In the club 019 april 15

Issue 019 APRIL 2015

Welcome

t o ‘ I N T H E C L U b ’ , t he O F F I C I A L T U E S D A Y C L U B I N T E R A C T I V E M A G a z ine - B R O U G H T TO Y O U I N C O N J U N C T I O N w i t h T H E P E R F E C T P O P C O - O P and o ur friends

Hello Children It’s spring, so I’ll just say some Spike Milligan and leave it at that “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz I wonder where the birdies is The Little Birds is on the wing That’s absurd!

The little wing is on the bird!”

Hope you’re all not too fat after Easter

J-Rod. Guitarist Stage Left, and typo.

M A G (NIFICENT)

7 (ish)6 +1 - APRIL E D I T I O N ) . . . Wha t The Tuesday C lu b are s t ic k ing in t heir eardrums !

Andreas Vanderbraindrain: The KLF - 3 A. M. Eternal & Last Train to Trancentral [Double Extended] https://youtu.be/tozsN5M4uwY The Minx: Thunder - I love You More than Rock’n’Roll youtu.be/xQsOaZ8vfnc Wasabi Penis: Therapy? - Still Hurts http://youtu.be/4XvmmmQKg-s J-Rod: Grandaddy - Now It’s On. youtube.com/watch?v=mOq7acPdfnQ The Beautiful Wolf: warpaint - ashes to ashes https://youtu.be/EuspAu4FxuU Rogerio Marauder: The Skids - “A Woman In Winter” youtube.com/watch?v=A58wxLWAMvQ

Thanks to: Design @8ecreative, Tiggy Pop. Editor: Reggie Mental. Photography: Neil Stephenson, Jord, AVBD, The Eye, Sarah Martin, Dylan Schwarz Words: Denise Parsons, The Minx, Faye Don’tlikeitupum, Stuart Pidboy, Don Tellumpike, Don T. Panic, Sister Dolly, AVBD, Beautiful Wolf, J-Rodz, Grae J Wall, Roger The Ranter.

Upcoming gigs!

Contents

Sat Apr 25 - Green Room, WGC

Cover star:

The Tuesday Club

Magnificent 6+1

2-3

(Club) Foot tappers

4-5

What’s going on in our musical world

AVBD, J-Rod and The Beautiful Wolf trawl their record collections. Plus this months ‘lost artist’ is The Bodies

Who’s In the Club

6

The ZipHeads

7

Da Minx’s - Upping the Agony...

8

Roger The Ranter

9-12

With Ray Waters from The Zipheads

They’re taking over! Just back from their tour!

The Chanteuse turns to psychiatry!

The tangent randomings of an aging punk!

50 Shades of Grae

Chapter and verse from St.Albans’ cunningest linguists and friends

The Parson’s Knows

Denise, gives us all the news from Trestle Arts base, St.Albans and it’s environs.

Pop up shop!

Stuff to buy and stuff to do!

13-15

16-20

21

facebook.com/thisisthetuesdayclub @thetuesdayclub1 AVBD - @Vnderbraindrain The Minx - @TCTheMinx R. Marauder - @YTDS Dave Worm - @Roddamiser J-Rod - @JRod_TC www.youtube.com/thisisthetuesdayclub thisisthetuesdayclub.co.uk info@thisisthetuesdayclub.co.uk pinterest.com/thetuesdayclub thetuesdayclub.tmstor.es

EP 2 Tour: Tues June 2 - Amp Sessions Fri June 12 - Flava, Stevenage Tues June 23 - The Horn, St.Albans

Sat June 25 - Adelphi, Hull Sun July 5 - Watford Live Sat July 11 (Afternoon) - Organ Festival Sat July 18 - Amble Inn Festival Massive thanks to our mate Martin Wakeling for standing in on drums at our return gig on good Friday, sadly for us, it was only a dep spot as Martin is fully commited to his own band.

So we are still on the search for a new fulltime member behind our kit. Being that we aren’t your conventional artistes we’re holding ongoing ‘try before you try’ viewing sessions the next will be at The Green Room in Welwyn Garden City on Saturday April 25th.

Basically, if you’re a dedicated drummer, who loves playing and recording original music, who can commit to regular weekly rehearsals, isn’t hung up on getting paid (we put pretty much all we earn back into the band to fund our recording, releases and travel) and is up for a good laugh with likeminded people, we’d really like to buy you a drink, before, during or after the show and if we like you, maybe all three!

B U L C Foot tappers

‘COS the Platters still matter.. .

