge to him and through his writing he has brought us songs like Hey Little Rich Girl, Rat Race and Concrete Jungle to the proceedings. And these were performed at the recent gig at the Arches Venue. Despite an obvious cold and the fact he was struggling a little Roddy and the band who tonight are: Joe Harcourt on guitar, Connor O'Connor on bass guitar, Adie H Dee on Sax and an Australian called Jeff who is standing in for Matt Hart on drums, put in a remarkably decent shift.

The swingbeat continues with interpretations of Do Nothing, Judgement Day, Bonediggin' and many others. Overall a tremendous performance and an extremely enjoyable evening. The songs that Roddy provided are still amongst the most popular in The Specials live repertoire.

Roddy wears his heart on his sleeve and has a conviction and charisma that adds to his compelling stage presence.

Jethro Tull Coventry Cathedral Dec 2021

Jethro Tull Coventry Cathedral Dec 2021

by Pete Clemons

As far as I can research this, the first time Jethro Tull had performed in Coventry since they appeared at the Balsall Common Equestrian Centre with Amen Corner, and others, during May 1969. There are suspicions of a gig at The Lanch during late 1970. But that has yet to be confirmed. Since those days, of course, the band has changed beyond recognition both in music style and personnel.

Another Coventry connection is that of Martin Barre who, for 43 years between late 1968 and 2011, was lead guitar for the band. Martin spent three years at the Lanchester Polytechnic before he joined Tull.

This was billed as a Christmas gig. In terms of religion Ian Anderson has described himself as deist and pantheist. In other words God is not dominant in Ian's world but, at the same time, he does not rule out God's existence. 'You can find your own God by being a decent person'.

Additionally, Ian does not belittle religion. He is very respectful of it. However, at times, he does feel the need to challenge it. And his gigs within the splendour of cathedrals have become part of the norm over the last couple of decades.

The version of Jethro Tull that gathered for this particular evening included guitarist Joe Parrish, Scott Hammond on drums and percussion, John O'Hara on piano and keyboard, David Goodier on bass and the ever charismatic Ian Anderson on flute, mandolin, acoustic guitar and vocals.

The evening opened with a spirited version of 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen' followed by an interpretation of 'Gaudete' where Tull were joined by the Coventry Cathedral choir.

The first guest to accompany the band was Marc Almond who sang his song 'Bedsitter'. During the second half Marc returned to the stage where he got to sing another familiar song 'Say Hello Wave Goodbye'.

The next guest was food critic and guitarist, Lloyd Grossman, who joined the fray for firstly some rock 'n' roll and then a punk number 'I ain't doing nothing'.

Several times throughout the long history of Jethro Tull, Ian Anderson has broached the subject of Christmas and is no stranger to the odd Christmas song. Even if it is to remind us that it is not all about the commercial side. And those songs were to be heard this evening.

Aqualung, Jethro Tull's first concept album, hits out at the church through its main character, of the same name, who represents the lowest common denominator in humanity. The records fold out sleeve featured three paintings specifically commissioned from American artist Burton Silverman. Andersons words, within Aqualung, are often hard hitting and pull no punches.

During 1971 it was said about the album 'Our music has to be on a simple pop rock 'n' roll musical level. But if you can introduce little subtleties, eventually they'll become the important things in your music. We're playing worthwhile music now, but we don't over estimate what we're doing'.

The album was recorded under the working title of 'My God' a track which became a sub-title within the album. And the big hitters from the Aqualung album 'My God', 'Locomotive Breath', and the albums title track, wrapped up the offerings in magnificent style.

No wild eyed cavorting or grandiose gestures from Ian Anderson tonight, but there was still the odd manic pirouette, that gave us a hint of his old self. More than a hint though was how good the music of Jethro Tull is, that he has given us. As if the faithful needed to be reminded. This was a memorable evening within a remarkable setting.

Coventry Cathedral 2021

God Rest You Merry Gentlemen

The Boll Weevils / The Bo-Weevils / The Soul Sect / 3AM Blues Band

The Boll Weevils / The Bo-Weevils / The Soul Sect / 3AM Blues Band.

by Pete Clemons

Some time ago I wrote an article about Coventry group The Boll Weevils. The article was more of an overview of the band. With the help of some notes made by the late Tim James I have added some more meat to that article also including Tim's musical path up until the end of 1967.

The Boll Weevils were formed during 1963 as an R n B outfit. They featured Tim James on harp and vocals, Steve Bentham on guitar and vocals, Barry Smale on bass and Joe Craner on Drums. This was Tim's first band with numbers being arranged by himself and Steve Bentham. Apparently this was done while walking home from parties at about 2 in the morning in the inevitable early morning rain.

The band had an older guy, about 30 years old, called Roy working for them. Roy would wade through a spaghetti like mess of wires and cables to get his 30 watt PA system working. After Roy left Tim borrowed fifty pounds from his father and bought his own PA. Neither did we make it, but played original music with balls in the process of failing.

