Talkin'
'Bout!
Crispin
CoulsonWhat Happened? Who attended? What did you do there? I wore a stupid hat, an ill advised Waffen SS Death's Head Cap Badge, foolishly shaved my eybrows off and ended up on Anglia TV. I hated The Fruit Eating Bears, tapped a toe at Solid Waste and Chelsea, really liked Aswad for the few minutes they were on stage before being canned off. Went nuts watching Slaughter and Dogs, the first entertaiining act of the day and joined the vast mahority of the crowd booing The Damned and shouting "Rat is a Prat" as they sat on stage with John Peel refusing to perform. Have few other recollections other than Bob Mardon the organiser locking himself away to escape the extremely pissed off and unpaid security (garnered from some of the more harder drinkers at the Animals I seem to recall) and it starting to drizzle during Eddie and The Hot Rods admittedly entertaining but deeply unpunk closing set.
Richard Chester
Being young at the time and only getting £2.50 a week pocket money, me and a couple of mates were trying desperately to raise the money to get in. While outside the ground The Damned turned up in a VW camper and started learing at us, so we leared back. Luckily Brian Chapman and Welshy were on one of the gates and let us slip in, pocketing what funds we had. I can remember the plastic bags of piss being thrown at Aswad which I thought was uncalled for. I can only really remember louie Lewis, The Fruit Eating Bears and everyone going mental to Eddie and the Hotrods. It was a fantastic day. The Damned felt bad for not playing and ended up putting on a show at the Chancellor in December with 999 in support. I asked Captain Sensible for an autograph and handed him some paper, 'What's this, a f***ing school book' at which point he ripped it apart with his teeth and wrote 'Sensible bit this'. Still got it and a set list for that night.
Simon Deville
I was about 11 or 12 at the time and the guy on the gate (or rather the bridge) took pity on me and my two mates and let us in for nothing. I remember John Peel getting a hail of bottles when he announced the Damned were refusing to play because they weren't getting paid enough. clearly they relented.
Jed Southgate
I had actually promoted a gig with Bob Mardon (promoter at festival) and had lost money then so had an idea this would go the same way. Just read the Eddie and the Hot Rods book and they mention the scaffold being removed during the set ! Happy Days.
Donald Rodie
Slaughter and the Dogs were great. I saw them about 4 years ago and they were great then too. I quite enjoyed Doctors of Madness but not enough to remember what they were like or buy any of their records. Eddie and the Hot Rods were bloody marvellous. And what a treat seeing Rob Tyner singing with them. Only slightly marred by one of the lenses falling out of my glasses. I managed to find it after the gig!
Crispin Coulson
I'd forgotten about Rob Tyner that day. Alas I think only about half a dozen people in the audience knew who he was. Is my mind playing trick with me or was he wearing a badge bearing the legend "Acid Punk"?
Keyffo Baggins
I was there in a peach gold satin trimmed Ray Davies camp 7Tease double vent jacket and went home with plurasy or felt like I f***in froze. I still have a ticket stub I think and A3? poster. Was I the only fool with a full ticket. Donald is right the enjoyment only began with Slaughter Headmasters Gown on lead singer showers of Chalk dust everywhere. Acid Punk surely there is photographic evidence on my Tyner/Rods Island 45. Fruit Eating Bears had been The Merseys post Sorrow backing band and entered The British Eurovision Heats for the Crac so perhaps we should be less harsh as to their decided bandwagon jumping dullness.
Paul Chester
I spoke with Barrie Masters while queueing for a hot dog before the Hot Rods played. Spoke to him about the delays they'd encountered while taping the Marc (Bolan) TV show at Granada, which I'd read about in one of the recent music papers.
