What You Don't Know!

So, at long last a historical blog, that covers an era not in huge detail, just enough to wet your appetite for the few more that will be coming down the track.

I seem to remember reading Sounds on a weekly basis and I remember an article that grabbed my attention, Gary Bushell had set off to the USA and was doing a series of articles on bands over there, one that took my interest was a band out in New York called Twisted Sister, not long after that an EP appeared, now that did float my boat (although my girlfriend at the time “M” borrowed it and never returned it ), then there was a night in Newcastle and a trip to see the Tube being filmed, I was a tad drunk (me with my reputation) so I decided to avoid the melee down the front, then it felt that I had been slapped in the face and I sobered up as Twisted Sister took to the stage in all their glory!

I was hooked from the word get go ( go on YouTube and hunt it out it is simply stunning)the next day I went hunting the album, which I loved also, then I got on with my life with all the ups and downs that went with it, I came home for a visit and a friend said that he had bought me a ticket to see them at the Mayfair, oh yes please I will have some of that, then as if by magic they appeared on the TV doing their new single “I am I’m me”, and it was like Christmas all over again, I couldn’t wait , April 15^th came around soon enough me and my mad bunch of sober (not) friends went and had a fantastic time, lots of jumping around and having fun, they threw in a couple of covers, Rolling Stones and Slade a jolly time was had by all, you really couldn’t stop rock n roll.

I attempted to and failed miserably to see them on a couple of other dates, so I once again got on with my life, as did they, I suspect they missed me as much as I missed them, I was over the moon when I discovered the fine folks of Gimpsville had organised a trip to see the return visit on the Stay Hungry tour (all of which I have described in graphic detail in a previous  earlier blog)  again lots of jolly japes and a fantastic night was had by all, I was the troupes acrobat and escapologist  for the evening, they were a tad more professional with barbed wire and no covers this time! then they kind of got huge and disappeared from my radar for a while, imagine my surprise as I walked into Newcastle’s HMV to see a huge display with Dee Snider coming out of a man hole (OOH Matron) and although I bought the album there were the early signs of weariness settling in.

It wasn’t until March 1986 that another tour was announced, well I say a tour I believe it was a single paltry date at the then Hammersmith Odeon, I was working in London at the time so I was able to blag a ticket, what I saw was a travesty, Dee Snider still working his arse off however the band it looked like that they were wheeled into place there was no spirit and so little movement a sniper could have picked them off in a heartbeat, the stage set was theatrical (don’t ask me I lost interest after about four songs The leader of the pack and the soppy ballad The price within those first four songs bar tender keep them coming and don’t spare the horses!) as hard as Dee worked the others simply didn’t want to be there, a friend who met them, asked  the question why no Newcastle date and JJ French replied “we don’t have the time” Dee was seen to be shaking his head in disappointment. I’m glad I went off and got drunk, as it was the day after was the day I woke up and realised I had to give my head a shake and get a grip, the following week I was sacked and then sued by my then publishing company (I have blogged in depth in past blogs or at least I think I have LOL my memories not what it used to be)

That was me really, I bought “Love is for suckers” which really was a Dee Solo album, in all but name, they didn’t tour with that album as far as I’m aware and life moved on at a pace, I got married had kids had no disposable income and the world kept turning they (the band ) had many ups and downs and  they did return to Newcastle,  although I never did go and see them, Dee Snider is a great showman however he cannot carry the rest of the band, who appear limp and disinterested alongside him, every video since 1986 just seems as though Dee is still on rocket fuel and the rest are on water, go figure! maybe it was my first flush of youth that excited me, those two Mayfair gigs are still in my top ten of gigs, they really were on fire in the early days.

Now to push this blog off into the ether lets see what happens with this one, it has been a long time gestating, I’m still not 100% happy with it, but I could only keep rewriting it so many times (154783 times so far…kidding) so watch the skies and keep spreading the disease another one will be along shortly but until then……………Toodles!