The bands name was changed name to The Bo-Weevils during 1964 in order to avoid confusion with a London group. Kev Dempsey, later the guitarist for Dando Shaft, replaced Joe Craner on drums. With Fred Liggins being added on Tenor Sax. The Bo-Weevils gravitated towards the more soul orientated sounds of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and James Brown as public tastes changed.
By 1965 and with the addition of Greg Taylor on tenor sax, Gordon Wood on baritone sax, Lenny Barratt on guitar, Frank Lazarus on bass, who introduced 'Lenny' to the band a jazzier influence had arrived. This coincided with interest from Pye records.
Tim James remembered 'I can't deny that we were very popular and played well - but we simply covered, rather than re-interpret and re-arrange, the current soul and R&B hits. We were no longer unique, we were just another band rolling along with the commercial flow. The essential component for a record deal was writing our own songs, which were absolutely awful and, to me, embarrassing. To me this was the essential reason for getting out'.

During 1966, and till 1967, Tim moved to The Soul Sect on vocals and blues harp. Completing the band were Reg Sparkes on bass, his brother Rick on drums, Tony Warner on rhythm guitar and Colin Williams on Gibson stereo guitar. After Tim left the band carried on as 'Into the Sun', and, in Tim's words 'played better music at better gigs now featuring the blistering Williams guitar'.

The 3AM Blues Band had formed during 1966 and were heavily influenced by John Mayall and Cream. They were managed by Rodney Joyce, who also played congas, and also comprised of Derek 'Beck' Wilson on Fender Telecaster guitar, Nick Hawkeswell on Gretch bass and Jim Longworth on drums.

Tim James joined 3AM on harmonica & vocals during 1967. He remembers that the band had 'No van but travelled in Rodney's enormous Pontiac saloon, which was just as good ... when it worked'. 'The group are strongly opposed to the current soul music trend' said manager Rodney Joyce in early 1967. Derek Wilson left 3AM during February 1967 replaced by Joe Beale. Eventually 3AM moved to London and finally split in late 1967.

Boll Weevils. Bill Campbell was also a bass player with the band. later with the Eggy and Coconut Mat.

Three AM  - below

Tim James with Ra Ho Tep - avant garde jazz c 1967 - 70 - alto-sax, tenor-sax, clarinet, electric-piano, harp and vocals 
Joe Craner - drums, trumpet and vibes
Phil Porter - bass-guitar, string-bass and acoustic-guitar

Mouldy Old Music

 

Mouldy Old Music

by Pete Clemons

Muriel Young was both a radio and television presenter having worked for commercial television since its inception during 1955. And during the 1960s and 70s she worked behind the scenes on many of the more influential pop music programmes.

And it was Muriel, who originated from the north east, that saw the potential in Coventry band Stavely Makepeace during 1970. After several singles Stavely Makepeace, with the addition of pianist Hilda Woodward, became know as Lieutenant Pigeon, and went on to have a hit with 'Mouldy Old Dough' during 1972. The note below, from Muriel, is taken from the reverse of the Lieutenant Pigeon album, 'Mouldy Old Music' released February 1973,

'It's three years ago since a couple of round faced lads, Rob and Nigel, came into my office with a disc. Stavely Makepeace was the name and I was knocked out with the sound, partly because it was different – fresh and sort of kerpow !!. Also because I was intrigued that the discs had been made in Rob's front sitting room. This had been handed over to him willingly by his Ma and fitted out as a sound studio. 'What a super Ma', I said to myself, and what a super Ma she turned out to be when I met her in Lieutenant Pigeon. Along with Rob and Nigel (not so round faced three years later) and Steve, Mrs Woodward at piano, added another fun dimension to the sound which to me is still different, fresh and loaded with kerpow !! Thank you Lieutenant Pigeon.'

A review of the album, released on the Decca label SKL5154, has been reproduced below.

'This will do. Despite the awesome threats that it was all a one hit wonder gimmick and destined for an early grave, the gallant Lieutenant's music has gone on to do well in the charts. Nigel Fletcher, Rob Woodward, Steve and 'Ma' open here with Mouldy Old Dough, then into a fairground sound on Jumping Jack and, on side two Desperate Dan makes a predictable appearance. They plunge into the martial beat on Opus 300, and its organ cranking stuff on The Monkey Song. There's the odd break for piano, and the odd extra curricular bit of vocalising – in short don't expect no musical miracles and you'll enjoy the exercise. It's happy go lucky, enthusiastic stuff, and the group has done well to get so many variations of style and sound especially considering the smallness of the personnel. On the sleeve note, Muriel Young opines: its a fun dimension to the sound which to me is still different, fresh and loaded with KEPOW!. Perhaps that's the word for which we've been searching.......'different'.

'Unusual stuff not without its charms from a band who were rather difficult to pigeon hole. Its not an obvious style of music from any era and at times it appears to hark back to the old days of the music hall although the piano is largely dominant'.

Sadly the Lieutenant Pigeon album never fared as well as the single. But one thing is for sure, almost 50 years on, and Lieutenant Pigeon left us with one of the most recognisable tunes ever released.......To a certain generation at least.

Rob Woodwood of Lieutenant Pigeon as Shel Naylor at 17 on the Decca label with a song written by Kinks member Dave Davies in 1964. Jimmy Page on guitar.

The Pineapple Thief – Bristol - November 2021

 

The Pineapple Thief – Bristol - November 2021

by Pete Clemons

Defining the success of bands like The Pineapple Thief is rather like pulling the leaves off a daisy. Are they, are they not?. However, in my mind, there seems little doubt, after having seen them on stage and listened to their albums, any success has something to do with their apparent vulnerability.

