Toyah and Fripp -Buxton Opera House, 25/10/23

Posted on December 22, 2024 by garylongden

The Buxton Opera House is one of my favourite UK music venues. Grand, large enough to create an atmosphere, but small enough to offer intimacy.

The Sunday lunch has given the careers of Toyah and Fripp, as a couple, and individually, a massive boost. They play and perform with a smile on their faces and a tongue in their cheeks. Its fun, and they don’t need the money.

Th setlist is insane, offbeat, eclectic and wonderful. Fripp’s guitar on ” Kashmir” is ethereal, Toyah’s vocals on “Heroes” a delight.

I had forgotten that Fripp had played on Parallel lines giving them licence to play a cracking version of “Heart of Glass”

The anecdotes were priceless- how many people have Robert Plant dropping by unannounced for a cup of tea?

Do whatever it take to catch a date- it is no mystery

SET LIST

Thunder in The Mountain (Toyah)
Heart of Glass (Blondie)
Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz)
Echo Beach (Toyah / Martha & The Muffins)
Enter Sandman (Metallica)
It’s A Mystery (Toyah)
Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
Sunshine of Your Love (Cream)
Tainted Love (Soft Cell)
Kashmir (Led Zeppelin)

INTERVAL

leya (Toyah)
School’s Out (Alice Cooper)
Sweet Child o’ Mine (Guns ‘n’ Roses)
Fashion (David Bowie)
Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top)
Rockin’ In The Free World (Neil Young)
Relax (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
Rebel Yell (Billy Idol)
Heroes (David Bowie)
I Wanna Be Free (Toyah)

encore
I Love Rock and Roll (Joan Jett)

Toyah – lead vocals
Robert Fripp – guitar
with
Guitar/pedal steel/harmonica/vocal – Manolo Polidario
Guitar – Nat Martin
Bass – Mike Nichols
Keyboard, vocals – Chloe du Pre
Keyboard, vocals – Emily Francis
Drums – David Keech

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Marc Almond Live

Posted on December 19, 2024 by garylongden

Marc Almond Birningham Symphony Hall 16th Sept, 2024 /Leeds Grand Theatre

Marc is one of the great pop singers of the pop era, and following George Michael’s demise our greatest torch singer. Although a fine songwriter himself this was a covers tour. Covers always tell you so much about the musical roots of an artist and this set was no exception

It was an evening of eclectic, surprising and sometimes exotic selctions from popular muic’back catalogue. Sometimes the mood inveitable jarred  genre morphed into another, bit that ws a small price topay.

It was the anniversary of the great pop elf Marc Bolan’s death, Almonds tribute, a barnstorming “Children of the revolution” was superb

Otherwise the set was largely what he performed at Leeds without the Dana Gillespie numbers

I’m the Light

Gone With The Wind (Is My Love)

Elusive Butterfly

(Bob Lind cover)

Trouble of the World

 (with Bryan Chambers)

A Woman’s Story

The Heel

The Boss Is Dead

Yesterday When I Was Young

What Makes a Man

I Have Lived

Terrapin

Gloomy Sunday

Dream Lover

One Night of Sin

How Can I Be Sure

The London Boys

Stardom Road

 (with Dana Gillespie)

Dance Me to the End of Love

 (with Dana Gillespie)

If You Go Away

Sebastian

The House Is Haunted

The Days of Pearly Spencer

Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart

Tainted Love

Jacky

I Close my eyes and Count to ten

Children of the Revolution

I’m Not Anyone

Leeds Grand Theatre, sept 8th, 2024

An opening night of the tour gig is always special, when it is your adopted home town It is doubly special and Yorkshire pop cognoscenti packed out the theatre for opening night.

