Roddy Radiation

Roddy Radiation

by Pete Clemons

No sooner had the current version of The Specials stepped off the stage for the last time, after holding court at the old cathedral for 4-nights, when another one-time key member of the band was about to step onto his, for another of his solo gigs. This time it was at the Jaguar Club just off Browns Lane.

Guitarist, and former member of the Specials, Roddy Radiation, has been assembling his own sizeable tour for 2019. And this includes several gigs in and around his home city of Coventry.

Some of these gigs, as seen recently at the Godiva festival and Jaguar Club are intimate affairs. Just Roddy and his guitar. Solo gigs, such as these, are not easy things to do especially when you are used to having a band around you. But, to be fair, Roddy does them really well. The songs he performs are familiar, and, are all his. Well almost. Some are covers and some he had a hand in. The set for the Jag Club was as follows:


Gangsters

Sunny Afternoon (The Kinks)

Hey Little Rich Girl

His Cat Needs a Kitten

Do Nothing

Forgive and Forget (Neil Hunter)

Rat Race

Johnny


But where Roddy appears to be most comfortable is with his band, The Skabilly Rebels, where he appears with Joe Harcourt – guitar, Lee Pratt – drums, Connor O'Connor – bass and Adrian R Lee – sax. Between them they produce a very mixed sound that draws from Rockabilly. But with an extra added twist. My best description of ‘Skabilly’ is that the music is a mix of rock, blues, ska and punk with a 50's/60's beat. Additionally, The Skabilly Rebels are very uplifting, and have that rare ability to get your feet and body moving spontaneously.

I imagine that a lot people reading this will have already discovered the delights of The Skabilly Rebels but for those who have not well this is a genuinely excellent band that brings with them an incredible feel good factor.

Most recently The Skabilly Rebels have released two EP’s titled ‘Fallen Angel’ and ‘Losing Control’. And if these had been released by Dave Edmunds or The Stray Cats then the music critics would be falling over themselves to churn out superlatives by the dozen.

As mentioned Roddy has a stack of dates lined up. And you can see the band at several venues, up and down the country, before the year is over. Expect a similar set list as above but with the addition of tunes like Another Rusty Nail, Black Zodiac, Doldrums and Judgement Day and many others.

After a recent Specials gig I was talking with friends about how their songs, from 40 years ago, still sounded good despite the passage of time. My only conclusion was that they were simply brilliant. Being not that far out of my teens, I didn't appreciate that during 1979/80, but I certainly do now.

I mentioned this to Roddy, during a brief chat we had over social media. Roddy, despite having his struggles since quitting The Specials, came across as more philosophical nowadays. ‘I’ve been pretty lucky health wise’ he said. ‘But at 64 things are starting to wear out. I’ve lost a few close friends recently. Life is far too short I’m very aware of that now’.

Roddy’s songs will be around long after we have all disappeared. Very few can claim the kind of legacy that he can. And he can be very proud of his achievements.

If you google ‘Roddy Radiation tour’ you will see lists of his current activity. Or if you fancy any of his CD’s or other merch then go to roddyradiation.com

Wild Boys - Roddy Radiation's first band  - Lorraine.

Wild Boys Concrete Jungle

Roddy Radiation - Gangsters.

Voodoo Kings

Voodoo Kings

By Pete Clemons

What I found impressive about the recent gigs by The Specials in the old cathedral ruins was the fact that, on each of the four nights, there was a different local support band.

And, on the evening I went, that band happened to be Voodoo Kings - a three-piece skiffle come rockabilly band. There was a tenuous connection to The Specials. Each member of Voodoo Kings had previously been in bands with one-time Specials guitarist Roddy Radiation such as The Bone diggers and The Skabilly Rebels.

It is easy to forget that Voodoo Kings have been together for around ten years now. Guitarist Dave West, drummer Terry Downes and Sam Smith on double bass apparently formed Voodoo Kings after the 50th anniversary gig of Coventry legends The Zodiacs. This being held at Christ the King social club during February 2009.

