Rewind: Moving Targets - Penetration (3rd October 1978)

Moving Targets - Penetration

Virgin

Proudced by Mick Glossop and Mike Howlett

Released 3rd October 1978

UK Chart #22

Side One

Side Two

Personnel

    Pauline Murray - vocals
    Fred Purser - lead guitar; keyboards on "Reunion"
    Neale Floyd - guitar
    Robert Blamire - bass
    Gary Smallman - drums, percussion

*************

It's amazing to think that Moving Targets is 40 Years Old today! It's an album that I have never had to blow the dust off or brush off the cobwebs because it gets played often and even after 40 years I never tire of listening to it.

Penetration were formed in 1976 in County Durham but at first were called The Points and played their debut live show at the Rock Garden in Middlesbourgh in October 1976. Their second live performance saw them supporting The Stranglers at Newcastle City Hall! The change of name came from the Iggy and The Stooges track Penetration that was released in 1973 on the Raw Power album.

The band signed to Virgin Records and in November 1977 released their debut single Don't Dictate which is widely regarded as a Punk Classic. They followed up in March 1978 with the excellent Firing Squad single. 

 (Firing Squad Picture Sleeve)

Neither single dented the chart and the single released as the forerunner to the debut album, Life's A Gamble, didn't set the chart on fire either! 

It's a shame because all three singles were really decent quality tunes and fortunately the debut album would be the one to open the door to some much deserved chart activity.

The first two singles were not included on the album though when reissued on CD both A & B Sides were present.

A John Peel Session was recorded on 5th July 1978 and it included Future Daze, Vision, Stone Heroes and Movement, all of which would appear on the Debut album.

Nine of the eleven tracks were written by members of the band and it ends suprisingly with two cover versions, firstly Nostalgia which had been on the second album Love Bites by Buzzcocks (released only a month before!)  and secondly Free Money, written by Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye (and had originally appeared on the Horses album from 1975).

Whilst those cover versions are excellent it's actually the quality of their own writing that really stands out for me. They had grown musically as a band from their debut single to what is offered here on the debut album. A lot of that I think can be put down to the twin guitar attack of Neale Floyd (who had replaced the original guitarist Gary Chaplin, who departed in March 1978) and Fred Purser (who joined in July 1978).

Whilst the studio versions of the songs are just brilliant it was actually the live performances that really captured the sheer force and energy of the songs.

Don't Dictate (Electric Circus 1977).

Life's A Gamble (Reading Festival 1978).

Lovers of Outrage (Reading Festival 1978).

Future Daze (on Alright Now 1979).

Lovers of Outrage (on Alright Now 1979).

 BBC In Concert 7th July 1979 Paris Theatre London.

Nostalgia (Northumbria University 2002).

Stone Heroes (Northumbria University 2002).

Firing Squad (Northumbria University 2002).

Listening to this once again brings up great memories of shows at The Marquee in Wardour Street and The Lyceum Ballroom down at The Strand in London. 

"Sometimes there's a song in my brain
And I feel that my heart knows the refrain
I guess it's just the music
That brings on nostalgia for an age yet to come" 

- (Nostalgia - Pete Shelley)

Happy Birthday Pauline Murray

(Photo by Phil King)

Happy Birthday To Pauline Murray

Born On This Day in 1958

Pauline Murray will be out on Tour supporting The Mission in 2017

The Playlist

(Photo by Davy Ellis)

On The Playlist

Don't Dictate - Penetration (Live at The Electric Circus)

Firing Squad - Penetration (Single)

Life's A Gamble - Penetraion (Live at Reading Festival)

Future Daze - Penetration (All Right Now TV Performance)

Lovers of Outrage - Penetration (All Right Now TV Performance) 

Danger Signs - Penetration (Peel Session)

Nostalgia - Penetration (Live at Thames Poly)

Dream Sequence - Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls (TV Performance)

Searching For Heaven - Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls (Single)

New Age - Pauline Murray and The Storm (Single)

This Thing Called Love - Pauline Murray (Single)

Our World - Penetration (Single)

Beat Goes On - Penetration (Official Video)

Silent Community/ Don't Dictate - Penetration (Live at 100 Club, London 2016)

I Don't Mind - Penetration (Buzzcocks Cover for Pledge Campaign)

Free Money - Penetration (Patti Smith Cover on Debut Album Moving Targets) 

The S4L Comeback Album of The Year 2015 - Penetration + The Rezillos

Making a decision as to what would be The S4L Comeback Album of the Year 2015 was actually not too difficult except for the problem that there were two contenders, both of whom had not released an album in 30+ years!