Dear Club fans, welcome to AVBD and The Beautiful Wolf’s monthly round up of the new, the old, the signed, the unsigned and the inspirational, from our very own musical old curiosity shop, where we pick and podcast 10( ish) tracks that turn us on... with a little help from J-Rod! Here’s a selection of the featured tracks, but you’ll have to listen to find out more :-)

This month’s featured track from The Tuesday Club, is The B-side of the New Glamour single, an ode to Charles Hawtry Old Before Your Time, so keep um peeled down at the thetcshop.com

Album according to Wikipedia its release pre-dated the explosion of the alternative rock scene, and therefore went relatively unnoticed in the band’s native UK. Except by AVBD! Who thinks it should have been a number 1! youtu.be/QO5dcW0P75M

Siouxsie & The Banshees Swimming Horses was released in 1984 as the first Malcolm single from the band’s sixth Mclaren studio album, Hyeana and the - Buffalo follow up Gals Taken from 1981’s to there number Duck Rock album, which 3 hit the came out right at the forefront cover of the Beatles of sampling, introducing the world to big hats, and skipping song Dear Prudence ropes as essential fashion youtu.be/3PVj594JR5M accessories from the streets of NYC... not to mention Johnny Marr - Easy Money Breakdance and Hip Hop! The lead track from last years youtu.be/9SgvJY9xxcA acclaimed album Playland Johnny The Godfathers - was good in Birth School the Smiths, Work Death but it’s Was the title his love of T.Rex, that track of the get AVBD’s bands 1988

vote everytime! youtu.be/9_P5iSG_APE Monochrome Set - The Monochrome Set - featuring ex-Antz and B-Sides members - Andy Warren and Lester Square, this track comes from 1980’s album Strange Boutique youtu.be/l9zfNlV_Fio War Paint - Ashes to Ashes Yes a cover of the classic Bowie track.

A good one too. youtu.be/EuspAu4FxuU Baeder Meinhoff - Mogadishu - Luke Haines is a Beautiful Wolf favourite, this track comes from the album Luke Haines is Dead from 2005

SPECIAL REQUEST SPOT! T S I T

R A T LOS

of the month!

This months lost artist is ...

youtu.be/RBBKFNM3mAs Psychic TV - GodStar.

Fae Jane & The Burning Docs 1978 - 1981

Genesis P.Orridges’ most accessible (in the words of the Wolf) Psychadellic homage to ExStone Brian Jones.

We hope you enjoy this months podcast, don’t forget you can subscribe to them and listen again on our channel at mixcloud.com/ thisisTheTuesdayClub

To find out more about these and other tracks on our show download your FREE podcast...

click

here

Featuring none other than our new poetry columnist Grae J Wall.

Fae Jane and The Burning Docs were:

Geoff Vail - Guitar, Mik Power - Bass/Drums, Grey (Grae) Wall Bass/Drums/Vocals Formed at St Albans College of Further Education the band played a number of gigs at the college and elsewhere around St Albans, Harpenden, Luton, Hatfield, Welwyn and Watford. The band recorded three tracks at Quest studios in Luton and along with members of Buzz et les Lumberjacks were responsible for putting together ‘A Suicide in St Albans’ - a cassette compilation of local acts that received international interest. The band’s manager - a local off-licence manager bought them a rusty Comma van and ran away to Paris with one of their friends. The band’s influences included David Bowie, Lou Reed, Talking Heads, Richard Hell and The Voidoids and The Bodies.

Grae also played drums with Buzz et les Lumberjacks, Red Lector and The Fruitbats. Grae and Geoff went on to form Pleasure in Pink and Grae formed The 47 Swing Jam Band around 1981.

Grae continues to play and promote - currently as a member of The Trailer Trash Orchestra and The Astronauts and in his role with St Albans Arts Team curated this exhibition... and of course our new peoples poet!

Thanks to: satellitestalbans.co.uk/bands/faefulltext.htm#fae for this and all the great info!

In the club with Ray Waters

The Zipheads Frontman!

St.Albans trio The Zipheads, many Our next guest ‘In the Club’ is Ray Waters, frontman of the hot after rehearsals on a Monday. In a Krombacher and a musing has been had between us and Ray thought it high time we had the great celebration of the bands new vinyl 7” and European tour, we man in for a chat!

Hi Ray and welcome to In the Club. money at a band, you can still bypass all that and pay to have your band plastered 1) We are sitting in the cyber pub doing this interview, all over mags and websites etc, so I guess and it’s our round. What do you want to drink? nothing has changed really. However as we Ale! book all our own shows etc we rely heavily 2) What was the last thing you heard/watched that was on the internet, it has made communication so good you had to tell someone about it? between bands promoters a lot easier so in We all watched the film ‘Forbidden Zone’ that regard its a massive help. recently, a truly bizarre and wonderful 5) If Football is the current rock’n’roll, what will be musical featuring the Mystic Knights Of The next? Do you think a ‘heyday’ will ever return to music.

