Nick Leese ran the wonderful Heyday Mail Order service for many years, and he's been part of the music business for far longer than that. In 'Recollection Box', Nick shares a few of his favourite stories, bands, albums and more with followers of Fruits de Mer....
A VERY LONG ROAD TO KNEBWORTH / GOT LIVE IF YOU WANT IT
A VERY LONG ROAD TO KNEBWORTH, SUMMER 1979
By the mid 70s I was in my early teens and beginning to tire of the pop charts. Of course Top Of The Pops every Thursday night remained a must-see, but mainly to pick fault with – a good conversation topic for Friday mornings at school. I felt I was ready to hear something else, something more 'serious' and dare I say it, something more 'cool'? There was a small library just down the road from where I lived and on one visit I saw a book 'The Rolling Stones' by Tony Jasper. Why I zeroed in on this particular book I don't know, but as I flicked through the pages I was fascinated by the photographs and bought into the band's image there and then. The music? I'd sort that out later, in the meantime I had some reading to be getting on with! I didn't have long to wait as 'Stones In The Park', the documentary of the band's 1969 Hyde Park appearance was on TV not too long after discovering the book. The evening it was broadcast I set up my trusty 'solid state' portable cassette recorder, positioned the microphone to hopefully shut out any external noise, and sat (quietly) transfixed by what I was seeing and hearing. I must have listened to the resulting tape over and over after that night, I could even recite the dialogue! The music? Well, it was probably the most exciting I'd ever heard, despite being under rehearsed and often out of tune, but what did I care I'd perhaps found what I was looking for here.
I had a friend about three years older than me who I'd originally met playing football on the estate - you can probably picture the scene, jumpers for goalposts, teams in flux as players would come and go according to meal times, games lasting until night fell, then anyone left finally heads off home and school the next day. Anyway, my friend was also into music, a little further on than me - he'd even been to gigs! We began to hang out more and chat about what we were listening to, as by now things were moving fast - I'd even got a record player! He was into heavier rock, particularly Led Zeppelin. I was listening to not only The Stones, but The Beatles, Kinks, Yardbirds, The Who and taking tentative steps towards hearing authentic blues music. I'm not sure my friend was that taken with my then current tastes, but he tolerated my enthusiasm with respect. He in turn lent me his copy of 'Physical Graffiti' (pre-recorded cassette – double vinyl too expensive!) to win me over to Zeppelin and followed this with Deep Purple and post-Syd Floyd. I was left to discover Syd's Floyd for myself a little later when I picked up a copy of 'Relics', as I don't think the early material appealed to my 'mentor' very much! He was also steadfastly against anything by Genesis or Yes and even though I'd not heard either band yet, I went along with his opinion as I trusted it. It turned out to be good advice, as when I finally did get to hear both bands I took an instant dislike to them and have remained that way ever since. Over complicated music for my tastes, as you have probably realised, but I do have a sneaking regard for some of Gabriel's solo music! Sorry mate!
