10/01/1980 |
Manchester Polytechnic |
Manchester |
02/02/1980 |
Manchester Polytechnic |
Manchester |
29/02/1980
Some tracks appear on "Totales Turns" |
Palm Cove |
Bradford |
07/03/1980 |
MPH Building, Kings College |
London |
08/03/1980 |
Erics |
Liverpool |
09/03/1980 |
Fan Club |
Leeds |
11/03/1980 |
Community Hall |
Grimsby |
13/03/1980 |
Astoria |
London |
14/03/1980 |
Pathfoot Hall |
Stirling Univ |
15/03/1980 |
Technical College, Glasgow |
|
16/03/1980 |
Stagecoach, Dumfries |
|
18/03/1980 |
Birmingham
In the repository - not yet reviewed |
|
20/03/1980 |
Polytechnic
Appears to be a very good quality audience tape. Some limited audience chatter.
Paul Hanley's first gig. A remarkable performance. Second on the bill to "The Cramps" explaining the curtailed set time.
The second documented live performance of "CnC-S.Mithering" kicks things off as a shorter "Crap-Rap" type rant come gig opener. "Fiery Jack" sets the pace - manic pacing - scratchy guitars and yelping vocal theatrics from the singer. "Hobgoblins" is in the same vein. Things are slowed with a brooding tension wracked "Frightened" - the last documented outing for this excellent number. Paul drops a beat on "Rowche Rumble" not suprising given the pace that it is taken at.
"2nd Dark Age" is presented as an anarchic mangle of sound, and the next "Impression of J Temperance" suffers from timing problems. "English Scheme" gets the band back on track with a mid-tempo almost laconic delivery the words slurring over the rhythm. "J.Quays" motors along in its usual fashion with young Mr Hanley coping admirably with the drum fills. The sound deteriorates slightly on "Flat of Angles" with Smith being lost somewhat in the mix. There are some serious problems with one of the guitarists playing in the wrong key at the start of "Your Heart Out". There is some feedback and the sound again suffers.
The set finishes with an early reading of "Elastic Man" which demonstrates some early phrasing differences.
All in all an excellent little set dogged with a few niggling little problems. Historically important because of the first appearance of this line-up of the band and the final performance of "Frightened". |
Manchester
Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
Kay Carroll - Backing Vocals on "Your Heart Out"
C'n'C-s Mithering (0:57)
Fiery Jack (5:23)
City Hobgoblins (2:17)
Frightened (4:45)
Rowche Rumble (4:36)
Second Dark Age (2:12)
Impression of J. Temperance (4:01)
English Scheme (2:11)
No Xmas for John Quays (5:44)
Flat of Angles (4:25)
Your Heart Out (3:08)
How I Wrote Elastic Man (4:58)
Total gig length = 44:43
|
21/03/1980 |
Electric Ballroom Camden London |
|
17/04/1980 |
Electric Ballroom
A couple of versions available to your reviewer. Words this time are dedicated to the slightly better version sourced from band gigography meister Stefan Cooke...slightly tinny and a little overloud at times but generally very listenable.
Immense. Hanley P's second gig. The gruppe headline a thursday night in Camden. The transition from "Dragnet" to "Grotesque" is palpable. Smith's disbelief in the power of his band adds a tension at the commencement - but therein after its a full blown Fall experience.
The stand out is the rare and wonderful "Cary Grant's" which is a unrelenting and scabrous in its Fall-ness.
The rest is just a delight and despite the less than the excellent sound is an experience worth anyones 53:03.
If anyone asks questions the validity of the band then this is a testament to the unrelenting noise that this group at the zenith of its powers can produce.
Words are not enough...listen
|
London
Mark E. Smith (vocals)
Craig Scanlon (guitar)
Marc Riley (guitar, keyboards)
Steve Hanley (bass)
Paul Hanley (drums)
Kay Carroll (vocals on Repetition)
Cramps Rap (0:42)
English Scheme (2:21)
Fiery Jack (6:41)
Totally Wired (3:02)
City Hobgoblins (incomplete) (0:55)
Flat of Angles (4:43)
How I Wrote Elastic Man (4:45)
Rowche Rumble (4:32)
Impression of J. Temperance (4:03)
Your Heart Out (3:41)
Cary Grant's Wedding (3:47)
Dice Man (1:45)
In My Area (4:43)
Repetition (7:15)
|
11/05/1980 |
Rainbow Club
Excellent recording
Notable gig. First documented live performances of "New Face in Hell" and "New Puritan" with the last documented performance of "Rebellious Jukebox".
Excellent performance from the new line-up which was only a few gigs old. Recording is exemplary with the whole band being very clear.
