Hackney Empire, Stiff Little Fingers, 10 worst reunions
Hello again, it’s a lovely cool (by desert standards) evening here in the city and time for a quick post. Some more interesting odds and sods for you. If you’ve ever wandered into East London for a concert chances are it might 
have been at the Hackney Empire. This fantastic old theatre is somewhere I’ve been lucky enough to have spent a few New Years Eves with Billy Bragg and seem some other great concerts. It’s a brilliant and historic setting for a performance and I was troubled to read in the Guardian that the old warhorse is set to close in January. It sickens me that in a country that is pouring billions into the risky lottery of the 2012 Olympics (a short bus ride away in Stratford) that a cultural landmark like the Empire looks to be going the way of the Dodo. This happened once before at the start of the decade and I hope something can be done once more to save it.
I really need to get down to the library or the bookshop, far too much of my reading these days is news, Clash research or football and blogs. It was reading this article that made me think here is a book I must read soon. Stiff Little Fingers were such an important band that I don’t feel get the recognition they’ve deserved for so many years. I can see a late rush of interest as punk/post-punk historians get to grips with what mattered most apart from the usual London/Manchester and Liverpool suspects. SLF are once such band and I think a book such as this might get the interest and exposure back where it should be. If you grab a copy before I do please drop a line to the Blog and let me know what you think of it.
Speaking of old punks this article in the New Zealand Herald opens the debate of ‘The 10 worst band reunions ever’ which is a topic I’ve pondered myself. Needless to say a certain well known contemporary band of The Clash make their list of suggestions for an exercise in 1996 (and repeated since). Every time the Clash reunion buzz (especially pre Dec 2002) got in motion I satisfied my desire with the thought that something really special ended when it was meant to. The Clash ended too soon in my opinion but better left alone in the two and half decades since. I’ve never been that nostalgic as opportunities to see many bands where crucial earlier members are missing has been avoided by me. All that said it’s safe to say this decade has been the pinnacle of reunions – which are the best and worst you’ve been along to see live?
I think one of the saddest reunion bands has to be The Pogues,when The Clash fell apart in ‘85 The Pogues were a glimmer of hope and indeed for the next 5 years lived upto expectations.I saw them a few times beginning when they supported the Clash at Brixton right through to when JOE took up lead in ‘91 and SPIDER in ‘92.That is when it should have finished though,job done .Shanes work with The Popes was excellent and it looked like the Pogues had secured their rightful place in music history.Oh no fast forward ten years to 2001 and there it was The Pogues are doing a christmas tour,full line up Shane ‘n all.Well that was it credit card out,2 tickets(one for the girlfriend”COME ON THEY’RE BRILLIANT YOU’LL LOVE THEM”)what with booking fees,credit card fees just about every bloody fee you can think of I ended up paying about £70 I still feel robbed 8 yrs later.It was f***in awful the audience consisted of fat middle-aged blokes pissed out of their minds and boring office looking types who had only heard Fairytale of New York.The band looked old and uneasy with each other,like distant relations at a wedding,and every pisshead there thought they were lead vocals I think I heard Shane sing about three lines.I can still remember the feeling of complete emptiness on the way home none of that post gig buzz you should have.I consoled myself with the thought it’s a one off and the band deserved one last moment of glory,Oh no they’ve done it every F***in Xmas since.
From the videos I’ve seen, I think SLF would still be great to see live.
Reunions generally end up being meta versions of the original. I had the misfortune of seeing The Stranglers earlier this year, of course without Hugh Cornwall. Truly surreal experience, because they play the hits (of course) but the new guy (I couldn’t even be bothered remembering his name) tries his utmost to sound like the original recordings. Covers band at best. It totally cured me of any desire to see any more of these bands who are generally well past their use by date… apart from the occasional Don’t Look Back gig, which don’t seem to happen unless it is the complete original lineup.