Led Zeppelin's 'The Song Remains The Same' film came out around the time of all this activity and together we went along to see it. Picture this – a cinema audience predominantly made up of bikers and the film beginning to roll. Suddenly there's the sound of feet being stamped and loud shouts of 'turn it up, turn it up'. At the lack of response by the cinema staff to their demands, the bikers begin to stand, become louder, and decidedly more agitated. My friend and I, despite the look of amusement on our faces, were actually scared stiff and beginning to think a full scale riot was about to happen. The cinema staff sensed this too and averted the danger by turning the sound up, it seemed to maximum – it was now so LOUD - but the bikers seemed satisfied and took their seats once more to watch the film, until... Jimmy Page's first on screen solo, when up pops one the bikers who then proceeded to trample over the seats in front of him, probably some people as well and make his way towards the screen. When he got there he then bowed up and down repeatedly paying his respect to the master! This was my strangest cinema experience so far, until...'Performance', the 'controversial' film starring Mick Jagger which not long after the Zeppelin film had a then rare showing at a very small 'theatre' of a local college. It wasn't really a 'theatre', more an oversized living room with benches around the walls surrounding an open floor space, in front of which was placed the makeshift screen. There may have been a few cushions scattered on the floor for comfort as well, I can't remember now, as the intention was for the audience to sit on the floor if they weren't lucky enough for a place on a bench. There was certainly a hippie vibe about the place, the only thing missing was the smell of incense burning. The music playing before the film started was entirely by The Stones, so I did really feel quite at home here! This audience was of a more peaceful type, thankfully! The film, the music, and the whole experience really affected me. It may sound strange, but I felt changed in some way afterwards. It was a weird experience. I couldn't make 'head nor tail' of the film, I was probably too young, although seeing it many times since has given me some insight there, but the music – oh, man – Jack Nitzsche's score featuring the occasional bottleneck guitar of Ry Cooder, the haunting vocals of Merry Clayton and Buffy Sainte-Marie – wow! Not to forgetting as well the rather marvellous 'Gone Dead Train' sung by Randy Newman, an early rap by the Last Poets, and of course Mick Jagger's 'Memo From Turner' – now just where did all this come from? It's an amazing soundtrack to listen to and remains a favourite of mine. Yup, things were certainly falling into place for me regarding finding the music I liked, but now, with 1979 soon to roll in, I had my 'O'-levels to prepare for. My friend had left Sixth Form and got a job in town. We'd still meet up on Friday evenings to chat about music, mainly bootleg recordings now – these had become our new obsession – rather expensive, sometimes dodgy, but a wholly fascinating new level of 'music fandom' to have discovered.
It's Summer 1979 and I've just completed my 'O'- levels with the intention to enter the Sixth Form in September. My mother has found me a temporary job at the factory she herself worked at. It's two weeks loading juggernauts with boxes of export earthenware - backbreaking work! Uncomfortable too, being out in the factory yard in the blazing sun. My boss told me he was an ex-Hell's Angel and I wasn't going to challenge him about whether this was true or not, he scared the life out of me! I was totally unsuited for the work physically, but soldiered on looking forward to the rest breaks. I took comfort in creating for myself little dens out of the boxes of ware and would hide away in them high up inside the warehouse until it was time to go back out into the yard again. It wasn't all bad though, one day I was handed a metal pole and told to smash a pile of broken pottery that was lying to one side of the yard. I was there to follow orders and had a really good time bringing the pole down on all these unwanted plates, cups and bowls, smashing them to pieces! That is until I discovered something unpleasant under one of the pots, which I need not describe here! When the two weeks were done and paypacket in hand, I realised that factory work wasn't for me, and I'd be better off staying at school, which was probably my mother's intention all along at getting me the job. Noted well, ma!
Free again, my next job was more leisurely, painting the bathroom at home, to the soundtrack of 'Exile Of Main Street' and the newly released 'Gimme Some Neck' album by Ron Wood which I'd bought with my recent earnings. Everything was all relaxed in my world until one day my friend was in touch with the news that Led Zeppelin were to headline Knebworth in August. Tickets to go on sale SOON! He asked if I'd like to go with him, but I declined, I'm not sure why now, perhaps I thought I'd like to spend the money (a whopping £7.50 plus coach fare) on some new records instead? When the tickets finally went on sale at a local record shop he didn't get there in time and missed out. He was obviously feeling dejected - he believed he'd missed his chance to see his favourite band. Remember, these were the days when the lifespan of a music career was short. As far as the music press was concerned in 1979, the likes of Zeppelin and The Stones were already on borrowed time. The