A Charles Aznavour triplet, a stunning”How Can I be sure” usurping David Cassidy’s great cover and a mad “terrapin” from syd Barrett were amongst the highlights

The late Steve Harley ws famous for “Come up and see me” but Sebastian” shone tonight

I’m the Light

(Blue Cheer cover)

Gone With The Wind (Is My Love)

(Rita Graham cover)

Elusive Butterfly

(Bob Lind cover)

Trouble of the World

(Mahalia Jackson cover)

A Woman’s Story

(Cher cover)

The Heel

(Eartha Kitt cover)

The Boss Is Dead

(Charles Aznavour cover)

Yesterday When I Was Young

(Charles Aznavour cover)

What Makes a Man

(Charles Aznavour cover)

I Have Lived

(Charles Aznavour cover)

Play Video

Terrapin

(Syd Barrett cover)

Gloomy Sunday

(Kalmár Pál cover)

Dream Lover

(Bobby Darin cover)

One Night of Sin

(Elvis Presley cover)

How Can I Be Sure

(The Rascals cover)

The London Boys

(David Bowie cover)

Stardom Road

(Third World War cover)

If You Go Away

(Jacques Brel cover)

Big Louise

(Scott Walker cover)

Sebastian

(Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel cover)

The House Is Haunted

(Mel Tormé cover)

The Days of Pearly Spencer

(David McWilliams cover)

Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart

(Gene Pitney cover)

Tainted Love

(Gloria Jones cover)

Jacky

(Jacques Brel cover)

I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten

(Dusty Springfield cover)

I’m Not Anyone

Marc Almond- the Foundry Birmingham 18th May 1995

A mad gig in an impossibly small room for the “On the prowl” tour. Intimate, chaotic, and barely under control, Marc stormed through Soft cell and solo material at breathtaking pace reminding everyone what a great performer he is to an adoring committed crowd.

Caged

Loveless World

Beautiful Brutal Thing

Heat

On the Prowl

The User

Brilliant Creatures

Bedsitter

We Need Jealousy

The Idol

Martin

Looking for Love (in All the Wrong Places)

Tainted Love

(Gloria Jones cover)

Adored and Explored

Encore:

Child Star

Sex Dwarf

Memorabilia

 Marc Almond Academy 2 Birmingham Dec1 2007

A strange night. The Academty2 at thisstage was the bar area on the first floor, wholly inadequate for marc. But the event was sold out and he played a stormer.

Stardom Rd

I Have Lived

These My Dreams Are Yours

Tears Run Rings

Your Aura

The Idol

Tragedy (Take a Look and See)

Dream Lover

Child Star

Mr Sad

If You Go Away

Jacky

Amsterdam

(Jacques Brel cover) (Acoustic)

Brilliant Creatures

Redeem Me (Beauty Will Redeem the World)

The Days of Pearly Spencer

The Boy Who Came Back

My Hand Over My Heart

Ruby Red

I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten

Encore:

Backstage

Something’s Gotten Hold of My Heart

Tainted Love

What

(Melinda Marx cover)

Encore 2:

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Marc Almond/Soft cell Academy Birmingham  3rd Feb Oct 2003

Darker Times

Monoculture

Divided Soul

Play Video

Le Grand Guignol

Surrender to a Stranger

Last Chance

Barriers

Youth

Loving You, Hating Me

Play Video

Mr. Self Destruct

The Best Way to Kill

Together Alone

Caligula Syndrome

The Night

Soul Inside

Torch

Bedsitter

The Art of Falling Apart

Encore:

Memorabilia

Insecure Me

Tainted Love

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Marc Almond/ Soft Cell Academy Birmingham 25th Oct 2001

Setlist

Memorabilia

Monoculture

Heat

Divided Soul

Last Chance

Youth

God Shaped Hole

The Best Way to Kill

The Art of Falling Apart

Somebody, Somewhere, Sometime

Torch

Bedsitter

Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Encore:

Martin

Sex Dwarf

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Conclave – film review

Posted on December 15, 2024 by garylongden

****

A film for grown us. There will be no video game spin offs for this one.

Based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, Conclave takes the viewers inside the Vatican during the College of Cardinals’ process of selecting the new Pope…filled with Political in-fighting, twists, turns and surprises.The film, which is by far the best adaptation of Harris’s work to date, is basically 12 Angry Men with incense and some Latin argumentation. We see doors being sealed with red wax, ballots going up in smoke to signal the first round of voting, and cardinals undergoing security checks, vaping and using iPhones. 

