The Mob performance part two (track 11 – I Wish is performed after track 15 – No Doves Fly Here)
How did this gig come about so suddenly and with no notice to the public? Well…Mark and Leah were contacted by Allison of The Kills two weeks ago. Allison was organising fellow Kills member Jamie Hince’s stag night before he is wed to the Croydon supermodel Kate Moss. Allison inquired whether Jamie’s favourite ever band and main inspiration in his teenage years could perform at a (then unspecified) venue in London. Mark asked the other band members and it was agreed to perform in London at a free party organised by Allison.
Allison got busy organising a suitable venue whilst Leah, Tess, Steve Corr, Mick Lugworm and myself (Penguin) sought out suitable guests to invite. The band had been given permission to invite 150 guests and the logistics should have been a nightmare. Happily though almost all the people invited were old Mob followers who jumped at the opportunity to see this band perform for the first time in London since late on in 1983. The few old faces that unfortunately could not attend were quickly and easily replaced with other willing souls.
All the invited guests were asked to agree to the one demand placed on them for the eventual entrance to this gig. The guests were asked to remain silent about this gig on any blogs, facebook or any other online forum. After all it was meant to be a surprise for the happy groom to be, and no one wanted to spoil the surprise, least of all the organisers! To the joy of everyone involved in setting this event up, this one demand was met with total agreement and was respected throughout.
Below: The guest list for the night, not including Jamie Hince’s entourage of twenty or so.
1. Mark Wilson
2. Graham Fallows
3. Curtis Youe
4. Leah Wild
5. Jackie Fallows
6. Mary Youe
7. Tess Wilson
8. Chris Stanley
9. Mickey Penguin
10. Steve Corr
11. Claire Wilson
12. Rosie Wilson
13. Madeline Dring
14. Alex Dring
15. Nav Sabet
16. Shane Sealey
17. Ella Sheehan
18. Min
19. Rowan
20. Phil Ritchie
21. Jodie
22. Max
23. Justine Butler
24. Marc Adams
25. Ian Harris (Ebo)
26. Peter Russel (Lumpy)
27. Ben Corrigan
28. Mick Luggy
29. Bob Buttler
30. Andy Tuck
31. Ian Glasper
32. Andy T
33. Pid Sensa Yuma
34. Beki Teeth
35. Kim Holmes
36. Bristol Blue
37. Tony Tsuk
38. Fran Tsuks
39. Hugh Murray Marine
40. Paul Light
41. Conchita
42. Duna
43. Ian
44. Sid Rubella
45. Zillah Rubella
46. Ian Aitch
47. Shane Dabineti
48. Chris Low
49. Romina Loi
50. Gita Malhotra
51. Paul Shrapnel
52. Liz Rowland
53. Mark Palmer
54. Micheal Victor
55. Pauline Victor
56. Richard Percy
57. Elaine Seymour
58. Andy Barker
59. John Turner
60. Nick Hydra
61. Paul Venables
62. Del Blyben
63. Jim Wafford
64. Sean Forbes
65. Rob Challice
66. Kate Riddihough
67. Andrew Rawlings
68. Tinsal
69. Tony Woodrow
70. Pete Alberto
71. Tony D
72. Des Hoskins
73. Jaz Wiseman
74. Deb Googe
75. Kath Gifford
76. Keith Reynolds
77. Alex Reynolds
78. Simon Rix
79. Christine Moeller
80. Val Drayton
81. Tex Rockerfella
82. Rachel
83. Steve
84. Gary DIRT
85. Rona DIRT
86. Paris
87. Peter
88. Lee Dalby
89. Lee Gibson
90. Deep Sea Dave
91. New Zealand Darren
92. Neil Keenan
93. Rosy Hayward
94. Shaun McLoughlin
95. Neale Williams
96. Gordan Wilkins
97. Nick Wilkins
98. Aithche Smyth
99. Chris Hunyh
100. Vicky Ridley
101. Spencer Kelly
102. Charles Loft
103. Stephen Spencer-Fleet
104. Gayle Colyer
105. Martin Manners
106. Shay
107. Guillaume Ruffat
108. Marie Berjon
109. Mark Ripper
110. Alastair McCaughtrie
111. Yasuyo Hosoi
112. Hooch
113. Simon Hobbs
114. Satu Salonpaa
115. Andrea Jameson
116. Paul Forder
117. Annie D’arcy
118. Pete Webb
119. Grant Showbiz
120. Ian Moss
121. Carl Kirton
122. Mark Astronaut
123. Kate Riddihough
124. Ban
125. Terry Dwyer
126. Dion Bunting
127. Spencer Batiste
128. Janice Tripney
129. Peck Woodrow
130. Gail Thibert
131. Cheryl Barclay
141. Harry
142. Karen Lack Of Knowledge
143. Boo Dendy
144. Chris Mortimer
145. Tom Fallows
146. Sylviane Decroliere
148. Geoff Collis
148. Giff
149. Laverne
150. Shaun
Allison found a venue, The Macbeth in deepest Hoxton, East London, and with the date of the stag night coming up fast, The Kills on their short tour entered Bristol to perform a gig there. Mark, Steve Corr and Leah plus assorted family members all went along to the gig and managed to speak to Jamie afterwards. Steve Corr was Jamie’s band mate in the third line up of Blyth Power, a band with strong Mob connections, so he knew Jamie well. This was the excuse to introduce Mark from The Mob to Jamie. Jamie was overjoyed on meeting Mark for the first time and the night was finished off nicely with no one letting on to knowing anything about a party a couple of days later. It must have been a strange moment as Allison had obviously been in touch via the phone and via email several times a day for almost two weeks with both Mark and Leah and then had to sit there pretending not to know or care too much about the guests backstage that night.