First up there was Resolution by Penetration. It had been 36 years since the last album Coming Up For Air. Having been back playing live since 2002 and only to have released a couple of singles (Our World - 2008, The Feeling - 2010) a brand spanking new album from them was most welcome indeed.

Second up was Zero by The Rezillos. It had been 37 years since their debut studio album Can't Stand The Rezillos was recorded and released in July 1978 on Sire Records, and less than a year later a live album Mission Accomplished...But The Beat Goes On also hit the stores (You can listen to both albums here!). By time the live album came out they had already been split up more than 8 months and had played their final show together in December 1978 (which was recorded for the said album). The band have been playing live again since 2001 and vocalists Faye Fife and Eugene Reynolds, and drummer Angel Paterson are the only remaining original members of the band.  

Like Penetration, The Rezillos have only released a few singles since reforming (2009's No.1 Boy, 2011's Out of This World and a live version of Top of the Pops in 2012) so a full length Second Studio album after 37 years is well worth the wait.

It seemed a shame to give one the honour and exclude the other so they both share the distinction of being The S4L Comeback Album of the Year 2015.

 Resolution - Penetration

Polestar 
Produced by Robert Blamire

Released 9th October 2015

Louder Than War Review.

Louder Than War Interview with Pauline Murray.

NE:MM Interview with Penetration.

Vinyl Guru on The Resolution of Penetration.

Beat Goes On (Promo Video).

 Zero - The Rezillos
Metropolis Records
Released 16th March 2015 

Update 22/12/15: You Tube seem to have removed the Full Album which they themselves had uploaded (they seem to be doing this with a lot of albums these days). Apologies. So here's a couple of tracks from the album.

 Pop Matters Reviews Zero.
Louder Than War Review.
Punk News Review.
Record Collector Review.

Beat Goes On - Penetration (New Video)

As a forerunner to the up and coming first album in 36 years Penetration have released a brand spanking new Promo Video for the song

 Beat Goes On

 

 (Photo by Davy Ellis)

The Brand New Album from Penetration called 'Resolution' will be released 9th October 2015

I Don't Mind (Buzzcocks Cover).

 
Interview with Penetration August 2015.

Rewind: 1979 Coming Up For Air - Penetration

Coming Up For Air - Penetration

Virgin

Produced by Steve Lilywhite

Released 10th September 1979

UK Chart #36

Personnel

Pauline Murray - Vocals

Neale Floyd - Guitar

Fred Purser - Guitar

Robert Blamire - Bass

Gary Smallman - Drums

Side A

01 Shout Above The Noise 4.02
02 She Is The Slave 3.05
03 Last Saving Grace 2.53
04 Killed In The Rush 1.46
05 Challenge 3.56
Side B
06 Come Into The Open 2.48
07 What's Going On ? 3.05
08 Party's Over 2.46
09 On Reflection 2.05
10 Lifeline 2.51
11 New Recruit 2.59

Single From The Album

Come Into the Open / Lifeline

 A month after the album was released Penetration broke up.

Live 19789 

Contains two live shows including their final show on 14th October 1979 in Newcastle 

The Thames Poly show would have been just as the debut album 'Moving Targets' was released and ten of the tracks represented on the album are part of the set (only 'Reunion' is missing). Two highlights from this particular set are the two cover versions, Patti Smith's 'Free Money' and Buzzcocks' 'Nostalgia' (kind of funny that only a month before the release of Penetration's debut that Buzzcocks had released their second album 'Love Bites' which contained 'Nostalgia'. Both bands had been out on the road together on the 'Entertaining Friends Tour').

The second show is their final show (though they did reform in 2001 and are still out and about today) and the spotlight shifts to the 'Coming Up For Air' album. The songs may not be as strong as the debut but the band actually sound much better (the inclusions of Neale Floyd and Fred Purser on guitar after Gary Chaplin departed was really bearing fruit). With the band knowing it was the last gig they seemed to play with greater abandon laying down an excellent 26 song set (that included a final encore of 'Firing Squad', 'Don't Dictate' and 'Danger Signs' for the second time that night).