The Pineapple Thief are possibly the first of the current great un-super groups who have based their appeal on being of the people as opposed to coming on strong in time honoured tradition. In this delightful venue, there were no visuals of any kind, no fanfares even. The band simply amble on stage and pulled off the seemingly impossible by their sheer musical enthusiasm.

In support of the latest studio album, 'Versions of the Truth', and accompanying live album, 'Nothing But the Truth', recorded in a freezing cold studio in Bedford, at the height of the pandemic, and under the strictest of Covid conditions, The Pineapple Thief set the house ablaze.

During October 2021 The Pineapple Thief became one of the first bands from the UK, if not thee first, to tour in Europe again. They began their tour with gigs in Manchester and Glasgow and, after successfully crossing the border, they arrived in The Netherlands for a performance in Amsterdam. From their they made their way around Germany, Poland, France, Hungary and Belgium without a hitch.

That said, the build up to this tour was not without its obvious problems. Against a backdrop of Brexit and the pandemic The Pineapple Thief had the difficult task of negotiating this tour of Europe. Yes, they had done it before. But this time it must have felt a little like a journey into the unknown. Like countless others dates had been postponed by around 18-24 months and appeared to be beset by rescheduling issues. But, despite the hurdles, it happened.

Back to the gig, which was seen as something as a homecoming, The Pineapple Thief were immense. Within their armoury, the sound comprised of balanced and rounded harmonies, continuous complex drumming and textural, atmospheric keyboard playing. In fact the whole rhythm section is exceptional. The like you have rarely heard before. Principle song writer and lead vocalist Bruce Soord appeared to exude a new confidence. Additionally Bruce doesn't leave all the soloing glory to the impressive Beren Matthews on lead guitarist. Check out 'Our Mire' for an example of Bruce's own capabilities. Hearing that particular song live, along with the many others new and established, this whole gig was taken to a different level.

No doubt Bruce had more than a degree of satisfaction after the completion of this tour. Albeit maybe tinged with a little sadness that it was all over. Happy to be home but the kind of sadness you feel after a really good holiday. There is more to come however. The second stage of this European excursion continues during February 2022. And this is followed by a tour of America.

Hope is like flying. You cant see what keeps you going, but you know it is there. That said I am confident U.S. audiences will turn up in their numbers. Well at least I hope they will.

As a fan of a band whose music genuinely moves you, and who you remember playing in pubs to a handful of people, you just can't help but feel some pride at the moments like this. And this gig certainly felt like a moment for The Pineapple Thief.

Urge (Part 1)

 Urge (Part 1)

By Pete Clemons

To attempt to put together a potted history of Coventry band Urge I have plagiarised notes from a past John Shipley interview and those of Kevin Harrison which appeared to have long disappeared from the internet thus leaving little about this particular band. I also used appreciated input from Nigel Mulvey.

During 1978, and after splitting from a band in Brighton called 'Les Squares', guitarist John Shipley and vocalist David Wankling both returned to Coventry from Brighton, where they had spent the previous few years. After a period of resettlement they began the formation of a new band. And, along with the additional talents of John Westacott on bass, and Billy Little on drums they formed Urge. Kevin Harrison, on synth, organ, tapes joined The Urge slightly later during January 1979.

Kevin 'I get invited to do a support spot at a birthday party at the Rockhouse in Coventry, The Urge are playing, later they ask me to record a rehearsal session. After a few weeks I join them, I play guitar, electric piano and EMS synth and start to introduce some of my songs to the group. I employ Burroughs 'cut-up' techniques for some of the lyrics. We decide to dispense with the definitive and we are now just called Urge'.

Urge began as an imaginative and experimental band. Nothing like Coventry had seen or heard before. Combining both rhythm and noise. Their early performances were relative to the environment and atmosphere and how they were feeling at the time.

Urge have had their problems which was unusually due to a bad P.A. Or insufficient time to soundcheck. Other things which they felt were problematic was a lack of visual image and meaningful communication between band and audience. Due in part to their uniqueness they felt there was not really the audience out there to communicate with.

John Shipley, however, was not destined to remain in Urge for too long. He had noticed that people didn’t dance at their gigs even though the songs were, by and large, danceable. He was also very keen to create a more rhythmic groove with more visible audience participation.

Dramatically, during August 1979 and in the middle of a set at the Lanchester Polytechnic, John walked off the stage, never to return. Seeing the Coventry Automatics perform at Mr Georges nightclub only confirmed the direction he now wanted to take.

After John Shipley's departure, and during September 1979, Lynda Wulf joined the band on vocals. The whole feel of the band had now changed. Shortly after her arrival Urge were involved with U.K Subs and were invited to join them on their national tour.

The first Urge single, 'Revolving Boy/Revolve'. was recorded at Spaceward Studio, Cambridge on 1st November 1979 and released shortly after on the groups own label 'Consumer Disks'. Kevin and David created the sleeve and label design and with the sleeves being printed at the Lanchester Polytechnic.

By now David Wankling and Kevin Harrison were writing much of the bands material. David the words and Kevin the music and production. Urge finished 1979 on a high when they performed in front of a home crowd at Tiffany's where they supported The Beat and UB40.