As Director by Edward Berger moves things along generally at a sprightly pace apart from a mid film sag, , unravelling a mystery. This is not a “whodunnit” but rather a “who’s gonna get it? ” – and it gets surprisingly tense.

Ralph Fiennes anchors the events as the “Dean” of Cardinals who is tasked with leading the disparate group of Cardinals to a consensus pick of the next Pope. He acts as much as a Detective as a Facilitator as he battles his own conscious of faith…and ambition…all while uncovering schemes and plots of some of the “humble servants” vying for the top job.

Ably assisting are John Lithgow, Isabella Rosellini who battle for the “pole position” in the race to be the next Pope. Special mention should be made ofStanley Tucci for his supporting turn as one of the contenders who’s platform seems to be “I don’t want this” but who, underneath, really, really wants it.

Don’t be surprised if both Fiennes and Tucci (as well as Director Berger) are mentioned come Oscar nomination time (they are that good).

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Chicago- Regent theatre Stoke

Posted on November 29, 2024 by garylongden

Starring Faye Brookes, Sinitta Malone and Kevin Clifton in this new production of the sexy sizzler that is Chicago some fifty years after the show debuted on Broadway in 1975. Please note that as the tour progresses nationwide, the lead roles are subject to change.

On a cold wet dank November pre Christmas night Stoke is  transported back to the 1920s,  Chicago, and introduced to   Roxie Hart,  housewife and nightclub dancer who  has  murdered her  lover after he  was unwise enough to tell her he was leaving her . Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media, and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines. Audiences today will be familiar with the ploy beloved by Collen Rooney and Rebecca Vardy in the recent Waggatha Christie trial ( no murder involved, Jamie and Wayne  mercifully live!)

The show is the creative brainchild of  musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. The score shimmies and shimmers with the likes of  “Razzle Dazzle,” “Cell Block Tango,” and “All That Jazz”, all now firmly entrenched as musical  standards.

The stars shone. Faye Brookes, was commanding  as Roxie Hart, “Razzle Dazzle” brought the house down .Opposite her was the dynamic Djalenga Scott as Velma Kelly.  Both vying to be top Bitch.

Kevin Clifton excels as slick lawyer Billy Flynn,  bringing humour as well as sleaze to “We Both Reached for the Gun”.

Joshua Lloyd brings heart  and  humour  to the role of Amos Hart, Roxie’s long sufering husband. His performance, particularly in “Mister Cellophane,” was poignant and humorous, capturing the deep sadness of Amos’ situation with genuine empathy. Lloyd’s timing and sincerity made his character’s eventual heartbreak all the more affecting

Last but not least, Simon Cowell favourite and early protégé Sinitta Malone,  swaggers as Mama Morton.

Musical director Rob Fisher leads a live orchestra , which he conducts on stage who perform with vigour and vim , the perfect foil to the stylishly executed choreography. This represents the productions only real extravagance with otherwise a minimalistic set and restrained lighting happy to allow the dancers and dancing to shine.

An enthusiastic audience lapped up the fine fare offering a closing standing ovation for a fine show.

Chicago plays at the Regent Theatre until Saturday 30th November 2024 and continues on nationwide  tour.

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A Christmas Carol – Derby Theatre

Posted on November 28, 2024 by garylongden

 A Christmas Carol- Derby Theatre

****

An all new production written  and adapted from the Dickens original by Mike Kenny and directed by Tom Bellerby.

A clever set  (  by Jess Curtis who also designed the costumes) features the separate  façades of  three individual town houses which rotate to revolve the interiors.

The success of this evergreen classic hinges on the casting of Scrooge, played in this casting  by Gareth Williams.

I naturally empathise with Scrooges’s world view on Christmas. Williams is magnificent with lamb chop sideburns and doleful demeanour pouring scorn on bright eyed children and their adult acolytes. This leitmotif, epitomised by “Bah humbug”,  is adroitly deployed without veering into overkill.