Penetration are about to release a brand new album, these days only Pauline Murray and Robert Blamire (he has produced the album) are the only original members left. Album is titled New Resolution. The album features John Maher, once of Buzzcocks pounding the drums. It is their first album for 36 Years! Fred Purser also makes an appearance on the album (as well as Mixing it).

Listen to a track from the album here!

Interview with Penetration August 2015.

The August Album Challenge: 10. Coloured Record

I don't really remember a lot of records that were on Coloured Vinyl prior to the whole Punk and New Wave Scene, I'm sure there was some (maybe have to do some investigating and see what the first record was to have Coloured Vinyl).

But there were loads of singles I can remember that came out on Coloured Vinyl like 999's Nasty Nasty (Green), Sound of the Suburbs - The Members and Life Begins at the Hop - XTC (Clear), C.I.D. - UK Subs (Red, Orange, Blue, Green and a couple of others as well I think), Warhead - UK Subs (Brown), Friday's Angels - Generation X (Orange, Red, Pink and Yellow), Banana Splits - The Dickies (Yellow), Eve of Destruction - The Dickies (Pink), Picture This - Blondie (Yellow), Shadow - The Lurkers (Red), and loads more. I had a Stranglers EP, an American release that was kind of a lucious Pink swirl, and whilst scratching my head think of another album that was coloured vinyl I vaguely recall that Road to Ruin by Ramones was issued on Yellow vinyl.

My choice though is an album that is one of my absolute all-time favourites. I still play this album, sadly not on vinyl these days because I don't have a turntable (but I still have a copy of it that's a bit beaten and worn from a lot of play previously when I did have a player).

I don't think there's a bad track on the album myself, others would probably disagree. Hard to say what my favourite track is on the album but if pressed I'd say it's a toss up between Lovers of Outrage, Nostalgia and Free Money, I can't decide really but the top spot is swaped around between those three!

 The First 15,000 copies on luminous vinyl

Moving Targets - Penetration

Virgin Records

Produced by Mike Howlett and Mick Glossop

Released October 1978

UK Chart #22

Personnel

Pauline Murray - Vocals

Neale Floyd - Guitar

Fred Purser - Guitar

Robert Blamire - Bass

Gary Smallman - Drums

Original Tracklist

Side One

01. Future Daze

02. Life's A Gamble

03. Lovers of Outrage

04. Vision

05. Silent Community

06. Stone Heroes

Side Two

01. Movement

02. Too Many Friends

03. Reunion

04. Nostalgia (Buzzcocks Cover)

05. Free Money (Patti Smith Cover)

Moving Targets was #6 in the Sounds Critics' Album of the Year and #13 in the NME Critics' Album of the Year.

Singles from the album

"Life’s A Gamble" / "V.I.P." (September 1978: VS 226)

Alphabet Beats #109: P is for....Penetration

P is for....

 Penetration L to R: Pauline Murray, Robert Blamire, Gary Smallman, and Neale Floyd.

Formed in County Durham back in 1976 (after witnessing Sex Pistols play live in Manchester, Pauline Murray has said "The Pistols made you feel as though you could go and try to do it yourself. They made me start singing"), Penetration were for me one of the premier bands of the ever growing Punk scene of 1977. Their debut single 'Don't Dictate' is regarded as a true classic from the era and the band had got the deal I believe as a result of their support slot at The Roxy with Generation X.

Further single releases showed how they were getting better, 'Firing Squad', 'Life's A Gamble' and 'Danger Signs' are all real quality tunes. Their debut album 'Moving Targets' is one of the best releases from the era and has never been out of my favourite albums of all time list. Personally I think their music still stands the test of time.

Click on the links to enjoy the music.

 Albums

    Moving Targets (October 1978: V 2109) First 15,000 copies on luminous vinyl # 22 UK Albums Chart
    Coming Up For Air (September 1979: V 2131) # 36 UK

BBC In Concert 27/06/79.

 Penetration Live 19789 (2008 Easy Action).

