Is it seriously well over 18 months since the last visit? It seems like only yesterday, yet we’ve had a new album, a new Lux Familiar Cup, and what seems like half a dozen elections and prime ministers. Let’s hope some things never change…
Is it seriously well over 18 months since the last visit? It seems like only yesterday, yet we’ve had a new album, a new Lux Familiar Cup, and what seems like half a dozen elections and prime ministers. Let’s hope some things never change…
hendrix-tattoo
An absolute great f’in gig.
My days of heckling the band are truly over.
Exxo I’ll see you in Stanleys Cask tonight Lar….
8 November 2019
Graham paine
What an a solutely magnificent gig. A brilliant blend of old and new, and a fantastic cover version of What Do I Get!
8 November 2019
Brumbiscuit
The DP trackie top was sufficiently close to Wolves colours to get me into the ‘home fans only’ Spoonies. Good job the Barnstoneworth Utd top wasn’t on show. The gig was good and VERY loud. ALHQ was played, which always gets my moshing juices flowing. I’ll let others go into more detail, as I’m somewhat jaded.
8 November 2019
Coops
Truly excellent. And they played Gubba Lookalikes, doesn’t get any better than that.
8 November 2019
dic aberdaron
broadstairs set the pace from the go
boss gig, as ever
8 November 2019
Mr ed
Absolutely fantastic, loved every minute of it. Superb curry as ever at Jivans, a few lovely beers at the Great Western and one of the best set lists I can remember. I even got to have a go with a JDOG. Not long to wait for Oxford now.
8 November 2019
twistedkitemike
Back to The Robin 2 for another trip around the HMHB songbook, and a fine venue it is. Easy to get to, ample parking, the tram from Wolverhampton if you are minded, more than acceptable local eating options, good sound, a nice size venue for the band and a range of drinks that puts the 02 Academies to the shame that such dung-holes deserve.
I don’t know how many times they’ve played at Bilston now, it’s a few. It always amazes me how civilised the mosh-pit is and perhaps it is the relaxed atmosphere and the mood being such that there is no need for over-exuberance bordering on the mischievous. It always is at The Robin and nice to see people enjoying themselves, including the two well refreshed gentlemen who turned the dancefloor into their own Club Night as the band were packing up. Kudos for your top Dad dancing, chaps.
A later start than might have been expected (the venue is under new management, apparently) and possibly a later finish, that may have put strain on those using public transport, but all is well with the world once they get going and Nigel digs deep into his suite of between-song jokes and stories. A shout out, too; to Ian Humdrum Express, or “Mr. Express” in the letter he read us out from Mr. J. Coppock, aged 36 from Kent. A firm fixture at Bilston.
It sounded like, from the on-stage discussions during the encores, that Fred was shoehorned in because they were on a roll. This may or may not be confirmed by an official setlist. However, the hymnal had a nod to diversity and an old Godcore favourite, which is guaranteed to raise a smile in these parts.
Anyway, I provide a service which is to furnish you with the setlist, not waffle on about this and that. So, take that. Maybe not. Try this: –
Broadstairs
CORGI
Bob Wilson
Bat Walk
Terminus
Joyce
Colombia
Monmore
Wrong Grave
Umberstone
Floreat
Vatican
Lilac HQ
JDOG
Urge for Offal
Trumpton
NSD
Chatteris
Gubba
Busy Little Market Town
Driver of a Train
DPAK
Faithlift
Mod Diff V Diff
Light Tunnel
AOR
………………………….
Trad Arr Tune
What Do I Get?
Fred T
Bell Rings
Only a short intermission until we reconvene in Oxford.
Mike………………
8 November 2019
99%
Absolutely superb gig. Cracking set from Broadstairs all the way through and “What Do I Get?” was brilliant.
8 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
Probably the most exciting picture find of my life. Together at last!
https://ibb.co/0ByhT9g
8 November 2019
Alice van der meer
It may be madness, Bobby, but it is possibly the most magnificent and life-affirming form of it I’ve yet seen.
I may have to buy a hat shop to give me enough chapeau to chapeau! you for that.
8 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
Thank you. It did send me to the brink of madness, all those bald heads. According to Dr John, a fair few biscuiteers saw it after the show
8 November 2019
Exxo
That’s an even fabber photo.
Forgot that the mini-Robin 2 hadn’t been to the actual Robin 2 before. Did it get on stage?
8 November 2019
Proud Salopian
T’was a great night with NB on cracking form. He even managed to squeeze in a couple of Shropshire references amongst the Crossroadsfest.
When I wasn’t singing along badly I was smiling from ear to ear. Brilliant.
8 November 2019
Leommy
My first but, Armageddon notwithstanding, not my last HMHB gig. Every song played was special but the highlight of the evening was Gubba Lookalikes. I like to think that the band spotted my specially made ‘GUBBA GUBBA HEY’ t-shirt and added the song to their set just for me.
