Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta

The Problem Page 1

OK so I know you don't give a shit, but I've finally found out where and when I saw The Gang of Four for the first time!!!!!!

Previously on Heart of a Punk Soul of a Rasta:
"1980 or was it '81. They were supporting UB40 at a gig (obviously) at Walsall Town Football Ground; we stood on the pitch as I remember. Does this seem fanciful, like it couldn't possibly have happened? Well it did, I went on the bus from Wolves, it started at midday (there were other bands on - I can't remember any of them). It must have been in the close season, it didn't rain; in fact nothing interesting happened other than Gof4 played. But now subsequent Gof4 gigs seem to have merged with this memory and only fragments of that day remain in my addled brain. All I can remember is that Gof4 burst forth like shot from a blunderbuss, bobbing and weaving around the stage, interchanging positions and being generally mental. I didn't own a copy of "Entertainment" at the time and other than "At Home He's A Tourist"* I don't think I really knew much about them. After this gig though I quickly visited Sundown Records and got myself up to speed."

I was starting to believe that this gig was a false memory manufactured by alcohol addiction, and this worried me slightly. There was only one way to resolve this PROBLEM, go up in the attic get down all my copies of NME, Sounds, Melody Maker and Record Mirror for 1980 and 1981 and systematically go through them week by week until I found some mention of this probably fictional gig.

I went up into the attic, pushed to one side the ten volumes of Hitler diaries, paused momentarily to look through the box of naked photos of the Queen (shook my head regretfully), stepped over the rotten and really rather dangerously stacked bones of Shergar and found next to the suitcases filled with the remains of various ex-family members, the pile of dusty and dirty music rags circa 78-85 covered in cluster fly (it's a Shropshire thing) and bat shit. It was at this moment of discovery I thought to myself fuck this for a game of marbles. I decided instead to send an email to the Gang of Four fansite to see if they had any record of this gig - and as a back stop I also emailed to the UB40 lot as well.

OK so I knew I wouldn't get a reply but I was desperate! The Walsall Football Ground, it seemed so bloody unlikely. But really I was there, wasn't I? The ground got demolished years back and unless anymore can prove any different I can't remember there ever being a gig there before or since. I awaited a reply. Days passed, gigs came and went, dirty droplets of rain ran down my skylight, a Moscow sun shone white from behind black and blue clouds. And then this arrived in my inbox from the wonderful Gang of Four fansite:

"I emailed Andy Gill to ask him and got this back:

I asked Jon and he remembers - he said " Yes. We played with UB40. I remember meeting John Peel there, too. It was very hot, I recall " - don't know if that's any use to you ! ! Andy

Does that confirm it for you? Probably as good as you're going to get, I think...

Well yes this did it for me, spurred by this faint corroboration I went back up in the attic, vaulted over the Hitler diaries, paused again to look through the box of naked photos of the Queen (shook my head sadly), kicked aside the bones of Shergar, sat on the suitcases filled with the remains of various ex-family members and sifted out from the pile of dusty and dirty music rags circa 78-85 just the 1980 and 1981 copies.

Fifty five man hours later HERE IT IS!

13th June 1981 Walsall Football Ground was the first time I saw the Gang of Four live. 1981, I was a bit late to join the Gof4 fraternity (so I thought then) but then I never expected them or me to still be going nearly thirty years on. Oh yeah and what did I get back off the UB40 fansite, you're right, zip! You'd have thought after I'd paid an extra quid to see them at Walsall in '81 they'd have responded to my email in '09, but no. Band of the people my arse!

Come September '81 I was able to see Gang of Four again this time with Bauhaus at Futurama '81, but that's a different story, story, story, story……………………….

I love they way some one thought it would be really futuristic to have the ticket in a plastic sleeve for Futurama. The shape of things to come eh, the jet pack and the ticket in a plastic sleeve, we're still waiting.

Gang of Four!
Gang of Four Fansite!
We Salute you!