My Life In The Mosh Of Ghosts

THUNKA-THUNKA-THUNKA! Psychedelic sleaze dealers The Cramps bring their unholy, blistering big beat to the sweating shoe box that is The Limit Club, Sheffield's favourite subterranean watering hole. Roger, just back from the rarified, cerebral stimulus of free-jazz trio AIR live in London, holds his nose and takes a plunge into the Goo Goo Muck.  Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Art...

Free-Jazz newbie Roger travels down to London from Sheffield with three serious Jazz buffs. Their destination, the Lyric Theatre in West London to witness a rare UK gig by Chicago improvised-music titans Air.   Lots of stuff about being under the enthusiastic tutelage of one of my key musical mentors Charlie Collins. The trip also takes in a studio visit to hang out with US new-wave sprites The Bo...

J-Pop comes to Sheffield in the shape of The Plastics, a Japanese 5-piece on their first tour of the UK. Language is no barrier when both band and audience just want to get down and dance.  Elsewhere, the 'Thirst' line-up of Clock DVA splits and Roger pops his cherry. Thanks to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music and to Rionagh for the artwork. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound...

Romance and Robert Smith , what more could any new couple want from a date night? Roger is keen to impress a new girlfriend, but what will she make of The Cure's bleak monoliths of sound, as they haul Pink Floyd's PA around the UK?  Also, the imminent demise of 'DVA, Martin Fry, Nelson Mandela, tongue-hockey and frottage. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh....

The worst April snows in living memory are no deterrent to those ambassadors of abnegation Killing Joke, ever eager to share their forewarning of the imminent global apocalypse. Roger gets close to the belly of the beast in London and Birmingham, and finds it in need of a bath.  Intro and outro music - Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork - Rionagh. Guest voice - Paul Widger. Sound FX courtesy of Freesound...

Bewitched by 'Unknown Pleasures' and 'Closer', Roger regrets never getting to see Joy Division live. However, the next-best-thing presents itself when New Order rise from the ashes of Joy Division, playing at Sheffield promoter Disco John's Atmosphere club night, shortly after the release of 'Ceremony', in Spring 1981. Plus, the Grim Reaper, Fozzie Bear, Crystal...

The sound of Young Scotland comes to Sheffield during one week in April 1981. Edwyn Collins and Orange Juice  charm the Limit Club with their pounding jingle-jangle on April 2nd. Seven days later, Roger gets down and boogies to Restricted Code, but headliners Fire Engines fail to live up to the music biz hype. Also, lots of growing-up stuff about Glasgow Celtic, Fyfe Robertson and the no-mean Naza...

Ronald Reagan gets shot and Roger spends one night in Heaven, an innocent wrinkle in a frown of goths. It's  a none-more-black celebration of Northampton's nocturnal heroes Bauhaus. To be honest, it's not his chalice of Chai. However, there is fun to be had backstage watching their pre-show rituals and entourage. Also starring dance ensemble Torso. Guest voices: Paul Widger. Artwork...

What a terrific bill!  Three bands playing somewhere near the top of their respective games. From West Yorkshire (Leeds University to be specific) Gang Of Four and Delta 5 and, right in the middle, a show-stealing performance from American weird-wonders Pere Ubu.  I cannot deny, a few drinks were taken, but this is how I remember it all going down.  Includes other stuff about being quizzed at work...

Roger is back in London for his first close encounter with musicians from the other side of the Atlantic. It's the Taking Liberties US showcase at The Rainbow, starring The Bongos, Bush Tetras and many other Ray-Ban-wearing cool dudes from the East Coast. Followed by an exciting night at Dingwall's in Camden, dancing to the artfully funky Love Of Life Orchestra. Special guest contributio...

Three days after the high excitement of the Fetish Nite Out in London's West End, Roger is checking out one of his favourite Sheffield bands I'm So Hollow. They are playing at local promoter Disco John's new videotheque night, which is called Atmosphere (after the Joy Division song.)  The venue is Romeo's & Juliet's nightclub, which used to be called Bailey's, whe...

In the space of a few weeks, the band that Roger is a member of have released not one but two albums. Even his Dad is reasonably impressed.  Two weeks on from the release of 'Thirst', and DVA are on the bill for 'A Fetish Nite Out', aiming to make a big impression at the Lyceum Theatre on The Strand in London. Joining them on the night are those twin pillars of UK Industrial Mu...