If one of the rules to putting on a live gig is to try to grab the listeners attention immediately, then yes, Voodoo Kings certainly did that. They put a great shift in and were more than a worthy support band.

Dave West carries a rich and soulful voice. Add to that, and like a metronome, the upright bass is being constantly slapped with the drums supplying a kind of glue to it all.

‘Rollin’, the band’s latest tune, was also given an outing. And, of course, in true tradition, that Midnight Train hit the tracks.

Given today’s music scene, I think that Skiffle / Rockabilly is a tough genre to define. 1920s country music and bluegrass revived during the 1950s. Hank Williams and Americana along with days long gone by all spring to mind. But when it was king, skiffle laid the foundations for much of what was to come. And, clearly, it continues to influence today.

After their set I bought a copy of Voodoo Kings excellent CD ‘Systems Green’. Yes, I know, it is around five years old now, having been released during 2013, but hands up, it had escaped me.

Part of this albums charm, and throughout it all, is that there is a rough growly edge to it. There is also a constant energy and tempo. It contains 12 original tunes and, as one tune suggests, it has a rock ‘n’ roll heart.

The album is filled with melodies and rhythms intended on getting you up there dancing, or at the very least, stomping your feet. An amazing energy is contained within this recording.

The future is bright the future is green.

The Specials – Cathedral Ruins 2019

The Specials – Cathedral Ruins 2019

Review by Pete Clemons

"An iconic band playing iconic music in an iconic venue." Not my words, but those repeated by many of the folk who were among the 8000 attendees that turned out at the old cathedral where The Specials recently held court.

Now that they have passed into history this series of four sold out dates will, without doubt, enter city folklore. It was an inspired choice to hold these gigs in the ruins.

The old cathedral is a place of peace and reconciliation. And, 40 years ago, The Specials began a campaign that united people in a way few others have. They were at the forefront of the fight against racism and fairness. And that mission is as valid today as it was then. As such, it made absolute sense to hold the gigs there.

Guitarist Lynval Golding mentioned that there was no better place within the city to celebrate their 40th anniversary. And it is true. The Specials could easily have taken the easy option of one night at the Ricoh Arena, for example, if the intention was to just attract a big audience. Glowing with pride Lynval also mentioned that the look, feel and vibe of the old cathedral was just so incredible.

But the comment that resonated the most with me was that made by bass player Horace Panter. He pointed out correctly that, nowadays, so many things are very different since 1979. But in some ways, things are still very much the same. And with that in mind this band are still relevant.

Their most recent release, ‘Encore’, although not created from out and out pent up anger and passion, still carries many messages and themes. Particularly those surrounding issues we face today such as the politically divided country we find ourselves in along with a glimpse into private personal issues.

Vocalist Terry Hall concedes that technology has surpassed us and that, in a way, we have lost control. We are now led by goats he quips. In that respect ‘Encore’ can be viewed as a gentle reminder that maybe we need to take stock and reboot ourselves.

2019 has been a very good year indeed for The Specials. Up until the start of the Ruins gigs they had so far completed, more than 70 dates all over the place, with almost all of them being sold out. And, to top it all, they had a number 1 record which had since, more recently, gone silver.

As for the gig. Similar, to 40 years ago, it was still high energy and frenetic. I have to say that the band, although very different, were high energy. The stage was a snapshot of protest. Placards adorned it highlighting some of the issues addressed in the ‘Encore’ album. And the set contained tunes like ‘Embarrassed by You’, ‘Vote for Me’ and ‘BLM’. But the evening wasn’t swamped by ‘Encore’.

This was indeed a celebration. And we were also treated to a nostalgia trip by way of ‘Gangsters’, ‘Rat Race’, ‘Man at C&A’, ‘Friday Night, Saturday Morning’, ‘Ghost Town’, ‘You’re Wondering Now’ and many others.

The gig was a resounding success. An overjoyed audience was evidence of this. Even as the ruins emptied out this unique atmosphere seemed to flow out with it. Memories made from nights like this are priceless and ingrained within you for life.

