In July 1976 Deaf School were on the cover of Melody Maker along with an article by Geoff Brown about Liverpool's Second Coming, the resurgence of the Liverpool music scene.
It hadn't happened just yet. At the end of June 1976 the three top singles in the charts were all by Liverpudlians - not Deaf School, but the Real Thing, Our Kid and Paul McCartney. Disco, novelty, legacy.
But something was stirring in Liverpool and this three page article talked to people on the Scene. Unfortunately, they were almost all involved in the '60s scene, people like Allan Williams, Billy Butler, Joe Flannery. But one lone voice shone through - Roger Eagle, who had just arrived from Manchester.
This was at the end of July 1976, Roger's club, Eric's, wouldn't officially open until October. The article doesn't say what the name of the new club will be, or where, just "near Mathew Street". It alludes to the success of the Real Thing, Our Kid and Liverpool Express (who were also in the charts at the time) and mentions Deaf School and Supercharge.
It also mentions Aunt Twacky's, O'Halligans and Gatsby's . . .
. . . and the Metro, where Deaf School had a residency in January and February.
Inside cover of 2nd Honeymoon showing Deaf School at the Metro
Geoff Brown singles out the Grapes on Mathew Street as a natural lunchtime meeting place "with the radio stations [Radio City & Radio Merseyside] close by and the Merseyside Collector's Corner around in Temple Court". Probe Records wouldn't move to Button St until November 1976.
After discussing how success killed Merseybeat, Geoff Brown goes to see Roger Eagle at a small outhouse of a large house down a leafy lane lane off Sefton Park. Roger Eagle had been promoting rock bands at the Liverpool Stadium, and clubs like the Metro mentioned above.
"There's not too much happening at the moment. It will be in the autumn. Liverpool really needs a Bottom Line [club in NY], which is what I hope my club will become."
Roger Eagle
It's July 1976. The Sex Pistols were first mentioned in the NME in February '76, followed by Sounds and Melody Maker in April. They played the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester on June 4th. The Ramones played at the Roundhouse on July 4th, 1976, second on the bill to the Flamin' Groovies.
So, Punk is stirring, but Eric's isn't being touted as a Punk club. "Eagle has been talking about bringing the London pub bands to Liverpool" and he did - before the year was out the Count Bishops, Racing Cars, Roogalator and Flamin' Groovies had played, alongside Liverpool's own pub rock bands like the Brownies and 29th & Dearborn; Plummet Airlines seemed to have had a residency, appearing at Eric's in February, March and April (twice) 1977.
Vice Versa were a band from Kirkby (Lol Conolly, Gary Cheetham, George Manley and Steve Jones) managed by Jeremy Lewis, owner of Amazon Studios. As fae as I can tell they didn't play at Eric's.
Roger's preferred band is "a four, five piece rhythm 'n' blues band playing dance music." Not Slaughter & the Dogs then. Deaf School have got what it takes: "the funny thing, nice music, and the dance thing".
Hi Doreen!
Then the article goes back to talking about pub bands. You can read the rest of the article at World Radio History, an excellent resource.
Enrico Cadillac Jnr, Mr Average, Bette Bright
photo by Mike Royden
The official opening night of Eric's was Friday October 1st, 1976. But Deaf School played a pre-opening night show. On what date?
According to Paul Du Noyer in his book about Deaf School
Before the downstairs venue was ready, Deaf School played a pre-opening night in Gatsby’s. On the next night, 1 October, the Stranglers played the same stage for Eric’s official unveiling, followed a week later by all-girl US act the Runaways (hurriedly booked by Ken after he saw their picture in the NME). On 15 October, when upstairs was still used for the headlining acts, the Sex Pistols played their only Liverpool show.
"On the next night. the Stranglers played" - that could mean it was September 30th, the previous day . . .
or, more likely, as all the Eric's dates in 1976 are on Fridays, the Friday previous to the official opening, 24th September.
. . . as Bill Sykes says in Sit Down and Listen to This.
But. But, but, but the Deaf School website says August 3rd.
Surely they'd know . . . wouldn't they? But how accurate is the DS website? I don't remember them playing the Empire on August 6th, a month after playing the Philharmonic.
And I do remember them playing in a marquee on Southsea Common, Portsmouth, at the Southsea Show, on the afternoon of the 7th August, 1976. I was there and I wrote it on the wall. In fact, I originally wrote Southend Show, because being a northerner Southsea and Southend were interchangeable. Played the Empire in Liverpool on Friday and appearing in a tent on Southsea Common on Saturday afternoon? Don't think so.
August 6th was apparently the day that 2nd Honeymoon was due to be released, but it was put back to Friday 13th.