Oingo Boingo, who would later become one No idea. Is football the new rock’n’roll?? of our favourite rock bands, Oingo Boingo. Very rock stars like you used to do, much up our street, very far-fetched with some You don’t get to hear about taking loads of amazing music. Danny Elfman singing Minne people love loads of women and I The Moocher as the Devil is truly magnificent drugs and banging guess footballers fill that void as it were. to behold.

Hopefully it will leave the musicians to concentrate on the actual music rather than 3) Is Punk rock dead or alive? the ‘glamour’ aspect of it all. Heydays will Pffffft I don’t know man, don’t know if it come and go, but smaller and quicker than was ever ‘alive’ as such, good music is good ever until the next thing comes along, music regardless of context so we tend to peoples attention spans are too short for things think of punk as a style of music we enjoy to last that long... rather than an ideology or whatever. We love Rock’n’Roll in all its forms and its always 6) What’s the best venue you’ve played/been too in the been around so it never dies really. last year?

4) In terms of new bands is the Internet help or hinderance?

Both. In theory its easier to reach people, but the flip of that is that now the ‘marketplace’ is so oversaturated its hard to get your music heard over everyone else. But if theres a record label or whatever chucking

Some of the venues we played in France in the summer were really cool. Limoges was great, loads of history, we were playing in a really small bar, probably a few hundred years old... we played a venue in Leicester once with a giant ‘Dove From Above’ from Shooting Stars hanging from the ceiling, that was pretty memorable.

7) If you could be any character in a film, what film and who would it be?

When i was 17 I was obsessed with Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver, had the army jacket, moheican, everything. All a bit scary really.

St.Albans rockabilly tearaways The Zipheads always seem to be going from strength to strength... man they must be really strong!

Yeah we know the tour dates are out of date now so we can’t show ‘um but Belgium, Holland, Germany, Finland and Sweden, defo has more pazazz than Markyate, Old Welwyn and Kimpton (no disrespect Herts based dudes!), but we just wanted to illustrate their growing appeal not just within AL’s 1, 2, 3 & 4.

As if you didn’t know (of course you did, you heard it in the March podcast!) The boys have just released a delicious Apple Green 7”er called “She just don’t seem to care”.

Back in September, they entered esteemed rockabilly/psychobilly producer Alan Wilson’s Western Star Studio, and cut the 2 tracks for the single. The record is receiving airplay with the irish-tinged b-side ‘Foreign Land’ also proving a popular choice.

These days I suppose we just try and emulate batman villains like The Joker and The Riddler etc in the way we dress and perform onstage.

Camping it up.

8) You are now In The Club, but what club do you actually wish it was?

I dunno, Fight Club? Fiend Club? Hot Club Of Cowtown? One of those.

9) Who’d be in your 4 piece fantasy rock’n’ roll band. Guitar, Bass, Drums and Vocals

Topper Headon on drums, Paul Simonon on bass, Mick Jones on lead guitar and Joe Strummer on vocals and guitar... (ok yes we get it Ray :-) 10) What question haven’t we asked you that you wish we had? ’Would you like some

money?’

Thanks loads Ray For more news and info on The Zipheads just go to: thezipheads.com

The band will be selling copies of the single at their upcoming shows, not just on the afformentioned tour of mainland Europe and Finland in but at future local dates too, so make sure you keep up to speed with them on facebook or at zipheads.com. But if you can’t make to see them live then the single is also available for mailorder from Western Star Records http://tinyurl.com/orcn94j and for download on iTunes http://tinyurl.com/ptjhd2d

You can see and hear more from The Zpheads on their OFFICIAL VIDEO - ‘REVENGE’ Taken from the album Prehistoric Beat here... youtu.be/rJTosXpGUNg

DAMinx It’s not always easy to know who you are talking to at Tuesday Club gig. Looking for the cowbell

The Minx Agony Column Is already well into Spring of year. Minx usually not afraid of time march on but was sad end to last year and though people think Minx hard hearted, Minx always have soft spot for people who understand cowbell – in fact Mr Super Bartelski one of few people who demand more cowbell. He also demand more saying of rude words, but Minx ignore this (though secretly laugh inside). Mr S will be sore missed.

Is difficult not write more sad words, but Minx not want cry. Minx never cry. Is lesson from being child in Siberia where tears freeze on cheeks and Mother laugh at Minx’ pain when removing with tweezers. Minx vow never cry again.

However, Minx cry with laughter at thing minion (plural) do.

Minion so stupid but very funny and not even on purpose.

Builder Minion has taken lately to trying to please Minx and do odd job around house. Without Minx even ask, which is unheard of. Think Builder Minion is try be nice to Minx. Also first Minion also be nice. They know Minx has been very sad.

