I never got to see all my favourite punk bands. I've since seen some of them live, and although I'm sure they never sounded as good, or played quite so well, they obviously lacked the naivety, the energy, and the youthful spirit that drove them through their finest 3 minutes. They were also playing venues the size of the Forum in Kentish Town and the Astoria, once to be found on the Charing Cross Road. I can't imagine what it would have been like to see the likes of the Stranglers or the Damned at the Hope & Anchor, where last night we put on another PUNK-ROCK-TIL-YOU-DROP gig, featuring some of the oldest punks acts in town that you may not have heard of yet but you should have, namely Tres Retros,The Outbursts, Live Wires and The Lone Groover. Back in '76 it would have
sounded much the same as it did last night, their just would have been more sweat, more spittle, more pogoing. Stuff, at our age, we could probably do without anyway, eh?
I had a punk band at school but we never graduated to real instruments from our cardboard ones. Last night I played electric guitar in my first proper punk band. I have to confess I was just a little nervous, mostly because I didn't want to let the Outbursts down. And it was a somewhat tentative debut when compared to the confident playing of the two guitarists that followed me in covering for the missing Neale Muldowney, but it
was a start. And it was really fun.
It's not that I haven't played hard and fast before. I did in the 90s. Here's the link to
proof. But we weren't
technically a punk band. We certainly didn't look like one. And my guitar playing these days with Pocket Rocket is fairly clean, so sticking on all that distortion was refreshing. It was funny too not having to sing. Well, maybe
funny is not the word.
Different, is. I could have done some BVs too, had I been a little less worried about my C-G-Bs. Or at least, which order they came in.
Anyway, first up was stalwart of the RTYD live scene on
both sides of the stage, Brian Caulfield, tonight playing punk-folk songsmith
The Lone Groover, and
later playing himself, punk fan and a supporter of live music locally.
As the Lone Groover, Brian got the ball rolling and the room warmed up, delivering a bespoke set of aptly chosen and dramatically executed cover songs of 7" inch punk classics, all of which he brought along on vinyl and displayed at his feet for all to reminisce over. He is the new star of the scene.
I wanted to make it up to the Live Wires after they took to the stage at the previous PUNK-RTYD gig closer to 11 o'clock than I like to go without a duvet over my head (FYI, I've always slept with the duvet over my head) (
who cares? - Ed). Anyway, I love that they come to the scene with their black shirts, their jagged guitar riffs and one-word song titles; Like it's 1979; Like things are changing; Like the black before it's over-painted gold; Like the short hair before the flicks and the highlights.
Then it's my moment with The Outbursts, as described above. Two songs later, and it's all over. Just when I was relaxing into my new position, too. Following me, though, is deputy guitarist number two Paul Warwick of Trad Arr. He takes on some of the lead playing I couldn't possibly manage, with aplomb. And looks very 1978, to boot. Don't ever ask him to borrow his guitar strap, though (I
should explain that, but get down to see him play with The Outbursts again, and all will be revealed).
Andy Golding, front man of Trad Arr, and guitarist with 80s band The Wolfhounds, is guitarist 3 and Thunderbird 1 to my Thunderbird 3. Or something. He starts by turning the amp up. Good idea. And proceeds to play the guitar with Hendrix-like extension-of-the-body proficiency, his tremolo arm rarely leaving his strumming hand. He is on fire, and adds a real vitality to the Outbursts sound. Go see them soon.
And Trad Arr.
And the Wolfhounds, when they play their reunion show at the Lexington, N1, in November.
I was introduced to Michael Fleck of Tres Retros by Otto from 14 Carat Grapefruit. Michael's musical career began in South Africa where he played with a punk band that enjoyed some success there. He came to England in the late 70s, and the early 80s for good. He saw the Clash and Sham and went to The Roxy, and did loads of other great things that I am totally envious of. Tonight his three piece turned all the knobs, pulled out all the stops and rocked like their lives depended on it. I wasn't sure what their punk 'schtick' was from their sound check, but their headling performance revealed that they clearly come from a pre-'76 US school of punk rock. This is confirmed by a cover of
Search & Destroy and contradicted by a Lady Gaga one.
(Incidentally, as one has yet to surface, I'm offering a free RTYD T-shirt to the first person to send me a photo of me playing with the Outbursts)
