We have a bit of history with the band 63 Monroe (also known first as "NFG" and briefly as "First Date") starting back in the 1979/1980. Their 1980 EP, "63 Monroe/NFG", has been re-released on vinyl (also digital on Bandcamp) on Tony Lima's "Yeah Right!" label and we are peripherally involved. Band credits for the EP are:
- Steven R. Stunning (lead throat)
- Markii Burnaway (guitar)
- Bob Gliddon & Mark Deroux (bass)
- Peter Lambert (drums)
Back in the day I was into shooting band photos and NFG were an outrageous bunch who played 3 chord hard, hard, rock and roll (i.e., Punk) at the infamous Blue Boot/Cedar Lounge and around town. Their shows were crazy, fun and wild! Kate and I really liked them, still do, and even went to see them on our wedding night after the reception. And, icing on that, we had them play at our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We had them a number of times to our home in London back in the 1980's where we'd drink home made beer and play Trivial Pursuits. We still have contact with some of the guys, Facebook is great for that.
Anyways, back to the EP. We had met some of the guys in the band, they knew I was taking photos, and they asked if they could use some of our work. We said sure and some of those photos appeared as contact strips on the back of the original EP. I wasn't involved in the artwork — the cover was great, the back was very amateurish. Most of my photos of various local bands from back then have been shared with various people, here in my blog, and in many Facebook postings. But, with this re-release, my 15 minutes of fame continues.
Tony Lima, formerly of Call the Office (a noted venue in London), got hold of me in January of 2022. He and Scott Bentley (the voice of NFG/63 Monroe, aka Steven R. Stunning) told me they were looking to re-release the EP on Tony's "Yeah Right!" record label and asked if I still had the photos that were used back in 1980 and if I had any others. The plan was to redo the back cover with better sized photos. Conversations went back and forth with us waving any rights to the photos and rescanning a bunch at higher resolution in late 2022. I hadn't heard much on this project in 2023 and was totally surprised when the project was finished and product was announced this month. I wasn't involved with the artwork but I'm pleased with the results. Doubly pleased as I got a photo credit this time!
We digitized the 1980 EP many years ago and have it framed and on the wall. I really don't like playing or listening to vinyl but Tony was kind enough to give me two copies which I picked up at "Speed City Records". With vinyl, you have the artwork. One copy I've passed on to our friends Sam & Albie, the other I'll save for another day. Micheal Todd, who owns the record store, and I had a bit of a chat when I picked up the EP. The original EP from 1980 is pretty rare, if you can find one, it runs about $150. I asked if the reissue made the original no longer collectable. When I pruned my LP collection back in 2022 he was keen to get hold of the original which I still have, but I said no. Some things you hold onto.
Here's a link to the EP artwork -- the original from 1980 and the reissue of 2024.
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There was a bit of back and forth on Facebook over writing credits when the release was announced. Some of it went like this:
Rob Gliddon: So the NFG EP called 63 Monroe, comes out again without crediting any of the songwriters. It was a problem back then and it's still an issue. Simon Lewis wrote 'At The Boot', 'Cyanide' and 'Hijack Victim', I wrote two songs and Mark wrote one. I'm sure the writers of 'Teenage Kicks' might want their credit. More than enough time was available to do things properly, it was just ignored.
Reg Quinton: Rob Gliddon so I am to understand that you wrote "Give 'em up" and "Goodbye Guyana" while Markii Burnaway wrote "After"? "Teenage Kicks" is, of course, The Undertones. They're all great tunes, iconic even. Ps. I was pleased to get a photo credit.
Markii Burnaway: I wrote Give em up.. I am pretty sure Bob wrote Goodbye Guyana .100% convinced the Undertones were behind the creation of Teenage Kicks
Rob Gliddon: Reg Quinton I wrote 'After' and 'Goodbye Guyana' as a response to Simon Lewis's 'Cyanide' Simon wrote the bulk of NFG's original setlist. Later this year I will be releasing a full set of live tracks from the original NFG line-up with Simon. It comes from a Monday night gig at The Boot. It will disprove the idea that the original line-up couldn't play. It rocks like granite.
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Bob Gliddon (Facebook, June 11, in the 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario group) writes about the back story:
Sit back and get a cuppa, this may go on....
It's nice to see that the NFG EP, called '63 Monroe' has been re-released. It would have been nice to be asked to contribute to the story. I was asked, but it was only a month ago when the record was already in the stores and online. That is when Tony Lima asked for my memories for the "liner notes". After the release. I offered some input and stipulations at least 8 months ago, but never heard back from anybody. I guess Scott or Tony don't check their emails.
So, here's what was left out of the process.
Before Simon Lewis left to pursue a career, we were doing fairly good, as the receipts given to Simon, (who was our business manager) illustrate. The other thing Simon gave us was several songs he wrote that could make up a whole set. So when he left we were able to immediately go forward with Mark Scott as our new guitarist. Next we got a real manager in Gary Kelly, to handle our affairs.
About that time we were approached by a woman who only wanted to be known as 'Juicy Lucy', with $1000 to record a single. And so into EMAC Studios we went to record the EP, as NFG. We used three of Simon's songs, two of mine, and one of Mark's. The process did not go well, I had issues about the sound, I thought it had no bottom end, as they were listening to the playbacks on massive studio monitors and were giving little thought to what kind of systems it would be heard on. My ideas and wishes were not being addressed and I began to make plans elsewhere.
The recordings were only the latest issue in the band for me. I got us to do 'Virginia Plain', from Roxy Music, and Scott and Mark suggested we do 'Henry the 8th'. I could see we were miles apart on which way to go forward. That, combined with the constant drinking all night at gigs and drinking during the day just sealed the deal, and I left to go and get healthy by bicycling across Canada with my best friend.
So, the EP comes out and I am not happy with the release. Simon Lewis is given no songwriting credits for his three tunes, Juicy Lucy is give no thanks for providing the money to release it. I get no credit for my two songs, and must forever be known as 'Bobo', which I was never called, at least to my face. The one thing that pi**ed me off was they sped up the recording of my 'After' to chipmunks speed. But what was done cannot be undone.
So the credits should be as follows:
- The EP was recorded by NFG and is called '63 Monroe'
- Simon Lewis: songwriter of 'At The Boot', 'Cyanide' and 'Hijack Victim'
- Bob 'Stix' Gliddon: songwriter of 'After' and 'Goodbye Guyana'
- Mark Scott: songwriter of 'Give 'Em Up'
Special Thanks go out to Juicy Lucy, wherever you are, for giving us the money to record that disc. Thank you for giving me the chance to set the story straight. The two photographs [of the posting] show Simon Lewis, guitarist and songwriter, and the other is original guitarist Larry Gifford, myself and Scott, All were taken by Reg Quinton at the Polish Hall.
There's been a muddled history to the bands. It all reminds me of an Austin Lounge Lizards song, "Would You Like To Start A Band". The history is similar. But putting aside some of the bad memories, it was a lot of fun!
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See also the Dave O'Halloran excellent two part history of NFG...The Band From London Ontario Canada (2018). There's first hand accounts by the players involved; well worth reading.
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