Minx has been sad, da, but Minx is also fume. In Minx road have new neighbour who is fellow Russian. But she horrible and mean and care for no one but self. She put rubbish in street (minion report back that she leave label on box – fool, everyone know is number one rule when dump rubbish), she make lot of noise with her own builder minion who she work until drop, even on Sunday, and she have loud party until early in morning (and Minx not invite) and throw champagne bottle in street. Is disgust behaviour. Is bring disrepute to Russian name. Should drink only Vodka.

Yellow flower called Daft-o-dill is out in garden, along with cherry blossom on only tree left that has not been ravaged by Kalashnikov. I think he like tree because of the bark. Kha kha - is Minx joke. Minx full of spring and feeling Minxy. Think everyone get bit horny at this time of year. Birds are making love with bees and all getting very frisk. Lamb in fields and large rabbit run around like mad thing. Minion just tell me is hair, but cannot understand how hair make a rabbit crazy like this and make his ears grow.

Thankfully Minx ears do not grow when Minx grow hair. Look like elf. Minion say to me no no, is mad March hair. He need punish for cruel comment on Minx appearance, and besides is April now.

Agony Aunt column Have had few new questions in from agony aunt people. Most are not problems but just questions asking of Minx. Sigh.

Dear Minx, I have been trying to assembly flat pack from well-known Swedish furniture store but they forgot to put the fixings in. What screws do I need? Lionel, Cheshire Dear Lionel, You do not trick Minx, I know you try and be smut and make out you need a screw. I may be Russian but am not stupid and am not looking like cabbage. Contact support group. Or if need genuine support from well-known Swedish furniture store which we all know is IKEA, contact them direct. I not have time for DIY. Have Builder Minion for such tasks.

Agony Aunt Minx

Dearest Minx, Burger King or MacDonald’s? Tom, Oxford Dear Tom, (do not see why have to write dear at beginning of each letter answer. Make it sound like Minx like these people) Well befitting Russian princess status, Minx always veer towards Royal burger place, but as we all know Old MacDonald had farm so presume meat will be fresh.

Minx

The tangent randomings

of an aging grumpy punk no 3

Why do we love “Rock & Roll”?

Thinking back, can you identify the moment you fell in love with music. Not just music but what you then recognised as Rock and Pop. Can you pinpoint the exact time and place?

Or, if not so exact, can you remember the handful of events or circumstances that turned your head?

How, where, when, what caused those first revelations?

old, propped up on the booster seat in the chair, having my brutal, US Army regulation short back and sides, when it began to play on the radio… The sound that would start to shape the rest of my life…

There was no Rock & Roll in our house. The radio was always tuned to the BBC light service, playing safe, familiar popular music for the masses. My mum was a Jazz head, having been a beatnik in the early 50’s. My dad was just square… daddio….

It was TELSTAR, by the Tornadoes… I can still remember the effect it had on me, hearing that sensational piece of pop for the very first time. This wasn’t Pinky & Perky. This wasn’t Wally Whyton and the 5 o clock club - (Google ‘em kids) – This was sublime. This was euphoric! That strange sound, that spacey far-out-ness, that soaring infectious melody played on a… Just what was it played on?

I was smitten. I was swept up in its sonic cyclone and Joe Meek’s astonishing production, but it was what happened next that possibly caused the lasting, irretrievable damage… Just as the key change kicked in, 2/3rds of the way through, giving it that artificial lifting dynamic, two lads, waiting for their haircuts and the Saturday boy, sweeping up the cuttings, spontaneously broke into the melody, singing along to the tune with complete abandon and exuberance. My dad broke into a big grin and the barber started chuckling, both amused as the lads hammed it up and it was that moment my awareness of the power of pop was scorched into my mind forever.

I was transfixed.

I was in awe. That a tune on the radio could make 3 lads from Brixton just do that. Whatever it was… I wanted some!

One day, you’re a Then of course, came the kid; getting on with Fabs. The four loveable the business of being a mop-tops from Liverpool kid when suddenly you hear (which was their name before something on the radio or you see they settled on the shorter, something on TV and you experience an snappier ‘Beatles’). And we epiphany! You cannot un-hear what you’ve heard. loved ‘em – Yeah. Yeah, yeah…

You cannot un-see what you’ve seen. You have What was not to love? I was now 6 stepped across that line of no return, from innocence or7 years old and they were everywhere. to knowing… That knowing being Rock & Roll… Always on the radio, always on the telly, or so it seemed. Saturday Night at the London Palladium, I know exactly when it was and where I was Ready Steady Go… But how The Beatles got to me when it happened to me. I was with my dad, in was not just that unstoppable delivery of incredible the barbers, one Saturday morning, late 1962, on hit songs that everyone fell for. It was the fact that New Park Road, just off Brixton Hill. I was 5 years they came from the same city as my grandma and

she adored them. That was where the special connection happened for me. Another sign from the gods that this was my destiny.