I had planned to meet some Biscuiteers ahead of the main event but my path was impeded by traffic so diabolical that I thought I must be in Oxford and not Wolverhampton (I only found out later that there was some sort of football game on which would have been the cause of the congestion). I saw some Biscuiteers at the front of the gig but I chose to embrace the margin and, frankly, by the end of the evening I was too knackered to introduce myself and make conversation. But now that I have finally seen the band I feel able to call myself a Biscuiteer. And just as Saul became Paul on the road to Damascus, The Robin is the place where I take my fourth and final Biscuit handle, given to me by fellow Biscuiteer Alice Van Der Meer.
After an overnight in Dudley I felt the need to gain some altitude so on the way home I took a diversion and a sensible walk to Shropshire’s highest point, Brown Clee Hill, at 540m. The views are wonderful. From where else in the world can Cader Idris be viewed as well as the Cotswolds? (Titterstone Clee, probably.) To add to the beauty of the moment, the toposcope is inscribed with a poem: “Wenlock Edge was umbered, And bright was Abdon Burf, And warm between them slumbered The smooth green miles of turf”. I fully expect the author and his work to feature in a forthcoming HMHB Friday quiz.
8 November 2019
dr desperate
The mini-Robin 2 didn’t get onstage during the gig (I didn’t think it would survive the ground, as they say in the NFL). However, I took it over to show Neil and Carl during teardown and they invited me backstage to show it to the rest of the band and entourage. Needless to say, everybody was awestruck, as were the many fans who came over to admire it when I came back out. And then I switched the lights on…
8 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
…. And they realised It wasn’t all that good?
8 November 2019
Leommy
Bobby, I would deffo have stayed on if I’d known about mini-Robin.
8 November 2019
The harbinger of nothing
Wow. What a setlist! I’m not sure I’ve ever seen one which made me wish I’d been there more than that one does!
I don’t suppose anyone taped it, did they..?
9 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
@Leommy: I think I’d have gone too. BTW I don’t like your new moniker, the other had far more class, Leommy has no class.
9 November 2019
Leommy
Bobby. I think you might be correct about the name. Perhaps I’ll revert to LL and just allow peeps to use Leommy as they see fit.
9 November 2019
Brumbiscuit
Dad dancing, DAD DANCING??!!
That was perfectly choreographed punk pogoing. I’ll admit to the well refreshed tag though.
A very pleasant surprise was the presence of a young woman or two at the front. The moshing was civilised and they were joining in unabashed and unmolested. That’s how it should always be, of course, but sometimes isn’t.
9 November 2019
GORDON BURNS
What a set list indeed!! Floreat & Faithlift together. That settled my Friday morning driving home music choice. Leaden Pall & Godcore are SUCH good in-car singalong albums.
9 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
I saw a video clip on Karl’s site yesterday where the band are playing at 45 rpm but the mosh are pogoing at 33 1⁄3 rpm, a bit like Thunderbirds on acid
9 November 2019
Alice van der meer
I’m quite happy for you to be Lord Leominister, especially wwith the nod to a fellow Essex boy in it. I just thought that Leommy was a good muso joke.
9 November 2019
Transit full of keith
I know it’s highly unlikely, but it’d be nice to think last week’s quiz was somehow partly responsible for Mod Diff V Diff coming off the bench for (I think) the first time? Wish I’d been there to hear it…
9 November 2019
Transit full of keith
Ooh. Comment #40,000 that was.
9 November 2019
Lord leominster
Good evening. I’m from Herefordshire, in case you couldn’t tell.
The name might have class, but I have none. “Bit of advice…it fits, and besides it’s a good name.”
9 November 2019
CARRIE ANNE
Roger Green’s record of proceedings, as published on Gez’s website https://cobweb.businesscollaborator.com/hmhb/guest/index.htm
ROGER GREEN:
HALF MAN HALF BISCUIT
AT THE ROBIN 2, BILSTON – THURSDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2019
I went to a wedding, but only the night time. I don’t know them that well. The first dance was You’re The First, The Last, My Everything by Barry White. That’s the one that they wanted. Clearly there wasn’t going to be any Tallis. So I made my excuses and left.
In the Sheffield review, I mentioned Nigel’s appearance in Nige Tassell’s book The Bottom Corner. That was early in the season when Tranmere had blown a two-goal lead against Kidderminster. Nigel had reflected on this, saying that at least it had made for an interesting end to the match. Later on in the book, Nigel appears again. This is on the last day of the season. Having just seen Tranmere fail to make the play-offs at the last hurdle, Nigel mentions to the author that during this tense match, he had spent the whole game discussing a 1930s Liverpool murder case. Nige Tassell’s book was published in 2016. You should be able to get a copy for Christmas for HMHB and/or football fans who are on your list. From there I moved on to Ben Macintyre’s Operation Mincemeat book, dealing with wartime deception, where a dead body containing false information was dropped in the sea off the Spanish coast, with the aim of convincing German intelligence of the need to divert resources. One of the documents was a false letter from a solicitor, a Mr Gwatkin. No mention of red bush tea, or fig rolls though.