Stones, due to the success of the recent 'Some Girls' album had at least earned the chance to hang around for a little longer, but the rather cool press reception so far for Zeppelin's 'In Through The Out Door' album didn't bode well for them. I recall one reviewer later remarking more about its 'children's water colouring book' inner sleeve and that if you were to relieve yourself on it, would produce some pretty colours - implying this was the album's only redeeming feature – oh, the critics could come down hard in those days! I'd pretty much given up on the opportunity to see The Stones, it had been three years since they'd toured Europe and felt they preferred playing in The States now, until...an extra Knebworth date for Zeppelin was announced for the weekend after the first and, added to the bill – The New Barbarians! This was the band formed by Ron Wood to promote 'Gimme Some Neck' featuring 'Zigaboo' Modeliste from The Meters on drums, Stanley Clarke on bass, Ian McLagan on keyboards, Bobby Keys on sax, and...Keith Richards on guitar!! The band had made their live debut earlier that year at Keith's 'Benefit For The Blind' gig in Toronto – a commitment he had to honour following the 'reality check' bust in the same city back in 1977. The two shows featured both The New Barbarians and The Stones. The event was also the first vinyl bootleg I ever bought. Following this the band went out on a hell-raising tour of the States, all at Woody's expense and he may have been left a bit short afterwards! Now they were going to play Knebworth, now it was my call to take action! Why my friend and I couldn't organise it to get our tickets together for this extra show I can't remember, but he was going back to the record shop in his lunch break from work on the day they went on sale and I, for some other reason, couldn't make it. Aaargh! I know, call my brother! He was a taxi driver in town, perhaps he'd do me a rather big favour and pick up a ticket for me? I had to pick myself up off the floor when he said he would, but it was going to mean extra babysitting duties for me. Deal. Would you believe it - he got me a ticket! My friend was lucky this time as well, so we were finally on our way to Knebworth
Some things now begin to get hazy, but loaded with sandwiches, drinks and a plastic sheet in case it rained (thanks ma), we boarded the coach some time on Friday, the day before the festival. I don't recall entering the site or finding our 'pitch', the first thing I do clearly remember is both of us waking up in the field rather suddenly, the sun beating down and seeing Chas & Dave performing their set on the big stage! We weren't the only disgruntled members of the audience either, this had been the wake up call for a lot of other people as well. Onwards the day progressed, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Dukes, Todd Rundgren & Utopia - now Todd was striking, not only for his bright dyed auburn hair and (almost) matching red outfit, but also for his baiting of the music hacks in the press enclosure. I don't think he regarded them very highly by the sounds of it! Not long now for probably my one chance to see just a couple of the Stones, three if you count Bobby Keys. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I can let out a rather loud 'ha'! Yeah, not long to wait now...not long...how long's it been, mate? Half an hour? Not long now then...and an hour and a half later we were still waiting for the New Barbarians.
The crowd was growing restless. The story behind the delay was only revealed a while after the festival. The band wouldn't play until they were paid first and in cash, causing a standoff between promoter and band - no side giving way. The crowd becoming angrier finally made the promoter concede, and with the cash counted and safe in the hands of one of the band's crew, it was on the way back to their hotel in London. NOW can the band kindly get on stage...pretty please? Stanley Clarke had a prior engagement, so Phil Chen took over at short notice on bass. The set was what I'd expected it to be - raw and ragged rock, but still exciting! It featured mainly songs from Ron's 'Gimme Some Neck' album, plus some Chuck Berry and blues standards. Keith took over lead vocals on 'Let's Go Steady' quite early on and there were some other sublime moments too, particularly 'Am I Grooving You' segueing into Dylan's 'Seven Days' via a bass and drums jam.
Rumours of guest appearances had plagued the US tour, much to the annoyance of the band, as they were perfectly capable of holding their own on stage. Sugar Blue, the harp player who featured on 'Some Girls' did make an appearance at Knebworth, so this started rumours among the crowd that perhaps Mick Jagger was going to appear now as well. These escalated further as the band kicked into 'Honky Tonk Women', with its intro being extended – could it be happening? Oh, man, any minute now, surely...surely? No, Ron strides up to the mike to croak his way into the first verse – oh well, so it goes, still a good show eh? Yes! My spirits were raised again when Keith launched into 'Before They Make Me Run', full of raw feelings of the recent events having crossed his path, but here he was - back from the brink once again. Not for the first time has he pulled out such moments as these in his long career, 'You Gotta Move' in Paris 1976 for example, but this time I was actually there to witness it! The band left the stage after a loose 'Jumping Jack Flash' and I could then compose myself, I was 'absolute elsewhere'.
