Blue Peter, Victoria Park

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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, April 7, 2024, Dave writes in The Cedar Lounge - Blue Boot group: 

"RIP to Paul Humphrey, lead singer of the band Blue Peter who made their London debut at the Cedar Lounge. Later they played Fryfogles, Bullwinkles, the Spoke and probably other venues in London before ending up in Victoria Park as pictured below. They made 2 appearances at Victoria Park, August 1 1983 and May 21 1984. Thanx to Reg Quinton for the great pics!"

I recall that my brother Paul was visiting that weekend. I see him dancing in one of the photos. I had recorded a C90 of a CHRW Blue Peter broadcast from the Broken Spoke (UWO campus pub) dated 82/01/16, since digitized, that I have shared with Dave. CHRW used to broadcast shows back then. Back then tapes got recycled and shows were lost.

— 2024/12/21 I have moved this post in my blog to the approximate date of the event. I'm assuming it was August 1, 1983.

Hippies & Generics

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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, July 17, 2024, Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario group:

"Here's some more Reg Quinton photos. This time it's The Hippies playing at the Forest City Gallery circa 1983. This was when FCG was at 231 Dundas St, south side near Clarence St, second floor.

The Hippies consisted of: Lindsay Young, Brian Young, Kelly Mulvey and Henry Kox and released one 7" record in their tenure. They did a name change to Tenement 13 and the band ended shortly afterwards. Lindsay, Brian and Henry regrouped in late 1984 as The Bloodbrothers with Al Cole (who was The Hippies manager) on vocals, and only lasted a couple gigs. A short while later, Jon Traut came in as singer and they became The Boy From Nowhere and they still play occasionally to this day."

Marty Spacil comments that "Lindsay Young, Brian Young, were also saddlesores" (I'll assume Saddlesores was another band from that era).

Kelly Mulvey, the Hippies singer in these photos, comments "Wow memory lane thanks". Recently, back in October of 2023, there was a 60th birthday bash for Kelly at an east end London pub. A couple of the photos from this session were used in Peter Tangredi's promotion of the event on Facebook (the Wabi Sabis played at the bash). I've clipped his posts and added both to the album.

There is a final interesting picture I've added in the album. Later that day Dave writes: 

Generics

"Another Reg Quinton photo, this time the Generics at Forest City Gallery circa 1983. This is probably the same show The Hippies played at FCG, which was just posted.

Only found this one pic of Marc Sahrmann and Mary Lou Ambrogio."

Chris Richards comments, "I always forget about this one, and I don't remember much about it, so it's cool seeing a photo to prove it happened. Yes, we broke up in February 82, and reformed in June 83. The FCG gig was a spur of the moment one-off which I don't think we even practiced for. Presumably we were awesome and received a standing ovation from a packed house of adoring Generics fans who demanded three encores before presenting us with flowers."

Again, many thanks to Dave for his work to research and organize these old photos and to share them with an interested audience. Kate and I both appreciate his work. And we are happy to see these photos put to good use.

— 2024/12/20 I have moved this post to the approximate date of the event.

63 Monroe, Victoria Park

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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 18, 2024, Dave writes in 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario:

  

More Reg Quinton pics. This time it's 63 Monroe playing the bandshell at Victoria Park, London ON circa 1983. It's my fave lineup of the band; Markii Burnaway, Pete Dekoker, Jeff Rooth and Steven R Stunning.

Peter Lambert comments: "Love Rooster and his Staccato drum kit!" Pete was an original drummer with NFG.

Markii liked the picture of him on his guitar (which it turns out he still has) and has used it as his Facebook profile picture.

The originals, which Dave posted, were slide scans and badly in need if work. In the album above I've cropped and adjusted exposure so these pictures are a bit better than what was shared on Facebook.

An odd coincidence that, on Victoria Day Weekend (the first summer holiday of the season), Dave posts these pictures from Victoria Park.  Many thanks to Dave for organizing the photos, figuring out the location, date and time. It's work that is very much appreciated — by those who were, and remain, fans and, of course, by Kate and me.