There are a number of festive productions popular at Christmas time.  “A Christmas Carol” is a favourite, and with good cause. Its message of festive cheer and hope at the expense of parsimony and gloom is evergreen, its allure  hinging on the  conversion of grumpy Scrooge to fellow traveller with the festive hullabaloo.  It is the perfect entrée into Christmas which  ended with me following in Scrooges example and looking forwards to, rather than dreading, Christmas.

Scrooges’ opening rant about the poor having Christmas and the workhouse to look out for them could have been written by the speech writer for Kemi Badenoch, with him in full Victorian Curmudgeon, rather than philanthropist,  mode.

The lighting and mood is dim and dour with poverty, beggars and orphans omnipresent. What lifts the production is live on stage folk style music adapting traditional hymns, carols and  songs, Sound Designer is Ivan Stott working alongside Musical Director & Arranger Sonum Batra and deputy Musical Director Eliza Waters.

Although two hours long , director Bellerby maintains  a lively pace with something for everyone. The social commentary is faithful to Dickens’ vision in the novel, the script is humorous and witty, the Victorian sense of Christmas, both in spirit and stage presentation, will delight  older children in a family friendly production.

Charity and overseas aid have come under much media scrutiny recently in an era of financial austerity, Dicken’s reminder that it is our humanity which binds us together and can make us great is as pertinent now as it has ever been.

Scrooges’  faithful employee Bob Cratchit  is wonderfully  portrayed byOliver Mawdsley . The  ensemble cast delight,  not least with outstanding acapella harmonies ably augmented by a talented group of child actors all pleasingly choreographed by Movement Director  Jon Beney.

All contribute to an atmospheric graveyard scene impeccably  lit by  Adam Foley.  Two female voices impressed, Claire Lee Shenfield  as  Belle and April Nerissa Hudson as Joan Cratchit / now  deservedly a veteran and favourite  of the Derby stage. As a trivia note, that vocal pedigree is underpinned by   Gareth Williams’ history as a member of 1970’s hit vocal group The Flying Pickets.

 Younger children may need encouragement with the wordy narrative, older children will be pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoy it.

This is a lovely Christmas show which runs until Saturday 4 January 2025.

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Mazz Murray sings Dusty Springfield , “I only want to be with you”- Birmingham Symphony Hall

Posted on November 22, 2024 by garylongden

The first in a duo of gigs , her second coming at the Adelphi Theatre in London, in which Musical theatre star  Mazz  sings from the Dusty songbook. An impossibly young looking fifty year old she has a formidable stage cv, most notably in Mama Mia, We Will Rock you and Chicago. She has previously featured the work of Patsy Cline.

This world premiere of the show sees her returning to the region, where she began her professional career aged 21 playing Dusty in ‘Only the Lonely’ at The Birmingham Hippodrome in 1996.

Her personal  professional  standing drew  a large audience for an evening featuring a full orchestra backing, this was no heart hearted cheap cash in. Her arrival was presaged by an overture followed by a defiant rendition of “You Don’t Own me” looking fabulous in a luxurious pale blue evening gown she sang with no Dusty costuming, wig or make up. What followed was a consummate vocal performance which captivated an enthralled crowd.

Mazz comes from a distinguished musical family,  the god daughter of Bob Monkhouse, her father Mitch is a distinguished hit song writer with some of his songs included in the pre show and interval incidental recorded music, Her mother , Grazina Frame, enjoyed a successful stage and screen career as actress and singer.

Prior to the interval we were treated to her first of several  costume changes including Dusty period outfit and wig. Her three backing singers were worked hard not only in a supporting capacity but also to provide musical interludes for Mazz. Surprise special guest was Madeline Bell who worked with Dusty, the Rolling Stones, Elton John an numerous other contemporary notables. She was fabulous at 82, but curiously was not name checked as the lead singer as part of Blue Mink and their hit single “Melting Pot”.

We were treated to all of Dusty’s early hits, but curiously her latter work with the Pets Shop Boys, specifically “in Private” ,“Nothing has been proved”, and  “What have I done to deserve this” were omitted, which for me, was  a shame.

