Do The Standing Still (Classics Illustrated) / The Magical Melon of the Tropics
Virgin Records
Produced Near The Table
Released 8th April 1977
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There is not a wealth of information around regarding The Table and that merely adds to the great mystery regarding them and their place within the whole Punk/New Wave scene. They actually looked like a bunch of hippies and yet they provided one of the funniest debut singles ever that somehow seemed to fit in with the times. With the Pogo and Slam dancing being a feature on dance floors at Punk shows at the time, The Standing Still would almost have been impossible! And yet it is one thing I think I can safely say I have mastered myself over the years with the occasional head bob or foot tap interrupting the process! 😀
The Table hailed from Cardiff, Wales. They had been around in various guises since around 1971! They prided themselves on the fact they actually owned no musical instruments of their own choosing to borrow for gigs and recording etc. They were actually not very proficient when it came to gigging though, as between 1975-1977 they had only ever performed twice!
Do The Standing Still had been recorded as a demo as early as 1975 and somehow they managed to get a one-off deal with Virgin Records to release it. Surprisingly, in the same week that saw the release of the Debut Album by The Clash, NME declared The Table's debut slice of vinyl as their Single of the Week!
The picture sleeve shows the band stuck in the Lingere Department of Marks & Spencer - a fact that is known to paralyse any member of the male species who has entered with the remit of obtaining some fancy underwear as a present for their wife or girlfriend! 😓
The band only went on to release one other single and that was for Chiswick Records in March 1978 called Sex Cells backed with The Road of Lyfe.
The band ceased to exist after several line-up changes and a policy of playing increasingly uncommercial and distasteful material.
*Though there were some copies available on the 9th in some stores I was informed. They sold out at the Virgin Store in London within three hours!
I Don't Care
(Steel and Dangerfield)
A-Side
B-Side
Soda Pressing
(Steel and Dangerfield)
The Boys
Matt Dangerfield - guitar, vocals (1975-Present) Casino Steel - organ, piano, vocals (1975-Present) Honest John Plain - guitar, vocals (1975-Present) Duncan "Kid" Reid - bass, vocals (1976–1981 & 1999-2011) Jack Black - drums (1976–1981)
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One of the most underrated bands around in 1977 I think were The Boys. They were often slighted because they were a bit Poppier sounding but they released a couple of great singles and a brilliant Debut album in 1977 that should not, in my humble opinion, be frowned upon.
Matt Dangerfield had been part of London SS (along with everyone in Punk who mattered and their dog!) and Casino Steel belonged to the Hollywood Brats (along with Andrew Matheson - a couple of their songs - Tumble With Me and Sick On You, became part of The Boys set), who were a kinda glam meets proto-punk band in the early 1970's. They were like the New York Dolls of London! The group was championed by Keith Moon, who said they were the best band he had ever seen. You can read an interview here from The Independent with Andrew Matheson.
With Steel and Dangerfield teaming up and adding Honest John Plain - who brought along in mid-1976 two work colleagues Jack Black and Duncan "Kid" Reid, the line-up was now stable enough to play their debut show at the Hope and Anchor in Islington by 15th October 1976. After a few more concerts they inked a deal with NEMS (who funnily enough had rejected the Brats debut album 'All Grown Up' in 1973 - it was later released in 1975 in Norway - homeland of Casino Steel - and would get a UK release in 1980 by Cherry Red Records) in January 1977.
The Debut Single I Don't Care was a little bit slower than the version that appeared on the album and most compilations that have included the song lean towards the album version rather than the 7". I have to say that I also prefer the album version as it comes across as far more furious sounding! The B-Side, Soda Depressing was also redone for the album and is a bit faster as well.
Regarding the sleeve, Matt Dangerfield said, "The Brigitte Bardot poster was in the hallway of my flat on Warrington Crescent and the photographer was Ken Mewis (our manager). At the time we couldn't afford a photographer so Ken used to take our 'publicity' pics with an old polaroid camera of mine. I don't know if he always had the shakes but they always blurred, so we thought it was a good idea to make it look like a rushed paparazzi pic. It's also a rip-off of a similar picture of Mick (Jagger) in the back of a car (on the way to his drug trial I think)."
