On This Day 03/11/1987 Bad News

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On this day, 3 November 1987, mock rock band Bad News played Cardiff’s St David’s Hall.

Bad News were a fictional English heavy metal band created for the Channel 4 television series The Comic Strip Presents.... Its members were Vim Fuego (also known as "Alan Metcalfe"), vocals and lead guitar (played by Ade Edmondson); Den Dennis, rhythm guitar (Nigel Planer); Colin Grigson, bass (Rik Mayall); and Spider "Eight-Legs" Webb, drums (Peter Richardson).

The band continued outside the context of the TV series, with the actors (in character) eventually playing a number of live gigs as Bad News, and recording an album (1987's Bad News) and a single (a cover of "Bohemian Rhapsody") that made the UK charts.

After a pause of a few years, the previously fictional-only band became an entity in real life when Bad News were invited to play at the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in 1986.

A feature of the band's on-stage antics that day was a method of coping with the crowd's plastic (and often urine-filled) bottle barrage, which was then a traditional (if somewhat awkward) welcome for bands playing at the festival in those days.

Before the performance began properly, the band spent time just running around on stage dodging missiles, with Mayall using his guitar as a bat in an attempt to return some. They also played a low-key London show at the Marquee Club, with guest appearances by Jeff Beck and Brian May, and several other gigs, including opening for Iron Maiden and a show with a guest appearance from Jimmy Page.

The band -

• Vim Fuego, né Alan Metcalfe (Ade Edmondson) – Lead vocals and lead electric guitar

• Den Dennis (Nigel Planer) – Rhythm electric guitar and backing vocals

• Colin Grigson (Rik Mayall) – Electric bass guitar and backing vocals

• Spider Webb (Peter Richardson) – Drum kit and backing vocals

Setlist

Bad News 



Drink Till I Die 



Masturbike 



Vampire Spunk Merchants From Hell 



Hey Hey Bad News 



I'm Going To Scream So Hard I'm Going To Scream My Bollocks Off 



Hey Mr Bassman 



Bitch Hell Mother 



Life with Brian 



Stairway to Heaven 
(Led Zeppelin cover) 


Warriors Of Ghengis Khan 



My Generation 
(The Who cover) 


Cashing in on Christmas 
(Mimed, recorded as the song's video) 


Guitar Duel 
(Vim versus Den, with Brian… more ) 


Twist and Shout 
(The Top Notes cover) (with Brian May) 


Hey Hey Bad News 
(with Brian May) 


Mama Weer All Crazee Now 
(Slade cover) (with Brian May)

On This Day 30/10/1974 10cc

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On this day, 30 October 1974, Manchester rock/pop band 10cc played Cardiff University, playing Swansea University a day later.

On this day, 30 October 1974, pop/rockers 10cc played Cardiff University.

A few months earlier the band had released their second album Sheet Music, which yielded the hit singles "The Wall Street Shuffle" and "Silly Love". The album reached No. 9 in the UK and No. 81 in the United States.

It is thought by many to be the group’s best offering with impeccable writing and musicianship.

Three of the founding members of 10cc were childhood friends in the Manchester area. As boys, Godley and Creme knew each other; Gouldman and Godley attended the same secondary school and their musical enthusiasm led to playing at the local Jewish Lads' Brigade.

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Live the band included drummer Paul Burgess supplementing the group’s drummer Kevin Godly, whose vocals were a key element to the group’s live performances.

Their first recorded collaboration was in 1964, when Gouldman's band The Whirlwinds recorded the Lol Creme composition "Baby Not Like You", as the B-side of their only single, "Look At Me".

The Whirlwinds then changed members and name, becoming The Mockingbirds (including singer-guitarist Gouldman, bassist Bernard Basso and drummer Kevin Godley, formerly of The Sabres with Creme). The Mockingbirds recorded five singles in 1965–66 without any success, before dissolving.

On This Day 28/10/1964 Lulu

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On this day, 28 October 1964, Lulu and the Luvvers played Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre as part of a package that included the headlining Honeycombs, Millie, Lulu & The Luvvers, Applejacks, Daryl Quist, Beat Merchants and the Puppets and Gene Vincent, with Freddie Earle as compere in what was billed as "Big Beat Scene"

Headlining band The Honycombs were riding high with their debut single Have I the Right? a massive it for the band, produced by the legendary Joe Meek.

Lulu and her band the Luvvers were touring on the back of her first hit Shout, the former Isley Brothers song, peaking at No 7 in May 1964, whilst Millie had enjoyed a No 2 hit with her debut single My Boy Lollipop

On This Day 26/10/1968 Amen Corner/ Spencer Davis

On this day, 26 October 1968, Melody Maker announced that Cardiff band Amen Corner will have a new single release on December 6 and next week start work on their second album.

The album will include four tracks that were recorded live - probably at the Sophia Gardens before an invited audience.

The band will take its annual holiday for two weeks over the Christmas period in the West Indies.

Also in the news, Swansea-born Spencer Davis announced the names of his two new group members. They are drummer David Hynes and bass guitarist Dee Murray. Both were former members of Hertfordshire group the Mirage.

They replace Peter York and Eddie Hardin who left the group last week.

The group fly to Germany for the premiere of the hippy musical Hair, in Munich. Spencer has recorded a German version of "Aquarious."

On This Day 06/10/1982 Dexys Midnight Runners

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On this day, 6 October 1982, Midlands band Dexys Midnight Runners played Cardiff St David’s Hall on "The Bridge" tour. The band were accompanied by new-recruits, Spike Edney on trombone and saxophonist Kevin Gilson.

Earlier in the month the band released "Jackie Wilson Said (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)" following on from the tremendous success of "Come On Eileen" earlier in the Summer.

