POTKETTLEBLACK, LEATHERFACE, WAT TYLER & SOFA HEAD REVIEW Warning, it is not a good idea calling the bouncers rude names, they are not built for pleasure, just pain and it wont get you into the gig as one punter found out in the queue tonight. This was a bit of a crusty old piss up with a crowd of punks and skins many sporting football shirts but all in good fun friendly spirits looking forward to a line up of bands many of which had not played in years.
It had been a good 6 years or so since Sofa Head graced a London stage, the last time I caught them was at The Fulham Greyhound, a venue that also bit the dust a while back. Singer Claire announced that they were going to be the worst and drunkest band of the night but as they breezed into Make It Worse they sounded in fine form to me. It is weird but to the best of knowledge this group only exist in vinyl land and have not had their catalogue released on CD at all. Their bittersweet abrasive songs were served up in a fast and furious fashion. Boys Will Be Boys had bassist Ian saying that he wasn’t built for this anymore but the big lad was surely kidding. The audience was a bit too chilled, or too lazy, or on drugs which was a good cue for both Valium Housewife and Tired. The band were rewarded with the world’s worst dancer, I quickly named his style the undertaker shuffle, but boy did he move at a riotous cover of The Doors Break On Through. I’m looking forward to catching them in action again already.
Wat Tyler were undoubtedly a legend in drummer Sean’s lunchtime. They are a comedy act as much as wastrel musicians and this was a triumphant return for them. Having made a lifetime career of taking the piss out of Snuff they took every opportunity to rib them tonight. Singer Tuck had told they had 2 rehearsals at the weekend, more than the entire 90’s and it showed, they were only moderately crap for a change. Heavy Metal Vivisector had the suddenly packed venue exploding into action as did a woefully sung rendition of Bryan Adams Everything I Do complete with 30 second death metal climax. Everyone in the audience was baying for their favourite song but we were rewarded with Tellytubbies a theatre version with grown up acting (well it was very grown up as Sean and Tuck were doing something rather perverse with each other that shouldn’t be explained to children). Someone made a Chumbawamba catcall resulting in a chant of “I get sucked off and I get sucked off again.” There were so many styles for the band to practice, opera one second then an acoustic song about beer Hops And Barley the next (which reminded me that my glass was empty). A punky pantomime of The Little People (apparently part 4 like you care) and with We Pledge Our Allegiance To Satan, Wat Tyler had outdone the 100s of serious death metal bands I have seen on this stage in one fell swoop.
The X Factor Master Of The Universe was like Hawkwind never happened and with the band climaxing with all of them swapping instruments and sounding better than they had the rest of the set, we were truly in drunken awe.
I reckon a few death metal bands would have loved to use the name Leatherface but Frankie Stubbs and his crew beat them all to it way back in 1988. Had been ages again since I last caught this lot, I believe in Kilburn supporting the mighty Fugazi. The singer peered out at the fairly rammed members at the front of the stage, an evil glint in his eye. I was rather puzzled as the smell of stew was inexplicably pervading the venue, Christ knows where it was coming from and I wondered if it was some new super dope on the market. Much more serious than the band before (and indeed after them) Leatherface got the audience bouncing away, singing along and spilling my beer as they tore into things. I recognised some of their songs but seriously haven’t played an album of theirs in over a decade and again they are a band that I would have to dust my vinyl off to relive. The power of the riff was evident and the guitars always sparkle with this lot as are the terrace led anthems that at times reminded me a bit of Sham 69 here tonight. This was proper 4 chord punk and should be played to the kids today as a compulsory part of their education into what punk rock really is all about.
So onto the unheard of headliners Pot Kettle Black who as I am sure everyone in the venue tonight was aware of were basically a version of the infamous Snuff. Original drummer/singer Duncan sporting silly Mohican which was earlier the ammunition of Wat Tylers jibes was backed up here by Wes on bass who is also in One Car Pile Up and other former Snuff members Simon, Lee and Dave. The good news was that they were only playing the old stuff from the first couple of albums and EPs, which is just as well as that is basically the stuff I loved. In fact back in slimmer stage diving days I saw them loads and loved them so much I actually dived off the 8ft speaker stack at the Bristol Bierkeller and very luckily survived to tell the tale. Not that I was doing that tonight as I was far too pissed, fat and old as they blasted into the rabble rousing hardcore rant of Somehow. The jangling adrenaline fuelled chaotic melody of this had the pit instantly transformed into a yobbish brawl whilst we were spurred on by the bunch of hooligans on stage. It was a bit of a blur really and a very fast one at that. Joined by Dave on trombone we got one of the infamous Snuff covers, a blinding version of The Specials Do Nothing. Most of the songs from (and to give it its full title) snuffsaidbutgordblimeyguystonemeifhedidn'tthrowawobblerchachachacha...you'regoinghomeinacosmicambience were played, back in time I would have named each and every one of them but was struggling now. I did scrawl down Win Some Lose Some and am sure we got Tiffany classic I Think We’re alone Now and Not Listening but I was too busy acting like a drunken teenager to go into more detail. This kind of makes me wonder how many of these bands are going to be playing when we are all disgraceful pensioners? All of them and my liver I hope.
Pete Woods
LONDON, THE UNDERWORLD, 17/12/06