— 2024/12/21 I have moved this post in my blog to the approximate date of the event. ... sometime in the summer of 1983.

Gang of Four

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Gang of Four were an English post-punk band, formed in 1976 in Leeds. The original members were singer Jon King, guitarist Andy Gill, bass guitarist Dave Allen and drummer Hugo Burnham. We got to see them early at Wonderland Gardens, London on Saturday March 5, 1983. It was late in my Ph.D. program (I dropped out a year later) and we attended with a gang of my classmates. At that time Dave Allen had been replaced by Sara Lee on bass. Shortly thereafter Hugo Burnham quit the band. I recall they struggled to continue with drum machines and then Ginger Baker (of the Cream) for a while but they seemed to just peter out by the mid 1980's. They did, however, continue under Andy Gill with various line ups.

I was introduced to the Gang of Four in 1980 by a friend Curtis (he was a high school chum of Gord's and was attending Althouse Teachers College) who followed the NME magazine. He was really into English punk, we both loved the Clash. The Gang of Four debut album, "Entertainment!", was impressive for being radically different from anything before or since. Through out their career the signature sound has been a driving bass and drums dance beat with jarring/slashing guitar over the top. Dissonance is a description, not adequate but good enough. You either loved them or you didn't — I did.

At the time we saw them they would have been touring to support their latest "Songs of the Free" (1982) with their back catalogue of "Solid Gold" (1981) and "Entertainment!" (1979). The album "Hard" came out later that year and has Sara Lee on the cover. I had all their albums and have continued to follow the band through the years. Sadly Andy Gill passed away in 2020 and the band truly is no more.

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The band had a couple of backing singers with them on this tour and Sara Lee also sang. Between the three of them, with Jon King carrying the lead voice, they put on quite a show with really great dance music. Andy Gill, as seen in the photo at left was ultra cool while Hugo's drums with Sara's bass laid down the dance beat. The place was hopping; not as much as Jon King who really threw himself into the show. It was quite a memorable performance. Wonderland Gardens was a smallish performance hall that would have held only a couple of hundred or so. I much prefer seeing bands in small venues where you can get up close to the stage.

There is a set list of tunes played at this show, I can't vouch for the accuracy but I can say: "I was there".

I had taken some pictures of the show but they were filed away and forgotten until recently (I'm writing this in April, 2021). I have a friend Brian Busby who was also a fan of the band. We talked about these photos several times and I had hoped to find them, if only to share with Brian. He had done an interview with the band a year before we saw them and has been in contact with surviving band members. During the COVID-19 pandemic I found some color negatives in the fall of 2020, then the BW negatives in the spring of 2021. Both have been scanned and shared on Facebook. I've also shared them with Andy's widow Catherine Mayer.

We had a chance to see them a second time much later when we were in Perth Australia. At the time they were touring for the "Content" album. I'm sorry to have missed that show.

At this writing a tribute album, "The Problem with Leisure", with a reinterpretation of 20 classic Gang of Four tunes is available for preorder.

Our friend Scott from 63 Monroe tells us he was hired as security that night, which would have been a little like having the fox guard the hen house. Brian Busby recalls that one of the backing singer was Michelle Cobbs who he saw just two months later singing with Roxy Music at the Forum. I recall seeing Sara Lee playing bass with the Waitresses at a show we saw in Washington D.C. The Gang of Four Wonderland show had the "Hoi Polloi" as the front act. They were a very Canadian good band, but they were fronting for one of the best bands there ever was.

Many thanks to Brent Wootton who was also at this concert and helped to jog some of my memories.

See also Episode 21 of "My Life In Concert" by Various Artists, he too was there.

This blog posting and photo albums were composed during the COVID-19 pandemic in April, 2021. The blog entry has been filed for the date of the concert.