Gotta gettasay – went to see Stiff Little Fingers this year at The Forum in London’s Kentish Town. It was almost exactly twenty years after last seeing them in Brixton when “See you Up There” was recorded…I was still at college. I actually went with one of the same people I went with on that night, my really special friend, Michelle. We were right there against the barrier at the front. Jake may have put on a couple of pounds*, but they were absolutely f**kin brilliant.
For me they were the only band who approached The Clash for an overall canon of songs. OK I may be forty plus, but the music still moves me. You just can’t hear songs like ‘Barbed Wire Love’, ‘Suspect Device’ or ‘Johnny Was’ live and not be moved. If you’re unsure about Stiff Little Fingers or don’t really know their music that well, PLEASE just buy ‘See You Up There,’ crank up the volume and revel in an amazing live band !!
*and the audience too
One other major recommendation are Buzzcocks. Awesome live too !!
I gatecrashed the ‘pit’ at a gig back in January for photos….
http://www.pmsphoto.co.uk/authenticate.tlx?username=575718a43a965fb4d97ea4403e5a4d2e&password=harmonyinmyhead
TO JESSE,you wouldn’t be dissapointed if you get the chance SLF are awesome live,They tour quite alot keep ticket prices sensible and do what they do best put on one hell of a show.They also write and record new material so it’s not like a greatest hits show.Don’t know where you’re based but they are touring the UK this OCTOBER/NOVEMBER already got a ticket for Wolverhampton .Check them out on MySpace for latest news it’s well worth it.
I saw the Buzzcocks early this year performing Differt Kitchen and Love Bites.
Also saw them playing a “greates Hits” set on some festival.
Both time they were great.
Love the Damned in 2009 too.
I liked the Gang of 4 reunion a few years back but don’t see the point of making new recordings of their old songs.
Thought that the Mc5 reunion was great too.
And don’t forget the Stooges…awesome live but let’s forget the record.
Catbrain – I’m not sure who the latest singer is in The Stranglers so I can’t comment but I saw them in 2004 when Paul Roberts was lead singer and it was a fantastic show! Coincidentally, Paul had been the Stranglers’ singer for 15 years at that point- the same length of time Hugh was their lead singer. Obviously I would have loved to have seen Hugh upfront as I did back in the day on The Raven tour but to be fair Paul had paid his dues at that point so good on him as it’s a tough gig being the ‘new guy’. I read recently that Ronnie Wood said some people still refer to him as the ‘new guy’ in the Rolling Stones even though he’s been their guitarist for 35 years. Pete – saw Buzzcocks a couple of years ago and they were better than when I saw them as a teenager – fantastic! Would probably leave the ‘From The Jam’ tour alone though and last year’s Pursey-less Sham 69 tour was questionable but I don’t want to judge cause Dave Parsons is a bit of a mate.
I bet I’ll take flack for this, but I don’t care! I have only gone to one reunion band concert series(that I can remember) and that was the Police 07-08 tour. I have been a fan since they first started, saw them as one of my first concerts in 1980 when I was 16. They were magnetic live then, and at this point of their careers they have such a fine choice of material to select from, their tour was just magical. The audience were on their feet singing and dancing along to those songs that just brought back such great memories of music that was part of the weave in the fabric of our lives. And I say that as a fan, but i believe it is also true even if you were not a Police fan. There was a span of a few years in the 80s where you couldn’t NOT hear the Police, whether you wanted to or not!
Suffice it to say I went by myself once; with my children once; with my friend son’s once; with my friends; once and with my BFF to the Apollo Theater taping of Elvis Costello’s Spectacle with the Police as his guests.
I’ve never walked away unhappy from a Police concert, and these last times were just frosting on the cake as far as i’m concerned. I was so well pleased that they made up and got back together, i never thought it would happen.
Joannie
had the pleasure of seeing slf a few times in the last few years brilliant. we had a bithday party for arthur guinness last thursday in dublin saw the undertones in a small pub they played in the middle of the floor marvellous