During January 1980 they Urge were invited by The Specials to support them on their European tour. Urge subsequently played dates in Hanover; Hamburg; Cologne in Germany and Arnhem; Sittard; Waalwijk in Holland.

A new track, 'Nuclear Terrorist', was recorded at Woodbine Studios in Leamington during March 1980 and was included as a track on the compilation record 'Sent From Coventry'.

Mid 1980 was spent recording. Firstly a session that included tracks such as 'Revolving Loop', 'New Sex', 'Inkman' and 'Minutes to Go' were recorded at Woodbine Studio during June. Soon after and, on the strength of those demos, Urge signed up to Arista (Ariola) Records just weeks after Arista's A+R executive, Tarquin Gotch, had heard them.

In July, the band recorded 'Shadow Man' with Dennis Bovell at Surrey Sound who produced and engineered the song. And during late late July it was back to Woodbine Studio to record 'Teach Yourself Dutch' a song written by Urge, engineered by John Rivers and produced by Kevin.

August saw the recording of another new song, 'Bobby' written by Wankling/Harrison, engineered by Pete Buhlman and produced by Nigel Gray. Once again this was recorded at Surrey Sound. During the same session a new version of 'Revolving Boy' was also recorded.

It was back once more to Surrey Sound, for a third time, during the early part of October for the recordings of 'Sea Of Storms' and 'Megadeath'. Not long after this session John Westacott was replaced by Nigel Mulvey (ex-Squad).

During October 1980 Urge played in a bullring in Barcelona with The Specials. Nigel Mulvey confirmed that the Barcelona gig had only been his second or third with the band. But 'What an experience that was' for Nigel. There is a permanency of this new line up in the form of two tracks recorded at Woodbine Studios. These were 'Nowhere to Go' and 'Marching'.

February 1981 a second single was released on 'Consumer Disks' through Arista 'Bobby/Teach Yourself Dutch' (arist 382), followed by an appearance on BBC T.V 'Look Hear'. Look Hear was filmed at Pebble Mill in Birmingham and The Beat were recorded at the same time although the bands songs went to air on different days. Urge performed 'Revolving Boy', which is on YouTube and 'Bobby'.

During March 1981 Urge toured England supporting Selecter on their 'Celebrate the Bullitt' tour with new member Steve Teers - keyboards/trombone. During April 1981 Urge played Marquee Club in London's Wardour Street. However shortly afterwards the group split up 'due to difficulties with Arista and internal wrangles'.

Urge were resurrected between 1981 and 1982. This line-up utilised the songwriting abilities of Kevin and David. And after one abortive gig with Lynda Novak and bass player Dave Gedney along with a rhythm-box Urge added a real drummer in the shape of John Hill and a conga player.

After a few weeks John Hill replaced by Rick Medlock (ex-I) and Pete Jordan - on alto saxophone (ex-L'Homme de Terre) joined. This line-up best known for residency on Sundays at The Whitley Abbey. Coventry. Initial record company interest from CBS; Warner Bros and EMI amounted to nothing. And soon after Urge split once again.

Soon after Kevin Harrison released his solo L.P 'Inscrutably Obvious' for Cherry Red Records and a 12" single 'Fly/Inkman/Views of the Rhine' for Glass Records. 'Fly' featured Horace Panter - bass guitar, Rick Medlock - drums, Kevin - vocals and all other instruments and Lynda - backing vocals.

1983 saw a third Urge line up. The new version included Kevin Harrison - guitar, bass and keys, Kendell Smith – Vocals, Lynda Harrison – vocals and Rick Medlock – drums. This line-up recorded one session at Woodbine Studio during September 1983. Songs completed were 'Pressure Drop/Style & Fashion'. 'The chemistry had gone so Urge, once again, called it a day'.

Links to some of Kevin Harrison's earlier bands on the Hobo sites.

Whistler - Avant garde Jazz Rock band c 1970 

Zoastra - Experimental elctronic band c 1974 / 5 (a bridge between Whistler and Urge) 

Urge - more about Urge

Urge Reunion 2010

Kevin Harrison's YouTube channel

Bobby - The Urge

Teach Yourself Dutch

Ink Man - Kevin Harrison

Below - Kevin Harrison c 1969

Below Lynda Harrison (Wulf) c 1969

Below Urge from their 2010 Reunion along with John Shipley

Urge - Part 2

 Urge - Part 2

By Pete Clemons

October 1980 – Source unknown

(Stop Press - Nigel Mulvey is 99% sure that the article is from the NME, by Chris Salewicz who went with them to Barcelona with photographer Joe Stephen’s.)


"Really we should have gone from Luton airport, but the only flight to Barcelona that night was from Heathrow.

And so, two days before they were due to play a concert in a bloodstained bullring. The Specials and new Arista signing - Urge and all their aides-de-camp picked up 36 tickets from a Coventry travel agent...

Urge is a group of many paradoxes. 