Interesting early version of "Totally Wired" with some significant variations to the single version with Smith employing a lot of vibrato on the "Wired" of the "Totally Wired" chorus and at several points in the song.
I can't fault any of the performances on this excellent gig. Highly recommended. |
London
Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar
Marc Riley - Guitar, keyboards
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
New Face in Hell (4:18)
English Scheme (2:14)
Rebellious Jukebox (3:08)
A Figure Walks (4:37)
City Hobgoblins (2:39)
Fiery Jack (6:02)
Totally Wired (2:57)
How I Wrote Elastic Man (4:56)
Rowche Rumble (4:50)
New Puritan (4:42)
Total Set Length = 40:25
|
14/05/1980 |
Cyprus Tavern, Manchester |
|
24/05/1980 |
The Paddock |
Harpole |
28/05/1980 |
Beach Club Manchester |
|
13/06/1980 |
Effenharr
Medium quality audience tape
The band toured the Netherlands between the 1st and 14th June playing eleven dates. As far as is known only this date survives from the tour. This is unique due to the presence of Steve Davies on drums or more appropriately percussion on some of the tracks. Its readily apparent that Davies has had little rehearsal time and does not possess Paul Hanleys dexterity in the percussion area. Hanley was absent doing his school examinations. We are left with the band playing over some rather lumpen drumming or madness on Bongoes, several dropped beats and the sound resolving into a mad mix between the Glitter Band and that mob that did "My Sharona". At one point during "John Quays" Smith yells "...and the drummer better get the f***ing beat right".
Having said that this is an entertaining evening because of its peculiarity. Smith spends quite a deal of time advising the audience on the numbers. An altogether insane version of "Stop Mithering" leads into a jaunty "Elastic Man", this is followed a reasonable take on "Hobgoblins" which misses Hanleys touch. "In my area" features the bongo madness of Steve Davies and is very strange indeed. A Glitter Band version of "Totally Wired" sort of gets there.
"John Quays" is madness personified - rhythmically all over the place but uniquely compelling. Davies manages to get the martial beat on "J Temperance" just about right. Oddly Hanley and Scanlon seem slightly off the pace and only manic keyboard scribbles from Riley hold it together.
"Flat of Angles" hangs together quite well and is followed by a dense and memorable reading of "New Puritan". Davies, again, cannot handle the rhythm of "A Figure Walks" and there is an odd mixture of him being exactly on the beat but struggling at other times. The version of "Dice Man" is completely unlike any version I have ever heard - again it seems to work in this peculiar alternative form.
Smith intones "Its Gramme Friday 13, 13" before the band - again bongoed up - stumbles through "New Face in Hell".
Essential due to the unique nature of the line-up and the oddness of the performance but hardly the band at their best.
Acknowledgement - thanks to Tempo House for making slightly better version available (edited 31st August 2006) |
Eindhoven
Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Steve Davis - Drums/Percussion
Stop Mithering (1:07)
How I Wrote Elastic Man (4:08)
City Hobgoblins (2:55)
In My Area (4:22)
Totally Wired (3:58)
No Xmas for John Quays (4:53)
Impression of J. Temperance (3:52)
Flat of Angles (3:54)
New Puritan (4:27)
A Figure Walks (4:01)
Dice Man (1:50)
New Face in Hell (3:58)
Total Gig Time = 43:30
|
18/06/1980 |
ICA The Mall
Very good recording.
Another exceptional gig from the Autumn/Winter tour in 1980. Things seems a little more vibrant than the Acklam Hall gig several weeks later. Smith is in fine form with some impressive vocal histrionics and verbal improvisation together with a masterful use of the Kazoo.
The interesting thing here is the slightly out of kilter version of "Muzorewis Daughter" where for the first verse/chorus at least there is a slight variation on the riff.
Other than that excellent performances from the band throughout. A sort of sense of the band being totally in tune with their music and driving it on with confidence allowing the singer the space to develop his vision. Of particular note is Paul's drumming which has an effortless funky swing about it.
Not essential but well worth having. |
London
Mark E. Smith - Vocals, Kazoo
Craig Scanlon - Guitar
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
Slags,Slates etc>Container Drivers (4:17)
Gramme Friday (3:31)
City Hobgoblins (2:32)
New Face in Hell (5:49)
Muzorewi's Daughter (3:54)
Leave the Capitol (4:27)
Fiery Jack (5:39)
An Older Lover (6:28)
Jawbone and the Air Rifle(3:49)
English Scheme (2:10)
The N.W.R.A. (9:30)
Pay Your Rates (3:14)
How I Wrote Elastic Man (5:36)
Total Gig Length = 60:56
|
28/06/1980 |
New Tyne Theatre
Unfortunately the version I have is missing the last five tracks.
Medium audience tape. Tends to be muffled in places and also there is some serious microphone distortion in places.
