Monday 12 October 2015

Gnu's on the Blog: Trash'd New Wave Festival Hastings, TV Smith, Subway Sect in Dublin, Fibber Magees, Jock Scot, Big Gold Dream,Caledonian Connections, The Bees, Videos, Lots of Photographs,UFOs,David Bowie, Lighthouse Family,The Golden Ass, Bedrock, North Devon Travelogue, Damien Hirst 'Verity', Upcoming Subway Sect gigs - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Manchester,Newcastle,Liverpool & Eastbourne & More.

TRASH'D Punky Monkey 2015 - Great photograph by Mark Richards - Caption suggestions?
HARD TO BELIEVE IT'S OCTOBER!

 It's been over a month since Vic and the Sect's gig at Fibber Magees and it nearly ended up a three piece Vic and Subway Sect for their first gig in Ireland! Read on......Twenty One and a half hours in Dublin -
It only took Vic Godard & Subway Sect  30 Odd Years to play in Ireland and it looked like it was all going to be straightforward when we set off for Heathrow. The flight was at 2.15pm so plenty of time for everyone to get there..........we thought.........erroneously. The flight closed at 1.50pm and at 1.30pm one of our party was still in Hammersmith, a good 40 minutes away. Hasty discussions ensued as to how a set might be put together with a trio, bass, drums and guitar, it's been done before, with a drum machine, having pre programmed the beats Vic removed shoe and sock on stage to use his big toe to turn it off and on! Unlucky for some but lucky for us, our flight was delayed for over an hour and the errant Sectee squeaked it. Phew. After a further twenty minutes on the tarmac waiting for a slot we took off at 4pmish, touch down in Dublin at 5pm, reached hotel at 6pm, time saved as The Gate is next door to  Fibber Magees and conveniently has it's own entrance directly in to the venue. A city centre location, very helpful and accommodating staff, good Irish breakfast (although Vic not keen on the white pudding) and served until 11am, that's what I call a civilised time to have breakfast. It isn't a quiet location but then you don't come to this part of Dublin on a Friday night for peace and quiet! The hotel is about 20/30 minutes from the airport by taxi, there is airbus 747 which drops and picks up outside the hotel, €6 pp, if there are more than four of you it is cheaper by taxi, you may have to wait a bit at the airport for a taxi for 5+ however we thought it was worth it.http://thegatehotel.ie/
Vic Godard & Subway Sect - Mark Braby, Ian Holford and Kevin Younger by Tony Hennessey 11/09/2015

 A warm welcome awaited us at Fibber Magees and we made lots of new friends and Vic got to say hello to some  FB friends, just a few who I spoke to - Francis H, DM Dunne, Bernie F, John B and John B - yes, some confusion did arise with this, in hindsight the first John B to arrive must have thought I was a bit mad, flashing the two copies of the vinyl We Come As Aliens at him that I had hidden away and which we had brought specially for him..........or so I thought. I did think it was a little curious when he only wanted one copy and when he said he didn't have 1979 NOW! my perplexity deepened, I knew we'd sent John B two copies of it! All became clear when the second John B arrived, of course I then had to explain why I only had the one WCAA! Serendipitous event of the night occurred during the sound check when a man who was waiting for his son to finish playing chess round the corner, popped in to see what was afoot and find out a bit about Vic, he'd liked what he heard as he came in and wanted to hear more so bought 30 ODD YEARS and then off he went to pick up his son!
http://www.fibbermagees.ie/Fibbers_2/flash%20home%20page/home.html 

 It was an unforgettable show with standout sets from The Dubtones, The Gakk and Audible Joes cranking things up, Vic and the Sect, Ian Holford, Kevin Younger and Mark Braby played a blinder and got a fantastic reception. Special Thanks to Peter Jones for inviting Vic over (and lending his guitar, Vic says sorry he broke a string, song before last in set!) JP, John Claude for the sound, everyone else at Fibbers and to EVERYONE who came, Vic and the Sect said it was a great atmosphere to play in and are all looking forward to coming back. Also Special Thanks go to The Dubtones for lending (and trusting!) Subway Sect with their gear. 
https://www.facebook.com/dubtonesireland?ref=ts&fref=ts 
https://www.facebook.com/thegakk 
https://www.facebook.com/AudibleJoes?fref=ts 
Vic Godard & Subway Sect 'Born To Be A Rebel' Fibber Magees 11/09/2015 Courtesy of DM Dunne.
 'Bhi craic agus ceol againn' (hope that's sense!)