There was an administrative obstacle surrounding this show. It was originally scheduled for the end of September. Somehow the HMHB juggernaut was able to slam the brakes on, and re-calibrate for the new date. It meant we had to wait a few more weeks to sample the delights of The Major chip shop. And I can’t come to this place without harking back to the time when HMHB were joined on stage by Dean Friedman. The man himself playing along to The Bastard Son Of Dean Friedman. A sight to behold.
Not much gigging to repot since the Sheffield show. We saw HMHB’s fellow Wirral residents The Webb. And I also went to a match at Hemsworth Miners Welfare, taking in their newly built clubhouse extension. It would be a squeeze, but I can see HMHB fitting in there.
Karen and I went to see the new Ken Loach film. High quality as usual. We shared a smile when one of the characters sang Goodnight Irene, as covered live in the past by HMHB, as well as featuring on a 1992 Peel session.
On the Saturday before this show, Stuart Maconie was talking to one of his listeners (Rob in Telford) who was contributing to the regular feature The Chain. Rob said that he was coming along to this show. Stuart said that he would also try and get along. In the same programme, Stuart made reference to an Eno collaboration, involving the German electronic band Cluster, when he played a track from their collective efforts, released as an album in 1977. I wasn’t made aware of his presence. Did anyone see him?
On the day of the gig we made our different ways to New Street station, from where we caught a tram to Bilston. We noticed another tram by the name of Ozzy Osbourne. Presumably they are all named after local celebs. There’ll be a Jeff Lynne somewhere. And I can only hope that somewhere in the city there is a Robert Lloyd of The Nightingales gliding over the tracks. As usual, we called at The Major for fish and chips before checking in at The Robin’s hotel, next door to the venue. A review of the papers didn’t bring much to light. Nothing said in the Express And Star or the Metro. The local What’s On mentioned the gig in its Listings section. There was also a half-page advert for stuff going on at The Robin. But that seemed to be it.
We caught the day’s episode of Countdown with the dead funny Jenny Éclair guesting. After that, it was a cup of tea, bit of a snooze, and we were ready for the evening.
The first Biscuiteers that we met were Jay and Postman Tony, both of whom, like us, were stopping at The Robin. We had a chat with them before going into the venue to watch Miles setting up the merchandise stall aided by Mark. Oh yeah, and the band was also doing their sound check. I’m no good with these technicalities. Neil couldn’t hear Carl through his monitor. He can’t have been listening hard enough. Carl only sits a few feet away from him. There was also a problem with one of the lights shining into Neil’s eyes. Blame that on Hazel O’Connor, who was playing there the previous night. “Did she have strict lighting instructions?” Nigel asked the technician.
None of that prevented Neil from dipping into the Manchester song book, with segments from Ceremony, Shadowplay and Fiery Jack. The band played four tunes in full, to check that everything was in order.
A Lilac Harry Quinn
What Made Colombia Famous
She’s In Broadstairs
Busy Little Market Town
Andrew was propping up the bar, having sat out the soundcheck. I had a quick word with him before heading back to our room for a pre-gig cup of tea. As you do. Then we were back downstairs to queue to go in. No need to do so. We were let straight in and talked with Ian aka The Humdrum Express. He was setting up his Emporium on a table next to Miles. Soon he’ll have to find space for a new CD. The big launch is at a show with TV Smith in Stourbridge at the end of January.
There were a few more Hellos. Ian had made his way from Belfast, while pondering how his travel plans to these shows might be affected post-Brexit. And I exchanged nods with Brian. Neil was also out front, having returned from the shop with a bottle of milk. At the soundcheck Nigel had told me there was some confusion over HMHB’s stage time. Regular punters at this place are used to seeing them start at 9.00. Change of management, change of policy. The venue wanted a 9.30 start. Neil confirmed that they had come to a happy medium of 9.15.
Matt made it in good time after a steady four-hour drive from the south coast. John was there as well, and we got talking to Tim about his social media appearance doing the vocals on Repetition at a Fall karaoke night, backed by The Fallen Women. Howie and Daz turned up, and there was just time to say Hello to Ian and Mariana before Rocking Robin came over the PA.
This was the cue for The Humdrum Express to appear. Are we allowed to refer to Ian as The Mighty Humdrum Express yet? This was the best I’ve ever seen him play. The jokes and general lyrical witticisms were coming thick and fast. “The last time I was here, I was heckled by someone who looked like Steve Bruce. I don’t know if she’s here again tonight?” “This one’s about my fear of chestnut trees. I hope to conker it one day.” “There’s a sale on at Dunelm. Free AC/DC pillowcase with every Ed Sheeran bed cover.” “This is an old sea shanty written by Ronnie Hazelhurst.” “Never trust a man who owns a Chubby Brown collection.” “When I was on holiday in Greece, I was mistaken for one of The Proclaimers.” “How many hipsters does it take to change a lightbulb? Some obscure number you’ve never heard of.” “I was asked to describe myself in three words. I said Highly Efficient.” And he read out a letter from “Jay, aged 36” which ended up in Jay’s possession, so you might have to ask him for details of the contents. Ian kept referring to Crackerjack, and got the reply accordingly. “I thought you might have been too young and orderly to know what to do,” said Ian. “All these memories,” he continued. “We’ve got XTC coming up next.”