'Live 1978-79' is a two disc set consisting of two live shows. The first from The Thames Polytechnic on the 16th December 1978 and the second, their final show at Newcastle City Hall on the 14th October 1979 in it's entirity (previously a few tracks had been released on the official bootleg 'Race Against Time' in 1979 but as far as I'm aware this is the first time the whole show has had a proper release). 

I had the pleasure of seeing them live quite a few times way back when and whilst these two shows are quite different from each other, they are a testament to exactly how good they were when on stage. Not only is Pauline Murray an exceptional vocalist but the band are pretty tight and seemed to be more musically gifted than some of the other bands who were around at the time (the band were: Pauline Murray - Vocals, Robert Blamire - Bass, Gary Chaplin - Guitar (1976-78), Neale Floyd - Guitar (1978-79), Fred Purser - Guitar (1978-79) and Gary Smallman - Drums (1976-79). The current line up has only Pauline and Robert as the original members). 

The Thames Poly show would have been just as the debut album 'Moving Targets' was released and ten of the tracks represented on the album are part of the set (only 'Reunion' is missing). Two highlights from this particular set are the two cover versions, Patti Smith's 'Free Money' and Buzzcocks' 'Nostalgia' (kind of funny that only a month before the release of Penetration's debut that Buzzcocks had released their second album 'Love Bites' which contained 'Nostalgia'. Both bands had been out on the road together on the 'Entertaining Friends Tour').

The second show is their final show (though they did reform in 2001 and are still out and about today) and the spotlight shifts to the 'Coming Up For Air' album. The songs may not be as strong as the debut but the band actually sound much better (the inclusions of Neale Floyd and Fred Purser on guitar after Gary Chaplin departed was really bearing fruit). With the band knowing it was the last gig they seemed to play with greater abandon laying down an excellent 26 song set (that included a final encore of 'Firing Squad', 'Don't Dictate' and 'Danger Signs' for the second time that night).

2015 News

There is a brand new Penetration album on the way as well via PledgeMusic. Fred Purser is back on Guitar and John Maher of Buzzcocks/Invisible Girls is pounding the drums.

Singles
 

"Don’t Dictate" / "Money Talks" (November 1977: VS 192) Re-released in 1983.
    "Firing Squad" / "Never" (May 1978: VS 213)
    "Life’s A Gamble" / "V.I.P." (September 1978: VS 226)
    "Danger Signs" / "Stone Heroes (Live)" (April 1979: VS 257) Also released, with an additional track "Vision (Live)", as a 12 inch single.
    "Come Into the Open" / "Lifeline" (August 1979: VS 268)

"Our World"/"Sea Song"/"Movement (Live)" (2008 Damaged Goods)

"The Feeling"/"Guilty"/"Come Into The Open (Live)" (2010 Damaged Goods).  

Penetration Live

Penetration re-animated (Live DVD 2002)

Recorded Live at Northumbria University - Some Highlights of the 16 song set.

Nostalgia.

She is the Slave.

Shout Above The Noise.

Don't Dictate/Come Into The Open.

Stone Heroes.

Firing Squad.

Rebellion Festival

2010

Life's A Gamble.

Nostalgia.

Free Money.

Shout Above the Noise.

2012

Don't Dictate/Danger Signs.

Lovers of Outrage.

Stone Heroes.

Don't Dictate (Electric Circus 1977).

Life's A Gamble (Reading Festival 1978).

Lovers of Outrage (Reading Festival 1978). 

Free Money (Undercover Festival 2014).

Reunion/Nostalgia (Undercover Festival 2014).

 SESSIONS
JOHN PEEL SESSION BROADCAST 10TH JULY 1978. 

Contains: Future Daze, Vision, Stone Heroes and Movement.

JOHN PEEL SESSION BROADCAST 7TH MARCH 1979. 

Contains: Danger Signs, Last Saving Grace and She Is The Slave.

Eccentric Sleeve Notes Interview.

 

Gems From My Collection: Pauline Murray & The Invisble Girls + More

Pauline Murray is best known as the lead vocalist of Penetration (more of them later), but once the band had finished she immediately launched into new musical territory backed by The Invisible Girls (who had been the backing band for John Cooper Clarke's studio albums).