Roger's last gig of 1980.  A visit to The Hallamshire pub on West Street to see Sheffield experimental noise trio the Naked Pygmy Voles.  Do they have any hits? No. Do they have any songs? Not really.  Do they make a Helluva racket? Come this way and find out more. Thanks to Simon Elliott-Kemp for the intro and outro music. Thanks to Rionagh for the artwork. Special thanks to John Whyman for...

It's Roger's first ever festival experience, with only an Access All Areas pass to separate him from the great unwashed, staggering around this former bus depot in West Yorkshire like a dry-run for 'The Walking Dead'.  Thank goodness then for some terrific bands - Altered Images, Echo & The Bunnymen, I'm So Hollow and Siouxsie & The Banshees. (There are some awful...

Having not played in Sheffield for over a year, Cabaret Voltaire are back in action on home turf, within a month of their legendary gig with Throbbing Gristle. It's for a good cause, a benefit gig for a just-opened venue called The Leadmill.  Roger goes along to check out the band and the people. Guest voice: Amy Sharp. Intro and outro music: Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork: Rionagh. Sound FX cou...

Roger is back on the road.  Memories of London as a child and young adult, discovering the metropolitan joys of the Big Smoke.  This episode focuses on Mute Records' electro-pop maven Fad Gadget and an extraordinary gig upstairs in a crumbling pub in West London, on a long summer night in June 1980. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork by Rionagh. Sound FX from Freesound and Z...

Roger looks back on some of the lesser-known bands who played the Blitz club at the George IV pub in Sheffield. Featuring local musicians and out-of-town visitors who made it the place to be for the oddballs and outsiders of the steel city. Also contains reflections on working for The Man, and a bit of politics. Artwork by Rionagh. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp. Sound effects courtes...

Modestly billed in NMX fanzine as "the gig of the century", the meeting of these two giants of the industrial music scene on Cabaret Voltaire's home turf was not to be missed. Roger was there, along with pretty much everyone else who was in a band in Sheffield.  Guest voices - Amy, Brent and Wilma. Artwork by Rionagh. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp, who also kindly supp...

Roger gets a job, a proper job with a salary and everything. The balancing act of wanting to be a rock 'n' roll star and keeping the parents happy starts here. The Human League impress with their gift of sound and vision, as do The Scars with their porcupine new wave pop. Ian Curtis dies. This one is a bit sweary. Guest voice by Brent. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork...

Spring and summer 1980 and Roger has a front row seat to witness unfancied, electro-pop mini-moguls Vice Versa mutate into globe-straddling chart-toppers ABC.  With special guest Vice Versa / ABC co-founder Mark White. Guest voice by Brent. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artwork by Rionagh. Sound FX by Zapsplat and Freesound.org Thanks to Magedu, LG, Alienist Cog. Saxophone - Stan Ra...

Roger becomes a recording artiste, with the release of a DVA track on the "1980 - The First Minutes" EP on Neutron Records.  Not much beats the thrill of hearing John Peel play your record on the radio. Also featured are I'm So Hollow, who deliver another powerful set upstairs at the George IV, and the Stunt Kites, who are about to crash and burn. Intro and outro music by Simon Elli...

Into the Eighties with season three, recalling happy nights of booze, the Blitz club and bagpipes.  The year gets off to a shaky start with the Stunt Kites and Urban Tech, but finally comes to life with a packed-out venue for They Must Be Russians. Thanks to Brent for the guest voice, and to Carl O'Connor for the bagpipes on 'Bagpipe Boogie'. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-K...

It's the end of the seventies, and Roger's last gig of the decade finds him at his new favourite watering hole - the Blitz club at The George IV Pub - checking out the much-talked about Artery, with support from Doncaster-based tin foil enthusiasts Shy Tots.  Also features Elliott Gould, Malcolm Muggeridge, David Bowie and Jenny Agutter in 'Walkabout'.  Intro and outro music by...

In which Roger discovers another great new Sheffield-based band to get excited about, the awkward but intoxicating Salon Graph.  He is particularly taken with co-vocalist Pam Young, and falls for her from afar.  Memorable nights out at Sheffield University, The George IV and The Blitz Club in the autumn and winter of 1979. Guest voice - John Whyman. Intro and outro music - Simon Elliott-Kemp. Artw...

A new club night opens in Sheffield, with fast-rising post-punk band I'm So Hollow appearing as headliners. Roger checks it out, and feels right at home with the other misfits, musicians and posers who will become regulars in this little room above the George IV pub on Infirmary Road. Special thanks to Jane Antcliff-Wilson for the guest lead vocals. Intro and outro music by Simon Elliott-Kemp...