This was top form from The Humdrum Express. We’ll have to make our minds up about that album launch gig. Thanks also for handing over a set list (handwritten) before he had even started playing. His songs were as follows…
Copy Cats
Double Edged Swords
Curse Of The Modern Musician
Lookalike Bond
Motivational Wall Art
Online Beer Club
Leopard Print Onesie
End Of Part One
The Day My Career Died
Sally was at her first gig for a while. We were catching up when Rocking Robin struck up again. It was the Dobby Day version, according to Tony. Rocking Robin faded away and was replaced by Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto (thanks again to Tony for the info). The music was the perfect accompaniment to watching Nigel trying to untangle his guitar lead, before plugging in. Tshirt news was that Karl was in a Bite Back number. And Neil was in a Count Arthur Strong shirt. On stage water was courtesy of Font Hill. Well, I suppose it was actually courtesy of the venue.
“That was written by Tchaikovsky,” said Nigel, “And this is a song written by Jeff Blockley,” he added, before the set opened with She’s In Broadstairs. (Jeff Blockley was mentioned again, later in the show. Seemingly, Faithlift is about him.) We were told that CORGI Registered Friends is a true story. As usual in the live environment, that one featured an admirable whistling interlude by Neil.
There was an exchange between Nigel and Postman Tony, who had messed up his shout for God Gave Us Life. A fine example of how not to heckle, Nigel suggested. And Nigel complimented Postman Tony on his Dukla Prague top. One day that would be found under his stairs, along with the George Foreman grill.
Renfield’s Afoot was said to be a true story. After Terminus, Denise Lewis was spotted in the crowd. Nigel reckoned that she always liked to keep a low profile at gigs in the past. But now that Katarina Johnson-Thompson has become successful, Denise wants to be recognised. Nigel talked about the band’s route to the gig. It was M53, M56 and M6. “Much better than taking the A41, where you get stuck behind a tractor,” he added.
Nigel poked around in the carrier bag that he brought with him onto stage. Normally he is in there to grab a packet of crisps. But this time it was for the capo for his guitar. “Everything in there is essential,” he pointed out. Nigel pondered out load about the meaning of the word “capo”. Possibly with the help of Google, Tony came up with a translation from the Italian. “Head of the fretboard.”
I’m afraid I lost the thread of a conversation about Crossroads. Jim Baines (played by John Forgeham) and Sharon Metcalf’s shenanigans. Producers Hazel Adair and Peter Ling got a mention. Someone shouted Benny, but Nigel thought that was a bit cliched.
Nigel forgot the opening line to Monmore. It came to him eventually. And there was another verbal mix-up at the beginning of Time Flies By. There were also a couple of occasions when the strap of his guitar came loose. If he’s on your Christmas list, that could be an idea for a pressie. When not busy with the strap, Nigel noticed that Neil was playing Autosuggestion by Joy Division.
Nigel said he had been working on a film about vegan cannibals. They won’t eat apples, but they will eat humans. One scene involves two of them eating a clown. One says to the other “Does this taste funny to you?”. There was a shout of “12th December” which initially puzzled Nigel. He said that McVities are likely to bring out a new biscuit, “The Brexit Bar”, probably made from marshmallow and chocolate. Having correctly stated that marshmallow is a plant, Nigel was disappointed to be reminded that chocolate is also derived from a plant.
During the Meadow Of Consolation part of Tending The Wrong Grave, Nigel’s response to Karl’s guitar work was “I didn’t expect to hear the sound of the M6”. Karl’s skill extended to the sound of a glebe cow drooling, which earned him a round of applause.
Thanks again to Tony for providing the title of the song that preceded Vatican Broadside. It was Fuck All The Perfect People by Chip Taylor.
Nigel reprised a couple of jokes. The one about going to an Indonesian restaurant and having the pelican curry. “The food was OK, but the bill was massive.” And also the one about the manager of the local cinema dying recently. His funeral is on Tuesday at 1.30, 5.15 and 7.45.”
When drawn into a conversation about cycling up the hills in North Wales, Nigel suggested “We should just do a separate show about that.” And he expressed doubt about the Dexy’s Midnight Runners appearance on Top Of The Pops, where they performed Jackie Wilson Said, with a picture of Jockey Wilson in the background. I must have imagined it then. He said that his favourite Scottish darts player from that era was Rab Smith.