My granny from Knotty Ash! Home to the Diddy men too, I’ll have you know. I believed there were Gravy Wells and Jam Butty mines and I believed in The Beatles because they were there… On my TV! Whenever they came on the radio my grandma would fetch me the bathbrush… (Best guitar ever made; a wooden bath brush from Woolies)… and she’d have me strumming imaginary guitar and miming along to The Beatles… Who were from Liverpool…

Where she was from…

And I WAS George Harrison… aged 6 ½ …

(I feel I need to put the record straight here. I am now married to an Ormskirk girl, whose mother used to go see The Beatles regularly, at the Cavern, during her lunch-breaks and she can categorically confirm, first hand, that George Harrison was not a 6 ½ year old kid from Brixton.)

My Beatles experience was compounded by weekend visits to the posh suburb of Wooster Park, to my great Aunt Chrissie.

Best thing about this was my 2 older, second cousins, Noel and Gordon. They were considerably older

because they both had scooters and were Mods! foot stomps and drums and, god save us all from Also, they each had a Dansette in their bedrooms! hell… ELECTRIC GUITARS! C:\Users\Roger\Desktop\All Rog\In The Club - piece 3\Dansette advert.jpgI was beguiled by older cousin, Noel, because she looked just like Cathy McGowan. I clearly remember her ironing her hair flat on the ironing board in the kitchen, before riding out with her Mod pack on a Saturday night. This girl had seen The Who play!

Up to this point (now 8-9 years old) I still hadn’t seen, let alone heard a live drum kit or electric guitar. Only on disc, radio or telly. I would have to wait until I was 10 years old before I experienced the power of a live rock group. It was the least likely of circumstances… A primary school trip to Amsterdam, in 1969.

I was equally in awe of her younger brother, Gordon, because, not only did he have a pet duck – (really), he would spend all day with me, playing his 45s, some of which he would have invariably purchased that morning. As the discs turned on his deck, (not his duck), he would talk me through the bands, explaining what I was listening to, who they were and I was launched, like a Telstar, into another universe.

A group of us were released from our hotel one evening, to walk over to the nearby canal. As we walked along the street we could hear that characteristic dull sound of music coming from somewhere? But, this wasn’t like anything we’d heard before.

It wasn’t like anything we’d felt before because we could actually feel it. Physically vibrating and pulsing through the air, punching against He would happily let me listen again to anything our small schoolboy chests!

I wanted. Repeat hearings of Harrisons guitar licks, weaving between those vocal harmonies, We followed the sound, like the children following The Kinks scruffy riffs, The Who’s brashness, the pied piper, until we came across a group of The Rolling Stones shambling’s … And, the best older Dutch kids hanging around outside one of thing about these records is, they had a B side! 2 those tall, Amsterdam townhouses. This is where songs on one disc and don’t even get me started it was coming from and as we approached, we on EPs – Far out! stopped dead, mesmerised.

This was benign grooming.

Exquisite indoctrination and yes, I wanted to be a fireman A band in rehearsal, playing a simple, 12 bar, when I grew up, or the pilot of Fireball XL5 but rocking blues beat, driving out from the basement, what I had to keep a secret; what I couldn’t tell forcing itself up through the pavement and onto anyone, in all seriousness, for years was… I the street. A bestial, visceral noise pumping up wanted to be in a rock group. If I wasn’t taken at through our boots, saturating our senses, seeping ‘Telstar’. into our souls. A voodoo collusion between mental stimulation and physical sensation.

If I wasn’t stolen at ‘I wanna hold your Hand’, they really got me at ‘You Really Got Me’… If it Not only could I feel the solid, earth moving was good enough for my god like second cousins, thud of the kick drum. Not only did I listen in it was good enough for me. rapture to the heavy twang and drive of the lead guitar but I really had no idea what a bass guitar Once Ready Steady Go gave way to Top of the was all about. I knew it was the one McCartney Pops, I was hooked. Every Thursday evening played but I wasn’t prepared for this. That heavy, I needed my fix. I didn’t care who was on. The deep, dangerous sound. OH MY GOD! My poor Marmalade, The Move, Dave Dee Dozy Beaky, little brains couldn’t cope. My fate was sealed.

Pew, Pew, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Somehow, I just had to get to a place where I Mick n’ Titch! All I knew is they were doing could get hold of the means of destruction, to something magical. Something otherworldly. make this sound!

Something sensational and I was enraptured.

And, they possessed weapons so powerful… So I’m sure psychiatrists and musicologists could terrifyingly awesome. The Bush administration elegantly diagnose just what was going on here. didn’t coin the phrase ‘Shock and Awe’. The Dave How my mind was being manipulated by the Clark 5 were already doing it with their monster sonic sensation. How my senses were being

seduced. How I was being lured onto the rocks could beat the living shit out of them! by the sirens.

