For this edition of The Soundtrack4Life Concert Series I thought since we are in a bit of TV Smith and The Adverts mood today here on the Blog that it is only fitting to spotlight TV Smith live in action.
A little double header from TV Smith
First up is a show from Munich, Germany on 17th November 2011.
Second up is a small show from the Hope and Anchor in London 27th March 2014.
A little bit more from The Adverts today. This includes all their singles (A's and B's), an album of all four John Peel Sessions and the exceptional BBC4 Documentary We Who Wait.
Click on the links below to listen to the sounds of The Adverts.
We Who Wait - TV Smith and The Adverts (BBC Documentary)
On this day in 1978 The Adverts, who had already released four singles, launched their Debut album .
The band had formed in 1976 after TV Smith and Gaye Advert had moved to London and soon began playing live. Their first ever shows would be at The Roxy, Neale Street London WC2. Debut show was in January 1977 supporting Generation X and the second was supporting Manchester's Slaughter and the Dogs. This second show was recorded and Bored Teenagers ended up on The Roxy, London WC2 album released by Harvest Records in 1977. In February 1977, shortly after their third gig (this time supporting The Damned) they signed a deal with Stiff Records.
Prior to the release of their Debut single they were at the BBC to record their first John Peel Session. Days later One Chord Wonders was released (BUY 13 on Stiff Records).
The Lyrics of One Chord Wonders are just magnificent with TV Smith taking a bit of a dig at their own inabilities musically speaking:
I wonder what we'll play for you tonight Something heavy or something light, something to set your soul alight I wonder how we'll answer when you say "We don't like you, go away, come back when you've learned to play"
I wonder what we'll do when things go wrong When we're half-way through our favorite song We look up and the audience has gone, will we feel a little bit obscure Think we're not needed here, we must be new wave, they'll like us next year
The album was received quite warmly by the music press and although it wasn't necessarily a huge smash hit album it is still an album that is regarded highly among those in the know. Mojo had it placed at #17 in it's list of the 50 Greatest Punk Albums. For myself it would be higher than that!
Trouser Press said: "In its own way" the album "is the equal of the first Sex Pistols or The Clash; a hasty statement that captures an exciting time". I'm in firm agreement with that.
For me this album showed what a great songwriter TV Smith was, and actually still is today as he regularly tours and continues to release new, exciting and very perceptive music.
Crossing The Red Sea with The Adverts - The Adverts
Bright
Produced by John Leckie
Released 17th February 1978
UK Chart #38
Crossing The Red Sea with The Adverts
(Bonus Edition)
1 One Chord Wonders 2 Bored Teenagers 3 New Church 4 On The Roof 5 Newboys 6 Gary Gilmore's Eyes (Demo) 7 Bombsite Boy 8 No Time To Be 9 Safety In Numbers 10 New Day Dawning 11 Drowning Men 12 On Wheels 13 Great British Mistake Bonus Singles 14 One Chord Wonders 15 Quickstep 16 Gary Gilmore's Eyes 17 Bored Teenagers 18 Safety In Numbers 19 We Who Wait Bonus Live in Roundhouse (1978) 20 On Wheels 21 Newboys 22 New Church 23 Gary Gilmore's Eyes 24 Drowning Men 25 No Time To Be 21
The Adverts T.V. Smith – vocals Gaye Advert – bass guitar, vocals Howard Pickup – guitar, vocals Laurie Driver – drums
Original Tracklisting
Side A 1. "One Chord Wonders" 2. "Bored Teenagers" 3. "New Church" 4. "On the Roof" 5. "New Boys" 6. "Bombsite Boy"
Side B 1. "No Time to Be 21" 2. "Safety in Numbers" 3. "Drowning Men" 4. "On Wheels" 5. "Great British Mistake"
TV Smith and The Bored Teenagers Play Crossing The Red Sea With The Adverts on the 30th Anniversary of it's release. The 100 Club London 2007
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