On the Saturday morning, during one of the finest and hottest days of the year so far the various members of the bands performing on the night travelled down from South Wales, Yeovil and Bristol.
The Mob and Idiot Strength arrived at the Macbeth around four in the afternoon, the sound check was completed courtesy of Grant Showbiz and with Harvey, the engineer from the venue. Grant Showbiz had been asked to work the mixing desk for The Mob on this hot June night. Grant had engineered the first two singles by The Mob ‘Crying Again’ recorded in 1979 and ‘Witch Hunt’ recorded in 1980. Grant had also done most of the live sound engineering on many of the early gigs performed by the band. The very last time Grant Showbiz would have engineered a Mob gig would have been the last time the band had performed at the Meanwhile Gardens all day free festival in Westbourne Park back in August 1983.
I had lugged my superb Denon cassette deck all the way from North London to record the performances through the PA, this also was set up through the sound desk with the help of Harvey. The Mob stage banners were placed up and I sorted out the DVDR of KYPP images that were now safely inside the Macbeth’s DVD player ready to go…A small merchandise stall was also made ready for the guests of this private party. Now all that was needed was the guests.
Around seven thirty, guests had started to arrive, by eight thirty just about all the invited guests were in the pub either at the stage area or up on the outside terrace a floor above happily being reunited in some cases after an absence of thirty years.
Idiot Strength, originally Yeovil based and old Mob followers, started off the night with a brilliant set. I have witnessed this band many times over the years and have always enjoyed the occasions. This performance was no exception. The band started off with ‘Rather Nice Pheasant’, which is one of my favorite songs of the mid 1980’s period. The band only performed six tracks and had only one rehearsal for this gig. They sounded tight enough although the tape of this performance I recorded off the desk seems to be missing the loud guitar that the spectators of the gig heard front of stage, but never the less a blinding performance by the band and the tape recording is fine, just a little light on the guitar sound.
The Mob milled around the guests throughout the night (some of which had not crossed paths for twenty five or thirty years) until Allison phoned through to advise that the first part of Jamie’s stag night was finished, and that Jamie and his entourage were on route from the resturant and heading towards the venue. The resturant part of the evening had overrun by around thirty minutes but none of the crowd were restless as there were too many old faces to reconnect to in the audience. The Mob placed themselves onto the stage ready to start off at the thumbs up signal from Tess on the door.
The thumb went up just after ten and giving a few seconds to ensure Jamie and his entourage were in the pub, The Mob then blasted off with ‘Youth’, Grant Showbiz on the sound desk wrestling with some small feedback issues at the very first few bars of the track. Jamie sussed the track immediately and after recognising Mark from the Thursday night meeting in Bristol, he then realised that this was the real band not just some cover band performing Mob classics! I was next to Grant at the time, pressing the play / record button on my tape deck and saw Jamie’s overjoyed face around the door way. He let out a yelp and went straight down the front and remained there throughout the set. He left some of his party to enjoy the band from a distance. Some notables in Jamie’s party were Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream and Mick Jones from The Clash.
The Mob performed one of the best gigs I had ever heard or witnessed. Listening to the tapes above will verify this. Perhaps it was the tiny venue, perhaps the free entry to the guests (donations were gratefully recieved near the front door), perhaps it was the amount of old Mob followers, All The Madmen records operatives, Puppies and other ex squatter types in the audience. It was more than likely a blistering combination of all these factors, The Mob relaxed after ‘Youth’ and went onto to ‘What’s Going On’ straight into ‘Shuffling Souls’ not missing a beat, and hitting the absolute minimum of bum notes for the whole set. The performance had energy and power, The Mob were at there absolute best throwing out classic song after classic song…
Jamie sweated every last beat of the drum and downward strum of the guitar, all throughout the set.