Commentary on this is a tad difficult due to the fact I am missing quite a sizeable proportion of the gig. The sound is generally poor and whilst the performance sounds very good it is hard to distinguish a lot of the nuances.
Unique for the very short hybrid version of "NWRA" and S.Mithering" at the start.
Not essential unless someone has a better copy! |
Newcastle
Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
The N.W.R.A/S.Mithering Hybrid (1:58)
2nd Dark Age (1:56)
Impression of J. Temperance (3:58)
City Hobgoblins (2:18)
Totally Wired (3:15)
Muzorewi's Daughter (3:29)
Fiery Jack (4:40)
Gramme Friday (3:13)
Printhead (2:24)
English Scheme (2:01)
New Face In Hell (4:40)
Choc-Stock
Dice Man
New Puritan
Psycho Mafia
Stepping Out
Total Gig Length = ??? |
29/06/1980 |
Valentinos Edinburgh |
|
23/07/1980 |
Marquee, London |
|
24/07/1980 |
Marquee, London |
|
25/07/1980 |
Winter Gardens, Malvern |
|
28/07/1980 |
Deeply Vale Festival
Appears to be a soundboard.
Yes .......The Fall did play Deeply Vale in 1980 and here is the evidence (as seen in the announcement from Sounds above).
What a great gig. Band tight. Smith grumpy/angry. 900% better soundwise than the other Deeply Vale release.
Simply this is the band getting into the groove. It would be wrong to single out any one track. The interesting thing is the bile delivered by MES against the music industry and current lable bosses. Also the active displeasure that his band was too "cabaret". Things are resolved and reduced to the pure nature of the Fall in "NWRA".
Listen to this.
|
Blackburn
Mark E. Smith - Vocals, Kazoo, Hacking Cough
Craig Scanlon - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
In My Area (partial) (0:45)
Totally Wired (3:39)
Gramme Friday (3:28)
That Man (1:48)
Underground Medecin- Fit and Working Hybrid (3:44)
Fiery Jack (5:10)
The N.W.R.A. (6:54)
2nd Dark Age (1:58)
Choc-Stock (3:34)
Total Gig Length = 30:03
|
31/07/1980 |
Rafters Manchester |
|
29/08/1980 |
Railway Working Mens Club |
Nelson |
12/09/1980 |
Cleopatra's Huddersfield |
|
13/09/1980 |
The Leadmill, Sheffield |
|
27/09/1980 |
Tatton Community Centre |
Chorley |
02/10/1980 |
Polytechnic
Middling quality tape. Some wow and flutter and volume dips and some minimal audience noise. However audible and the gig can be enjoyed - albeit from a distance
A special gig. The agenda is set with the band playing a loose guitar riff over which Mark comments on the band, its reputation, its relationship with the music industry and then exhorts the band to get on with it.
Tonight Mark is stunning. He moves the band on, he covers several octaves with shrieks and yelps and he tangles and mangles his words in coruscating patterns over an extremely tight band. He is declamatory and baleful, alive and intense.
Most of Grotesque and the attendant singles are played and we get the pleasure of a couple of old tunes and a new one to balance out the set. From "Jawbone" inwards this is a riffy and sensuous performance. The vocal acrobatics on "Wired" are amazing and Riley's incredibly funky keyboard on "New Face in Hell" is a revelation.
Mark addresses the fellaters in the audience and launches into a swinging and stomping take on "Gramme Friday" - full of tension and release and interlocking sounds. A quick gallop through "That Man" leads to an intense "S.Mithering" complete with MES keyboard noises and an interjection from Kay Carroll.
"Container Drivers" is fast and tight, "Rowche Rumble" complete with keyboard scrapes is suitably scrabrous. "In the Park" just about hangs together as the band is pressed into a speed trials...into a fast paced "Pay Your Rates". The pressure is lifted as the band rolls into an excellent version of a "A figure walks" - memorably mesmeric and motivational.
The "City Hobgoblins" tap-tap-tap their way into Cavendish and pogo round the room in manic glee as Mark slides the words around the riffs. And as if the audience havent had enough excitement the gig closes with a memorable ramble through the majesty that is "The NWRA" - Mark gives a broad introduction to the Totale dynasty and then scourges the audience into willing submission.
