Monday 11 July 2011

Junior Manson Slags

Leeds Duchess of York: late 80s or early 90s; I can't remember, I really was rather drunk.
Oh Charlie boy, wherefore art thy slags now?
 Don't ask me what first turned me onto this ragged bunch of nee'r do wells, I really can't remember. Perhaps it's because I was really rather drunk. I can't remember what made me go to see 'em or what made me buy their first 12" single. Whatever it was, I'm bloody glad I did.
 These shots are from the first time I caught 'em at the Duchess in Leeds. I think I saw them another 3 or 4 times after this (I was really rather drunk) in both Leeds & Sheffield.



 In a time of ropey metal & dodgy looking hair bands, it was bands like the Manson Slags & the Dead Vaynes of Leeds who were really cutting the mustard for your genial host.Two finer frontmen you'd have had to go a long, long way to better.
 With names like 'Stig Elevator,' 'Aqua Marina', 'Shark Finn', 'Des Demona' & 'Psyko Motor', they conjured up images of things that go bump in the night. Then there was 'Jnr'!....

  He tore round the stage like an escapee from broadmoor on speed, climbing the pa, climbing the drum kit & then throttling the poor 'Aqua Marina' (though she didn't seem to complain) with his mic lead. But oh, what an unholy din they made.

  It was all thick, dense, crashing rifferama with a bass that sounded like thunder & with bigger, meatier hooks than 'Fred Elliots' dismembering room.

I still have the three 12" eps' & they rock like fuck. Not for the faint hearted, these boys & girls; 'Bend my limbs', 'Silver train', 'Splatterpussy', (Yowzer) & the touchingly  beautiful ballad, 'Human skin suit'. An ode to Ed Gein, the Plainfield butcher.

 I haven't a clue what happened to them after the slags folded, perhaps it's because I was really rather drunk. Though I do recall Aqua Marina released a single under the Monicker of, Purple Under Melted Pink' which was an absolute pile of dancified shash. Perhaps someone would be kind enough to enlighten me.

 I lost the negs to these shots many moons ago, in one of many house moves, so it's a big thank you to my brother for scanning these old pics.
Check out the above video from snub tv. It's a must see for those of us who there at the time but can't remember too well due to the fact that we were really rather drunk.
 Boys & girls; I give you, the sorely missed JUNIOR MANSON SLAGS.
Chin chin, my dears.