The Macbeth staff were all helpful and busy. The invited guests came from far and wide to witness The Mob, many tales of travelling were told throughout the night but by far the most cherished in my memory must be Hugh ex of the Brougham Road co op who spent twelve hours hitching from Penzance, I felt slightly ashamed at just coming from north London with my Denon cassette deck in a hessian bag for weight hassle!
After the performance the band milled around upstairs and were in the company of Jamie Hince and some of his entourage including the great Mick Jones from The Clash. The Clash were always a favorite to the members of The Mob, although it must be stated here on KYPP that Mark Mob did give The Clash a little bit of a slag off when he wrote a review of a gig he attended in Plymouth which was published in All The Madmen fanzine number one way back in 1978! This was not mentioned to Mike Jones on the night though…!
I got a big sweaty hug from Jamie before he left to attend the third section of his stag night and he told me that he was absolutely chuffed with the effort that everyone had made to make this second part of his stag night so special. I knew Jamie quite well from the mid to late 1980’s and it was a joy to see him so excited after a couple of decades of not seeing him. I was now in charge of taking a rather drunk Tony D home in a cab with my trusty cassette deck and the only audio archive of this magnificent gig on two tapes that I held onto very very tightly throughout the cab ride.
I hope all the guests enjoyed The Mob’s triumphant return to the capital after twenty eight years and the next one of course is with Zounds, The Astronauts and The Hamsters (from Manchester) at the Jamm in Brixton on 18 November 2011. The Mob and these three other bands all went around the country in 1979 and 1980 on the Jonathan Barnett inspired Weird Tales tours. This event in November 2011 is the first time all these bands have performed together since 1980. Hopefully Grant Showbiz will do the sound for that gig, like he did on the original Weird Tales tours.
The Mob’s support slot at the Steve Ignorant Shepherds Bush Empire on the 19 November 2011 that was going to happen the night after the band’s self promoted gig, has been cancelled due to the ‘well established’ music business rules and regulations written within the contract which The Mob were not comfortable with…
Mickey ‘Penguin’
Above: Mark Mob, Rosie, Jamie Hince, Mick Jones, Leah, Lee and KYPP’s Tony D after the Mob’s performance (all photographs from Mickey Penguin’s collection)
Thanks to Allison from The Kills for making this performance happen and to Leah and Tess for all the grafting that made it a success. Good luck to Jamie Hince for the wedding in a few weeks and also for the future from Mickey Penguin and all at KYPP.
Steve Lamacq’s Radio 6 piece on the stag night broadcast on 06/06/11
More photos of the event described above may be glanced at HERE
Penguin • Post Author •
June 6, 2011 at 10:27 pmI have recorded the small Radio 6 piece on the night (cutting out all the other Lamacq stuff before and after the piece) onto the bottom of the post above. Thanks Chris, I did get them but I like the post in black and white at the moment…
Tony Puppy
June 6, 2011 at 10:55 pmExcellent radio spot – luggy’s time is in fact 2 hours and 41 minutes. But as Penguin has got his scissors out it’s now easy to enjoy. And Johnny & The Hurricanes ‘Red River Rock’ playing behind Steve Lamaq. Beautiful.
Chris Low
June 6, 2011 at 11:54 pmhaha, i was just thinking how good the black & white pics look and that i must start taking photos in monochrome myself in future 🙂
Trunt
June 7, 2011 at 3:59 pm@ Penguin, cheers got the problem sorted, you were right it was my pop up blocker. This must be one of the best live recordings I’ve heard. Thanks a million for putting it on the site. Awesome. Very dissapointed in the Mob being kicked off Steve’s gig, was going to the gig but not so sure now. Can’t believe how petty they are, just because The Mob are playing a gig the night before, how bizarre and not something Steve would have bothered to much about. Maybe there’s someone pulling his strings. Anyway hope I can get down to the Brixton gig. Thanks again.
Penguin • Post Author •
June 7, 2011 at 4:33 pmGlad it all got sorted Trunt.
Yeah I am waiting on the full listing for the Iggs gig before deciding on returning my ticket. You never know some other top band may be brought onto the bill.
The Mob (all around 50 years old now) do not want to be dictated on where and when they are allowed to perform in London or anywhere else for that matter. The band also wanted to make their first official gig in London (not including this small invite only surprise party of course) a headlining affair for the folk that would want to see them rather than a support slot on the Iggs show.
Word around town is that Iggs is booked into the Empire on the 18th as well as the 19th (Iggs or his management need to decide on whether they want to take this date which is far from decided at this point) hence the no Mob gigs two days before or two days after ruling in the contract.