Now it was the turn of my friend to realise a dream. Zeppelin were tight, maybe not the force they were a few years earlier, but as the darkness took hold we were treated to solo Page luminous violin bow theatrics, what seemed like fireworks going off at the beginning of 'Achilles Last Stand', a moving 'Kashmir', and for an encore, a rare outing for 'Communication Breakdown'. These were my highlights, it was a long set and the end of a very long emotionally exhausting day, as the two us then trudged back into the night and on to Stevenage. There we would catch the coach back home the next day. We reached town eventually, and my friend crashed out on the green in the centre just as it began to rain. There had been a rather sweet scent in the air most of the day at the festival, no idea what it was (!) but I think it was beginning to take its toll on us. I managed to wake my friend and we finally fell asleep in a nearby shop doorway. Strangely, there was no one else around, I guess we'd worry about whether we were actually in Stevenage or someplace else at daybreak, for now we needed sleep. Late Summer 1979, I was 16, well nearly 17, and had just been to my first gig! I felt I'd already come a long way already, but things were only just beginning...
GOT LIVE IF YOU WANT IT
There are moments during a live performance when a particular track can either transcend its recorded version, take on a new meaning in relation to recent events, or simply just move the listener in some way that can't be explained. These are some of my favourite performances, thankfully captured for posterity in one form or another and ready to be heard over again at just the push of a button...
The Rolling Stones have shown themselves quite capable in performance over the years! At their live peak of 1973, extended workouts of 'Midnight Rambler' and 'Street Fighting Man' still take my breath away - Keith locked in solid with Charlie and Bill all the way, giving Mick Taylor space to fire off notes in all directions. By 1975 and 1976, with Ron Wood eager to impress, 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' became a platform for him to construct long and intricate solos over. However, my favourite Stones performance is all over in just two and a half minutes, a real firecracker, originally found at the end of the 'Brown Sugar' EP. It's the roaring encore of 'Let It Rock', live in Leeds 1971. Someone in the band, or crowd, shouts out 'let it rock...' and right on cue, the band lets loose the best cover version ever of any Chuck Berry song. Listen and marvel to Keith's playing on this – like a-ringing-a-bell! At one point with amps up full, there's a screech of feedback that's cleverly brought under control and forever an integral part of this particular performance for me. 'The Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Band In The World'? On this performance – no doubt about it!
I now believe I bought 'Untitled' by The Byrds before I was quite ready to fully appreciate it. My first Byrds purchases were two early singles collections and 'Fifth Dimension', so it was a bit of a shock to follow the 'jingle-jangle' era with the more laid back country sounding and 'bearded' Byrds of the early 70s - even though there was an indication of the change in some of the later 60s singles I'd heard. Even more of a shock came when the excitement I felt at the prospect of a 16 minute version of 'Eight Miles High' live quickly dissipated on first listen! What's going on here then? Well, as time and a whole lot of other music listening has since shown me, rather a lot! The original inspiration for 'Eight Miles High' came from McGuinn and Crosby's love of the improvised workouts of John Coltrane and Ravi Shankar and it's only on 'Untitled' that that the song, for me, is fully realised. Not that the 'Fifth Dimension' version has anything wrong with it, it's rightfully considered 'classic' psych, but in the mid 60s there's no way they'd get away with an extended version. Look at the fuss made over the length of Dylan's 'Like A Rolling Stone' at that time. It makes me think that we've come full circle in a way, with attention spans diminishing and the dawn of the TikTok era, but thenI guess I'm just getting old! I'm grateful that I've now come to terms with 'Untitled' and especially the intricate picking throughout of Clarence White. The live 'Eight Miles High' is now the focal point of the album for me, beginning with hints of the well known riff and some fine country picking over a wild bass and drums jam that even takes centre stage around 6 minutes in. After 9 minutes the guitars slowly creep back and begin to move through the familiar Eastern 'Eight Miles High' themes before then venturing further in a jazz direction. No vocals are heard at all yet, and won't be until a further three minutes pass and then only the first verse - no, this is all about variations on the Eight Miles High' theme and marvellous it is too, even though it took me a while to understand!
