One such memorable incident occurred when an ex-sixth form colleague of mine from Devizes School decided to take the plunge (he must have seen pound signs in his eyes!) and put on a gig featuring a band called Refugee, who counted ex-members of The Nice amongst their number.Īt the last minute, Refugee pulled out and the booking agency sent a fledgling Dr Feelgood in their place. The venue slowly petered out as a major force when Mel Bush went on to greater things in the mid-seventies, although the occasional local entrepreneur would try to emulate past glories without ever succeeding. Just some of the names that readily spring to mind Yes (pre-and post- Rick Wakeman), Rory Gallagher (who played for the best part of three hours!), King Crimson, Thin Lizzy, Osibisa, Rod Stewart and The Faces, Chicken Shack, Ashton Gardner and Dyke, Nektar, Hawkwind, Juicy Lucy, Cochise, Man, Curved Air, the Groundhogs, the Edgar Broughton Band and the Pink Fairies.Īnd, of course, all concerts were replete with the-then obligatory psychedelic 'liquid light-shows'. Thankfully the fertile venue more than sated my appetite as a procession of big-name bands arrived to tread the boards, and I became brave enough to enter the 'hippies' den' downstairs. That gig will live in my memory forever and only served to make my thirst for live music ever stronger. We were all gig 'virgins' and under the watchful eye of the Corn Exchange’s resident Custodian. The band were in transition from psychedelic pop-stars ('Pictures of Matchstick Men') to three-chord boogie merchants ('In My Chair'), and my abiding memories of the gig were the massive stacks of Marshall amps and speakers, and my inability to hear a word my parents said to me the following morning!Īt the instigation of my father, who was rather concerned at the company I might keep if I sat on the floor with the legions of Afghan-coated, joss-stick wielding, stoned hippies, I was safely ensconced, by prior arrangement, up in the balcony with a couple of schoolmates. Something Better Change ( Steve Hillage & Toyah Wilcox )ġ3.My first exposure to the delights of live music came in 1971, at the age of 15, when I went to see Status Quo in the Corn Exchange. Bear Cage ( Ian Dury, Matthieu Hartley, Wilco Johnson, Davey Pain & John Turnbull )ġ1.5 Minutes ( Richard Jobson & Larry Willis )ġ2. Peaches ( Ian Dury, Wilco Johnson, Davey Pain, John Turnbull & Toyah Wilcox )Ĩ. Nice & Sleazy (Basil Gabbidon, Nicky Tesco & Nik Turnerħ. The Raven ( Basil Gabbidon & Peter Hammill )Ħ. Toiler On The Sea ( Robert Fripp & Phil Daniels )ĥ. Hanging Around ( Hazel O’Connor & Robert Smith )Ĥ. Get A Grip ( Hazel O’Connor & Robert Smith )Ģ. ![]() Perhaps Hugh should visit the straight-bar motel more often.”ġ. Since Hugh is in jail, all the guests took turn singing their favorite Stranglers songs. The band plays its second showcase set at the Rainbow in London tonight and are joined by a huge host of friends and hangers-on including Ian Dury, members of the Members, Hazel O’Connor, Toyah, Skids’ vocalist Richard Jobson, Steve Hillage, Robert Fripp, Billy Idol,and others. ![]() The Stranglers’ tour of Australia, Italy and India will have to be delayed for a while. ![]() Police roadblock, and when searched, some cannabis, cocaine, and heroin were found. Hugh Cornwell was convicted on a drug possession charge last week and is already serving a two-month sentence. THE STRANGLERS are on-stage at the Rainbow, but their lead singer is spending the evening in Pentonville prison as prisoner F48444. ![]() IT’S ALIVE: The Stranglers & Friends, live at Rainbow, London, April 4, 1980.
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