I've started a Vic/Celtic/Caledonian Connections page and that is where you will find details of the unforgettable evening we spent with Jock Scot at a packed to busting Heavenly Social on 14th September, accompanied by Nectarine No 9, beautiful photograph of Jock by Peter Tainsh.  (More of Peter's photographs later on)
http://vicgodardandsubwaysect.blogspot.co.uk/p/blog- page_16.html  
PS If anyone has any dates or info we've missed please let me or Vic know and we'll add it. 


What a Luvverley Day We Had Beside The Sea!

TRASH'D NEW WAVE FESTIVAL Punky Monkey The Brass Monkey 3rd October 2015


More photographs by Trash'd official photographer Mark Richards: https://www.facebook.com/markrok1/media_set?set=a.10154192480554688.1073741935.605759687&type=3 


Trash'd Punky Monkey 2015 by Mark Richards

What a night of delights at Trash'd Punky Monkey at The Brass Monkey in Hastings and full of lovely people, Ben, Keith, Sandra, Amanda, Sue G, Tracey, Lee, Jem, Shelley and Phil, John G, Tim Smith, Grant McPhee, to name just a few. This Is Punk Brighton' opened  with Kevin and Tug Phipps' short film, a fascinating introduction in to the birth of punk in Brighton. I'd never heard of The Vault, only dedicated punk spirit(!) would have seen the opportunities - electricity, free rehearsal and performance spaces, as opposed to the disadvantages of these cemetery vaults, with many relics still in situ or spilling out of their coffins. 

http://www.theargus.co.uk/news/12929378.Digging_up_the_bones__of_resort___s_punk_past/ 
http://www.punkbrighton.co.uk/vaultn.html
PS Talking of punk in Brighton Spinningchilli gigs Peel Night is on on Saturday 17th October in Brighton with Piranhas Four, I, Ludicrous, Helen McCookerybook and Simon & the Pope:  https://www.facebook.com/events/991301430910501/  
Next up the wonderful 'Big Gold Dream' film, the story of the birth, the highs and the lows of Scottish post punk, enjoyed it as much if not more second time around (see June? blog), Grant McPhee, Innes Reekie and everyone involved deserve all the accolades and screenings. See it if it's showing near you or make a special trip if it's not or clamour for it to be shown in your neck of the woods. Extensive interview with Grant about Big Gold Dream:
http://www.musicfilmweb.com/2015/09/big-gold-dream-grant-mcphee-post-punk-music-documentary/
and more about the film and screenings:
http://www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/uk-festivals/film/big-gold-dream-vic-godard-malcolm-ross-scottish-punk-scene 
https://www.facebook.com/SOYSFilm?fref=ts
 

Bob Last on Fast Product's influence on Factory, video courtesy of Grant. 


BOB from grant mcphee on Vimeo.

Very pleased to have met Tim Smith, no side, a heart of punk and he is a man after our own DIY gnu inc minded selves, got a few tips off him as well! His performance pulled the attentive audience in close, they want to hear all his words and the appreciation and affection felt for TV Smith was palpable. Video below -  'No Time To Be 21' courtesy of Trash'd's Keith Rodway.
http://www.tvsmith.com/    
https://www.facebook.com/TVSmith77?fref=ts


Great set from the Sect and despite a somewhat disorganised sound check the sound was brilliant. Groovin' Best Album from Vic, Mark, Kevin and Ian filmed by Lee McFadden. More videos of the night by Lee and Tracey Holloway:  https://www.youtube.com/user/leefact25/videos

and storming 'Ambition', video courtesy of Trash'd.
                                           


More of Peter Tainsh's photographs from the night here: https://www.facebook.com/peter.tainsh.7/media_set?set=a.10153259156608937.1073741861.564378936&type=3

Throughout the night we had a great set of tunes courtesy of DJ Sue Grant, in fact Vic commented that it was the best DJ set he's heard at one of his gigs. You can listen to DJ Sue's show live on Shoreditch Radio on Mondays 6-8pm - http://www.shoreditchradio.co.uk/broadcast-schedule/
and you can catch up with the podcasts of previous shows on mixcloud, defy you not to have a wiggle even if you're listening sitting down - Northern Soul, Soul, 60's, Rhythm n Blues & more. 



https://www.facebook.com/sue.grant.1422?fref=nf

 STOOL PIGEON - recorded by the gnu.