There are few bands more powerful live than The Who. Over the years I've become quite partial to the performances featuring 'Tommy', especially the way 'See Me Feel Me' evolved, peaking around 1971 where it would build up higher and higher to the point where it couldn't possibly go any further without either voices cracking, strings snapping or drums collapsing. I have no doubt that any of this would have affected the bass – John Entwhistle - solid as a rock! I like music to move me and 'See Me Feel Me' does this every time. Choosing a favourite version depends on my mood. While writing this I'm torn between Tanglewood Music Center MA 1970 and Woodstock 1969, but there are others that on another day I'd plump for, thanks to the now more easily available 'grey area' broadcast discs of recent years. The Woodstock performance also benefits from being filmed and captures the band coming to the end of 'See Me Feel Me' around sunrise. The combination of the emerging light and 'See Me Feel Me' - things can't get any better!
Jimi Hendrix, like The Who, could also push his equipment to its limits in concert and depending on how well it was holding up would determine whether the performance would soar, or his frustrations show. What he wanted to achieve often seemed to be beyond his gear's capabilities. I prefer listening to Hendrix live as it was on stage where he felt free to stretch out his many ideas, making every performance unique. He was a natural improviser, no more so than on the many versions now available of 'Machine Gun'. The feeling I pick up from him during this song is his frustration, maybe some anger too, at the stupidity of the war in Vietnam (war in general I suppose) and the violence/unrest in America at that time. Out of the guitar would cry out the sound of planes, rockets, bombs even screams of voices – harrowing listening, but he sure gets his point across! I've a few versions I listen to, the one on 'Band of Gypsys' especially, but also both shows at Berkeley 1970 are particularly interesting too. Phenomenal guitar performances.
Finally, from one of the more interesting bands to emerge in the 1980s - still exploring new soundscapes too - The Church. 1982's 'The Blurred Crusade' finds the band at their 12 string jingle-jangle peak, but also contains a couple of indicators of the inventiveness to come, 'An Interlude' and 'You Took'. Both songs feature several 'compressed' musical ideas then not yet fully realised, but that was to happen in concert. 'You Took' quickly became a feature of most of the band's performances and by 1986 quite a powerhouse, though still not expanded much beyond its album length. All that changed in 1988 when the band's popularity soared with the release of 'Starfish' and a newfound confidence in performing. The FM broadcast from The Ritz in New York are the first signs. The band have already encored with 'An Interlude' and 'Is This Where You Live' - both now in full bloom - but the crowd want more, and after ripping through 'Myrhh' the band reveal the new 'You Took'. The pace is furious, the sound 'spacerock' and the musical interplay by the band members takes the song further than heard before. There's even a snatch of Floyd's 'Set The Controls...' and an absolute snowstorm of guitar effects to finally bring the song to its close. Amazing! By 1990 with Jay Dee Dougherty now on drums, 'You Took' was slowed down, more 'controlled', longer still. Most nights it would begin with Steve Kilbey incorporating snippets of Deep Purple's 'Black Night' and 'Smoke On The Water' into his bass introduction. Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love' could appear as well, even Joy Division's 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. The show from Amsterdam's Paradiso in April 1990 is the best version for me. It's not soundboard quality, but thank goodness someone in the audience taped it! The changes in pace, build ups, step downs still enthrall me, but the big long note crescendo at the finish...Heavenly sounding! Surprisingly, the band have never released an official live album from shows played in 1988 or 1990, but The Ritz and Paradiso performances are both out there online and testament to how good a band The Church are.