A major Urge paradox is that their music consists of clear-visioned, witty pop songs. Yet Kevin himself, often as ascetically insecure onstage as only a Fripp-like guitar anti-hero may be, seems far more comfortable sitting at home in his Coventry council flat releasing the tapes he makes with his Revox and synthesizer. 'New Eastern Electric' is how Kevin waggishly describes what he is creating on such sound collages as ‘On Earth 2’. an NME Garageland featured cassette

He denies, though, that he’d prefer working on his own - his solo work, he claims, is just one of the elements that go towards making up the Urge sound. "Philip Glass meets The Kinks at the grassroots of. . whatever..." he succinctly sums up their music. "We’re doing The Shangri-la’s ‘Past. Present And Future’ on our first album"

"I’m very fond of the intertwining of fact and fiction," continued Kevin as we sat in the back of the Spanish cab making drunken attempts to recall the name of our hotel. "For example, on our original record company biography we were listed as ‘five former supermarket managers’. And now Nigel Mulvey joins us on bass and that was what he really did once do."

Much of this makes more sense, of course. when you appreciate that our Kev is a former art student. After twelve months at Nuneaton Art School. Kevin applied for a course in communications at Leicester University. "They didn’t seem to be able to handle it when they discovered my portfolio wasn’t visual, but audio. It was made up entirely of tapes of sound."

So Illuminatus-fan Kevin went to work instead at British Leyland as a systems analyst, which maybe he was destined to do all along: Eighteen months ago, as a victim of cut-backs within the car firm, he picked up £1,500 redundancy money and bought the Revox and synthesizer with which he makes his tapes

Kevin Harrison, in fact, is a fully paid alumnus of the Coventry Scene: the last group he was in before Urge was Transposed Men, which also featured Special John Bradbury, Selecter Desmond Brown and Selecter main man Neol Davies. It was Kevin’s long-standing friend Neol Davies, in fact, who first brought Urge to my attention, playing me the group’s tapes when I visited his home last summer. Although a different urge line-up was already established when Kevin joined in January of 79, he quickly became a central force and in September of that year, his wife Lynda was added to the group to share vocals with the less willful David Wankling, who writes the lyrics and founded the band

Whimsically having decided in 1976 to quit his native Coventry, David had moved to Brighton where he quickly found he was combining his job of croupier ("Casinos don’t have to be fixed: they always end up winning") with singing in a punk band with flat-mate and guitarist John Shipley, later of the now defunct Swinging Cats.

The pair returned to their home-town in 1978 to form the first edition of Urge, which included the group’s current drummer, rockabilly fan Billy Little, who’d previously played behind Special Terry Hall in The Squad. When Shipley departed for the Swinging Cats, it was Kevin who came in as replacement

January of 1980 saw Urge releasing their first 45, ‘Revolving Boy’, an independent single that the group is re-recording for release by Arista. Under the terms of their new deal, urge have already been in the studio with Dennis Bovell at the production helm. They have decided, though, against working with Bovell on their imminent album. "He’s a helluva nice guy," says Kevin, "but I think the problem is that half the time he’s too stoned to actually get anything together. It's his own studio and it's not really fully equipped yet. It makes studio work very expensive."

At the same time as ‘Revolving Boy’ came out, Urge endured for their first national tour an ordeal by mutant gob when they supported The UK Subs. At the Marquee date on that tour Billy Little’s kit was so covered in plastic beer glasses that had been chucked at the group that he was actually unable to make contact with his drum-skins

Also, this Barcelona bash is not the first time that the group have trod the European boards. Picking up their passports in Coventry Post Office late last winter for a couple of Dutch dates, Lynda ran into Jerry Dammers. "Oh, come along to Germany with us when you’re finished in Holland," offered the generous Jerry, and urge ended up as support act to The Specials on their European tour.

At least those dates were not as disaster-prone as this Spanish trip: perhaps it was something to do with the karma of attempting to put on a pop show in a place normally reserved for the unnecessary slaughtering of inoffensive animals. As Kevin remarked at one point "there's an awful lot of bullshit about this gig."

Only 2.000 Spanish punkettas show up - which may have bean caused by rival promoter having taken a TV ad the previous evening to announce the concert had been cancelled!

This left the German promoter, a man whose finances came from the buying and selling of exotic snuffs, to lose his shirt. and nearly his life - this particular bullring being apparently controlled by the Spanish mafia

As Jerry Dammers and Urge manager Ian Foster were departing their hotel the next morning to travel back to London by road, the promoter suddenly appeared out of the shadows, to request a ride to the border. He’d also been busted in Barcelona some days previously, and he only had one of his four passports left. Dammers and Foster made their excuses and left.

The Rise of Two Tone 1979

 The Rise of Two Tone 1979

by Pete Clemons

17 Dec 2021 The Primitives – A homecoming gig the Empire

Coventry's very own, The Primitives, are playing a gig at the Empire in Hertford Street on December 17th during the run up to Christmas. It is being billed as a 'homecoming' concert. Supporting acts include The Session, who have had a wonderful few years themselves, Watermark and Danny Ansell.

But that phrase 'homecoming' had me thinking back to 1979 when Coventry experienced a couple more homecoming concerts. They were at Tiffany's nightclub, they were on December 20th and these gigs featured The Specials. And those homecoming gigs were remembered fondly in Horace Panter's book 'Ska'd For Life' where he described them as 'some of the most fantastic shows I have ever played in my life'.