We’d conspire and plan the fastest route to getting I would have to wait a few more years before I onto Top of the Pops… (One of us did – eventually. experienced my first orgasm but for this clueless, Our mate, Steve Grainger, became the sax player pre-adolescent, this would do for now. And it for Culture Club at the height of their fame in the wouldn’t be until a few years later I realised what early 80s.)… But we had to wait… and wait until I had experienced, was pure sex in abstract, it was “our time… our time… our time…” music form. That other integral element that contributes to the complex phenomenon of On leaving school, in 1974, we all got holiday jobs Rock & Roll. I think I understood why all those and saved up for our first instruments. I’d been hysterical girls were screaming and crying at playing drums and bugle for the local sea cadets the Beatles… But I didn’t really… And my mum for a few years so knew the rudiments of snare never really did explain about Redlands and drum work, so I bought my first drum kit. Steve Marion Faithful… But the whole sex-un drugs- got hold of his first saxophone and with a few un sausage rolls was so far, far away from me in mates, with cheap Woolworth guitars, we began those formative years. Fuck, that was an added our first, tentative bedroom rehearsals. You bonus when, later, it became apparent that some know what they’re like. Rubbish! But we loved girls might actually fancy you if you slung a it and we continued until we had a basic grasp of mean guitar! what we were doing. A year later, I moved across to bass guitar (finally that sonorous, sexy beast And so I waited… And waited… And consoled of a bastard), a full drum kit proving too difficult myself with TOTP and Radio 1 and then, our for me! great saviour, The Old Grey Whistle Test.

We played together, shifting between bands and By now I was at secondary school and had fallen local musicians, doing all the classic covers of in with a bunch of like-minded kids, and we all the day… And then our time, did indeed, come… loved our music. Not only were there the heavies like Led Zeplin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, that Late 1976. Oh, you know what happened then… had emerged from the tail end of the 60s, but the And some of managed to pursue our dream Glam Rock thang was about to kick off and that and passion. Or rather our obsession, because, was special. That was ours. looking back now, I realise that’s what it was.

A disproportionate fixation. An all-consuming We shared gorgeous Bolan with the gorgeous madness. A glorious, delirious, delusional girls in our class and when Bowie made his life lunacy… But, we got ourselves record deals, changing appearance as Ziggy, on TOTP and he played hundreds of gigs. My band even got a looked directly into the camera and into our eyes, John Peel session. I got to tour Europe and up pointed and delivered the lines “I had to phone and down the UK. I even got to play in Japan someone, so I picked on you…” Of course he was for 2 weeks and, because I still love Rock & Roll singing to ME! No one else. ME! … OK then, and and because I still need my fix, I still play to this a whole nation of star struck adolescents… And day…

Roxy Music’s first appearance on the Whistle Test… What the! Who the fuck are these freaks But only because, one Saturday morning, in and what planet did they come from? All sent to 1962, I was sat captive, under the harsh dictate confound yet compound our resolve. How could of my local barber, unable to move, when The we not want to do this?

Tornadoes came over the radio…

But we were at that age where it was still all so And “I wouldn’t trade it for the world… All the far out of reach but coming to us through the pearls in the sea…” Except for, maybe, being the telly, out of the radio and off the pages of weekly pilot of Fireball XL5… music papers. We devoured it all, like rabid, ravenous Diamond Dogs on heat. We’d sit at the back of the class, bitching about Gary Glitter and those stupid Rubette’s and how Mott the Hoople

50

shades...

By Grae J. Wall of The Trailer Trash Orchestra, Los Chicos Muertos and webmeister at The Poetry Underground facebook.com/groups/231169533733340 Mixing Pop and Politics he asks me what the use is, I offer him embarrassment and my usual excuses. While looking down the corridor Out to where the van is waiting “I’m looking for the Great Leap Forwards” Billy Bragg wrote these lines within “Waiting for the great leap forwards” from his “Workers Playtime” album released in 1988. It’s a melancholy though ironically uplifting track that begs the question “was it all worthwhile?” to which we suppose he wants us to cry YES in euphoric unison. Having emerged from the (folk) punk wars waving a proud red flag and clutching a battered copy of Das Kapital Billy spent the next decade waging war on behalf of the downtrodden miners, struggling socialists and any element of oppressed society that moved him. The Red Wedge movement managed to make even Ken Livingstone seem sexy as Billy belted out “The Red Flag” alongside Paul Weller, The Communards and the (sadly underappreciated) Redskins – though apparently the latter felt Billy didn’t quite lean far enough to the left for their own tastes (though did play a great version of Levi Stubbs Tears – check it out on Youtube).