Napalm Baby's

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Here's more of my old photos researched with the help of liked minded fans in the 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario Facebook group during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21.

The Napalm Baby's were a hardcore/punk band of young men from the Byron suburb of London. The photo album at left (click on the image) is from a gig at the Embassy Hotel in East London sometime in 1982 or so. The Napalm Babies played that night with a similar Toronto band called "Youth, Youth, Youth". I believe this was  October 18, 1982 with D.O.A. as the headlining act — but, no promises, I didn't file things away with notes.

At that time the Napalm Baby's were: Dave Newsome (vox), Dan Husband (gtr), Rob Johnston (gtr), Bruce Fisher (bass), and Wayne Fisher (drums). The band formed in 1981 and evolved into "Condo Christ" around 1986. What Wave #24 (Dave O'Halloran's fanzine) documents the changing band members over the years.

Dave Newsome, in the photo, was really intense. I had a fish-eye Sigma 16mm lens and got up close for the picture. He was replaced by Jamie Conyers sometime around 1985.

On Facebook Jade Mitchell recalls: "Fun fact. I dated Dave Newsome when I was 18, I worked at A&M records in Westmount mall, he came in wearing a cowboy hat and plaid shirt, he was shopping for some Country music, I suggested he buy the Tubes album, the rest might be history. 😉 Oh, our first date was Texas chain saw massacre at the Mustang. hahahaha...". I loved the Tubes, "White Punks on Dope" from "What Do You Want from Live" (1978) was a drunken tune we philosphers would yell from the roof of my apartment at the Lord Dufferin. Daniel Rudbal recalls the line ".. Mom and Dad live in Hollywood, hang my self when I get enough rope.." and I tell the younger folk that "I was a punk before you were" (another great tune from that album).

Larry Brandt (of Dead Rabbits and Flying Squad) described the band as "5 Byron Boogs". That had me stumped, I know about Byron but had never heard of "boogs". He explained that "Boog was a nickname for the mischievous and wayward youths of Byron that ended up harassing cops, exploring sewer tunnels and playing in rock n roll and punk bands. Not sure who started that name."

You can find some of their music on Bandcamp — try this link for music from the "Boot to the Head" CD and from the "Animals Fight Back" C90. See also the very brief entry on Discogs. And search around on Youtube — there are some Fryfogle's videos.

Finally, this note composed during May, 2021 with the help of fans found on Facebook. Photos were taken at the time, scanned around 2012 and only recently shared.

D.O.A. Embassy Tavern

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More D.O.A. pictures from long ago. These are from BW negatives I've recently found and scanned (March 2021). They were in a folder dated 1983 but  research with fellow fans on Facebook tells me the event was Monday, October 18, 1982 (see D.O.A. tour dates). 

The show was at the Embassy Tavern and would have been the first time Kate and I ever saw them. There's a post by the stage that makes me think it was the Embassy and comments by friends on the Facebook group 1980's Punk Rockers in London, Ontario confirm that. We saw D.O.A. several times over the years; however, this lineup is how I've always identified as "the band" even though there's been a changing cast of characters over the years. I recognize Joe Keithley (of course), Dave Gregg (second guitar), Wimpy Roy (bass) and Dimwit on the drums. 

Some searching on Google tells me they were fronted by Youth, Youth and The Napalm Babies but I can't confirm that. I do recall the seeing the Napalm Babies a few times.

They played loud fast and furious. Joey glistens with sweat in the photos and there's a picture where he clears his nose onto the stage. They were more than a little intimidating and seemed to be giants among men. If you remember the gig, tell us more.

On Facebook Marty Spacil recalls "It would have been Oct 18, 1982. I went to Toronto to set it up on Friday and the promoter wanted $10 for the cover; I talked to the band and we said $4 for a Monday so people would come. I just had Saturday and Sunday to put up flyers around town and still it wasn't super packed." 