She has also released music under the names Pauline Murray and The Storm, Pauline Murray and The Saint, and just as Pauline Murray. Hopefully if I can find links for each of these projects I'll include them here. Click on the links to enjoy the music.

 Pauline Murray and The Invisible Girls - RSO 3rd October 1980

Tracklist:
 1. Screaming in the Darkness  (3:37)
 2. Dream Sequence I  (3:20)
 3. European Eyes  (3:21)
 4. Shoot You Down (not album bersion but Peel Session Version)  (2:07)
 5. Sympathy  (2:48)
 6. Time Slipping  (4:04)
 7. Drummer Boy  (3:04)
 8. Thundertunes  (3:23)
 9. When Will We Learn  (3:35)
10. Mr. X (this is the 7" Single Version)  (4:27)
11. Judgement Day  (4:26).

Singles

Dream Sequences - 1980 Illusive Records.

A. Dream Sequence I

B. Dream Sequence II.

Mr X - Illusive Records 24th October 1980

  A. Mr X.

B. Two Shots.

Searching For Heaven - Illusive Records 3rd April 1981

Searching For Heaven.

Animal Crazy.

The Visitor.

John Peel Session 19th March 1980.

Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls - Live on Belgian TV 1980.

Shadow in My Mind/When We Were Young (Acoustic) - Live Stockton 14th November 2013.

Dream Sequence (Acoustic) - Live Stockton 14th November 2013.

Dream Sequence (with Band) - Live Newcastle 15th November 2013.

Time Slipping - Live Newcastle 15th November 2013.

When We Were Young (Acoustic) - Live Newcastle 15th November 2013.

Sympathy - Live Newcastle 15th November 2013.

Searching For Heaven - Live Newcastle 15th November 2013.

The Reissue - 1993

Tracklist for Reissue:
 1. Screaming in the Darkness  (3:37)
 2. Dream Sequence I  (3:20)
 3. European Eyes  (3:21)
 4. Shoot You Down  (2:07)
 5. Sympathy  (2:48)
 6. Time Slipping  (4:04)
 7. Drummer Boy  (3:04)
 8. Thundertunes  (3:23)
 9. When Will We Learn  (3:35)
10. Mr. X  (4:27)
11. Judgement Day  (4:26)
-Bonus Tracks-
12. The Visitor (Searching for Heaven EP)  (3:44)
13. Animal Crazy (Searching for Heaven EP)  (3:17)
14. Searching for Heaven (Searching for Heaven EP)  (2:59).

You might be interested to know that tracks 12-13 a certain guitarist named Wayne Hussey plays on them.

On track 14 Bernard Summer of New Order plays guitar.

Drums on all tracks by John Maher of Buzzcocks.

I was delighted to read that the album is getting a further reissue on 7th October 2014 with a Double Album/CD version.

"It's a bit of a missing link album," says Pauline today. "Written and recorded after punk, but before Martin Rushent and the Human League made airy pop respectable again. We chose the other Martin in 1980 because we wanted the incredible sounds he achieved for Joy Division and Magazine. Thundertunes, basically."

The Tracklist for the 2CD set is as follows:

Disc 1:
1. Screaming In the Darkness
2. Dream Sequence
3. European Eyes
4. Shoot You Down
5. Sympathy
6. Time Slipping
7. Drummer Boy
8. Thundertunes
9. When Will We Learn
10. Mr X
11. Judgement Day
12. Searching for Heaven
13. The Visitor
14. Animal Crazy
15. Dream Sequence II
16. Two Shots
17. Shoot You Down (Peel 3/1980)
18. Sympathy (Peel 3/1980)
19. When Will We Learn (Peel 3/1980)
20. Dream Sequence (Peel 3/1980)

Disc 2:
1. Screaming In the Darkness (live 1981)
2. Searching for Heaven (live 1981)
3. Time Slipping (live 1981)
4. Dream Sequence (live 1981)
5. Two Shots (live 1981)
6. When Will We Learn (live 1981)
7. Mr X (live 1981)
8. Animal Crazy (live 1981)
9. European Eyes (live 1981)
10. Thundertunes (live 1981)
11. Animal Crazy (live 1981)
11. Time Slipping (live 1981)
12. Dream Sequence (live 1981)
14. Two Shots (live 1981)
15. Sympathy (live 1980)
16. Dream Sequence (live 1980)
17. Time Slipping (live 1980)
18. Drummer Boy (live 1980)
19. European Eyes (live 1980)
20. Thundertunes (live 1980)
21. Shoot You Down (live 1980)
22. Judgement Day (live 1980)
23. When Will We Learn (live 1980)

For more information on the 2014 Reissue click here.

