Days Gone By

I have been nervous about doing anymore historical music blogs as they of late have been so slow out of the blocks that I have had serious misgivings, I have done blogs on Roger Taylor, Blue Oyster Cult to name but two, and they have seriously undermined my potential for doing these. So here goes third time lucky purely because the last blog went through the roof!

Music was my saviour in my younger days (still is if truth be told) it was simpler times I would jump  on a train or a bus to head off and see bands all of  the time, depending on the finances, damn it if I won the lottery it’s what I would do now, blow it on following tours of artists that float my boat and damn the consequences, then I really would bore the pants off you lot! Let’s transport you back to a simpler time.

1985 I was in London for a friends birthday and I kind of over stayed by a week or two, I had no ties at work or otherwise, well a had a girlfriend but she didn’t seem to mind if I wasn’t there (this became a common thread in our relationship even when we got married) we (the boys that is) had decided to have one last night out before we all went our separate ways back to home, we met in the Marquee I seem to remember it being Valentines day simply as there was a special  offer to gain entry, none of us qualified, by the time we arrived the band was already on stage (I have blogged this beginning part before) and I lost all interest in the night out as I loved the band from the  opening chords of “I belong to the night” to the rowdy ending of “American Girls” yes my love affair with FM started that very night, I liked Steve Overland’s voice from his previous band Wildlife I discovered him by accident as I had taken a date to an MSG gig in Newcastle (yes it didn’t go down well or last very long) my intention was to see Derek St Holmes who was playing with the headliners, I got diverted after the support band, I bought the album the next day and then travelled to Sheffield to see them again, then they dropped off the face of the earth.

Out of nowhere there he was again on the stage in the marquee wearing matching dodgy suits and big hair, I loved the well-crafted tunes and that voice was simply like honey, a great vocalist, now that they were on my radar I did my level best to ensure I saw as often as possible in 1985 (I don’t remember the exact dates but I do remember the venues) I saw them supporting so many people I saw them in Bradford more than once in 1985 also in Birmingham, I had bought (yes I know I was shocked as well) tickets for Gary Moore as I wanted to see Glenn Hughes playing with the fiery Irishman , unfortunately Mr Hughes succumbed to his Mars Bar addiction, so I was gutted when he pulled out but I was over the moon to see FM supporting still wearing the dodgy suits. The only issue the wife (of the moment) insisted that she had discovered this new band oh how me and my friends chuckled!

1986 came around and I had traversed into normal employment (needs must) so I hardly got out and about but I did manage a trio of gigs at the end of the year including a gig at the marquee which wasn’t the best for me as I had never drank tequila shots before, the journey back to the North of England wasn’t pleasant the next day, an early train and then straight to work for a late shift was not a good idea, not that I was full of good ideas back in the day!

1987 was slightly better for gigs trips, I got to see them in Sheffield and Nottingham (the first time ever at the Rock City venue) and a trip to see them at the Astoria was slightly better only because the wife was sick and couldn’t attend and then she couldn’t tell everybody that she had discovered them, bless again  the blur of travel drink and gigs was becoming the norm, to say that I was  burning the candle at both ends was soon going to have consequences, working long hours and then whenever I was off I would travel to see bands of many denominations, my private life was decidedly shit, I suppose I already knew this but was in denial, the marriage crashed and burned at the end of the year my only regret for the relationship was that she couldn’t have been truthful, the only thing that I asked for in all of the time we were together I knew It wasn’t an easy partnership but I always tried my best and I was always honest, and I was at least  a monogamist , something she had issues with, no blame apportioned we went our separate ways me I went into self-destruction mode for at least a year drinking, drinking and then drinking some more, I blamed myself when in reality we were both to blame, life’s too short  it was time to not only to burn the candle at both ends but to take a flamethrower to the middle as well 1988 was a blur with no FM activity!

1989 was a return to the norm, drink was curtailed to sensible levels, well normal-ish but I became known as the half day kid at work as  I would take half days to go and see bands, travel back on late trains and go to work the next day (ah the good old days) they returned to action in August at the Mayfair and  I was down the front bouncing and singing along (badly) other dates included through October and November at the city hall the Hammersmith Odeon and Leeds and Sheffield back to the Marquee for the Christmas show , which I loved but I awoke on the platform of the train station back in Newcastle with no recollection on how I got there……ooops!

1990 wasn’t the best my only recollection of an FM gig that year was the Town & Country club that was marred by someone close to us being poorly, we thought it was a heart attack we did our best and an ambulance was called I often wonder if the guy survived, it kind of took the edge off the gig although in a bittersweet irony it was the first thing I ever recorded once I bought a (second hand) video player, I do believe I still have the tape somewhere.

1991 was the year I met the current good lady wife and I saw them a couple of times including a date at the Riverside in Newcastle on the taking it to the streets tour in which they insisted playing a Thin Lizzy medley, not what I wanted to hear at all, but I still have the tape, me and the Mrs saw them at Walkers doing their acoustic thing which was awesome apart from the fact we got hammered on scrumpy jack, I may have annoyed one or two people that night (sorry peeps) then it was a case of if the played close to home we went and then they split, damn what was I going to do now?

Mr Overland resurfaced in a band called SO with Pete Jupp and I had a devil of a time trying to buy the bloody records in the end I had to succumb to a downloaded version of their only album called Brass Monkey I never got to see them play live but the album is a masterpiece in my top five of all time its not what you might call rock its very song orientated I love it, however I had to rely on dodgy tribute albums and a Broadway show soundtrack to get my fix of Mr Overland’s voice.

One of the most surreal viewings we were invited to a wedding for SMOR and MR O and Juppy (damn I feel as if I know them) were playing in a cover band for the wedding and it was awesome all covers but I did get a cheeky snippet of closer to heaven after I shouted for it  and after the actual two sets I had a great conversation with Mr O who was genuinely taken back by my admiration of Brass monkey, a short conversation but one that I will take to my grave.

Since then we have seen them a number of times I have only missed them once, when I was as sick as a dog but the wife did buy me the latest EP as a consolation prize, I was a poorly bairn that night,  the furthest we have travelled is Hartlepool again a great gig with the wonderful Bernie Marsden supporting and another night of great memories for the story box, Mr O is involved in so many bands at the  moment and  I haven’t come across a bad one yet long may it continue, its not all a love fest though he appeared on a tribute album and he covered Angie (by the Rolling Stones) and it was horrible, his voice was the  usual, but the song was simply shocking , can somebody please tell me how they are revered for being the band that they are, answers on a postcard to IDONTGIVEASHIT.COM

So, there you go I will sit like an expectant father hoping that this one will soar through the stratosphere like the last blog enjoy and keep spreading the word, until the next time …………Toodles!