Conning Tower

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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.