Pauline Murray and The Storm

New Age - Polestar, November 1986.

(This also had The Saint on it)

Holocaust.

Pauline Murray

This Thing Called Love/Mr Money/Pressure Zone 12" - Cat and Mouse Records 1989.

Released on Cat and Mouse Records in 1989.

Tracklist
This Thing Called Love (3:34) / Holocaust (2:19) / Soul Power (3:10) / No One Like You (2:57) / Another World (3:03) / Don't Give Up (4:58) // Pressure Zone (4:23) / Close Watch (3:07) / Everybody's Talking (3:06) / New Age (3:51) / Time (4:52).

Penetration

Don't Dictate 1977 Virgin Records

 Don't Dictate / Money Talks

Firing Squad - Virgin Records 1978

Firing Squad / Never

Life's A Gamble - Virgin Records 1978.

 Life's A Gamble / V.I.P.

Moving Targets LP - Virgin Records 1978

Listen to Moving Targets Album Here.

Danger Signs 12" - Virgin Records 1979.

Danger Signs / Stone Heroes (Live) / Vision (Live) 

Come Into the Open - Virgin Records 1979

Come Into the Open / Lifeline

Coming Up For Air LP - Virgin Records 1979

 Listen to Coming Up For Air Album Here.

Our World (Damaged Goods 2008).

 The Feeling (Damaged Goods 2010).

Penetration Live 1978-79 (Easy Action 2008)

'Live 1978-79' is a two disc set consisting of two live shows. The first from The Thames Polytechnic on the 16th December 1978 and the second, their final show at Newcastle City Hall on the 14th October 1979 in it's entirity (previously a few tracks had been released on 'Race Against Time' in 1979 but as far as I'm aware this is the first time the whole show has had a proper release).

The Thames Poly show would have been just as the debut album 'Moving Targets' was released and ten of the tracks represented on the album are part of the set (only 'Reunion' is missing). Two highlights from this particular set are the two cover versions, Patti Smith's 'Free Money' and Buzzcocks' 'Nostalgia' (kind of funny that only a month before the release of Penetration's debut that Buzzcocks had released their second album 'Love Bites' which contained 'Nostalgia').
The second show is their final show (though they did reform in 2001 and are still out and about today) and the spotlight shifts to the 'Coming Up For Air' album. The songs may not be as strong as the debut but the band actually sound much better (the inclusions of Neale Floyd and Fred Purser on guitar after Gary Chaplin departed was really bearing fruit). With the band knowing it was the last gig they seemed to play with greater abandon laying down an excellent 26 song set (that included a final encore of 'Firing Squad', 'Don't Dictate' and 'Danger Signs' for the second time that night).

Read here a great piece from Eccentric Sleeve Notes.

I had the pleasure of seeing them live quite a few times way back when and whilst these two shows are quite different from each other, they are a testament to exactly how good they were when on stage. Not only is Pauline Murray an exceptional vocalist but the band are pretty tight and seemed to be more musically gifted than some of the other bands who were around at the time (the band were Pauline Murray - Vocals, Robert Blamire - Bass, Gary Chaplin - Guitar (1976-78), Neale Floyd - Guitar (1978-79), Fred Purser - Guitar (1978-79) and Gary Smallman - Drums (1976-79). The current line up has only Pauline and Robert as the original members).

LIVE VIDEOS:

DON'T DICTATE LIVE AT ELECTRIC CIRCUS, MANCHESTER 1977. 

LOVERS OF OUTRAGE LIVE AT READING FESTIVAL 1978.

Don't Dictate/Danger Signs - Live at Rebellion 2012.

Re-animated DVD

 Nostalgia.

She is the Slave.

Don't Dictate/Come Into The Open.

Shout Above the Noise.

Stone Heroes.

Firing Squad.