The tail end of 1979 was a time when the whole 2 tone scene was exploding nationally. The foundations had been laid and The Specials had just completed their own headlining major tour. Suddenly, from playing local pubs months earlier, they were now playing dance hall sized venues.

A quick run down of some of the key events included certainly indicates how things were snowballing for the 2 tone scene. The bands involved had suddenly found themselves in an intense and demanding time. And for several months either side of Christmas 1979 Coventry really felt like the centre of the world. This is only a snapshot. Other TV appearances etc were also happening:

October 1979

The Specials, The Selecter, Dexys Midnight Runners/Madness are on their 2 tone tour

The Specials release the single 'A Message to You Rudy'

Madness perform 'The Prince' on top of the pops 11 October

The Specials debut album is released 19 October

Madness's One Step Beyond album is released 19 October

The Specials perform 'A Message to You Rudy' on top of the pops 25 October

The Selecter perform 'On My Radio' on top of the pops 25 October

November 1979

The 2 tone tour continued

The Beat appear at Tiffany's

The Specials perform at The Lyceum in London which is recorded

The 2 tone tour concludes at Tiffany's on 29 November where The Specials are again recorded. The Selecter and Dexys Midnight Runners also appear.

So in demand was the November Tiffany's gig forged tickets were rumoured to be circulating the city. The concert organisers, Lanchester Polytechnic Students Union, were aware and warned that the tickets were 'a very professional job'. A representative for the union stated that 'they have used orange dayglo card and imitated the Poly logo. We always use of a side strip. But these tickets are not numbered and stood out a mile'. Organisers had been tipped off by a student who had bought a forgery at the full price of £1.75. A further warning was issued: 'Students with forged tickets will be turned away from the doors'.

December 1979

The Selecter, The Beat and UB40 appear at The Lyceum in London

Footage is recorded of the Specials at their Earlsdon HQ for a TV documentary

The Beat and UB40 appear at Tiffany's

The Beat perform 'Tears of a Clown' on top of the pops

The Specials and The Selecter both appear on BBC Radio One In Concert

The Specials and The Beat appear at Tiffany's on 20 December for 2 homecoming shows

Within the December 19th issue of the Coventry Telegraph it mentioned that 'The Specials, one of the top rock bands, are putting on a charity show for children at Tiffany's in Coventry tomorrow afternoon. It is a matinee event and will start at 4pm. The concert is in aid of the Community Education Project in Coventry. Additionally, it will be followed in the evening by a sold out gig in aid of the Cambodia Relief Fund.

January 1980

The Special AKA live EP is released 11 January. The B Side are live takes from the November 79 Coventry and Lyceum gigs

And here we are again 42 years on. I am not comparing the two events. But, in The Empire, we have just had a major music venue open, Christmas is fast approaching and Coventry suddenly feels in demand again. The venue has hosted sold out shows featuring Tom Grennan, Ed Sheeran, Paul Weller. So the analogy feels similar. It has been an awful long time.

 

 

Chris Smith - The Sorrows

 Chris Smith - The Sorrows

by Pete Clemons

Coventry band The Sorrows have had a long and interesting history. This story covers the1968 era of the band when they were Italy based.

Late 1967,the trio of Wez Price, Bruce Finley and Chuck Fryers, returned to Coventry once more. Geoff Prior, who had only been with The Sorrows briefly, had decided to leave. And it was at this point that keyboard player and vocalist Chris Smith was brought on board. Chris was from Coventry and his previous band had been called East Side Protection.

With Wez Price now back on bass guitar this latest quartet went into Pye Studios and recorded four Chuck Fryer songs under the stewardship of producer John Schroeder.

Chris Smith recently sent me a potted history of his musical journey from Coventry via Italy and back to Coventry, and finally, settling in London.

"The first group I was in was called 'The Rippers' and I was the vocalist. We were connected with the Cathedral Youth Club and actually played in the New Cathedral as a way of bringing beat music to church goers! I then met up with Ron Lawrence and Monday's Children was formed with me playing keyboards and lead vocals. The Broughton's used to come and watch us at 'The Racing Horse' pub in Warwick.

Monday's Children then became 'East Side Protection' with the addition of Roy Butterfield on guitar.

East Side Protection below

After gigging locally a Manager appeared and he got us some better gigs out of town. He seemed impressed with my singing and playing and introduced me to Wez Price from 'The Sorrows' after he came to one of our gigs..They were back in Coventry after playing and living in Italy. Wez asked me to join the band with a view to trying to make a go of it in the UK. We did a demo with Pye Records as they still had an option to carry on with the band. They didn't take up the option and we eventually decided to go back to Italy in August 1968.

I was 20 years old and for me it felt like a big adventure and an intense period of growing up very quickly, out in the big wide world. Pip from the original 'Sorrows' came out with us (as he was already well known) and we recorded a song in Italian called Per Una Donna Non on Miura Records. As he couldn't settle and missed his family Pip went back to Coventry. Leaving me to mime to his singing in Italian on The Pippo Baudo show on Rai Television as a solo artist without the band!

So we were involved in a Milli Vanilli type of scenario, but nobody ever picked up on it, even though my voice was very different from Pip's.