Mazz is a terrific singer and story- teller in song, in practice she fudged whether she was Mazz singing Dusty, or a Dusty tribute act. Her talent and looks entitle her to the former soubriquet rather than the latter.

A few months earlier I had witnessed Marc Almond also sing “If you Go Away” and “I Close My Eyes and count to ten” what a treat it was to hear Mazz sing them too. A tremendous night, I have no doubt that this will tour nationwide next year, such was the rapturous ovation from a spellbound and adoring crowd.

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Doing the 92

Posted on November 14, 2024 by garylongden

Doing the 92

It started in 1968, Belle Vue Stadium, Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley, an evening game in front of a crowd of 18,000, I was aged 10, totally unaware that it was a local Derby, but enthralled by the noise,  the chanting,  the passion, the smell of No10’s and Woodbines, the aroma of bovtril on a cold winter’s night,  all of which the ramshackle ground struggled to contain.

Fifty six years later I am still working my way through the 92  English football league grounds. Initially it was haphazard but by the late 1980’s there was some method to it. I was immediately hooked after the first game but beholden to the vaguaries of where we happened to be living at the time. Next up was Elland rd on Boxing day 69, v Newcastle Utd, when the Scratching Shed/ Cowshed teetered where the South Stand is now and we perched on the Lowfields steps

Inevitably the question, which is your favourite arises.  But the experience is coloured by the occasion, the time of year, the time of day and the importance of the fixture

Belle Vue R 1968

Elland Rd 1969

Baseball Grnd R 72

City Ground Nottingham 71

Meadow lane, Nottingham 72

Upton Park, West Ham R 72

Kenilworth Rd Luton 73

Stamford Bridge , Chelsea 73

Abbey Stadium, Cambridge 72

London Rd, Peterborough 74

Sincil Bank, Lincoln 73

Filbert St, Leicester  R74

Highbury, Arsenal R 75

White hart lane, Spurs R  76

Brisbane Rd- Orient 81

Craven Cottage – Fulham 81

Vetch Field, Swansea R 82

Villa Park, Birmingham 82

The Hawthorns, West Brom 83

St Andrews  Birmingham 83

Highfield Rd – Coventry R 82

Portman Rd, Ipswich 83

Vicarage rd – Watford 84

Goldstone Grnd , Brighton R  86

Manor Ground – Oxford R 87

The Den, Millwall  R 88

Layer Rd- Colchester R – 88

Priestfield Stadium- Gillingham 88

Carrow Rd – Norwich 88

Prenton park – tranmere88

Boothferry Park, Hull  R 88

Vale Park, Port Vale 89

Bescot Stadium _ Walsall 92

Anfield , Liverpool 92

King Power, Leicester 94

Old Trafford, Manchester 95

The Valley – Charlton

Fratton park – Portsmouth

Madstad       – Reading

St Marys, Southampton

DW Wigan

Goodison – Everton

Riverside, Boro

St James’ Newcastle

SOL, Sunderland

Ethiad, Mancheter 05

Wycombe

Wrexham

New Victoria gernd, Stoke

2023/24

Crewe23

Field Mill Mansfield23

Pride park Derby

Keep Moat, Doncaster

 Crown GroundAccrington

Harrogate

The Moo Camp, MK

2024/25

Barnsley

Barrow – holker St

Chesterfield- new saltergate

Oxford -Kassam

Coventry – Ricoh

Preston – Deepdale

Bristol City- Ashton Gate

Cardiff City- Cardiff City stadium

Huddersfield – John Smiths

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Transformer – Lou Reed ( a retrospective)

Posted on November 8, 2024 by garylongden

It is a great album, and an astonishing document for its time.

David had a long time love for the Velvet underground, and  their songs  “Waiting for the Man” and  “White Light White Heat” were live staples for long periods of his career.

David’s ability to write pop songs in the seventies should never be underestimated, “Oh You Pretty things”, “Life on Mars”  and “Man who sold the World” amongst them.

