Conning Tower, Bullwinkles

Click image for more photos ...

Our friend Dave O'Halloran (aka What Wave Dave on CHRW) has been sharing on Facebook, with our grateful permission, photos that we had taken of various bands back in the 1980's. Today, May 5, 2024, Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario:

"Here's some more Reg Quinton pics. This time it's Conning Tower at Bullwinkles circa 1984.

At this time the band consisted of Mark Goodwin, Linda Harvey and Billy Wallace. They released one 7" record with Brian Hodgson on drums in 1984.

Bullwinkles was on King St, south side between Richmond and Clarence. The building is still standing and went through a number of names; Kelly's Boogie Parlour, Bullwinkles,  Salt Lounge and for awhile it was a mall."

Mark Goodwin was an incredibly talented fellow and formed several bands over the years (Second Thoughts and The Magic Bin Men are mentioned in this blog). While I never knew him personally, we did establish a bit of back and forth on Facebook. I recall that I was after a copy of some music of his that I had lost. He was glad to share but expressed an embarrassment over some of his efforts. Everyone lands a clunker some time. If any were clunkers, they were only a few. Sadly he passed away recently at the very young age of only 64 years. See his Montreal Obituary.

Most of these photos have been shared before — see 2021 Conning Tower post in this blog. In that post I was sure the bar was Key West. Dave and Dan Rudbal have convinced me I was wrong. Dan writes "Reg, that is indeed BULLWINKLES ..the stage was eventually switched to the back wall, these photos are when it was along the East side wall."

Many thanks to Dave for his work organizing photos and figuring out the location and time for many of these.

— 2024/12/21 I have moved this post in my blog to the approximate date of the event.

Conning Tower

Click image for more photos ... 

I shared this photo album recently on Facebook ('21/04/10) and got a great reaction from Mark Goodwin who now lives in Montreal:

"Again....thanks to the amazing Reg Quinton for archiving London, Ontario's music scene (back when I was a part of it, at least 😉 ) This is Conning Tower:  Linda Harvey (bass), Billy Wallace (drums) and me (geetar/vox). We went to London,UK shortly after this, imploded, and came back with our tails between our legs (or I did, in any case) I played an SG through a twin reverb (with one speaker) connected to a small Leslie cabinet. The amp and cab turned into a one-way plane ticket home......c'est la vie...

Spirit of 84...."

Conning Tower, and other projects by Mark Goodwin at the time (I recall Second Thoughts before this incarnation and the Magic Binmen somewhat later), was post-punk or alternative in some sense. Definitely edgy, but smart with a pop feel-good vibe. Music which was quirky, rythmic and intelligent -- sort of XTC meets REM without all the initials. Mark Goodwin and the band were very talented artists who ought to have gone far.

Conning Tower released a 7" single "Indian Dancing" in 1984 (two tunes credited to Linda Harvey and Mark Goodwin). I have that single somewhere in my collection but can't lay my hands on it.

See also my blog and photo album of the "Magic Binmen" which was a later incarnation by Mark.

This photo album is from a concert/show in a small bar, Key West, on Talbot Street in London. There were a lot of interesting shows in that club. Next door was the infamous Brunswick Hotel, the other way was the Cedar Lounge and across the street was the convenient LCBO.

Poscript: A posting on FaceBook by Mark Goodwin (20/03/20) had some discussion of the location for the pictures. I believe it was at Key West but others are sure the location was Bullwinkles (or Kelly's before it became Bullwinkles) on King Street in London. Mark says, "Makes sense. Particularly because I have no actual memory of playing Key West. I think that club became a thing when were in England." For my part, it doesn't matter very much, it was a long time ago and all those clubs are long gone.

Kate and I lived in an old house we had bought in Wortley Village which is within walking distance of the down town core. We would occasionally haunt shows like this one. At the time I had abandoned my Ph.D. and was getting back into working with information technology. 

I don't know the date for this show but I believe it was sometime in 1984. I have filed it in my blog on an arbitrary date.

This note/blog composed during April 2021; photos were scanned back in 2012.