Whilst Billy patently decided that it was indeed worthwhile, and continues to protest against political wrongdoing most eloquently to this day, I worry that in general protest has become increasingly unfashionable (and under-promoted) within music – where has all the anger gone? That great lineage that started with the folk balladeers of yore and wound up in the hands of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, The MC5, The Clash, The Dead Kennedys, Asian Dub Foundation and The King Blues seems (at least in this fair isle) to have strangely lost its muse at a time when it is surely needed more than ever.

As we head towards an election in a time of enforced

austerity and the worrying finger pointing of the immigration debate we need the united example of The Specials, the disenfranchised voice of The Ruts and the energy of Steel Pulse – or of course their younger equivalents - more than ever! Why has the “love Music Hate Racism” camp fallen so strangely quiet as the spokesmen (and women) of blame culture are invited on to Question Time and factions of bigotry (barely) disguised as national pride invade our social media on a daily basis?

I partially blame the Britpop era when so many artists (I’m sure to some regret) climbed so readily into the arms of Tony Blair and his manipulative spin doctors – I don’t think music or indeed art in general has ever quite recovered. So now we have Russell Brand who, bless him, does manage to bring some alternative debate to the table but whose revolutionaries seem to be sadly shy in standing up to be counted. I did enjoy his “Revolution” book which is both enlightening and thought provoking in many places, though have to admit to gaining greater inspiration (certainly artistically) from my recent reading of Patti Smith’s beautiful “Just Kids” and Viv Albertine’s wonderfully honest “Clothes, Clothes, Clothes, Music, Music, Music, Boys, Boys, Boys” both of which celebrate the birth of libertine spirit with great aplomb. I do hear voices of dissent within the country, folk and acoustica arenas and occasionally at an event (such as the excellent Strummercamp) there seems a healthy and harnessed mixing of the old and new guard, but these moments are too few and far between.

Tweets are not enough, we need anthems that we can sing (and dance) along to, that speak of the positive, caring, welcoming, diverse, creative Britain that at present seems so un-championed amidst the confusion and fear stirred up by the

loud exhortations of intolerance that pervade our every day. The day is most certainly now, so join me at the barricades in full voice comrades, compose and create an alternative future, for the future is unwritten, the future is bright, the future is now!

Two poems this month (posted to The Poetry Underground). Both are poems that speak of a future. The Shop is one of mine and Resurrection is by the excellent Chris Ripple – a stalwart provocateur of the performance poetry scene and also curator of the wonderful Arcadeclectica stage at Rhythms of the World festival. Chris has a Blog at chris-thescrawlofthewild.blogspot.co.uk and you can catch him live at;

Urban Grafitti (The Writing’s on the Wall) w/Parnassus Performance inc Sarah Power & Joy T Chance, Friday 26th June Ellen Terry Suite, Stevenage Leisure Centre, Stevenage.For Stevenage Arts Festival £5.00 Entry

Free Spirit Festival, Olney nr Bedford. w/Fishwife’s Broadside (among others) Saturday 8th August Possibly appearing with Blood Sisters ? Visas applied for.

facebook.com/pages/Free-SpiritFestival/162445467146471 Until next time, Je suis Charlie Baudelaire! Grae J.

The Poetry Underground

RESURRECTION The ghost of Adolf Hitler is stirring in the wings Amassing on the borders Where all the caged birds sing It’s not something that most will see Their heads stuck in the sand For it needs much more attention In the larger scheme of things If you cannot see the problem Then just turn on the light It sits there right in front of you And plain as black and white The storm is yet to hit us But hit us hard it will Nobody walks away from this With talk of overkill Claimed by some to be illusion Smoke and mirrors on the screen When you’re immersed within it What then will be your dream ?

Ignore it at your peril Take heed the caged birds sing For the ghost of Adolf Hitler is waiting in the wings…

THE S HOP Im

agine i f you w And if ill you wo n’t fair A shop ‘nuff that do n’t sell But giv an es awa y its stu ything ff Food to them w ho’re h Clothes ungry to thos e that’s An equ bare al What d slice of pie to them idn’t ge t their share Some b ooks to do som In a co e learn llege th ing at is fr A ticke ee t for yo ur tran To get sport from A to B If you t ak Or if yo e a tumble u’re fee ling ill Just ta ke thes em These b andage edications s and p ills All the things that’s n And so eed metime s even m ed Availa ore ble In the c for nothing aring s haring store There’s love an d unde An ear rstand for whe ing n you’r Someti e down mes the re’ll be With in a party vites fo r the to wn A simp le prop osition Just gi ving st uff T’woul d be a s for nought tore wo Now th rth wor ere’s a ki funny t hought ng for