Chris Richards confirms the date: "Yes, this is the one Oct. 18/'82. I can tell by the clothes they're wearing because I took a few photos the same night." Many thanks to both for sharing their memories.

Daniel Rudbal tells us that between 1985-2016 that he, with October Crisis and/or the Black Donnellys, fronted for D.O.A several times in London.

Kate and I were married in 1980. On a honeymoon visit to Vancouver I picked up "Something Better Change" which was one of D.O.A.'s very first albums. I don't know if I had heard the band before buying the album. Back in the day you'd often buy music on spec — "Hmm, this looks interesting". And it was interesting! The cover, especially the back cover, appealed to me. Songs like "New Age", "The Prisoner" and "World War 3" still ring out. 

The photos in this album are from my BW negatives found during the COVID-19 Pandemic in March of 2021. These have never been printed, scanned or shared before. They're contrasty, grainy and far from perfect but the memories are still vivid. 

Jerry Jeff Walker, el Macombo

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Although a great fan since the mid '70's I had the pleasure of seeing Jerry Jeff Walker only a couple of times. Both times were in Toronto, both on account of the women in my life who knew I was a fan. Once at the Horshoe Tavern during the "Man Must Carry On" era (mid '70's, a really crazy exciting time) and a second time at the el Macombo in '82 with my wife Kate who has been the excitement in my life for more than 40 years!

I've recently scanned the slides from the el Macombo show and have shared them with fans on Facebook.

As I didn't recognize the bandmates he has with him in this photo album (definitely not the Gonzos) I asked for help on the The Jerry Jeff Walker Gonzos Facebook group. 

Jeff Martin replied "That's the Bandito Band with Bobby Rambo - Guitar, Ron Cobb - Bass, Steady Freddy Krc - Drums, Reese Wynans - Keys, and Leo Leblanc - Pedal Steel". He added that "If there were horns it was Tomas Ramirez." I noted there are two guitars in the photos and wondered who the second person was. Mike Dunham says, "Other guitar player/steel is Michael Hardwick". Many thanks to both for filling that information in for me.

Freddie Krc (who really ought to know -- he was there in the band) also replied: "I was playing the Horseshoe Tavern show. That was the Bandito Band. Dave Perkins, Bobby Rambo, Reese Wynans, Leo LeBlanc, Tomas Ramirez, Ron Cobb and me. I wasn’t there in 1982. Michael Clark was the drummer from 1980-1982. I was back in the band 1983-85."

I recall that Kate and I were only recently married (August 2, 1980) and at the time we lived in our first home (Bruce & Teresa) in London. We would have rented a car to drive to Toronto for the show as we didn't own a car. It was worth the drive. 

We recall that there was some problem at the border with the band.  Bow Raps confirms our recollections and added: "I was there at the good ol’ el Macombo. There was to be 2 shows that afternoon, evening, if I recall. But he was there early enough but the band was held up at the border. Man, what a scene outside when some fella was tossed out on his ass. Just because of of the holdup. Fantastic show. We went up stairs outside his dressing room and he autographed my hat. The highlight of the evening was when he played Backsliders Wine." For me the highlight of the evening was "Layin' My Life on the Line" -- a song about touring, singing and making a commitment to your audience. It's a tune with some melancholy to it, it pulls at your heart strings.

P.s. After posting the above it came to me that we had also seen Jerry Jeff at the Ray Wylie Hubbard 70th birthday bash at the Paramount Theatre in Austin November 12, 2016 where he came on stage to sing a few tunes with his old friend who authored "Red Neck Mothers" made famous on the "Viva Terlingua!" album recorded live in the Luckenbach dance hall back in the days of the Gonzo band.

For more information on Jerry Jeff Walker see this excellent article, Mr Record Man: Jerry Jeff Walker, from Lone Star Music Magazine and explore the Jerry Jeff Walker Topic on Youtube. Within this blog there are several entries on topic as well. He was, and remains, a big influence on our lives.

This note composed '22/11/23, slides scanned at that time.