http://www.trashcannesfestival.co.uk/
http://thebrassmonkeyhastings.com/

Filmed a bit of starling murmuration on the beach at Hastings, decided to put the camera down and watch the next 20 minutes of aeronautical acrobatics before they all swooped down for the last time on to the pier to roost, just after the sun set. Awe inspiring.
http://rspbwww.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/starling/roosting.aspx

Next Up Live Wise- 7 More Subway Sect Specials To Come in 2015



SOUNDS IN THE SUBURBS TIME!
Friday 13th November Vic and Subway Sect & The Sexual Objects The Admiral Glasgow http://www.vicgodard.co.uk/vic_godard_live.html#glasgow
Vic's hoping to fit in recording his contribution to Port Sulphur's 'Olive Branch' while he's in Glasgow and look out for his guest blog for Glasgow Music City Tours, around 9th November.
http://glasgowmusiccitytours.com/blog/page/2/

And Saturday 14th November heading east for another night of Sect/SOBs magic at the Voodoo Rooms Edinburgh
http://www.vicgodard.co.uk/vic_godard_live.html#edinburgh

THEN Sunday 15th November Vic and the Sect are looking forward to being back in Dundee again to play for Andy Wood at Beat Generator LIVE! with Special Guests Stoor. Look out for Vic's interview with Andy wood for Manic Pop Thrills nearer the date.
http://www.vicgodard.co.uk/vic_godard_live.html#dundee




The VG & SS Zig Zag Weekender kicks off in Manchester on 26th November with a Marc Riley session on BBC 6 Music followed by Dandy Presents at Gullivers with Teesside's finest Pellethead (the only levitating group I've come across) joining Subway Sect. Get your tickets now, it's Red Hot!
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/event/dandy-presents-vic-godard-subway-sect-plus-pellethead/
http://www.vicgodard.co.uk/vic_godard_live.html#manchester15

TEA ANYONE?




27th November heading over the Penines to Newcastle for another Children of Godard Special with POST, El Cid and DJ Johny Brown, promises to be another memorable COG (last year had stage invasion!) If you want one of the fab tickets on the left: http://www.vicgodard.co.uk/vic_godard_live.html#newcastle


 28th November it's back to Liverpool for the event that is Bernie Connor's Birthday, The Shipping Forecast with The Floormen, Rongorongo, Brasshaus, DJs Bernie and Richard Hector-Jones. Don't think anyone's going to forget Bernie's birthday celebrations this year! Tickets available EXCLUSIVELY from Probe Records.
http://www.probe-records.co.uk/Contact/contact.htm
http://www.vicgodard.co.uk/vic_godard_live.html#liverpool


Last gig of the year......almost certainly!

5th December Bah Humbug Christmas Special
Under Ground Theatre Eastbourne
The Vinyl Frontier Eastbourne Presents Subway Sect with Special Guests The Wolfhounds and The Legend, Everett True PLUS DJ Jon Slade. Tickets from The Vinyl Frontier and:
http://www.wegottickets.com/event/329685
https://www.facebook.com/events/1477589812553410/



The Gnapstones consider stopping for a brontoburger at Bedrock City Drive In on their way west.

We had a couple of days exploring a bit of North Devon, stunning coastline and scenery, some seriously scary narrow, very bendy roads, lots of walking, lots of crab. Below are the views from our room at the Lynton Cottage Hotel. I think I'd liken this to a luxury B+B  more than a full blown hotel, the staff were all very helpful and welcoming, room roomy, all have sea views and some have bijou balconies, we did not have the most comfortable mattress, you have to order your dinner by 6pm at the latest and have to sit down for it between 6.45pm and 7.30pm. I wondered if they had a sous chef on site at night as most of the dishes are along the lines of  casseroles apart from the crab, which we had. I can't comment on the other things on offer like Exmoor venison in red wine although they appeared to be going down well in the full restaurant.
Road kill? It is possible, in Dorset, Wareham Forest area, I know of someone who supplies pubs/hotels/restaurants with deer meat from roadkill. We got a whole, largish, crab each, all the hard work done, (portions are large in the West Country) served  with salad and bread, not a lot of seasoning/dressing however they were happy to provide mayonnaise on request (not had toast with smoked salmon before, my starter, interesting mix of textures). You can opt to eat at one of the restaurants in Lynton, minutes away on foot, as you discover on the drive here, you would be insane to drive on the surrounding roads after dark to go anywhere else. The staff, the location, the room, the grounds and the views did it for me and I definitely recommend a stay here if you are visiting North Devon. http://lyntoncottage.com/

SPOOKY! (The faint lights in the distance are in Wales!)