The band had recently recorded their second studio album Too-Rye-Ay .

Shortly before recording this album, Dexys' bandleader Kevin Rowland had decided to add a violin section to the band's existing horn section, which had contributed strings (viola and cello) to the band's previous single, "Liars A to E".

However, after violinists Helen O'Hara and Steve Brennan joined the band, the three members of the horn section, including Dexys' co-leader and album co-composer "Big" Jim Paterson, decided to leave Dexys and become an independent horn band (ultimately known as The TKO Horns).

Rowland convinced them to stay with the band long enough to record the album and to perform in a kick-off concert debuting the album on BBC Radio One in June 1982.

All the songs on the album were rearranged to add strings, which caused Dexys to re-record the 1981 singles "Plan B", "Liars A to E", and "Soon". During the rearrangement process,

"Soon" was revised into the opening section of "Plan B"; since both songs were written by Rowland and Paterson, the merged songs are credited on the album simply as "Plan B".

Setlist

Old

Geno

The Celtic Soul Brothers

Let's Get This Straight From the Start

All in All (This One Last Wild Waltz)

Tell Me When My Light Turns Green

Plan B

Let's Make This Precious

I Couldn't Help If I Tried

Until I Believe in My Soul

Kevin Rowland's 13th Time

Jackie Wilson Said (I'm in Heaven When You Smile)

(Van Morrison cover)

Respect

(Otis Redding cover)

There, There, My Dear

Come on Eileen

Show Me

I'll Show You

On This Day 05/10/1969 Amen Corner

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On this day, 5 October 1969, Cardiff and South Wales's finest band Amen Corner announced they had split up.

The split was announced on the front page of Melody Maker with the headline saying, After four years at the top AMEN SPLIT Andy refuses to comment.

Andy Fairweather low and Amen Corner have split.Britain's number one teeny bopper pop group took the decision this week to break up after four years at the top, and weeks of denials.

Their representative Keith Altham told the MM on Monday: "They have decided to abdicate their role as Britain's number one teenage group following a fairwell concert at Boston Glyodrome on Oct 4.

The decison to disband was taken unanimously by the group at a time when they feel they have achieved all that is possible for them

within the musically creative limitations of their particular market."

Saxist Mike Smith is planning an orchestral album and singer Alan Jones may follow a solo career.

Andy Fairweather Low, their idolised lead singer has gone home to Wales and is said to be refusing to comment on the split.

Amen Corner were formed in 1966 and the members included, Andy, Clive Taylor, Blue Weaver, Mike Smith, Neil Jones Dennis Byron and Alan Jones.

They have had six top ten hits including "Bend Me Shape Me," "Gin House," "High In The Sky," "Half As Nice," and "Hello Suzie."

Their records have also been hits in many European and Commonwealth countries.

On This Day 03/10/1978 Ramones

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On this day, 3 October 1978, New York Punk legends the Ramones, played Cardiff University with support provided by The Snips.

The band had just released Road to Ruin, their fourth studio album released on September 21, 1978, through Sire Records.

It was the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Marky Ramone, who replaced Tommy Ramone. Tommy left the band due to low sales of previous albums as well as stress he experienced while touring; however, he stayed with the band to produce the album with Ed Stasium.

The artwork's concept was designed by Ramones fan Gus MacDonald and later modified by John Holmstrom to include Marky instead of Tommy. The album includes the well-known track "I Wanna Be Sedated".

SETLIST

"Rockaway Beach"

"Teenage Lobotomy"

"Blitzkrieg Bop"

"I Don't Want You"

"Go Mental"

"Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment"

"You're Gonna Kill That Girl"

"Don't Come Close"

"I Just Want to Have Something to Do"

"Bad Brain"

"She's the One"

"Sheena Is a Punk Rocker"

"Havana Affair"

"Commando"

"Needles and Pins" (Jackie DeShannon cover)

"Surfin' Bird" (The Trashmen cover)

"Cretin Hop"

"Listen to My Heart"

"California Sun" (Joe Jones cover)

"I Don't Wanna Walk Around with You"

"Pinhead"

Encore:

"Do You Want to Dance" (Bobby Freeman cover)

"I Wanna Be Sedated"

"Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World"

Encore 2:

"Judy Is a Punk"

"Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue"

"We're a Happy Family"

On This Day 02/10/1971 Van Der Graaf Generator

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On this day 2 October 1971, Prog Rock band Van Der Graaf Generator played the Cardiff Institute of Science and Technology on their Pawn Hearts Tour.

Pawn Hearts was the fourth album by the band, released in October 1971 on Charisma Records.

The original album features just three tracks, including the side-long suite "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers".

The album was not commercially successful in the UK, but reached number one in Italy. It has since seen retrospective critical praise and was reissued on CD in 2005 with extra material.

The songs for the album were worked out while on tour in 1971, with further development and arranging at manager Tony Stratton-Smith's house in Crowborough, Sussex over a two-month period.

The original plan had been to release more material, making up a double album, but Charisma vetoed the idea.

A non-album single, "Theme One" was included on some releases in the US and Canada. The album's strong commercial showing in Italy resulted in a number of lucrative promotional tours there, but the resulting pressure led to the band's split in August 1972.

Singer-songwriter Fish is a fan of the album, particularly of "A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers" and Julian Cope has called the album "a masterpiece".

Peter Hammill has said, "although a fairly extreme musical statement, [the album] contains some of our most cohesive work".

Though the George Martin’s "Theme One" cover released from the album did not chart as a single in the UK , John Peel replaced Martin's original orchestral version with the group's before closing down Radio 1 each night.

The BBC subsequently carried on using Van der Graaf Generator's version. Martin enjoyed the group's cover, calling it "a powerful recording that respected the original".