So when did Deaf School play the pre-opening gig at Eric's? I would suggest that it was September 24th, 1976.
Friday September 24th Deaf School
Eric's Club opened, taking over the Revolution Club at 9 Mathew St, Liverpool 2. The Revolution Club wasn't ready yet so the opening night was upstairs at Gatsby's.
Friday 10th December Slaughter & the Dogs + Berlin
Slaughter & the Dogs - UFO - recorded 1st May 1976
Berlin changed their name to Fun, and in 1979 had this track on Street to Street, A Liverpool Album
Fun - I Heared You Call My Name
Friday 17th December Flamin' Groovies
Flamin' Groovies - Shake Some Action
Friday 24th December Deaf School + Albert Dock + O'Boogie Brothers
Deaf School poster courtesy of Alexander Reynolds
Deaf School
Albert Dock became Yachts
Yachts - Suffice to Say
The O'Boogie Brothers featured Ambrose Reynolds, David Knopov (both of whom went on to be in the Ded Byrds), Ian Broudie (Big in Japan, Care, Lighting Seeds), Nathan McGough (son of Roger, later manager of Happy Mondays)
Friday 31st December The Brownies
On Saturday 11th December Roger Eagle was promoting the Sex Pistols Anarchy tour at Liverpool Stadium. It didn't happen. Find out why at Liverpool Miscellany
The Liverpool Echo reported the gig was cancelled but the band planned to play a city centre club, the Cavern. That didn't happen either.
Just to put things in context, here's the Top of the Pops, Supersonic and Old Grey Whistle Test line ups for January 1977. Don't forget this was all the pop and rock music you could see on tv back then. Look out for Deaf School on Supersonic.
Thursday 6th January 1977 Top of the Pops (BBC1)
Host: David Jensen
Sheer Elegance Dance the night away
10cc The things we do for love (promo)
Tina Charles Dr Love
Smokie Living next door to Alice
Gladys Night & the Pips Nobody but you
Jethro Tull Ring out those Solstice bells
David Soul Don't give up on us (Legs & Co)
Drifters You're more than a number in my little red book (promo)
Clodagh Rogers Save me
Boney M Daddy Cool
Donna Summer - chat with host -
Johnny Mathis When a child is born
Abba Money, money, money (play out record)
Saturday 8th January 1977
Supersonic (LWT)
The Hollies Daddy don't mind
The Hollies Dragging my heels
Mud Somebody
Phoenix Easy
Andy Fairweather Low Bebop and holler
Flintlock
Brotherhood of Man
an aside:
Sunday 9th January
Liverpool Empire Genesis
In April 1975 I'd been to my first gig, just turned 14 - Genesis with Peter Gabriel at the Empire. It was excellent. So when tickets for the first post-Gabriel Genesis tour went on sale roundabout October 1976 me & My Mate Dave got tickets for the Liverpool show the following January.
Punk happened pretty quickly. NME and Sounds might have had articles about Punk but there were no records, there were hardly any Peel sessions. Hard to be a punk in a provincial town when you'd never heard a punk band. But then in October the Pistols signed with EMI and at the end of the month Neat, Neat, Neat by the Damned was released. Stuff started happening. The Sex Pistols went on Bill Grundy's show on 1st December and the rest is history.
Consequently by January 9th me & My Mate Dave were not all that interested in seeing Genesis - but we went anyway. Phil Collins had started doing the singing so they had the great Chester Thompson in on drums. He was the drummer on Frank Zappa's Roxy & Elsewhere which was pretty cool. We were loitering in Lime St on that Sunday afternoon and saw this bunch of guys walking towards us. Obviously we recognised them, and being 15 year old scouse kids, totally ignored Messrs Collins, Rutherford, Banks and Hackett. Instead we bounded over (well, maybe not bounded) and said to Chester Thompson "hey mister, didn't you useta be in Frank Zappa's band?"