Lynmouth is a small village with huge scenery surrounding it. A practical point - it has no cash machines that we could find, which we discovered after walking the 600 metres down the steep and sometimes very steep path from Lynton to Lynmouth and then having to walk back up again as we had no cash for the lift!. The video clip is the West Lyn, the smallest of three rivers that flow into Lynmouth, the East Lyn is the one in the bottom right photo above and Hoar Oak Water meets the East Lyn at Watersmeet further up the road.
http://www.northdevon.com/Locations/Lynton-and-Lynmouth


Ilfracombe and 'VERITY'

Ilfracombe is a pretty seaside village (used to be a fishing village however little sign of any fishing activity now) and it didn't look like it had changed much since I was a teenager EXCEPT for, standing tall (66ft) and proud at the entrance to the harbour is Verity, a Damian Hirst sculpture, her stance based on Edgar Degas' La Petite Danseuse and although I'm loath to admit it (not what you'd call a fan of Mr H's work) Verity is magnificent. The  statue is on loan to Ilfracombe for twenty years, not everyone sees this as a boon. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19881524
I wonder if Ilfracombe is destined to be the next Padstein? Mr Hirst has opened a restaurant and shop so far. Hirstcombe or Ilfrahirst?

http://www.damienhirst.com/verity 


Another Ilfracombe Find - St James Tea Room 10 St James Place.

We had the HUGE afternoon tea, absolutely scrummy however way too much for us in one go and we were offered doggy bags for what we couldn't eat. A bargain at £9.50 pp, highly recommend, dogs welcome at the courtyard tables.
http://visitilfracombe.co.uk/surrounding-area

 The South West Coast Path, Lynton to the Valley of the Rocks - I wouldn't recommend this if you suffer from vertigo, I got to the point where your choices are to go round a headland where the path gets narrower and the drop even sheerer or scramble steeply upwards so, after having a rest on a rock and a visual reconnoiter I made the decision that discretion was definitely the better part of valour and we turned back, me leaning to starboard, eyes averted from the drop and gripping the grass bank the whole way (just thankful I wasn't reduced to all fours which has happened before!). 
http://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/247/

Headed home along the scenic North Devon in to Somerset route (A39 to M5), Porlock, Blue Anchor Bay, Dunster (we didn't go into the castle, £11 each plus £2.50 for car park unless you're a National Trust member), Watchet, etc, all in all this part of North Devon/North Somerset well worth a visit.
http://www.northdevon.com/
http://www.visitsomerset.co.uk/explore-somerset/coast/picture-perfect-coast
 

Serendipitous Miscellany

The Bees by Laline Paull
An extraordinary book, very hard to adequately describe, you need to actively engage your brain with the hive way of life and it is hard as a reader not to anthropomorphise the bees, however, if you don't this is a fascinating, inciteful and an erudite interpretive story about the life of bees. It is impossible not to feel empathy  particularly if you are a woman however I wouldn't call this a feminist tome at all. I held bees in high regard before I read this and my respect, admiration and, frankly, awe at what they achieve against all the odds has increased tenfold and has made me want to read more about these incredible creatures. The book has left me with a residual guilt about the way we treat bees (no bad thing), stealing their food supplies. Highly, highly recommend. http://www.lalinepaull.com/the-bees/synopsis/

Vic just finished The Golden Ass or Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius, a whole different kettle of fish, the only novel in Latin to have survived in it's entirety since the late 2nd century AD, man is transformed in to an ass, suffers trials and tribulations and then................I've removed the spoiler about the outcome, in case I ruined the anticipation of finding out yourselves! Do I hear a song coming on?
http://www.jnanam.net/golden-ass/
http://www.penguinclassics.co.uk/books/the-golden-ass/9780140435900/

Vic auditions for the part of Sganarelle in Molière's Le Médecin malgré lui.

http://www.theatrehistory.com/french/doctor001.html
http://thedoctorinspiteofhimself.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/welcome-to-show.html