'The Sorrows' stayed in Italy gigging all over the country being ripped off by corrupt Managers and Agents and me being recognised and mobbed by fans after the TV appearances! I finally decided to come back to Coventry at the beginning of 1970 and that version of the band split up with Chuck Fryers staying in Italy to this day!

I moved back in with my parents and started to reconnect with a new set of musicians on the scene at the time. I decided to be a Bass Guitarist as my Hammond Organ was sold in Italy to cover some debts belonging to the band. I was introduced to Neol Davies and got involved with Mead as a Bass Player and played some local gigs including the Lanchester. Michael Smitham was somebody else that I was jamming with at the time. I can't remember if he was in Mead as well (a senior moment maybe)?

After one year back in Coventry I moved down to London and joined a band called Phoenix on Bass after several auditions. One of which was Supertramp and I was in the last three called back to be seen again. I didn't tell them I could sing and play the keyboards too, but the original Bassist came back into the band anyway.

I started to write songs soon after arriving in London using guitar and keyboards and still stand in with bass when asked.

I have the stage name of Chrislin and am starting to play a few low key gigs using my own material. There is a YouTube of the Chrislin Singers with 'A Song to be Sung' which was recorded at the South Bank in London before Lockdown!

I will be recording more of my songs as soon as possible and may get together with Roger Lomas in his studio in Coventry. The City of Culture has reignited my connection to Coventry again.

I could have written so many more incidents but this gives you a flavour of the time. Needless to say, miming to another's voice and being noted for that didn't help my self esteem. At least the Italians found me 'Molto Simpatico' as my personality shone through."


Of my potted history - 'You can use what you feel is appropriate!' said Chris. Well thanks Chris I used it all.

 

Planet Ice – Skydome Complex

 Planet Ice – Skydome Complex

by Pete Clemons

Girls Aloud

Electronic, drum and bass duo Chase and Status will be appearing at Planet Ice in Coventry on November 26th 2021. Not that I know the first thing about Chase and Status, or drum and bass for that matter, but seeing the advert for them sent my mind wandering. And it went back to a time when my own children were growing up and going for their own nights out to see bands at Planet Ice situated within the Skydome Complex.

The 3000 seater capacity Ice Skating arena building opened during 1999. A little time after the rest of the Skydome complex if I remember correctly. It was all built on the site of the old GEC Spon Street factory which was where I began my own working life.

By 2001 and the Planet Ice venue saw the launch of a large music event hosted by local radio station Mercia Sound/FM to celebrate the station's 21st birthday. The concert also doubled up as a major charity event where it was decided that proceeds raised would go to Snowball a trust set up for sick and disabled children in Coventry and Warwickshire.

As I remember it was the then Mercia FM morning crew of Shep and Ru, who woke up Coventry and Warwickshire every weekday from 6am, who were compère's for the evening. It was their job to introduce the pop stars of the day. And for that inaugural event those included Blue, Hear'Say, Honeyz and Phats and Small appeared at the event which by now was known as The Thunderball concert. And the sell-out event raised £20,000.

Following on from its success a similar event was staged in 2002. And again thousands packed the arena where chart toppers Atomic Kitten, the trio of Liz McClarnon, Natasha Hamilton and Jenny Frost, took to the stage along with H and Claire from Steps, Blazin Squad, Sarah Whatmore and many others.

2003 and a third event was held. This time it attracted the likes of Gareth Gates, Amy Studt, Kym Marsh, Lemar and Take That's Mark Owen.

And in 2004 a fourth and final Thunderball concert took place. This time it headlined Girls Aloud. A group that was put together by a panel of judges that included Pete Waterman. Cheryl Tweedy, Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding (who I was saddened to hear had passed away recently), Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh made up the group that scored a huge number of hits. Further pop acts of the day including boy band Phixx, R&B artist Jay Sean, The 411 and the Intenso Project featuring Lisa Scott Lee joined the headliners.

Over the course of the four years, that the Mercia FM's Thunderball event was held, it was estimated that it had raised £80,000 for charity's working with sick and disabled children. Additionally the Thunderball event left a lot of precious memories for many from the Coventry area.

Many of the above artists mentioned above have proved to be multi talented. Some have now reached the stage of life where the pop world is way behind them and they now do TV work. I even noticed that there was a special episode of the Pointless quiz show recently which was dedicated to artists from that era.

Good luck to Chase and Status when you appear at the Skydome Complex. Hope you enjoy your time in Coventry as many others did.

Lee Perry

 Lee Perry

by Pete Clemons

Lee Perry was many things apparently. He was described as genius and an eccentric. But he was also a visionary. Long before he built his home studio, before he began producing for 1970s reggae artists Lee Perry was predicting that Ska, a guitar expression apparently, was going to be the biggest thing in popular music. Whether it happened in quite the way he expected or envisaged is another thing.

And Lee was proved to be right. Toward the end of 1969 there were no fewer than five Ska records in the charts. Record companies and dealers were caught completely on the hop. But any ballroom disc jockey could have predicted the trend months earlier. So too could Lee Perry. 'But the music had to grow up' said Dave Hadfield of Maximum Sound Studios. 'Before the chart explosion too many of the lyrics were seen as 'banal rubbish'. It was also mentioned that too many of the Ska productions were back street jobs.