Terry Hall’s final words were typically barbed. He mentioned how, in Los Angeles, May 29 had been decreed as The Specials day. ‘What does Coventry City Council give us?’ – he questioned. ‘Fucking Argos vouchers’.

Pink Floyd Venice July 1989

Pink Floyd Venice July 1989

by Pete Clemons

Pink Floyd had looked all but finished after Roger Waters had left them during 1985. However, less than a year later, the remaining 2 members, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, had reconvened along with the previously sacked keyboard player Richard Wright. This then sparked a court case over the band name with Waters claiming that Pink Floyd were ‘a spent force creatively’.

David Gilmour responded by saying that ‘the strength of Pink Floyd lay in the talents of all four members. Naturally, we will miss Roger’s artistic input. However, we will continue to work together as in the past. We are surprised at recent claims that Roger believes the band to be, ‘a spent force, creatively’, as he had had no-involvement with the current project. The three of us are very excited by the new material and would prefer to be judged by the public on the strength of the forthcoming Pink Floyd album’.

And with that, during 1986, Pink Floyd went back into the studio to begin work on what would an album titled ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’. ‘The last time we made a record it was during a pretty awful time. The Wall was more of a static show but now, they wanted to take ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’ out onto the road’, Said David Gilmour at the time.

Asked, at the time if he and Roger Waters were talking, David Gilmour responded that they were ‘not at all friendly at that moment’ and how it was ‘hard to stay friendly when someone who is trying to completely fuck you up’.

The court proceedings had even spilled into the rights to famous stage effects. And this was hampering tour preparations. The inflatable pig, for example, was fought over until it was discovered that the original order for the porker had been for a sow. So, to get around that issue, the band ordered in their own version. It was a boar that had massive testicles fitted to it.

Gilmour and Mason also found it hard to raise the cash to fund the tour. So, they had to invest in it themselves. This involved the selling off, of various personal items.

However, by September 1987 off they embarked on the first of three tours that took them through to July 1989. They had completed just shy of 200 shows. The last but one of these being a televised extravaganza held on a floating pontoon in, a hundred metres or so off St Mark’s Square, in Venice.

Initially the show had due to have been staged on the square itself. But the fact that it clashed with a celebration called the Feast of the Redeemer, along with fears that vibrations from the PA could possible damage ancient architecture, meant that the gig had to be moved.

All in all, the show became quite a scandal in Italy with demands for resignations at the local council. But that didn’t deter an estimated audience of up to 150,000 locals turning up along with the estimated 100 million that watched the spectacle on TV from 20 or so different countries.

David Gilmour remembers it all as follows: ‘The Venice show was great fun, but it was very tense and nerve-wracking. We had a specific length of show to do. The satellite broadcasting meant we had to get it absolutely precise. We had the list of songs, and we'd shortened them, which we'd never done before. I had a big clock with a red digital read-out on the floor in front of me, and, had the start time of each number on a piece of paper. If we were coming near the start time of the next number, I just had to wrap up the one we were on. We had a really good time, but the city authorities who had agreed to provide the services of security, toilets, food, completely reneged on everything they were supposed to do, and then tried to blame all the subsequent problems on us’.

Matt Cattell – The Bedroom Demos

Matt Cattell – The Bedroom Demos

by Pete Clemons

Matt Cattell's youtube channel You can find many of his tracks on this channel.

https://www.youtube.com/user/INNOVATIONOFSOUND1

I am not sure if it was intentional or not but Matt Cattell’s new album ‘The Bedroom Demos’, which has been a work in progress for a considerable amount of time, was released at end of Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental awareness being quite significant to this project.

You see, by his own admission, Matt has had more than his fair share of issues. And this album has all the hallmarks of those demons being faced head on and placed into song. And now those songs have been released and to be heard by the greater public.