 13th November 2015 on Cicada Books - The Bag I'm in: Underground Music and Fashion in Britain 1960 - 1990 by Sam Knee, follows his acclaimed book A Scene In Between and is it's ideal companion piece, another fascinating collection of photographs brought together very cleverly by Mr Knee to tell this evocative, sartorial story, includes one of Vic circa 1975, see it and others on Sam Knees guest blog for Glasgow Music City Tours.
And pre-order it here at Monorail:

I thought I liked Jack Savaretti........ however apart from the following what I've listened to is not my cup of tea at all.
I initially thought Mr Savaretti was comparable to The Lighthouse Family, vocals Tunde Baiyewu and keyboards Paul Tucker (met at Newcastle University), I realised I got that wrong on re-listening to 'Ocean Drive'. Vic's got FIVE mixes of this, one of which has a dire Roger Troutman homage on, the 'Linslee Remix' 1996, which he tricked me in to playing on youtube, only for a few seconds though. Do I like vocoders? No, I do not. If you do, Ocean Drive Troutmanised: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiglwcMq8Yk
and below the original-

                                                              The Window Ledge Books

These are my window ledge books, some my read again and again and others books I've tried to read over the decades but not managed to finish yet, guess which! There are also the bedside table books, current reading/dipping in to; the bookshelves books, read and odd unread, outside chance of reading again/dipping in to; the cupboard book case books, reference, old, odds and sods and the garage books,occasional forays resulting in 'I forgot I had that, must read again'.



 When and why did the plural of guy start being used as a noun for either sex while the singular of the noun has remained steadfastly a male domain? Tad sexist wouldn't you say? There must be some non gender specific term for when you're talking to/with a mixed group of girls/boys or women/men (other than remembering everyone's name)? Peeps? Anyway I am not a guy I am a free gnu.




Another of Vic & the gnu by Alan Horne


I'll leave you 'You Don't Know Where Your Interest Lies' by Dana Valery (heard it on DJ Sue's show)

and a variety of other things for your lugholes covering Punk to Soul and all stops between
:
Any of Joe McKechnie's DJ Sets
https://hearthis.at/josephmckechnie/joe-mckechnie-12102015/
https://hearthis.at/josephmckechnie/joe-mckechnie-liverpool-psych-fest-25092015/

The Bedazzled Hour with Spike Priggen on WGXC 90.7FM, community radio station based in New York’s Greene and Columbia counties.
https://wavefarm.org/wgxc/schedule/xmte3e

The Dave & Lee Travesty Show on Croydon Radio
http://www.croydonradio.com/podcast/all_shows.php?ID=2952b587-7eb1-8d0e

The Mad Hatties Show and Dee Time on Scotland69 AM
http://www.scotland69am.com/

DJ Sue on Shoreditch Radio
http://www.shoreditchradio.co.uk/broadcast-schedule/

Sonic Diary on Salford City Radio with Stephen Doyle

http://www.salfordcityradio.org/shows.php?id=155
0b2e-dafb26d100ff

Club Integral Radio Show with the Earl of Killorglin & Andrew Scott-Bolton
https://www.resonancefm.com/programmes/558d778150000b8db2000735 

 STOP PRESS........It's been a monumental rite of passage and now it's nearly here - Derek Philpotts 'Dear Mr Kershaw' letters to pop stars and their replies, is on it's way and it's going to be THE book on everyone's Christmas list. Reviews:
http://www.uberrock.co.uk/…/15582-book-review-dear-mr-kersh… 
http://www.comedy.co.uk/…/derek_philpott_dear_mr_kershaw_i…/ 
http://recordcollectormag.com/…/dear-mr-kershaw-pensioner-w… 
Read about the journey and buy from Friday 16th October from Plane Groovy:
http://www.planegroovy.com/philpott.html

STOP STOP PRESS.........Strange flashing lights appear in the western sky, UFO spotted, leaving the mother ship perhaps?

Couldn't resist.


and sort of links to one of my favourite David Bowie songs -

and just because I like it, going to stop now though, could keep going for a while with Mr B!
'Won't Turn Back' in all it's guises...........so far!
I know I've posted a couple of these in different blogs  before, here they are together:
Original from End Of The Surrey People with Douglas Hart video. 
Won't Turn Back - Dennis Bovell Dub Version, was on the1993 Postcard CD single.

And Murray Ramone's brilliant Vic and Edwyn duet mix
                                    

Now looking forward to Murray's Vic/Edwyn/Dennis mix!!

Really is all until next time. 


Vic Godard & Subway Sect Tour Dates & Tickets