In the encore, Nigel suggested that they start We Built This Village “like the Eagles”. He counted in “Two-Three-Four.” So that’s how they do it. At the end of the show there was a swift catch up with Mike, and farewell to others before we went outside to find burgers on sale. That’s a new sideline for the venue. We declined though. We were back to our room in preparation for a trip to the Oblong Of Dreams the day after. Thanks to Karl for the set list which enabled comparison with what was actually played.
She’s In Broadstairs
CORGI Registered Friends
Bob Wilson – Anchorman
Renfield’s Afoot
Terminus
Ode To Joyce
What Made Colombia Famous
Monmore, Hare’s Running
Tending The Wrong Grave For 23 Years
Harsh Times In Umberstone Covert
Floreat Inertia
Vatican Broadside
A Lilac Harry Quinn
Joy Division Oven Gloves
Urge For Offal
The Trumpton Riots
National Shite Day
For What Is Chatteris
Gubba Lookalikes
Busy Little Market Town
Time Flies By When You’re A Driver Of A Train
All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit
Faithlift
Mod. Diff. V Diff. Hard Severe
The Light At The End Of The Tunnel Is The Light Of An Oncoming Train
Everything’s AOR
And in the encore they did
We Built This Village On A Trad Arr Tune
What Do I Get?
Fuckin’ ‘Ell It’s Fred Titmus
Every Time A Bell Rings
That was all exactly the same as Karl’s list, with one exception. Fred Titmus must have been a late addition, as it doesn’t appear on the list.
We headed in a northwesterly direction the following morning. Graham Le Taxi picked us up from Lime Street station and very kindly took us on a tour of the Wirral, particularly taking in sites linked with HMHB songs, and some things which were not linked at all. In no particular order we saw the studio (Vulcan) where HMHB recorded Back In The DHSS, Probe Plus HQ, Boaty McBoatface, the twenty-four hour garage, Umberstone Covert, John Peel’s home village, Royden Park, Tranmere Rovers’ ground (complete with an early picture of HMHB – the one in the dugout), and the phone box which Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark immortalised in Red Frame / White Light. This was all above and beyond the call of duty from Graham. In addition, thanks for the album, purchased from the Air Ambulance charity shop. You Came Into My Life by Roger Green. Worth every penny, I’m sure. All I need now is to find a record player that works. Ta also for the lift to The Band-Its gig in the evening. This is one of our Karl’s other bands. They were playing at Stanley’s Cask in New Brighton. We were staying just down the road at a Travelodge with a panoramic view of the city lights of Liverpool. From one full house in Bilston to another one here. Although I would argue that Stanley’s Cask is considerably smaller than the Robin 2. Rather than summarise their songs as “a bit punky”, it is probably best to list their whole set. It was actually two sets.
The first part was
In A Rut
Something Better Change
Eton Rifles
What Do I Get?
London Calling
Brand New Cadillac
Sound Of The Suburbs
Babylon’s Burning
Jimmy Jimmy
Down At The Doctor’s
Pump It Up
Hey Joe
The second half was
New Rose
Neat Neat Neat
Going Underground
In The City
20th Century Boy
Hell Raiser
Jilted John
Swords Of A Thousand Men
London Lady
No More Heroes
God Save The Queen
Pretty Vacant
English Civil War
Go Buddy Go
Teenage Kicks
My Perfect Cousin
Ever Fallen In Love
And Hurry Up Harry in the encore.
This was a fine night out. Eighty-three miles from home and I knew more people in there than if I’d gone up to my local. Big thanks to Karl, and big Hellos to Postman Tony, Nigel/Exford, Marc and Becki from The Webb, Becki’s sister (Sian?), Nigel, Denise and Aimi and all the bar staff who kept tapping me on the shoulder because I was blocking their route to the cellar. I felt like we were old friends by the end of the evening. Nigel recommended his mate’s café, Caffe Cream on the front in New Brighton. We were there for breakfast the morning after. Bacon, mushroom and scrambled egg on toast. Top quality.
Later on we saw Postman Tony on the train back to Liverpool. Re-fill coffees at the Wetherspoons at Lime Street station, and we were onto the train back east. This was a grand few days. Already looking forward to the Oxford show.
10 November 2019
Neil
10 November 2019
Phyllis TRiggs
He takes notes!
Can’t get to every gig unfortunately and I’m particularly gutted that I’ve had to miss the last two with their unique sideshows of the singalonga HMHB afterparty at Sheffield and Bobby Svarc’s Robin 2 model at Bilston. Also gutted that I wasn’t at New Brighton on Friday night – that is a cracking setlist. Definitely need to get to a Band-Its gig one of these days.
10 November 2019
CARRIE ANNE
Yes, but I can confirm that the notes Roger takes are almost all illegible, even to himself.
10 November 2019
Eric t’viking
@Carrie Anne / Roger Green review – apologies for the personal anecdote here, but I was stunned to see in the latest definitive review (above): “We shared a smile when one of the characters sang Goodnight Irene, as covered live in the past by HMHB…”.