To support the release of the single The Boys were out on tour with ex-Velvet Underground bassist John Cale. On this night forty years ago they were fourth on the bill at The Roundhouse in Chalk Farm for a two night stand that also included The Clash* as second on the bill and Subway Sect on third on the bill.
*Duncan Reid kindly just informed me that The Clash actually did not play these shows, instead Generation X took their spot.
Grateful to Steve Metcalfe on behalf of The Boys for some further information that I've added to this piece. Apologies for anything said previously that was not quite the correct information!
Joe Strummer - lead vocal, rhythm guitar Mick Jones - lead guitar, backing vocal Paul Simonon - bass guitar, backing vocal Terry Chimes - drums
White Riot Strummer/Jones White riot - I wanna riot White riot - a riot of my own White riot - I wanna riot White riot - a riot of my own
Black people gotta lot a problems But they don't mind throwing a brick White people go to school Where they teach you how to be thick
An' everybody's doing Just what they're told to An' nobody wants To go to jail!
White riot - I wanna riot White riot - a riot of my own White riot - I wanna riot White riot - a riot of my own
All the power's in the hands Of people rich enough to buy it While we walk the street Too chicken to even try it
Everybody's doing Just what they're told to Nobody wants To go to jail!
White riot - I wanna riot White riot - a riot of my own White riot - I wanna riot White riot - a riot of my own
Are you taking over or are you taking orders? Are you going backwards Or are you going forwards?
B-Side
Joe Strummer - lead vocal, backing vocal, lead guitar Mick Jones - backing vocal, lead guitars Paul Simonon - bass guitar, backing vocal Terry Chimes - drums
1977 Strummer/Jones in 1977 i hope i go to heaven cos i been too long on the dole and i can't work at all
danger stranger you better paint your face no elvis, beatles, or the rolling stones in 1977
in 1977 knives in west 11 lent so lucky to be rich sten guns in knightsbridge
danger stranger you better paint your face no elvis, beatles or the rolling stones in 1977
in 1977 you're on the never never you think it can't go on forever but the papers say it's better i don't care 'cos i'm not all there no elvis, beatles or the rolling stones
in 1977 sod the jubilee in 1978 in 1979 stayed in bed in 1980 in 1981 the toilet don't work in 1982 in 1983 here come the police in 1984
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(The Clash 1977 - Gettys Images)
"'White Riot' isn't a Poxy Single Of The Week, it's the first meaningful event all year. The Clash aren't just a band, and this is more than just a single."- Tom Robinson
I have very fond memories of my journey to school especially on Thursdays when the new music papers came out. On the 19th March in the NMETom Robinson was reviewing the singles and this is what he had to say about White Riot:
Tom Robinson's review of White Riot 19th March 1977 NME
"Last year's words belong to last
year's language and next year's words wait for another voice. Look out,
listen, can you hear it?
It's pointless to categorise this with
other records: 'White Riot' isn't a Poxy Single Of The Week, it's the
first meaningful event all year. Try and discount it. Go on, say they
sold out to the enemy at CBS, say it's another idle London fad
irrelevant to the lives of working people, say it's all clever hype
that's conned everyone, say it's just the '60s rehashed an' you can't
make out the words.
Say what you like, you still can't discount
it cos The Clash aren't just a band, and this is more than just a
single. There's a book written by a trad fan in 1963 saying how shoddy
The Beatles were, how ripped off from R&B, how they could never last
in the world of Tin Pan Alley. They didn't last in it, they took it to
pieces.
Whatever your standpoint, everyone basically agrees there
are two sides. You know it's coming, we know it's coming and they know
it's coming. The Clash are the writing on their wall. The recorded
version of 'White Riot' is one minute and 58 seconds of buzzsaw guitars,
Simonon's pumping, offbeat bass, an insolent, slurred vocal and sheer
musical aggro. It won't pick up much airplay cos you can't make out the
words - it'd pick up much less if you could: "Black man gotta lotta
problems but they don't mind throwin' a brick/White people go to school
where they teach you how to be thick..."