The first thing to say is that Matt’s lyrics undoubtedly draw you in. They are powerful and feel as though Matt has cleansed his very soul. But that’s not to say that they are all born out of frustration. As to be expected the album is reflective. But that is balanced by positivity. It even throws open the prospect of looking to the future. From a listener’s perspective, it does all hang together to great effect.

Forgetting the subject matter of the lyrics for a while, the music is eye openly good. With all things being equal, the potential here is for a couple of major anthems. If these songs, can permeate into the greater publics psyche, who knows where this project could go. With each listen to this album I really do get an image of several of these songs being sung by the masses in some huge field somewhere.

Matt is an ardent and very hard-working performer on the open mic circuit. He played, in excess, of 75 gigs alone during 2018 growing his support. And hearing Matt on a recent radio interview he explained how he practices his songs every day, so he never lets himself down while on stage.

When asked if he gets nervous before a performance Matt’s response was a confident ‘never’. Matt seems to thrive on the whole performing thing, never getting fazed putting himself out there. The adrenaline it all creates gives him an amazing buzz.

Even funnier was hearing Matt explain how he gets himself ‘into the zone’. And while in that place of concentration, and despite being on stage in full flow, how people still try to talk to him or even pull on his microphone.

‘The Bedroom Demos’ contain two discs and you get 26 songs in total. 13 recorded plugged and the same 13 unplugged. Whatever way your mood takes you. Included is the single, ‘Trouble’, released toward the end of 2018 along with an accompanying video.

As the album title suggests, the songs were written and produced in Matt’s bedroom studio where he performed, arranged, mixed and mastered the entire project.

Thankfully, Matt appears to be on a good footing now and is facing the prospect of a more optimistic future. The foundations have been laid for his music. So long as the momentum is continued then I can only predict good things for Matt.

Should any physical albums still be available, and I hear it sold rather well, then they can be purchased on eBay. Alternatively, the album is downloadable via iTunes, Spotify, Amazon, Google Play and YouTube.

Tim Bowness – Flowers at the Scene

Tim Bowness – Flowers at the Scene

by Pete Clemons

I have heard it mentioned many times before that rock and roll is a young man’s game. Bucking that trend right now is singer songwriter Tim Bowness. Since turning 50, Tim has produced a series of albums under his own name that has given him an identity and a recognition of his own. Age it seems, is no longer a barrier.

For me however, whatever Tim Bowness was going release as a follow up to the incredible ‘Lost in the Ghostlight’, was going to be received with a very critical ear. Not daring to compare the two musically, but in my mind, this was a similar moment to how I remember Pink Floyd following up their master piece ‘Dark Side of the Wall’.

Of course, ‘Wish you were Here’ was rightfully applauded as the great album that it has since become. But not before it had run the gauntlet of being the difficult follow up to its legendary predecessor.

And I admit to maybe not wanting to enjoy Tim’s latest release ‘Flowers at the Scene’ because it just happened to be the follow up to one of my favourite albums of the last decade or so. And after one play I simply dismissed it.

After realising I was being totally unreasonable, I went back to the album. And, after a few tracks in, I found myself drawn in, by, of all things, a lyric that went ‘Spaghetti on the floor’. It did make me smile and set visions off in my mind.

The line introduces you to the heartbreakingly beautiful tune titled ‘Not Married Anymore’. It really got to me, and I was in. And, I can honestly say, that I cannot remember hearing the word ‘spaghetti’ being used in a lyric before.

Unlike Tim’s other releases there does not appear to be an overriding theme. It is a collection of situational and very moving songs. Some of the songs have been revived into life from the past while some are new to this project. But all the songs are ‘thinkers’ in as much that, typical of Tim’s writing, they evoke a keen sense of sadness and regret. But at the same time, recognising that life also moves forward.

Apart from fully detailed lyrics, the sleeve notes are sparse. They kind of hide the fact that there is a stellar cast of musicians contributing to this album. That said, Tim’s unique delivery of song is still very evident.