Goodnight Irene was my Mum’s favourite song, being an Irene herself, and we played it at her funeral 18 months ago, though the version she loved wasn’t sung by HMHB but by the one and only Sidney Devine, Scotland’s only yodelling country and western legend. I was actually dragged along as a ‘yoof’ to one of his shows at Blackpool in the mid-70’s (I think someone else couldn’t go, and you don’t waste a ticket) – not sure my eyes ever truly recovered from the dazzle of all those rhinestones…
Hopefully the next show I see in Blackpool will be HMHB, a tad more to my liking than Mr Devine (who’s still going, and up for a farewell tour in 2020, apparently). Oh, if anyone thinks my memory is playing tricks or I’m exaggerating the rhinestones, there’s one of his outfits on exhibition in the Kelvingrove Gallery; which is well worth a visit whenever in Glasgow. Lots of exhibits, and (was) free to go in, last time up there.
10 November 2019
GORDON BURNS
A tiny tidbit to add to Roger’s record…
After the excellent and much appreciated version of Gubba Look-a-likes, Nigel pointed deep into the crowd and remarked: “There’s one”. Folowed by “And another one”.
10 November 2019
Lord leOminster
And I’m pretty sure Nigel said “and there’s one” pointing up, “in the light”.
After We Built This Village on a Trad. Arr. Tune Nigel said “That’s about [name of village]” but I didn’t catch the name. C… Heath?
10 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
A Pedant writes. Technically speaking and that, The Robin 2 is actually owned by Dr D and I built it ;-). I’m glad that John has taken it out so to speak and quite a few have now seen it in the flesh. Perhaps, Nigel, Neil and John can take their models to the Rock City where they could compare notes and see who has the biggest. Anyway, there is a god,….Vardy be thy name
10 November 2019
Pirx The Purist
@Lord Leominster
Cradley Heath (pronounced ‘Crade-ley’)? Just a few miles south of Bilston. Former home of the Heathens speedway team (now in Dudley).
10 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
Monmore, engine’s running
10 November 2019
Lord leominsteR
@Prix. Ha! I know Cradley Heath so I can confirm that it was one of Nigel’s jokes. Nothing against Cradley or its Heath but I don’t think many would argue against me when I say that, as an English village, it lacks quintessence.
10 November 2019
Neil
10 November 2019
Lord leominster
@ Pirx. Oh, so sorry about the genuine typo. I have fat fingers.
10 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
Hi Neil, There was a few differences between the two, Nothing major, if your roof hasn’t fell in yet then you’ve got the best one.
If I’m daft enough to make another gig venue model I think I’ll build it when your doing the sound check with about 6 people in it.
10 November 2019
neil
10 November 2019
Quality Janitor
Another splendid gig. Was great to hear Floreat.
Fred’s inclusion I put down to it being loudly shouted for by two guys to the left of me in a rather fetching call and response way.
It always surprises me when they play songs that are not necessarily my favourites how good they sound.
11 November 2019
dr desperate
As does mine, under the MakeYrPresentsFelt figure of Nigel and Brian Gorman’s painting of Neil. The cross-stitch exhibition’s over there.
Now that I’m back from the ‘Louder Than Words’ music literature festival in Manc, here are a few more tiny tidbits:
Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto (Op.23) is in Bb minor.
Carl wore a black long-sleeved tee shirt adorned with grey flowers and a (?) band name on the sleeves. Unfortunately these were rolled up, so only C…ICS was visible – anyone?
The mini-cover ‘Fuck All The Perfect People’ was by Chip Taylor and The New Ukrainians, a band name that Nigel later confided that he found very difficult to pronounce. Taylor also wrote ‘Wild Thing’, you know.
The planned title of the vegan cannibal film was to be ‘Children Of The Quorn’.
Tony’s revelation of the meaning of ‘capo’ led Nigel to say, “I love having you here, with your…Internet access”. He suspected it was Latin rather than Italian, pointing out that the word for ‘bridge’ was the same (‘pont’) in Welsh and Latin, and was undeterred by calls that the former was pronounced ‘bont’ and the latter was ‘pons’.
The prog section of ‘Wrong Grave’ was also described as sounding like Amon Düül II.
Nigel gave several hand signals, including darts (“Everybody does that, don’t they? I’m doing it now”), surfing (during ‘Faithlift’), the shape of mountains and the Sturmey-Archer/Campagnolo gear shifts.
The letter to Mr Cool concluded “Is this yours? PS It’s a sanderling”.
And proof, if proof were needed, that TOTP projected Jocky Wilson’s face behind Dexy’s is here at [0:35]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCCB8N2chqM
On to Oxford!
11 November 2019
LUX INFERIOR
Fully agree with others re. the set list. Impossible for an HMHB set list to be anything other than magnificent, but that’s right up there. All albums except ’90 Bisodol’ & ‘Four Lads’ represented. My envy of those with the time/resource/opportunity to attend every gig is greater than ever.
