canada

Teenbeats – Jeremy Wells review 1979

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Huggy Leaver (Vocals), Ken Copsey (lead guitar), Paul Thomas (rhythm guitar), Eddie Mays (bass) and Dave Blackman (drums)

Some of the Teenbeats’ best friends are Canadians. Dave Blackman talks to our  man-with-the-earning, by J.W – 1979

The rumours are confirmed. The Teenbeats are selling records across the pond, a trip to Canada could be on the cards; and drummer Dave Blackman is still cadging drinks.But just a minute, the Teenbeats version of I can’t control myself was pretty grim – suffering, no-one would deny, from the dreadful Wall of Sponge production at the hands of international Ray Fenwick. So who is buying it?

I collared Dave Blackman in the Chatworth Hotel and asked him:“Canadians” he burbled into a pint of lager, “Canadians are buying the record. Canadians are thick. “What?”  “Well its an awful record. Loads of rubbish really.  “Isn’t that a little harsh?” I asked. The portly sticks man ignored that and went on: “the important thing is that if the record is selling in Canada it’s getting airplay and that means FM listeners in the States will be picking it up”. The whole band is surprised to put it midly that the record is selling as it is.

“Canadians are that much more receptive to the rough, English music,” said the Cozy Powell unlook-a-like. “The 400 copies sent out were picked up by discos and the record was then in great demand”. Huggs said the last he has heard was that the record was number two in the FM airplay chart, 20 in the disco chart and number four in Quebec.

Copies sold so far are in the region of 20,000 which means the Teenbeats should be seeing some money for their efforts.“Things in the band are generally okay” said the drummer and part time mermaid but we want to release records and we want to work”. And work they shall. The band has a gig coming up next Friday (May 30) at the Carlisle with the Model Copies.

The Jim Jim and the Jims gig taking place in the hotel on the night I talked to Dave Blackman ended with a massive slanging match between Ray Fenwick and some of The Teenbeats after the later group had acted in a rather Michael-taking manner while the other band were trying to play Smoke On The Water.Smoke on the water? Yes I burst out laughing too.                                                        Review by J Wells

 

teenbeats

Yvonne Cleland… Teenbeats doing ‘I Can’t Control Myself’? Outstanding! Go Huggy! x

Strawbs story – 1974 by Philip John – Mott Road Crew Live

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supplied by Philip John

Philip John… London Gardens,home of The London Knights Ice Hockey Team !
First time we’ve played in an ice rink. The line up for this show had been changed due to Queen having to drop out. The Strawbs were topping the bill as they were in the charts with ‘Part of the union’ followed by us then Blue Oyster Cult were opening. The Cult weren’t too happy about this as they’d just brought out their new album ‘Secret Treaties’ and the top track ‘Career of evil’ written by Patti Smith who was also the lead singers girlfriend at that time was getting a lot of radio play.
Anyway before we started the load in the staff covered the ice rink in straw mats. This stopped it being slippery but didn’t do much for the chill factor.Still everything went off OK and once the show started I headed off to check out BOC. Got to say they were a great heavy rock band with biker overtones. Eric the singer came on in full leathers cracking a 10 ft bull whip and they really got the crowd going. Mind you I couldn’t help but notice that once the hall filled up the place began to fill up with clouds of vapour and I wondered if the Cult had a dry ice machine back stage. On further investigation it turned out to be the ice floor warming up .
Mott went on next and went down a storm even though they were partly obscured by the clouds of moisture rising from the floor. I began to think we were rather lucky not to have been topping the bill that night. Blue Weaver who was currently sharing keyboard duties went back stage to catch up with the guys from the Strawbs, seemed he’d spent a few years on the road with them before he’d joined Mott. They were also getting a bit worried about the steaming ice but thought they’d go ahead and play anyway.
Well by halfway through their set they were almost totally invisible . Great clouds of vapour had enveloped the audience and the stage. Occasionally a spare hand or guitar neck would become visible soon to vanish leaving us with with this strange disembodied music floating through the mists.
When the show finished the management opened all the exits and the vapour clouds slowly dispersed. Fortunatly every one saw the funny side of this and as we all got paid there was no problems.
I believe The Stones also played this gig, can’t imagine they were as easy going as our lo