Flip is '1977', already well known to those in the know:..."No Elvis, Beatles or Rolling Stones in 1977".
Hmm,
so how come the riff is pure Kinks? No matter - forget the medium, cos
this one has the message. Blag it, steal it, borrow it, tape it off the
radio if they'll play it. Buy it an' you're a wimp, miss it an' you're a
real turkey."
(The Clash 1977 - Caroline Coon)
For the original photo session by Caroline CoonJoe Strummer was wearing a boiler suit with the words 'Hate and War' painted on the back but this was airbrushed out and replaced with '1977'. One of those pictures then became the front cover for the Debut Single by The Clash. The picture was inspired by random stop and searches by the London Police upon Young Punks.
Terry Chimes features on the single although not on the actual cover, he did help them record their debut album and is listed on that as Tory Crimes!
All the hype about The Clash was now to be determined by a 7" piece of plastic containing two songs, both under two minutes and totalling 3mins and 38 seconds. If they couldn't say all they wanted to say within that time frame they might as well have packed up and gone home! And say it they certainly did! This was the sound of Teenage Revolution!
Eater were just a bunch of kids getting to live out their dream of playing in a band. When the band formed in 1976 they were between the ages of 14-17 and included on drums was Andy Blade's brother who went under the name Social Demise (guess it sounded more Punk Rock than Lufti Radwan). He left the band and was replaced with Dee Generate who was very young as well.
They weren't brilliant by any means but their first two singles (Outside View and Thinking of the USA) are considered to be Classic Punk Singles. Between 1977 and when they broke up in January 1979 they released a total of four singles, one Live EP (Get Your Yo Yo's Out -1978) and an album simply called The Album (1977). Three of those singles were released in 1977 and today we celebrate their Debut Release and the very first record released on The Label.
Eater topped the bill twice at The Roxy in January 1977 (the second time they were supported by The Damned!) and in February they were headlining again with Johnny Moped as support and in March they would have a further two headline slots supported firstly by The Lurkers and then by Sham 69.
Two songs from their Roxy performances ended up on the The Roxy London WC2 album (Fifteen and Don't Need It) released in June 1977.
The B-Side had originally been recorded as part of theLee Perry Sessions for Complete Control in 1977 and the final released version is only a touch different from that. You can find it on The Clash Bootleg "Street Rats".
**************
NME 24th February 1979
Single Review
By Danny Baker
A wise enough if miscued and rock 'n' rolly warning about all things uniformed and sinister that this chap can flow to easier than a tuppeny ha'penny 'Oliver's Army'. But then it was a CBS choice, we hear.
The flip is the old Toots 'Pressure Drop' from the set of yore but done more professionally, less manic.
Now is this a good thing? It sounds OK anyway and they at least feel the stuff - which is more than can be said for the disgusting rubbish that "Ol' Keef" pays his bills with.
Despite myself, The Clash are still the only rock group I would cross the road for.
****************
There's an old clip from a TV Show put on by Tyne Tees Television called Alright Now from March 1979 where The Clash are "Interviewed" and then, to use Joe Strummer's words, "Plug in and Play" a storming version of English Civil War.
Setlist : Safe European Home I Fought the Law Jail Guitar Doors Drug-Stabbing Time City of the Dead Clash City Rockers Tommy Gun (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais English Civil War Stay Free Cheapskates Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad Police and Thieves Capital Radio Janie Jones Garageland Complete Control London's Burning White Riot
The single was reissued in June 1979 on United Artists with a different picture cover.
A-Side: I'm Alive
B-Side: Quite Disappointing
999 are one of those bands who are seriously underrated among the early crop of 1977 Punk Bands. I think mainly this had to do with the fact that Nick Cash had previously been a member of Kilburn and the High Roads and the old Music Police, that were even among the up and coming new movement, often called them out as being bandwagon jumpers. That I think is terribly unfair and probably more an expression of jealousy as the band were probably more musically experienced than many of the bands who were grabbing the headlines and they also had some fantastic songs in their arsenal. After making their live debut in January 1977 and toying around with various name changes they settled on 999 in May 1977 and by July they were in the studios recording their debut single to be released on their own label Labritain. Within a couple of months of release the band would be signed by United Artists and their major label Debut Single (Nasty Nasty / No Pity) would be released. 999's debut single, "I'm Alive", was "a headlong rush of anti 9 to 5 rebellion complete with a bruising power-pop punk guitar attack and rent-a-yob pitched-in vocals." (I don't recall who said this!)
