“I actually bought this single! I picked it up at one of their gigs at The Commercial in Stalybridge.
It wasn't as good as the live versions of the songs but wasn't too bad.
The band would be be described as 'Punk Jazz Rock'. They were a trio of brilliant musicians that sort of lost their way, starting as a jazz influenced rock band that, due to the time (late '70s), were caught in the whirlwind of Punk/New Wave.”
“I was lending my PA and mikes to a trio called HORIZON, a Genesissy type thing with Lee Cooper on vocals. I'd been to a 'do' beforehand and was wearing a suit and tie. I'd just finished setting the gear up and sat down on my own with a beer when 3 17 year old ersatz bikers came in and started to comment on me being a Mod in a bikers pub! Knobheads!
But I did have some good times in there, even if the draft beer was almost undrinkable-Happy Days!”
“I'd been press-ganged by a friend to help serve burgers and sausage butties from the 'Divine Light Mission' tent, which was strange because they were all vegetarians!
The Freshies were brilliant, I remember, but The Damned were disapointing. I missed Ronnie Laine, which was a pity, and was too busy to catch the others.”
“I was at the gig giving F104 a lift with their gear. I remember the trouble. It seemed to be from a bit of a mix up with the punks thinking the rockers were Nazis, but it seemed to get sorted in the end. Both band were brilliant, but, although Dave Smith was active, I don't remember F104 doing any more ROR gigs.”
“I went to this gig with Steve Perrin & Mike Finney of the Distractions as I was going out with Steve's sister Gill (where are you now?) It was so cool, I was really sadly starstruck, because I got to meet Ian Curtis & Pete Hook. Pete hook reckoned the Distractions would chart before Joy Division and had a £5 bet with Mike Finney on it. I wonder if he ever paid him?
2 quid to see all those bands eh?”
“I used to see The Trend regularly at the Spread Eagle in Ashton-Under-Lyne and The Gransmoor in Openshaw. A brilliant live band, like a really good Boomtown Rats, they couldn't transfer the energy onto record. They were signed by MCA and did a tour with, Would you believe it, Wishbone Ash!”
“I know with hindsight that the gigs title "Stuff the Superstars" was a bit ironic with Joy Division about to go stratospheric, The Distractions having just been signed to Island Records, and we all know about the ugly little singer from the Frantic Elevators!
It was an amazing gig, bringing together a lot of the best talent at the time in Manchester.
If I remember rightly The Liggers were just a scratch together band from some of the others on the bill. There was also The Glass Animals featuring Pip Nichols from The Distractions.”
“I was given a copy of the album (alas lost now) by a friend who did some backing vocals on it. -he was dragged along to the studio by a session guitarist he knew. Niether were mentioned on the credits, but I'm sure Colin Seddon of AQUA & BITING TONGUES fame appeared on it.”
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It wasn't as good as the live versions of the songs but wasn't too bad.
The band would be be described as 'Punk Jazz Rock'. They were a trio of brilliant musicians that sort of lost their way, starting as a jazz influenced rock band that, due to the time (late '70s), were caught in the whirlwind of Punk/New Wave.”