Bands: you were there at the beginning
Discussion
hoegaardenruls said:
It probably didn't look anywhere near as dubious then, compared to a pensioner in a school uniform does forty years later..
Well he would have been around 22 years old even THEN but looked around 14 years old.Utterly mesmerising ... eyes closed, red velvet jacket and shorts, moving like a demented dervish, head shaking, Mick Jagger mouth and playing heavy blues rock like he had just invented it and couldn't quite believe the sound he was making. Can't remember the rest of the band at all!
Active75 said:
Phill Collins decided to sing More fool me to not much applause. How did he do?
Very well and a great song.It's easy to forget that song was the forerunner to some great lead vocals on Wind And Wuthering, And Then There Were Three etc but I'm afraid when Invisible Touch came out my interest went.
Motorhead, supporting Hawkwind, circa 1977.
A young, energetic American band called Van Halen, supporting Black Sabbath (the final tour before Ozzy was fired, and where VH blew a tired-looking Sabbath off the stage every night).
Black Stone Cherry, playing an afternoon slot in a tent in Hyde Park (Hyde Park Calling, 2007).
Not quite at the start, but Metallica, way down the bill at Donington in 1985 (below ZZ Top, Marillion & Bon Jovi).
A young, energetic American band called Van Halen, supporting Black Sabbath (the final tour before Ozzy was fired, and where VH blew a tired-looking Sabbath off the stage every night).
Black Stone Cherry, playing an afternoon slot in a tent in Hyde Park (Hyde Park Calling, 2007).
Not quite at the start, but Metallica, way down the bill at Donington in 1985 (below ZZ Top, Marillion & Bon Jovi).
Twiglets said:
My best are...
Baring in mind we were going to two gigs a week around 1988-1993 that's not that impressive!
I think that kind of proves how tough it is for bands to make it. Baring in mind we were going to two gigs a week around 1988-1993 that's not that impressive!
I was at the first T in the park and stumbled upon Oasis on a very small stage. Wasn't that impressed to be honest. Cypress Hill and RATM were far more of a show as headliners.
Nothing compared to some of the greats mentioned here but I saw Chase and Status in Notts Rock City just on the brink of making it. One of the best concerts I've ever been to, the energy was crazy. Shortly after that they were doing main stage festival appearances and got loads of radio play. Seem to have dropped off again now though.
DoubleTime said:
I think that kind of proves how tough it is for bands to make it.
Back in the 90's I was working, doing PA/sound for live bands and playing myself. Nothing massive pubs and smaller clubs. To be honest to was pretty clear why most of the bands didn't make it. The few you saw multiple times were clearly a step up from the general dross but again its a massive step up again to be touring and more again to make it.
Some people could play, some could write, they were rarely in the same band though.
I've lost count of the number of bands I've played in over the years & it's all true. I've met them all, blokes in toilet circuit covers outfits who got involved because they were convinced they'd be going home draped in knickers every night. Wannabe rock stars whose spandex pants were the closest they were ever getting to Times Square.
Fret w
kers who REALLY wanted you to see they suffered for their art. Endless drummers only on nodding acquaintance with what you might loosely term 'rhythm'.
Singers so flat the walls would be jealous, you name it I've jammed with them, special shout out to Denis, yes Dennis but with one 'N' because that's obviously windswept & interesting who insisted everything should be underpinned with the tone of JJ Burnell, especially ballads.
I thank the lord for Mixcraft, Garage band & all the rest so I no longer have to hang out in dingy & electrically dangerous places with these delusional humps, but at the same time, oh how I miss gigging, the tip of the arrow that never quite makes up for the rest of the st.
Fret w
kers who REALLY wanted you to see they suffered for their art. Endless drummers only on nodding acquaintance with what you might loosely term 'rhythm'. Singers so flat the walls would be jealous, you name it I've jammed with them, special shout out to Denis, yes Dennis but with one 'N' because that's obviously windswept & interesting who insisted everything should be underpinned with the tone of JJ Burnell, especially ballads.
I thank the lord for Mixcraft, Garage band & all the rest so I no longer have to hang out in dingy & electrically dangerous places with these delusional humps, but at the same time, oh how I miss gigging, the tip of the arrow that never quite makes up for the rest of the s
t.As the house engineer at the greyhound Fulham palace road and other "top" venues in the early to mid 80's I remember a period of 2 weeks ie the full 14 days where ever night the bands were dire at best and utter crap at worst. To put it in perspective that would be in the region of 40 bands. It was awful.
However a quick look recently on the cherry red records site and there they all were (well most of them).
There are too many memorable one which were good and made it, mainly to TOTP such as Zodiac mindwarp and love reaction, Strawberry switchblade Alien sex fiend, flesh for lulu.
We used to host the warm up night for bands appearing the following night on Old grey whistle test. Much better quality Fergal Sharkey did good head is hard to find.
But back to when I was just "in the audience" I saw thin lizzy with Man and Patto at the wake arms in epping in the very early 70's. None of them were much cop but they improved. Except "Man" who had not improved with age when he appeared at the Greyhound.
Oh yes Mott the hoople were fantastic in those early day before they had the hits. Saw them in a Leytonstone pub.