Somehow, he and Ronson morphed Lou from off beat cult artist to pop star with one song “Walk on the Wild Side”, the song which underwrote the albums’ success and Lou’s bank balance for his entire career. Remarkably, four out of the eleven songs were written while he was in the Velvets and had been previously performed . “Satellite of Love” receives the most radical and remarkable reworking.

By all accounts Reed was a difficult character, and drug addict, making this successful  reincarnation even more unlikely. Anecdotally, it appears that there was a genuine friendship between them, Bowie got to work with an underground Hero, Reed with a man who had a pop stardust signally absent from the Velvets.

The early 70’s were weird times. In America the Federal Communications Commission banned the Who’s “my Generation” from the radio for “disrespect to elders” and the Rolling Stones “King Bee” for sexual innuendo :

“ Well I’m a king bee

Buzzing around your hive

Well I’m a king bee, baby

Buzzing around your hive

Yeah, I can make honey baby

Let me come inside”

The BBC forced the Rolling Stones to change  the recording “lets spend the night together” to “lets spend some time together”

 But  for both ,Candy giving head was fine…

The song “Wild Side” is the greatest Queer statement before frankie Goes to hollywood’s “Relax and totally anachronistic with the time – Gilbert o Sullivan’s Clair, Eltons “Crocodile Rock” and Donny Osmond were the competition.

Bowie and Reed showed a casual ambivalence to sexuality and marginalised communities, both, I assume   for commercial reasons, and a desire to be an icon for no one.

 Reed explores gender and sexuality  on the album in a time when exploring such topics was not an acceptable notion in mainstream pop culture.  Reed was unarguably a pioneer in this regard,  but wanted e to be a pop star on very specific terms.  He is a real person on this album, not a manufactured idol. He never sought to be a  touchstone for many marginalized people .

Bowie/Ronson also give us    a brutal rock treatment on “Vicious”, the sonic polar opposite to Wild Side” allegedly inspired by Andy Warhol quipping that Reed should write something Vicious “Oh, you know, like I hit you with a flower”’.

Somehow, Reed/ Ronson/ Bowie fuse trend androgynous glam rock, with something dark and powerful ,from which David walks away with Ziggy, a sanitised hybrid of  the sleaze of New York which he had found himself beguiled by.

I always argue that if you want to understand Bowie you need to undeestand the following  albums, Iggy pops “The idiot, “Lust for life”, Davids’ “pin Ups”,  Scott walker’s Scott 1  and 2 and Lou’s Transformer. Listen to “life on mars” then “Perfect day”,  “Moonage day” dream then “Vicious”. Go on, I dare you…

Anyone who wants to grasp the genius of Ronson will be converted.

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10cc Wolverhampton Civic Hall

Posted on October 19, 2024 by garylongden

My younger brother liked 10cc as we grew up in the 1970’s. I was not so sure.

Their music was unquestionably exquisitely crafted, their lyrics ranged from the sometimes banal to the often sublime. They were the British Steely Dan,  but less self important.

At the time, I regarded their best songs as being clever and catchy, the worst contrived and vapid. They wrote their own manifesto  :“Art for arts sake, money for Gods sake”

I saw Steely Dan live for the first time in Birmingham England  2007. It was a depressing and soul sapping experience, an exercise in stripping their fans of some cash, sour faced and joyless. By contrast 10cc are bright, energetic and witty.

The Classic  1970’s  “sheet Music” 10cc line up included Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Crème awash with musicianship,  and creative ideas. The 2024 version includes only Graham Gouldman from the original group , and Rick Fenn and Paul Burgess from the 1970’s touring band. It is just the right side of a Tribute band.The band line-up comprises Gouldman on bass guitars, electric guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals; Rick Fenn – lead guitar, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals; Paul Burgess – drums, percussion, keyboards; Keith Hayman – keyboards, electric guitar, bass guitar, vocals and Andy Park – electric guitar, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, percussion, mandolin, keyboards, vocals. Park pretty much carries the show with his vocals and musical virtuosity

“Last Supper” rocked out akin to Status Quo launching into ,”Down Down”