Tuesday 11th January 1977
Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC2)
Ace Rock & Roll Singer
Ace You're all that I needed
Daryl Hall & John Oates Back Together Again
Daryl Hall & John Oates Rich Girl
Roy Carr interview
Free The Stealer (promo)
Graham Parker & the Rumour That's what they all say (promo)
Boston Rock & Roll Band (promo)
Thin Lizzy Rocky (The Odeon, Hammersmith)
Thursday 13th January 1977
Top of the Pops (BBC1)
Host: David Hamilton
Gallagher & Lyle Every little teardrop
Barry Biggs Sideshow
Rose Royce Car Wash (Legs & Co)
David Parton Isn't she lovely
Julie Covington Don't cry for me Argentina (stills of Eva Peron)
Status Quo Wild side of life (promo)
Liverpool Express Every man must have a dream
Pussycat Smile
David Soul Don't give up on us (promo)
Stevie Wonder I wish (play out)
Saturday 15th January 1977
Supersonic (LWT)
Gary Glitter
Deaf School Taxi
Deaf School What a way to end it all
Jessie Green Flip
Jessie Green Nice & Slow
John Miles Manhattan Skyline
John Miles Music Man
Tuesday 18th January 1977
Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC2)
Larry Coryell's The Eleventh House in concert
Thursday 20th January 1977
Top of the Pops (BBC2)
Host: Noel Edmonds
Slade Gypsy Road Hog
Donna Summer Winter Melody (promo)
10c The things we do for love
Jesse Green Flip
Elvis Presley Suspicion (Legs & Co)
Drifters You're more than a number (promo)
Leo Sayer When I need you
Thin Lizzy Don't believe a word
Gary Glitter It takes all night long
Silver Convention Everybody's talking about love
David Soul Don't give up on us (promo)
Boney M Daddy Cool (play out)
Saturday 22nd January 1977
Supersonic (LWT)
Ace How Long
Ace You're all that I need
Dodgers Don't it always get you down
Eddie & the Hot Rods All I need is money
Eddie & the Hot Rods Teenage Depression
Liverpool Express Every man must have a dream
Slik Don't take your love away
Tuesday 25th January 1977
Old Grey Whistle Test (BBC2)
Leon Redbone Mr Jellyroll Baker
Leon Redbone I Ain't got nobody
SAHB without Alex Pick it up & kick it
SAHB without Alex Smouldering
Dory Previn Brando (promo)
Emmylou Harris Pancho & Lefty (Townes van Zandt cover)
Rick Wakeman White Rock (film clip)
Thursday 27th January 1977
Top of the Pops (BBC1)
Host: Tony Blackburn
The Brothers Sing Me
David Parton Isn't she lovely
Eagles New kid in town (Leggs & Co)
Barry Briggs Sideshow
Status Quo Wild Side of Life
Mr Big Romeo
Julie Covington Don't cry for me Argentina
Andy Fairweather Low BeBop & Holler
Moments Jack in a Box (promo)
New Seekers I want to go back
David Soul Don't give up on us (promo)
Rose Royce Car Wash (play out)
the unwitting cause of punk rock
Saturday 29th January 1977
Supersonic (LWT)
Mr Big Romeo
Andy Fairweather Low Be Bop & Holler
Real Thing You'll never know what you're missing
Real Thing Hallelujah Man
Leo Sayer When I need you
Leo Sayer You make me feel like dancing
Scrounger Our love
info from http://www.tvpopdiaries.co.uk/1977.html
go visit!
Friday 18th February Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias
The Albertos - In Concert 1977
Saturday 19th February Cherry Vanilla & her Staten Island Band
Cherry Vanilla - The Punk - 1977
Friday 25th February John Martyn
Saturday 26th February Stranglers
New Old Gig Review – Eric’s Liverpool 1977
Folk’s answer to Ted Nugent?
John Martyn: If he’s too loud then you’re too old!
FOR THOSE of you who do not know, let me merely say this: John Martyn is Britain’s number one singer/songwriter. Absolutely.Without doubt. His fine, unique vocals excellently complement his subtle blend of guitar pyrotechnics. You heard correctly – pyrotechnics! (And if any of you Ted Nugent/Buck Dharma/Ace Frehley fans wanna argue, come right up!).
After a plea for ‘a bit more juice in the monitors’ (which is only significant in the fact that it commenced a running verbal battle which the guy at the mixing desk which lasted for all of Martyn’s one-and-a-half hour long set) and a final drink out of his ubiquitous bottle of beer, Martyn went straight into an incredible version of ‘One Day Without You.’ Just check out those vocals. Perfection. Next came the highlight (for me, any way) of Martyn’s set, ‘Outside In.’ During this, he brought to the fore his whole battalion of effects – wahwahs, boosters, fuzztones, copycat, in fact, you name it, and Martyn’s got his foot on it. The way this song progresses is just amazing. It seems to possess a magical inherent non-verbal imagery, providing excellent fodder for all us would be amateur escapists.
After this song, Martyn went about developing his rapport with the highly appreciative Eric’s audience before treating us to an ‘acoustic guitar solo’, and following that with a ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide Ballad (Traditional).’ How can I, a mere mortal, ever hope to convey the many facets of loveliness songs like ‘Over The Hill’ or ‘Make No Mistake’ or for that matter ‘Bless The Weather’ possess?
If your answer to the question, ‘Have you heard John Martyn?’ is in the negative, God help your souls. But it’s not too late. Quick! There’s still time if you hurry.
