Monday, 19 October, 1981 – North London Polytechnic, London, England

  1. Fiery Jack
  2. Look, Know
  3. Who makes the Nazis
  4. Draygo’s Guilt
  5. Hip Priest
  6. Middle Mass (including Explanation)
  7. Fantastic Life
  8. Fortress
  9. Deer Park
  10. Winter
  11. Lie Dream of Casino Soul
  12. C ‘n’ C
  13. Stars on 45
  14. Prole Art Threat

NOTES

62 minutes

A pretty dire recording from the back of the hall wherein the band is just about audible. On my version there is no track splitting leading to two lengthy slabs of material.

Given its such a poor recording there is not a lot to discern. Steve Sutherland’s contemporary review in the NME talked about “deliberately planned unprofessionalism” and described the band as “crap” but “fun”. Yes, indeed. Not sure i agree with the first description as this is the 1981/82 six piece in full flow.

“Look, Know” which  is a memorable slab of percussive violence. Seven gigs into the full time two drummer line up the band is still coming to terms with how it can use Hanley P and Burns effectively. Starting with a sparky “Fiery Jack” featuring a couple of nods to J.Cash’s “Ring of Fire”.  “Nazis” is a playful half pace motorik rumble with counterpoint jangly guitar and pushy bass. Victor Draygo gets resurrected for a violent version – not heard since March of that year – where the guitar dominates.

“Hip Priest” suffers from heavy audience chatter but is a well realised version. A brief explanation of Middle Mass followed by a little audience insulting leads to a jaunty “Middle Mass”.

“Fantastic Life” is – well – fantastic! An overwhelming surge of sound with an exceptional piece of strangled guitar buggery in the centre by Scanlon. This is quickly followed after a tape flip by an equally superb “Fortress” morphing into a glorious “Deer Park”. Unfortunately audience chatter pervades this wondrous noise. Alan Pellay joins on guest vocals towards the end. There is an alien tinge to Riley’s keyboards on this outing.

Further audience chatter and some shouting more or less utterly disturbs a brooding eight minute plus version of “Winter” – I do wish young men would conduct their courting habits elsewhere than Fall gigs. Glitter Band drum noise proceeds a speedy “Lie Dream” with the band going at full tilt. There is more extraneous crowd noise as keyboard mangling introduces a fulsome “C ‘n’ C” with excellent noise>tension-release as a foul mouthed young lady whitters on in an Anglo-Saxon fashion near the taper. Mark quotes lyrics from “I’m into CB” over the Cash and Carry riff and then wanders off topic for a while with some expressive screeching falsetto and whooping, followed by a quick nod to “Stars on Fallty Five” into a speedy “Prole Art Threat”.

Not memorable due to the recording and the constant audience chatter but notable for the first appearance of “Look, Know”.

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