Many thanks to some kind soul named Automorph for uploading several of the tracks to YouTube. The clip of TLATEOTT would suggest that the mosh pit was somewhat restrained (to the extent of making the Cambridge Junction mosh seem positively frenzied), which is particularly surprising considering this is the Nation’s favourite HMHB track, and was played towards the end of the set. It’s an age thing, one assumes.
@ Doc. – Cardiacs, perhaps?
11 November 2019
EXXO
@Dr. D – thanks for making the whole vegan cannibals sketch make sense there.
Surprised that Tony the Wizard needed to google and didn’t get ‘capo’ all sorted out after the discussion on the same subject at the Wakefield gig, June 2015 (comment 6 in the reviews thread thereof). See also Bristol gig Jan 2014 (comment 4) for a discussion of its pronunciation by Springsteen , but don’t bother with Sheffield Leadmill 2017 (comment 16), where the discussion was about ‘Capo Dilemma’ as a band name.
@Erik – lovely story about Sidney Devine. He should be invited to support at the Blackpool gig (alas not the Bristol one, where it might prove divisive). See you there.
@Karen – CQTM about Roger’s illegible notes. I decided to write down the Band-Its set-list too (in the margins of a copy of Bido Lito that was available in the pub) but was too lazy to find my glasses from one of far too many obscure jacket pockets until three quarters of the way through. Looked at my list for the first time then and couldn’t remember what some of the abbreviations said, so gave up and started dad-moshing with Tony (postie) and The Webbsters, partly ‘cos the pub had got crowded by then and the “dancefloor” had finally become the only place to watch as well as hear the band. Mr. B said it’s always a good atmosphere when Karl plays there, but reckoned that Friday was probably the best. It’s an unfeasibly small pub for a gig, with few sight lines, perhaps leading to not far off the smallest capacity gig of any I’ve ever been to. But yes it was a cracking night that proper lifted my somewhat slouching spirits. As I announced exuberantly to all and sundry during one of my favourite songs of all time (The English Civil War), it was my first time dancing in the Borough of Wallasey for about 35 years! Actually, looking at that cracking set-list I think about 5 of the last 7 songs are among my all-time Party Forty. Certainly made up for missing Bilston (always different, always the same).
Chapeaux to Roger for making us feel we were there, and again to Mick for making us marvel.
Chapeau also to Graham, by the way, for taking R+K on that that epic guided tour of The Oblong. But yesterday I allowed the dog to pull me to a quicksand-free spot in the Dee Estuary from which I suddenly realised I could see no fewer than 7 Biscuit place references without having to move anything other than my neck, and arguably 8, at a stretch even 9.
11 November 2019
EXXO
Hasten to add, before anyone misunderstands, that I’ve been at least a couple of hundred gigs with lower attendances than that … but hardly any with lower potential capacities than Stanley’s Cask!
11 November 2019
EXXO
@ Lux – great shout – similar to this one.
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/cardiacs-long-sleeve-shirt-309469059
Like an extra monday quiz bonus question that one, John 🙂
11 November 2019
lord leominster
@ Dr D – regarding the Dexys Midnight Runners TOTP appearance. The story that I heard, a long, long time ago (and I can’t remember where I heard it), was that an error was made during rehearsal but was spotted and corrected before the show was broadcast, which made me wonder if the Youtube clip was, in fact, a recording of the rehearsal. However, a quick search of the internet (which is exactly the sort of thing it was invented for) led me to a story published on the Guardian website that reads “the TOTP edition that has gone down in folklore as featuring one of the great TV bloopers. Dexys were performing their cover of the Van Morrison song Jackie Wilson Said, a tribute to the titular soul singer, although the backdrop featured not Jackie Wilson but a grinning mugshot of Jocky Wilson, who at that time was a household name. “I’m in heaven when you smile,” sang Rowland, and despite the gap-toothed Scots arrowsmith’s undoubted charisma, this unlikely juxtaposition of words and imagery made it all the more memorable. Most viewers naturally assumed that clueless TOTP producers were behind this screw-up, and interviewers were probably too scared of Dexys’ inscrutable frontman Kevin Rowland to ask him about it. When they finally did, though, he explained that it was his idea all along. “For a laugh, we told the producer to put a picture of Jocky Wilson up behind us,” he told the Guardian in 2002. “He said: ‘But Kevin, people will think we made a mistake.’ I told him only an idiot would think that. The morning after, the [Radio 1] DJ Mike Read said: ‘Bloody Top of the Pops. How could they mix up one of the great soul singers with a Scottish darts player?'”” So there you go. I don’t know how reliable the Guardian story is but it does sound entirely feasible.
Here’s a link to the website https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/27/jocky-wilson-other-rock-myths
11 November 2019
EXXO
Thanks Leommy – I think if there’s any paper we can rely on when it puts direct quotes around someone’s words, it’s that one.
11 November 2019
Postman-Tony
Excellent reviews you guys.Like Neil said I don’t know how you remember everything.
I think maybe I should drink less on the days of gigs and at the gigs. As for moshing places like Bilston(town gigs)seem a lot more relaxed and not as frenzied like the big city gigs seem to be apart from the Liverpool gig.