Interestingly though, the production has been credited to No-man. This appears to mean that Steven Wilson has had major involvement in the album. As an aside, and on a tweet released earlier in the year, Steven mentions that the pair (he and Tim) are ‘gradually edging towards releasing some new no-man music at some time in the not too distant future’. Couple that with an interview from 2018 where Tim mentions that, while making ‘Flowers’, a recording session did take place, but it is unlike anything they have released previously – does make for a tantalising prospect.

Until then though, I am rightfully giving ‘Flowers at the Scene’ the kind of respect that this wonderful album fully deserves.

Apollo 11 Moon Landings July 1969

Apollo 11 Moon Landings July 1969

by Pete Clemons

For those with long memories, I am guessing you can remember exactly where you were, when man first landed on the moon during July 1969. I personally, can remember being transfixed by this incredible voyage of exploration made by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. The entire mission lasted just over eight days from its launch date of 16th July to when it splashed down on the 24th.

Of course, not everyone was convinced that the moon landings were for real. I can still hear my Mum telling us how it was all fake and being staged in a desert somewhere. And of course, soon after, there was a film with a similar storyline.

But what else was going on at that time? I’m sure there will be others reviving memories as to what was being shown on the TV and cinema back then, along with other events. But thought I would revisit, and try to capture, the music scene both locally and nationally.

On the evening of the blast off you could find Derek Brimstone performing at the Drumbeat Club held at the Globe Hotel in Warwick.

The following day, the 17th July, saw Magna Carta at The Biggin Hall Folk Club on the Binley Road. And Friday 18th there was a visit of Jackie and Bridie (Jacqueline McDonald and Bridie O’Donnell) to the Mercers Arms.

The highlight of the Saturday evening, as far as my research took me, was a band called Life who were appearing at The Sportsman’s Arms. However, on the evening of the landing, Sunday 20th July, you had a choice of seeing either Roger Williamson at the City Arms Folk Club in Earlsdon or Black Velvet at The Mercers Arms.

Monday 21st gave you the opportunity of seeing The Mike Cotton Sound who were on at the Chesford Grange. This was followed by 60s-star Tommy Bruce who was appearing, in city centre on Tuesday 22nd, at the 40 Thieves, later known as Busters.

It was back down to the Drumbeat Club, Warwick on the 23rd for a visit by Colin Scott. And finally, splashing down at the Biggin Hall Folk Club on the 24th July was Gerry Loughran.

Nationally, the UK singles chart for 16th July looked like this:

1. Something in the Air – Thunderclap Newman

2. In the Ghetto – Elvis Presley

3. Honky Tonk Women – The Rolling Stones

The chart altered slightly for the week of 23rd July when ‘Give Peace a Chance’ by the Plastic Ono Band appeared at number 2 and Thunderclap Newman and The Rolling Stones swapped positions. Top album in the UK during this entire duration of the Apollo 11 mission was Jim Reeves with ‘According to my Heart’. It was eventually dislodged by Jethro Tull during early August. Perhaps influenced by events, the soundtrack to ‘2001 a Space Odyssey’ began to make a rapid re-entry to the chart during this time.

Other prominent singles that were getting airplay on the radio, and youth clubs, included The Beatles with ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’, ‘Time is Tight’ by Booker T and the MGs, ‘Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’’ by Crazy Elephant and ‘It Mek’ by Desmond Dekker.

Over in America it was the original soundtrack to ‘Hair’ that had peaked in the album charts. While topping the billboard singles charts throughout the entire moon landing period was ‘In the Year 2525’ by Zager and Evans.

Released to coincide with the Apollo 11 mission was David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. Released during July 1969 it took a little time to climb the chart but by September it had touched down at number 5. The single was far more successful on its re-release during 1975 when it hit number 1.

While most of us were glued to the screen for the return of the Command Module as it made its splashdown into the Pacific, Pink Floyd were actually jamming to it during an interlude for a live, late night broadcast, on the BBC. The tune, never released but is widely available on youtube. Titled ‘Moonhead’, it is a remarkably atmospheric bluesy piece by a band just on the up after a period in the doldrums.

Coventry's Roger Williamson