However a quick look recently on the cherry red records site and there they all were (well most of them).
There are too many memorable one which were good and made it, mainly to TOTP such as Zodiac mindwarp and love reaction, Strawberry switchblade Alien sex fiend, flesh for lulu.
We used to host the warm up night for bands appearing the following night on Old grey whistle test. Much better quality Fergal Sharkey did good head is hard to find.
But back to when I was just "in the audience" I saw thin lizzy with Man and Patto at the wake arms in epping in the very early 70's. None of them were much cop but they improved. Except "Man" who had not improved with age when he appeared at the Greyhound.
Oh yes Mott the hoople were fantastic in those early day before they had the hits. Saw them in a Leytonstone pub.
BIRMA said:
Slade with Thin Lizzie as support Fareham Community Centre. Slade were a skinhead band and played violin. Also Thin Lizzie on the beat cruise a ferry that went around the Isle of Wight sea sick or what.
U2 at the Locarno Ballroom Portsmouth.
Led Zeppelin with Savoy Brown support in Pom d'or Southsea.
The Cure Portsmouth Guildhall about 50 in the audience.
Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix all at the Portsmouth Guildhall.
Most of the above were not sell out events either.
Some good ones in this thread overall but some of those are pretty remarkable!U2 at the Locarno Ballroom Portsmouth.
Led Zeppelin with Savoy Brown support in Pom d'or Southsea.
The Cure Portsmouth Guildhall about 50 in the audience.
Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix all at the Portsmouth Guildhall.
Most of the above were not sell out events either.
I once played a gig at Notts Uni or was it Trent Poly? we were upstairs in the SUB Bar (that's another PIN number isn't it?) downstairs Ozric Tentacles were playing the main room.
It amused us greatly at the time that one of the papers had the gig listed as my band supported by the OT.
It amused us greatly at the time that one of the papers had the gig listed as my band supported by the OT.
JuniorD said:
Some good ones in this thread overall but some of those are pretty remarkable!
Indeed Portsmouth was the place, one of the others was Free playing at the North End Snooker Club people were helping them load their gear back in a Transit way before All right now hit the charts but they played it none the less.As the Isle of Wight Festivals were just a short trip on a ferry I saw all the first ones too.
Nik da Greek said:
Uhh... Chumbawamba?
Errrmmm.... Ozric Tentacles?
No? Ahh.... Gaye Bykers on Acid?
Oh well
couldn't resist! Errrmmm.... Ozric Tentacles?
No? Ahh.... Gaye Bykers on Acid?
Oh well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8RhZDGLEXM
Calvin Harris back in about.... 2005, supporting Faithless.
He gave a really good gig, and played his own instruments and MIDI keyboards. It was mesmerising to watch.
Last year he was the worlds highest paid musician.
Also - Lana Del Ray. Heard her first song, Video Games on the radio late at night in 2010 (?), and it was beautiful. Took me 2 or 3 days to find out who it was and back then she only had a few hundred 'likes' on FB. She used to go on there herself and post stuff herself and interact with fans, that all stopped once she was signed though.
He gave a really good gig, and played his own instruments and MIDI keyboards. It was mesmerising to watch.
Last year he was the worlds highest paid musician.
Also - Lana Del Ray. Heard her first song, Video Games on the radio late at night in 2010 (?), and it was beautiful. Took me 2 or 3 days to find out who it was and back then she only had a few hundred 'likes' on FB. She used to go on there herself and post stuff herself and interact with fans, that all stopped once she was signed though.
Edited by Condi on Sunday 20th August 19:05
Eberhard Schoener´s "Laserium" Tour 1977, they had a 3-man band amongst others on stage
which turned out to be The Police ater, Sting doing awesome high-pitched vocal acrobatics, more melody than text.
1977 again, Rainbow cancelled a Frankfurt gig 3 days before because Mr. Blackmore had one of his Primadonna moments,
management was as peed off as the almost-sold out Festhalle wannabe audience.
So they ordered him to play a free open air 6 months later in Frankfurt, we skipped school to be there.
Opening was an unknown Rockn Roll band that only had 30 minutes to play,
within ten minutes they had the audience rocking and within 20 minutes the singer had the guitar player on his shoulders,
carrying him around in the audience while aforementioned guitar player did a 10 minute solo.
When Rainbow appeared Mr. Blackmore was slightly miffed
because his guitar god gig was disturbey by the folks down there were yelling for AC/DC encores though his first 3 songs.
which turned out to be The Police ater, Sting doing awesome high-pitched vocal acrobatics, more melody than text.
1977 again, Rainbow cancelled a Frankfurt gig 3 days before because Mr. Blackmore had one of his Primadonna moments,
management was as peed off as the almost-sold out Festhalle wannabe audience.
So they ordered him to play a free open air 6 months later in Frankfurt, we skipped school to be there.
Opening was an unknown Rockn Roll band that only had 30 minutes to play,
within ten minutes they had the audience rocking and within 20 minutes the singer had the guitar player on his shoulders,
carrying him around in the audience while aforementioned guitar player did a 10 minute solo.
When Rainbow appeared Mr. Blackmore was slightly miffed
because his guitar god gig was disturbey by the folks down there were yelling for AC/DC encores though his first 3 songs.
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