The

s n o s r a P Knows

By Denise Parsons – Music Promoter – ‘The Live Music Project’ Trestle Arts Base, St.Albans

THIS MONTH’S TOP BANDS, ARTISTS and EVENTS! Hello April.. One of my favourite months and not just because its my BIRTHDAY! Well maybe but it’s also the birthday of The Live Music Project which is even better. A mere 2 years old on 25th April. I am like a proud Mum, so very pleased at how well this Project has done for Trestle Arts Base & for local musicians. It’s a hell of a lot of work but so rewarding. Speaking of which.. At the time of writing this I am not sure the outcome but (drumroll…) I have not only been nominated for a Mayors Pride Award this year but have made it to the final! By the time this here mag comes out I will know the result but either way I am so chuffed to have made it to the final. It’s great for me personally to know that people appreciate what I do both for the Project but also at The Crescent & Radio Verulam. But mostly it tells me that The Live Music Project is successful and all the unpaid hours and hours of work I put in are worth it! On top of that the recently launched Acoustic Café Sessions for The Live Music Project seems to have hit the right note with family friendly live music events in a relaxed atmosphere, especially for those that can’t always get a babysitter for the main events! As if all this wasn’t enough another bit of news on the radio front! The Parsons Knows Local Music seems to be very popular and I am getting sent lots & lots of local music which is fabulous! So the powers that be have deemed its ok for me to do another Radio Show! Starting in April look out for ‘READY, STEADY, GO’ Friday night’s 7-8pm a show all about that Friday feeling with tunes to match. So send me your song suggestions!

radioverulam.com trestle.org.uk

The Live Music Project – 2 year birthday bash 25th April – (Save The Date) with a foot stomping line up with headliners The Trailer Trash Orchestra & supports from Hub Cap Moon, Cicero Buck & Neil Stanton. Please join me in celebrating and supporting local music and a very worthwhile local arts charity. ( and if you wanna buy me a little something- I did mention it was MY birthday as well didn’t I ?!)

Anyway enough news, let’s get on with the great and good of local music!

1.

Fragile Souls

I was sent their EP a few weeks ago and loved it so I played it on my radio show & then got a remix of their single ‘Devils Sun’ which is fantastic! The band was kind enough to put me on the guest list for their show at The Horn a couple of weeks ago and they didn’t disappoint. What a fabulous sound these guys produce. The front man, Ryan Coggins is no stranger to crowd pleasing performances (someone mentioned he fronted a very successful band in Canada?) with not only a wonderful soulful voice but that little something extra that gives a you that tingle you get when you see a really good performance. Paul Freegard was a total blast on keys. Paul is a producer of some renown having worked with the likes of Depeche Mode no less!

Their sound described as 21st Century Porch Blues with a touch of Electronica thrown in. Most definitely something a bit fresh &unique .. Pure

class. Straight to the top of my ‘Must see bands’ at the moment. Look out for more on these guys in next months mag as I head over to their studio this week to interview them for the radio & ‘In the club’.

Devils Sun single out now! Take my word for it & check them out!

3.

Eskimos

facebook.com/TheFragileSouls/info?tab=page_info twitter.com/P_Fragile http://t.co/pFIOIEqkBp

2.

Elephants and Castle

New single LILO is out now and getting a good amount of radio play, not only from me! Not had the chance to see them live yet but I will definitely be checking them out as soon as I can! A great indie pop sound.

facebook.com/elephantsandcastles/info?tab=page_info www.elephantsandcastles.london

Another one of the many local bands that contacted The Parsons Knows Local Music! Going to see them next week so will let you know but I interviewed them recently and they are a young indie band and I reckon they’ve definitely got something to offer.

facebook.com/eskimosuk?fref=ts soundcloud.com/denise-parsons-1/the-parsonsknows-local-music-12315-19 interview with Eskimos UK

4.

The Amp Sessions

Now, this is a monthly unsigned music podcast/ radio shows that feature Shell Thomas & her team plus more recently a new edition, our very own Jordan Thomas ! I have really been enjoying these podcasts so if you are into your unsigned and below the radar music then check them out. They have also started putting on gigs in Camden and rumour has it our very own #TTC will be featuring there in the future! I love it when I come across things like this where passionate music fans are doing it for the love, giving up their time and putting out there some great shows. It’s a page from my very own book so please give them your support.

facebook.com/theampsession?fref=ts mixcloud.com/TheAmpSession theampsession.co.uk

‘The truth is incontrovertible’ Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is - Winston Churchill Thank you & goodnight

soundcloud.com/denise-parsons-1 facebook.com/theparsonsknows?ref=hl twitter.com/RVparsonsknows

Trestle Arts Base, Russet Drive, St.Albans, AL4 OJQ, 01727 850950 e: production@trestle.org.uk, www.trestle.org.uk @trestletheatre

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