Wednesday 4th May Bud Freeman
Thursday 5th May The Clash
+ The Slits
+ Subway Sect
Friday 6th May Wayne County & the Electric Chairs
+ Squeeze
Saturday 7th May The Heartbreakers
Wednesday 11th May Johnny Griffin & Carmel Jones
+ the Joe Palin Trio
Friday 13th May The Stranglers
Saturday 14th May [Blondie advertised initially, replaced by Siouxsie]
Siouxsie & the Banshees
+ Albert Dock
Wednesday 18th May Zbigniew Namyslwski Band
Thursday 19th May The Ramones
+ Talking Heads
Ramones at Eric's, Photo Ian Dckson/Redferns
RAMONES/TALKING
HEADS
Liverpool, Erics May 19th 1977
BACK IN the archives and annals of rock and roll history, we
recall with some revulsion four other boys who once played the dives of
Liverpool with long fringes dancing a frenzied tarantella on their eyelashes.
Real apt that these new improved moptops should choose to play
Liverpool; after all isn't this what Brian's boys might have been like had he
hit them over the had with a sledgehammer seven times daily as opposed to
holding their hands? Joey Ramone is much more of a Beatle than Lennon ever was.
However, worse things first. I was surprised at how empty Eric's
was. And those present were definitely not the breed detected at London new
music gigs; I saw just one girl in rubber. Otherwise flares were the order of
the day - but a Bored Teenager is a Bored Teenager no matter the diameter of
his trousers and when 'Anarchy In The UK' blasted out it was the red light to
the lemmings. See them jump! "/ use the eNeMeE!" sneered Johnny and I
cursed in silent agreement as the ninety-sixth pogoer came to momentary rest on
my gold-strap clad foot (What, no nail varnish details this week, Julie? - Ed).
I need holes in my feet like Britain needs Talking Heads.
Suddenly my homicidal contemplations are swept aside. Oh No! Oh
Yes It's them!
Democracy, fair play and team spirit fall useless by the wayside
as The Ramones take the stage. I have to look into Joey's eyes! Getting to the
stage is all I know. Anything to get to the front; I stuck my stiletto heel
into so many groins it brought tears to my eyes. And they fought back; I got
cigarette burns on my feet and sapphire and emerald bruises on my arm to prove
it. But true love conquers all, and here I am at last, clutching the barrier at
Johnny's feet! Everyone had warned me how much the forcible assimilation into
The Ramones world of decapitating decibels would hurt, but I was oblivious. It
sounded great to me; practically everything from the two albums plus 'Sheena Is
A Punk Rocker'. The words are totally indecipherable but so what? This ain't a
Wittgenstein tutorial, this is rock and roll. Who needs sense when you've got
Esperanto? "Joey!" I yell. As if by the kiss of kismet, Joey
enunciates: "Dere's a lotta special gales out dere tonight! Dis is for
alia choo!" Ooo! It's 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend'. I clutch the fragile
barrier as one of my ribs gives way and the barrier collapses. Quick as greased
lightning the security rushes forward to replace it; no heavy handedness, no
abuse, and as far as I can see the kids in the frontlines are helping to haul
the barricades back up. "Gabba gabba" is the watch word and for
'Pinhead' Joey brings on a sign stamped with those words. We accept you, one of
us - we're freaks too. From the constant catcalls of "Suzy" and
"Headbanger!" one can only presume that a considerable number of
Liverpudlians are at present being headbanged by a considerable number of
Suzys.
In one last death-defying act I balance myself on the
again-falling barricade, and with one fell swoop my trembling eager fingers
close around a slender white appendage. Johnny Ramone's plectrum is mine at
last. Limp survivor of three encores, I lean shell-shocked against the wall and
find it's the only thing sweating more than I am.
Ramones - you can never go home.
(Julie Burchill - NME May 28th 1977)
Friday 20th May Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias
Saturday 21st May Bert Jansch
+ Breakdown
Wednesday 26th May Red Brass
Friday 27th May Generation X
Saturday 28th May The Damned
+ The Adverts
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