Despite the poor sound this is an essential gig. |
Manchester
Mark E. Smith -Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar, Backing Vocals
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
"Guitar Practise" (o:52)
Jawbone and the Air Rifle (3:36)
Totally Wired (3:33)
New Face in Hell (5:04)
Gramme Friday (3:49)
That Man (1:50)
C'n'C-s Mithering (6:15)
Container Drivers (2:56)
Rowche Rumble (5:00)
In the Park (2:12)
Pay Your Rates (3:09)
A Figure Walks (4:32)
City Hobgoblins (2:52)
The N.W.R.A. (7:32)
Total gig length = 53:19
|
18/10/1980 |
Downtown Kampus Cork |
|
??/11/1980 |
Disputed Venue & Date, London |
|
01/11/1980 |
Polytechnic Manchester |
|
13/11/1980 |
Leeds |
|
15/11/1980 |
Rock Garden, Middlesborough |
|
18/11/1980 |
The Boat Club Nottingham |
|
19/11/1980 |
Blue Note, Derby |
|
20/11/1980 |
Cedar Ballroom
Excellent - some minimal noise on the quieter numbers.
An exceptionally clear recording from the 1980 Winter tour. Contemporary with the Acklam Hall recording (Legendary Chaos tapes) which took place a couple weeks afterwards. Well presented material from "Slates", "Grotesque" & recent singles, with the addition of the earlier "Printhead" and "U.Medecin" of which this is the last documented recording.
This is the surly and uncompromising Fall of the late 80s, on the cusp of a change to a more keyboard driven sound, exorcising some demons and believing that they were universally hated. In that context that biting bile and sarcastic tinge to these tunes is both undestandable and refreshing. Here is a combo painting its place in history with a unique from of music and a totally uncompromising attitude. Having said that its apparent that this audience is enjoying the gig.
Notably "Printhead" appears to lack bite - the guitar is strangely distant and Hanley P's drum fills dominate. Other than this the band is incredibly tight - ably evidenced with a tense take on "Older Lover" with guitars weaving in and out. "Capitol" is particularly good - Smith's lyrics are clear, the band providing an energetic pulse over a controlled rant.
The version of "Underground Medecin"is fast with a motorik beat and Smith galloping through the words and the band adding new riffs and guitar lines.
An essential gig. |
Birmingham
Mark E. Smith - Vocals
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Kazoo, Backing Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar, Backing vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
Slates, Slags, etc. (2:58)
Container Drivers (3:41)
Jawbone and the Air Rifle (3:51)
Totally Wired (3:47)
New Face in Hell (5:19)
Printhead (2:58)
An Older Lover (5:20)
City Hobgoblins (2:24)
Leave the Capitol (4:20)
Pay Your Rates (3:06)
The N.W.R.A. (8:56)
English Scheme (2:05)
Underground Medecin (2:54)
Total Gig Length = 52:06
|
21/11/1980 |
North London Polytechnic
Appears to be a middling quality soundboard - a touch muffled, hissy and some microphone distortion in places - volume tends to fluctuate but all in all very listenable
This tour is clearly adequately covered by the official release "Live in London - the original Chaos Tapes" (Castle CD 2006). Notwithstanding that this is an excellent recording of the band during the Slates/Grotesque era. All of the material is from these two releases with the exception of "Muzorewis Daughter" and the contemporary singles.
Notable points - a name check for Julian Cope (the uh-compere) prior to "Container Drivers", a manic kazoo vocal exercise in echo manipulation on "New Face in Hell" and a wacky psychdelic version of "Totally Wired" caused by the echo effect being left on Marc Rileys backing vocals for the first part of the song.
The opening "Slates" is cut short but features so interest observations on academic male slags and there failure to grasp local culture. A fascinating insight into the inner core of the meaning of this song. There is also a slightly different take on the guitar riffs on "Capitol" which adds an angular jaunty feel.
The open lines to "NWRA" feature a declamatory aside regarding Middlesborough and some spite about football and the closing "English Scheme" is presaged by a barbed swipe about support from one assumes the audience and after the song a closing remark about the food being OK and a cryptic "we said it...Safe House ok!"
Not essential but good for the context of the Acklam Hall gigs a few weeks later and the mysterious coded messages from Mark.
|
London
Mark E. Smith - Vocals, Kazoo
Marc Riley - Guitar, Keyboards, Kazoo, Backing Vocals
Craig Scanlon - Guitar, Backing vocals
Steve Hanley - Bass
Paul Hanley - Drums
Slates, Slags, etc. (2:44)
Container Drivers (3:34)
Gramme Friday (3:26)
New Face in Hell (5:41)
Totally Wired (3:44)
An Older Lover (5:02)
Leave the Capitol (3:38)
Impression of J. Temperance (4:13)
How I Wrote Elastic Man (5:07)
Pay Your Rates (3:00)
The N.W.R.A. (8:44)
Muzorewi's Daughter (3:39)
Encore Call (1:05)
C'n'C-s Mithering (5:08)
English Scheme (2:49)
|
11/12/1980 |
Acklam Hall, London |
London |
12/12/1980 |
Acklam Hall
In the repository - not yet reviewed |
London |