York Fibbers. 20-4-2012.
Oooh, 'twas indeed a monster birthday bash to remember. That is, if I could remember it all!
Y'see not only was it my birthday bash, it was Maccas Mrs, Liannes' birthday & also that of young Miss Burns. Now a lot of these people I hadn't seen for around 20 years, so it was extremely heartwarming to see that not one of 'em has changed a bit, both in looks & in the fact that they're all still wasted into Rock'n'roll. 'Tim you still look great'.
So it was, we all descended upon the beautiful, ancient city of York. For the benefit of our American observers that's 'Old York'.
From the 'Roman baths' to the most haunted 'The Fleece', the golden throat charmer was in much abundance, & yay it was a non stop amber flow!
Such was the great time being had by all, catching up with everyone, it seemed like the last 20 years hadn't really happened, it almost seemed a shame to leave the boozer & go to see the band!
Having missed the support band we arrived in Fibbers just in time for a pint before the Jim Jones Revue hit the boards.
If you hadn't been looking in the general direction of the stage you'd have sworn there was someone at the other end of the room playing records. This has to be the quietest gig I've ever been to!
There was only one thing for it. To remedy the situation, with camera in hand I made my way to the front & that's when the full force of the Jim Jones Revue hits you between the eyes.
There aren't too many bands around who can take a tried & tested formula & make it sound so goddamn fresh, so exciting & so bloody new. The Jim Jones Revue do all of these things in abundance & then some more, with a bloody big cherry on top.
What I did find a little strange though, is how polite & laid back the audience was, almost to the point of being laid down. At one point, as I was moving around trying to get a shot I was tapped on the shoulder by a gentleman who stated, that I had momentarily moved across his girlfriends line of vision & that she couldn't see!! Now I'm no student of anatomy, but surely a slight tilt of the head would have remedied the situation. Layyyzeeee! What on earth has happened to the wild chaos which used to grace stage front & centre at Rock'n'roll shows? It appears everyone has turned into whining, bedwetting, fucking maggots.
The Jim Jones Revue deserve so much more!
WHINGE OVER!
The Jim Jones Revue, deliver a large portion of undiluted, belligerent, Rock'n'roll din, putting every ounce of their being into every performance. It ain't soaked in blood, but it sure is soaked in sweat & boy does it work!
After one hell of a blistering show from JJR, it was back to the bar for me & my merry cohorts. This was where things started to get a little messy. There are tales of people harrassing members of the band, me getting into a real strop with the dj because he wouldn't play the 'Replacements' & me again, getting us thrown out of the Stone Roses bar (no great loss there) for using the ladies toilets!! Hmm maybe I shouldn't have imparted that last little snippet of information. It makes me sound like some kind of ladies toilet loitering wierdo. Well believe me; those days are over, I haven't been arrested for that in years!!!!!
Now where was I?... Oh yes! Puking! Much puking did ensue, along with the gorging & the rogering, well maybe the rogering part was in my head. I do recall barfing in the middle of the road, but doing so with such grace & finesse so as to avoid staining & damaging the lustre of my latest pair of Jefferey Wests!! You just can't buy class like that!
Many many thanks to Macca & Lianne for putting me up for the night & to the mighty Jim Jones Revue for providing the soundtrack to one of the best birthday bashes I've had in years. Gawd bless you!
Chin chin my dears. XX.
Hope & Anchor: Islington: 6-4-2012.
My dear fluffy little cherubs, please accept my humble apologies for the lateness of this post. It's one of those situations where dealing with the horribleness of real life gets in the way of doing the things you really enjoy.
Then there was the tale of the hooker with dysentery, projectile vomiting in York & the incredible story of the exploding geese! All contributing factors. I could go on but I'm sure I'd only bore the pants off you!!
So it was, after a chance meeting with Michi Sinn, one time chanteuse with the awesome 'Junior Manson Slags', I found out about her latest project 'Riot In Paradise'. Playing only their second show, at the old punk venue, the Hope & Anchor in Islington. Yours truly had to feast his peepers & wingnuts on this!
Waking up in a strange bedroom on Good Friday morning, feeling like Satan & his minions were dancing on my tongue, I made the vow to calm down with the drinking as I headed for home & a much needed bath.
A nice steady 200 mile drive & I finally arrived at the Cricklewood Travelodge. (Don't ask) it seemed like a good idea at the time, it was the nearest one to the venue with a car park. Sitting at Cricklewood station waiting for an overground for 35 minutes, I was beginning to wonder whether this was a good idea. Finally, arriving at St Pancras, I was starting to feel a little alive. Just one tube stop & I was actually at the Hope & Anchor. Thankfuckfully!!!!
A couple of steady beers later & I was feeling quite human again & had a rare old titter with a few people from Poland who were friends of Pete the bass. But enough of my ramblings & misgivings & on with the show.
Riot in Paradise! Who feature 'Terry Macleay' formerly of Sex Gang Children as guitar maestro; 'Michi Sinn' on vocals & gyrations (did I mention that she used to be in the Junior Manson Slags?) 'Pete Nowakowski' as bass extraordinaire & 'Ben Clack' pounding the skins, gave me one hell of a shock!
You see, I'd kinda conditioned myself into believing nothing could ever be as good live as the Manson Slags were. (They really were that good) But that was then & this is now & we are talking about a whole different medium.
Riot in Paradise tore up the stage!
But please don't ask me to tell you what they sounded like. If I can quote their own press, it's 'TRANCEY, PUNKY, DUBBY, JAZZY, SPIKEY, DANCEY, DARK n SPARKY & STRANGELY DISTURBING POP TUNES FOR THE PARTIALLY DISTURBED HEPKATS n KITTIES'.
Whooosh! get yer gums round that little mouthful! Who am I to detract or add to that? Believe me kittens.; it does exactly what it says on the tin!
They started with the old classic Venus & ripped through a 40 minute set which seemed to last about 10 seconds, (the best ones usually do)! The only other song I kinda knew was the old Sex Gang Children classic 'Sebastian'. Can we expect a release some day soon? Here's hoping!
Michi Sinn prowls the stage like a cat, commanding it with an aura not dissimilar to a 1920s movie star, circa louise Brooks & Nazimova.
Such prescence, such craft! Boys & girls, take it from your old mate Flash, you need Riot in Paradise in your life. Great songs, great show & this gal makes all other pretenders to the throne, in comparison, look like old gin soaked harridans with a face like a Natterjacks back!
Indeed my dears, we were even treated to one of her trademark wigouts, culminating in a crescendo which brought about the end of the show. Gadzooks! I left this building on a high. Don't you just love it when a rock'n'roll show lifts you thus? So much so that I wasn't even bothered by running the gauntlet of West Ham supporters in St Pancras.
Riot In Paradise, next have a show at Slimelight in London on the 30th of June, alongside Andi Sex gang, Grooving in green & Angelbomb. 'You would be so damn foolish to miss this one'.
My sweet little cherubs, please believe me when I tell you that you are going to be hearing one hell of a lot more from 'Riot In Paradise'.
Chin Chin.