SESSIONS:

JOHN PEEL SESSION BROADCAST 10TH JULY 1978. Contains: Future Daze, Vision, Stone Heroes and Movement.

JOHN PEEL SESSION BROADCAST 7TH MARCH 1979. Contains: Danger Signs, Last Saving Grace and She Is The Slave.

For more information regarding Pauline Murray click here for her official website.

Penetration - Live 1978-79 (Easy Action 2008)

I can hardly believe that in all the time that I've been doing this blog that I have never dedicated a whole post to one of my favourite bands from when I was a teenager, Penetration. I know I've maybe mentioned them in passing here and there but they are actually deserving of a post all of their own. Click on the links written in this colour to listen to audio of the band's music.

'Live 1978-79' is a two disc set consisting of two live shows. The first from The Thames Polytechnic on the 16th December 1978 and the second, their final show at Newcastle City Hall on the 14th October 1979 in it's entirity (previously a few tracks had been released on 'Race Against Time' in 1979 but as far as I'm aware this is the first time the whole show has had a proper release).

I had the pleasure of seeing them live quite a few times way back when and whilst these two shows are quite different from each other, they are a testament to exactly how good they were when on stage. Not only is Pauline Murray an exceptional vocalist but the band are pretty tight and seemed to be more musically gifted than some of the other bands who were around at the time (the band were Pauline Murray - Vocals, Robert Blamire - Bass, Gary Chaplin - Guitar (1976-78), Neale Floyd - Guitar (1978-79), Fred Purser - Guitar (1978-79) and Gary Smallman - Drums (1976-79). The current line up has only Pauline and Robert as the original members).

The Thames Poly show would have been just as the debut album 'Moving Targets' was released and ten of the tracks represented on the album are part of the set (only 'Reunion' is missing). Two highlights from this particular set are the two cover versions, Patti Smith's 'Free Money' and Buzzcocks' 'Nostalgia' (kind of funny that only a month before the release of Penetration's debut that Buzzcocks had released their second album 'Love Bites' which contained 'Nostalgia').

The second show is their final show (though they did reform in 2001 and are still out and about today) and the spotlight shifts to the 'Coming Up For Air' album. The songs may not be as strong as the debut but the band actually sound much better (the inclusions of Neale Floyd and Fred Purser on guitar after Gary Chaplin departed was really bearing fruit). With the band knowing it was the last gig they seemed to play with greater abandon laying down an excellent 26 song set (that included a final encore of 'Firing Squad', 'Don't Dictate' and 'Danger Signs' for the second time that night).

It's a really good release and I only stumbled over it after reading the Eccentric Sleeve Notes piece (link at the bottom of the page). I ordered it on Friday and now here it is already on my computer and blaring out very loud.

As a little bonus I thought it would be good to provide some musical links just incase you've never heard the band before. If you like them get the albums as they also have bonus live tracks and b-sides.
 

Don't Dictate 1977 Virgin Records

 Don't Dictate / Money Talks

Firing Squad - Virgin Records 1978

Firing Squad / Never

Life's A Gamble - Virgin Records 1978.

 Life's A Gamble / V.I.P.

Moving Targets LP - Virgin Records 1978

Listen to Moving Targets Album Here.

Danger Signs 12" - Virgin Records 1979.

Danger Signs / Stone Heroes (Live) / Vision (Live) 

Come Into the Open - Virgin Records 1979

Come Into the Open / Lifeline

Coming Up For Air LP - Virgin Records 1979

 Listen to Coming Up For Air Album Here.

Our World (Damaged Goods 2008).

 The Feeling (Damaged Goods 2010).

Read here a great piece from Eccentric Sleeve Notes.

LIVE VIDEOS:

DON'T DICTATE LIVE AT ELECTRIC CIRCUS, MANCHESTER 1977. 

LOVERS OF OUTRAGE LIVE AT READING FESTIVAL 1978. 

LIFE'S A GAMBLE LIVE AT READING FESTIVAL 1978.

SESSIONS:

JOHN PEEL SESSION BROADCAST 10TH JULY 1978. Contains: Future Daze, Vision, Stone Heroes and Movement.

JOHN PEEL SESSION BROADCAST 7TH MARCH 1979. Contains: Danger Signs, Last Saving Grace and She Is The Slave.