May I also add the biscuiteers I have met at many gigs are absolutely f’ng brilliant and God bless you all.
Bobby your Robin2 model is superb God bless you Sir.
“What did God give us Neil”
“God gave us life Nigel”
“Sure did”
11 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
Cheers everyone, glad you all liked it. I was there, hiding in a song, apparently.
11 November 2019
Pirx The Purist
I’ve been called worse, I promise you.
11 November 2019
postman-tony
See-ing that the late Pete Shelley(R.I.P) was a Collyhurst lad like me.
(Thanks to Automorph)
Here’s a song I got to hear two nights running
https://youtu.be/11bDUwu0Ql4
11 November 2019
postman-tony
“What did God give us Nigel,
“God gave us life Neil”
“Did Sure”
11 November 2019
dic aberdaron
‘kin amazin’ work tbf
superb attention to detail, neil’s ruts tshirt for instance!
https://ibb.co/xs5YtgP
https://ibb.co/93zbbXk
https://ibb.co/vQQkvwy
looking fwd to the reconstruction of their glasto appearance in ’86
12 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
Hmm, don’t know about that, I’m working on a model of Dylan at Blackbushe Aerodrome but I keep falling asleep before the glue sets
12 November 2019
Lord leominster
You are in good company, Bobby.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-50403561
13 November 2019
EXXO
I guess the subs in tomorrow’s dailies will consider “Horny OO la-la gauge” puns a bit too niche, but I will just say before they use it that I bet our Mick is a lot better with the small faces.
13 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
It’s amazing what you can build with a tube of supaglue and 50 million nikker. BTW you may like this, or not… http://www.modelstadia.co.uk
13 November 2019
Lord leominster
Thanks for sharing that, Micky. Indeed I do like it. All the more I wish I’d stayed on after the show at the Robin 2 to meet people and to see your amazing work.
14 November 2019
Alice van der meer
I’m stunned and delighted to see that a fan’s work is on display at a new Premier League stadium. Leicester City have struck me over the last few years as a small-town team who have hit big without necessarily losing the feel of the club (I’m not a football follower so please excuse me if this isn’t really the case), and this seems to confirm it.
I’m getting a worn rim round my head where I keep taking my hat off to you. That and your model making skills are massively better than mine, even with the “wrong” hand leading.
14 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
@Alice: You are spot on. The owners are magnificent considering some of the charlatans who have bought clubs as playthings. This time last year we were in turmoil with the death of Vichai and Mr Puel boring everyone rigid. I don’t think for a minute that we’ll win it again this season but if Liverpool slip up then beware. I’ve not seen the Filbert Street for at least 6 years but I’m proud as punch that the club use it as the starting point for their stadium tours.
14 November 2019
EXXO
Not sure about “small town” though. Leicester can be as high as tenth largest city in England, depending how you count, and by most counts the third largest “one-club city” in English football.
14 November 2019
Alice van der meer
Interesting – I wouldn’t have thought it was anywhere that high up the figures for either criterion. Shows I should do my research before I apply fingers to keyboard.
Every day is a school day in HMHB land!
14 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
Of course, we won the Premier League by a street in 2015/16 a fact that has been ignored by many so-called experts, twats and Chris Sutton. That was the year that Spurs finished third in a two-horse race.
14 November 2019
Alice van der meer
…and didn’t you pull into the lead in 2015/6 at a stage in the season when even Alex Ferguson wouldn’t have been thinking yet about winning the league? I recall it as one of the great “WTF?” sporting stories (sometimes it’s fun being a neutral, because you can happily get involved in other people’s enjoyment).
14 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
We went top late January and were never headed.
14 November 2019
Alice van der meer
That’s what, four months out? How many other teams bar the obvious one have managed that? And wasn’t your manager at the time Ranieri, the man long since written off by everyone else?
I could look all that up like normal people, but it’s more enjoyable having a conversation.
14 November 2019
Lord leominster
And didn’t they sack him the following season because his results were what would normally have been expected of LCFC? Tch, crazy. (See, if I try, I can make convincing association football related conversation.)
15 November 2019
Bobby Svarc
This is my last word on the subject, Ranieri had a nightmare season after the euphoria of the previous season, If the owners had acted on sentiment then we would have been relegated, no doubt about it. I’ve been watching the Filberts since 1967 and this is the best team I can remember. Whether they win anything is another thing but I’m lapping it up ar the moment.. I stood on the kop in the mid eighties for a first division match versus Wolves and the crowd was under ten thousand. Anyway, before referee Mr C. Rand reaches for a card of some sort I’m off to join the queue for the Friday quiz.
15 November 2019
Alice van der meer
I too shall fall silent on this one, and go and drum up some enthusiasm for the Oxford gig.
Keep enjoying it, and I hope it lasts!
15 November 2019
BOBBY SVARC
Closed until 4th of April
17 March 2020