The records which were making the charts in 1969 were by artists such as The Pioneers, Harry J and the All Stars, Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker and Lee's own band The Upsetters. After years of using cheap studios and the minimum of musicians, Ska was becoming sophisticated and polished.

The Ska scene, up until that time, had been dominated by small, independent record companies and a bewildering number of labels with such names as Upsetter, Coxon Crab, Songbird, Harry J, Pama, Revolution, Unity, Trojan, Gas and Pyramid, most of them run by by West Indians who knew the music inside out.

Every time a major company had tried to break into the scene its fingers had got burned. EMI tried it with a special Columbia Blue Beat series run by Ziggy Jackson, a man with vast experience in the field, but failed miserably, other companies have had sporadic bursts of Ska releases but mostly without success.

'You cant cater for a specialist music unless everyone in the organisation is geared up to the product' says Harry Palmer who within a 12 period built up Pama Records from a struggling little company into one of the more bigger and well known Ska labels.

Harry also had the advantage of owning his own retail shops enabling him to gauge public reaction. 'I thought of Ska as puerile, boring music but now it has taken on a whole new direction. There are some very exciting records being turned out. Take the Upsetters and Return of Django for instance, that has got sax work to match the old rock magic for its guts and excitement'.

Graeme Goodall, a man who has worked and struggled for years to get Ska off the ground over here was at last seeing success. His Pyramid label could now claim a long string of hits thanks mainly to the remarkable Desmond Dekker who has scored no fewer than 40 number 1's in his native Jamaica.

Britain's pop scene was already being conquered and it is no longer just the settled West Indians who were buying the records. Ska was also breaking big in America too, thanks to the pioneering work of Johnny Nash and the success of Dekker's single 'Israelites'.

'There is something unique about West Indian music' said Nash, a man who had already made a big impact on soul music. 'I commute between New York and Jamaica where I do most of my recording'. Johnny provided a link in Ska coming to maturity. As a young man he was greatly influenced by the late Sam Cooke. 'The Ska of the past may have had room for improvement but now the music is ready to be taken seriously' said Johnny.

Barnabus - album launch gig October 2021

 Barnabus - album launch Gig October 2021

by Pete Clemons

The early 1970s brought music that was exciting, adventurous, heady and inspiring. For those playing it, it was days full of risk and vigorously alive. And Barnabus were another of those hard working bands from that time.

November 1971 saw them enter a studio and record an album that, sadly, never saw day of light for almost 50 years. But now, all has been corrected and, here we are in October 2021 for, at long last, the launch gig of that album.

The band have also threatened that this will be there last ever gig. Maybe it will be but as they were playing, it was easy to see that Barnabus were clearly enjoying it, and I couldn't help but think that there was more life left to be had in their songs.

Before the gig guitarist John Storer lamented that 'It had been a wonderful journey supporting bands such as Van der Graff Generator, Man, Trapeze, Hawkwind' and 'local band, The Edgar Broughton Blues Band as they were known back in the early 70s. As well as Barnabus playing gigs such as the Swan in Yardley, The Crown in Birmingham, off Navigation Street and Chetwyn's also Navigation Street. Also we cannot forget of course the Walsgrave Pub in Coventry and the Sportsman's Arms'

The first set that Barnabus played kicked off with a really excellent version of 'Morning Dew' a tune covered by the likes of The Grateful Dead. And the theme of the first part of the gig, if indeed there was one, was to concentrate on the more softer songs such as 'Beginning to Unwind' and 'Gas Rise'.

The second set was altogether different as Barnabus went for the more heavier songs such as 'America', their take on the Leonard Bernstein’s classic, 'The War Drags On', 'Mortal Flight', 'Winter Lady' a song that once had Ozzy Osbourne leaping out of his chair, and 'Apocalypse'. The band finished with the Cream number 'Crossroads'.

It really had been a special evening. Even today these songs sound different and assured. Any thoughts of failure, at the time of the recording, must have been outweighed by the feelings of knowing that you really were in a great band and had some really good music to offer.

Post gig and there was absolutely no doubt that all three members of the band had realised that they had put in a decent shift.

John Storer mentioned that 'it really couldn't have gone any better, right down to the timing of both sets'. Drummer Tony Cox commented that 'it was the best we had ever played'. While bass player and vocalist, Keith Hancock said 'it was great to play the old songs just one more time. A bit dated now, but still hold their own relevancy to what's going on today. Very happy with the way the whole thing went'.


The band were also keen to thank Barnabus lyricist Les Bates and his family for attending. They had come all the way down from Scotland for the event.

During the gig many old memories were sparked. None more so than one about Carole Knee of Friars Promotions who put on many of Barnabus's gigs during the early 1970s. The band were originally known as 'Barnabus Legge' and it was Carole who advised them to cut off the 'Legge' part which they agreed to do. It was ironic that her name was 'Knee' and she wanted the 'Legge' cut off.

The album, titled 'Beginning to Unwind' has been released on Rise Above Relics which is a part of Lee Dorrian’s Rise Above Records. Rise Above is a label that is dedicated to releasing relatively obscure hard rock and folk music from the late 1960s through to the mid-70s. It has to be said that Lee has done an incredible job in turning those 50 year old tapes into the CD and LP packages that are now available. Glad to hear that the album has sold particularly well in places like America. 50 years on, and who would have thought.