The Undertones

[axel]

Saw the Undertones live last Wednesday and became a fan. Better late than never!
For anybody who hasn't seen this great documentary, please check it out. Essential stuff!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxTOMcPax6k&list=RDTxTOMcPax6k#t=3510

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

Saw the Undertones live last Wednesday and became a fan. Better late than never!
For anybody who hasn't seen this great documentary, please check it out. Essential stuff!!

I think they were the first real band I saw - 29/5/79 at Coventry Tiffany's. I was 17, they had their first album sleeves stapled to the wall, the band walked in and I ripped one down and got Feargal's autograph as the rest of the band sped up into the dressing room. I still have that sleeve.

It seemed to me that Feargal played the whole gig on his knees desperately singing that warble. and the brothers guitar goofy playing and the gawky bass player. Teen Beat Mayhem for sure. One of my top 5 gigs ever.

...but things are hazy now.

 

[axel]

I thought you were around my age, Hicksville. I was 10 in 1979, just a bit too young to get any of the ´77 punk movement. I must confess I never really got into power pop and `77 punk. Compared to 60s music it always seemed a bit stiff to me. But seeing the Undertones live recently gave me another perspective. Great songwriting, too. All hits to my ears. Really really good band.

 

[Laurent Bigot]

All hits to my ears. .

indeed. I hate when a band covers Teenage Kicks (not that it's not an amazing song) like they all do when they cover the 'Tones, they have so many killer tunes.

 

[mansson66]

 

[massb]

I like a lot their early two albums

Impossible for me resist to this track ...

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

I thought you were around my age, Hicksville. I was 10 in 1979, just a bit too young to get any of the ´77 punk movement. I must confess I never really got into power pop and `77 punk. Compared to 60s music it always seemed a bit stiff to me. But seeing the Undertones live recently gave me another perspective. Great songwriting, too. All hits to my ears. Really really good band.

I missed the 76/77 gigs, I was too young, 18 was the limit at most gigs with bars in the UK. I was a shy kid with a stutter.. still do that occasionally, but I decided to catch the train from Rugby to Coventry hoping I'd get in.

The next year I was trying to be a Mod (I liked The Jam plus all those other crappy mod bands Secret Affair, Purple Hearts.. power poppy stuff I guess???) and we also had the Two Tone thing going off in Coventry. (You can see me in the audience of one of The Specials live videos for about a second). I loved the scooters and suits but found "The Quadraphenia Mods" all too closed minded "We are The Mods"..... I witnessed a few reenactments of scenes from the movie by those "mods".

Then I picked up Nuggets & The Pretty Things 2nd LP in the secondhand / indie shop around 1980 or '81 and that was it for me... garage all the way. Also, I went to see Bo Diddley, in a pub in Coventry again, with 2 friends, I was expecting a night of many mods getting down but it was full of dirty smelly older bikers. It was a wonderful night (top 5 again) and that did it for me with kids thinking they knew the 60's. i immersed myself in most any crap from the 60's.

There is not much of the 70's punk stuff I like these days, except early Clash, The Adverts (still a big favourite) and The 'tones.

Thinking about it the first songs I learned to play on a guitar about 14yrs old were from a friends (he taught me the chords) parents 45's. I'm Not Everybody Else - The Kinks and 6-654321 by The Troggs.

sorry for the ramble....

 

[axel]

I was expecting a night of many mods getting down but it was full of dirty smelly older bikers.

That reminds me of a concert of the Prisoners somewhere in the outskirts of London in 1987. The only audience were about 15 mods and about 10 older bikers, because it was a biker place. Outside the club were several Vespas (or Lambrettas) and Triumphs (or Harleys or whatever) standing side by side. It made perfect sense as the Prisoners played their cover of "Hush" and all. Style-wise it was probably my top 1 gig. Hahaha!
By the way, did you watch that Undertones documentary? Great moment at about 4:20 min., when the story finally starts with "Dirty Water".
"Let's Talk About Girls" by the Undertones is great!

 

[Hicksville Hogwash]

I just watched the whole thing and it made me cry like a baby. I don't know what it is about them that does it. The unpretentious, tuneful rock n' roll, it is garage music, I guess. I read once?? that they used to cover half the Nuggets album while playing at The Casbah, sure I've made that up, in a dream. The little live run out on that first album, I was obsessed with it... "You'll never get hot at the Casbah Rock." The sound, how did they get it... It was beautiful to me.

I used to sit at a friends house and he had 3 records. The Undertones LP, The Rezillos - Can't Stand The Rezillos and one other probably the Jam? And that is all we'd listen to on days we couldn't hang out down the recreation ground, kicking a football around or scrumping or messing down the railway bank. We were working class, I came from a council estate and like I said slightly awkward having the stutter.

Those songs were so normal and everyday but so uplifting (and still are) and about every teenagers biggest problem, girls, or lack of girls.

The Prisoners, were a little too retro for me at the time. Don't get me wrong it is not that I did not like them their first LP was great, but I went more for The Sting-Rays and The Milkshakes more in yer face stance.

Don't know how I can call them "too retro" really when all the bands I ever played in were too retro too...

Oh and yes, I have covered "Teenage Kicks" too but with a teenage girl singing it, it kind of gave it a cool flip. I even think Thee Headcoatees covered it after hearing our version but that may also be a dream??