Setlist–

The Second Sitting for the Last Supper

Art for Art’s Sake

Life Is a Minestrone

Good Morning Judge

Play Video

The Dean and I

Old Wild Men

Clockwork Creep

Feel the Benefit

The Wall Street Shuffle

Floating in Heaven

The Things We Do for Love

Silly Love

Somewhere in Hollywood

I’m Mandy Fly Me

I’m Not in Love

Dreadlock Holiday

Encore:

Donna

(A Capella version)

Rubber Bullets

An unexpected highlight was “Old Wild men”

The lyrics to the prescient “Old Wild Men”, perfect for the mature clientelle.

Where are my boys?

They are in deepest water

Where are they now?

They are over the hill and far away

But they are broken men who lie low

Waiting for miracles

Old men of rock and roll

Came bearing music

Where are they now?

They are over the hill and far away

But they’re still gonna play guitars

On dead strings, and old drums

They’ll play and play to pass the time

The old wild men

Old wild men

Old wild men, waiting for miracles

Lord have mercy upon the many

Lord have mercy upon the few

Lord have mercy upon the many

Lord have mercy on me and on you

I had previously seen the band do a shorter greatest hits set at Cornbury festival, enlivened by the Gouldman penned Hollies hit “Bus stop” as an opener.

Cornbury festival, June 6th Oxfordshire 2014

Setlist

Bus stop

Wall St Shuffle

The things we do for love

Good Morning Judge

I’m Mandy Fly me

Life is a Minestrone

Art for Arts Sake

Silly Love

Im Not in Love

Dreadlock Holiday

Donna

Rubber Bullets

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Life on Tour with Bowie: A Genius Remembered – Sean Mayes. Book review

Posted on October 7, 2024 by garylongden

I am a very hard to please Bowie, and music, fan. The vast majority of music biographies and auto biographies are poorly written and lack insight. Biographies all too often are written merely to piggyback on the success of the subject rather than seeking to be definitive in their own right. With autobiographies, the difference between a musician/lyricist and a journalist/ storyteller becomes painfully apparent.

I have read most Bowie books. For some reason Mayes book eluded me on release . But kindle has two great advantages. Firstly you can source books which originally passed you by. Secondly they are great for quick reads. I devoured this in under 48 hours.

I saw two of the three Earls Court dates on this tour so was personally invested in the story. I also didn’t know much about Mayes so the backstory was of genuine interest. He was clearly a clever boy, reding philosophy at Cambridge University as well as an accomplished  musician with early 70’s band Fumble who supported Bowie on the Ziggy tour.

His angle is a clever one. This book is not about Bowie. It is about being on tour with him. It was published posthumously, four years after his death in 1999. Hence there is no ego, no grandstanding, just a first person narrative. One of my favourite Rock autobiographies is Viv Albertines; “ Clothes Clothes Clothes Music Music Music Boys Boys Boys”. It is the definitive story of Punk, told as an observer. Similarly, here,  Mayes tells his story as an observer and participant.

He offers few subjective opinions. He is on tour  travelling first class, in luxury hotel suites, normally not the same hotel as Bowie, not in the same limo.  Frequently he is able to come and go and explore host cities as he pleases. Invariably the band and crew go out for drinks and entertainment, Coco controls extra curricular activities. He pulls girls and boys by mentioning that he is in Bowie’s band. Many are not that interested other than him being a potential conduit to Bowie. He died of AIDS, but the gay dimension is understated. Indeed sexual titbits and drugs excess are largely untouched for all concerned.

It’s a job, a nice job. A story told by a man comfortable in his own skin whose idea of cutting loose with his tour cash is to buy a new camera. He offers no sense of a personal connection with Bowie, nor does he big up his own personal contribution. What is a given is his personal professionalism, and that of the musicians around him.

Bowie’s inner circle comprise Coco, manager Pat Gibbons, Tony Mascia Driver/ bodyguard and Frank, security. Alomar runs the music. The band play it.

As a document of  the nuts and bolts  of a rock n roll tour it is essential reading, but do not expct any Bowie insights.

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