The Single still sounds amazing 39 years on I reckon.
999 are still out playing live in 2016 with a band that features three of the original members: Nick Cash, Guy Days and Pablo LaBritain, Arturo Bassick (The Lurkers and Pinpoint). In their time they have released 12 Studio Albums, various live releases and stacks of brilliant singles. My personal view of the band is that whilst there are some of their albums I quite like I always thought of them more as a Singles band, but that's probably just me!
It was the single that would change the musical landscape for many and add a whole new perspective to our Soundtrack4Life.
I was 13 years old when it came out and whilst it was a catalyst for a change of musical scenery for me there were many other bands who would shape my taste buds in the years to come. But it is an important record and one that set about change to a more wild side of life and caused many youngsters up and down the land to start bands of their own. From a personal standpoint I actually prefer the B-Side! (Yes, beat me with baseball bats etc!). Formed in London back in 1975 (though the classic line-up didn't emerge until August of that year), Johnny Rotten (Vocals), Steve Jones (Guitar, Vocals), Glen Matlock (Bass, Vocals) and Paul Cook (Drums), were all under the "watchful" eye of manager Malcom McLaren.
Their debut show at Central St Martins College of Art and Design was on the 6th November 1975 supporting Bazooka Joe, that featured Stuart Goddard, who would later become Adam Ant, and John Ellis who would go on to form The Vibrators. The Pistols performed a number of cover versions but prior to launching into some of their own material the plug was pulled by the headliners because their instruments were getting trashed by the Pistols. Goddard was so taken with the Pistols that he left his Bazooka Joe to form his own band The B-Sides that would morph into The Ants.
After many other shows including important ones supporting Eddie and the Hot Rods at the Marquee, playing the 100 Club in Oxford Street, and even their first show outside the U.K. in Paris, and of course the famous Punk Rock Festival at the 100 Club where they headlined the opening night, sandwiched inbetween was their TV debut:
On October 8th 1976 the band were signed to EMI Records on a two year contract. And then on this day back in '76 'Anarchy in the U.K.' was unleashed upon the world. It was not that first Punk single though to be released. That fortune fell to The Damned and their classic 'New Rose'. The debut single would only reach #38 in the UK Singles Chart but the Sex Pistols were already front page news after their TV performance on the Today Show with Bill Grundy on 1st December. They had been last minute replacements after Queen had pulled out, and they left their mark on the programme and upon the rest of the land with insults and bad language (at 6pm it was not the done thing!!).
In January 1977 EMI were forced to fire the band from the label after much political pressure was put upon them.
By the start of February Matlock was gone from the band and Sid Vicious was brought in as bass player. The band would go on to sign to A&M on 10th March 1977 (only to be dropped six days later!). Their second single 'God Save the Queen' was scheduled to be released, 25,000 copies were pressed but it never saw the light of day. Some copies of course did make it out and go for a nice price these days (an impressive asking price over £5,000!).
In May 1977 the band signed to Virgin Records and on the 27th 'God Save the Queen' would finally be released. Two more singles would follow ('Pretty Vacant' and 'Holidays in the Sun') and finally the debut album, 'Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols' was released on October 27th 1977. Within a couple of months the band would be no more. Their final live performance was at Winterland, San Francisco on January 14th 1978.
I was reminiscing earlier with my fb friend Gary Razorpop from Baltimore and he gave me the idea for this blogpost and so we decided between us to come up with a list of some of our favourite B-sides from a time when B-sides mattered. These days of the CD single means that B-sides are deemed quite irrelevant (unless the particular artist chooses to release the single on vinyl). So these B-sides are just a few of our favourites out of a pile of great singles. So Gary Razorpop and I have decided to collaborate on this post and we hope you enjoy the results. Click on the links that are marked in this colour to listen to the tracks.
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