The Mob setting up a gig in the smoke on the same night (the 18th) is against this rule that Steve or his management are reluctant to budge on, It’s a shame as The Mob would have been a worthy support band, but as they were only going to get paid £500 between the band for the slot (which they were ok with) they needed that extra self promoted bigger gig to make the weekend worthwhile financially as the members are losing a days work, travelling and staying in London with there families and so forth and £500 does not go far, the members of The Mob are far from well off so they can not afford to lose money just playing a half hour support role…
If the gig at The Empire on the 18th goes ahead I wish Iggs and his management well, but I for one will be at Brixton for the Weird Tales 2011 bash.
Miles R@ttus
June 7, 2011 at 6:54 pmVery sorry that I missed this one but judging from the recording and the photos it was totally awesome ! Thanks Pengy for this magic recording. Good to hear “Youth” as the opening number. I missed that one in Bristol. They didn`t play the cover Pissing in the River though – one of my current favourites, maybe next time 🙂 Mark, Curtis, Graham if you are reading this, I hope that someday you will consider playing “Lights”- God that song was so amazing-.
Still feeling a bit down about the Igs gig but on the other hand well excited about them playing Beautiful Days festival and The Weird Tales 2011 do !!
chris mortimer
June 7, 2011 at 7:06 pmThey came,they played ,they conquered..what a excellent night and easily one of the best gigs i’ve been too.. a big thanks to The Penguin for the invite..ipswich anarcho crew in full force : )
Andy T
June 7, 2011 at 7:14 pmThanks for recording this Penguin, it was a magical gig indeed, very enjoyable.
I’m still on the bill at the Shepherds Bush gig as well as playing the Brixton bash the night before. I’ve managed to sidestep the 2 day rule, probably because I’m not a big draw. I’m playing Steve’s gig because he asked me too and he has been a good mate for well over 30 years.
My fee for playing is £75, not a great deal for a 4 piece band travelling down from the frozen north. The gig the night before will help with expenses.
I didn’t play on the Weird Tales tour but I was there as a punter. Some friends of mine from Rochdale ‘Wilful Damage’ played after meeting up at Deeply Vale with Here & Now. I went round with them to quite a few of the free gigs.
My band Reputations in Jeopardy did quite a few gigs in and around Manchester with The Hamsters around 1979. Moey is still a very dear friend, as is Mark Wilson.
The 2 gigs promise to be very different affairs, I hope I enjoy them both and everyone else does too.
Cheers again Penguin xx
Trunt
June 7, 2011 at 8:46 pmGood to see you are still on the bill Andy, I know you were dreading getting the call from Steve, but £75 pound for 4 of you, like I said to you before, it’s a joke, although I did laugh at Kez thinking you had to pay the £75 to get on the bill. Cheers for the info Penguin, didn’t know Steve had penned in the 18th as well, the plot thickens.
Penguin • Post Author •
June 7, 2011 at 10:35 pmI was never great at math, and I am still not so hot, but a 2500 capacity venue selling tickets at £20 offers a band £75 to perform from 250 miles away. You need a better manager Andy!
I probably will go to the Iggs do now I have a ticket I suppose.
The Cravats are interesting, and if they get Subhumans or Flux on the bill that may suffice for the night. Just would have prefered The Mob, but hey…
Iggs will still be cool if it is the last time he is performing. I saw him with Crass and at that Brixton Conflict gig in 1986 where Dr Barnardos windows were trashed afterwards (think the rioters had the wrong building to pick on there) but never seen him perform since (except his Punch And Judy show and assorted Stoke Newington Vortex nights).
Those John Curd nights at the Lyceum and other big venues had the support act having to buy onto the gig but pretty funny that guy thinking £75 to buy onto the Iggs gig. I am trying to figure out which is more insulting. Getting that much to perform as a support act or offering a buy on for that much for a gig this size! 😉
luggy
June 7, 2011 at 11:39 pmI’d like to see them attempt to do “Lights” again as it was my favourite song of theirs prior to them splitting up. Don’t think the version uploaded here from one of their gigs did it justice.
Carl
June 8, 2011 at 12:27 pmMedia Whores, the lot of you !!!!….A drunken Tony D in the back of a cab, how bad was he Penguin ???..singing “show me the way to go home etc” or worse.
Seriously this looks like it was a stunning night. Now to download the bugger !!
Penguin • Post Author •
June 8, 2011 at 8:34 pmCarl, Tony was poetic and beautiful as he always is when he has had a drinkie or two over his limit. No songs were sung.
Shane Dabinett
June 12, 2011 at 12:07 amWell, it was a good night, A lot of people including Mark Wilson I hadn’t seen in 25+ years, the last show I did for them in Bristol Trinity Hall where practically every Bristol band turned up and took over the stage, err, its time to get off, The Mob gotta play! That was a funny thing to do at a show, get on stage an politely ask bands to get off the stage! It was a great night, I first ran into some people who said I know you, ha, Shane Manic Ears, we went to Extreme Noise Terror shows and I mentioned the recent passing of Phil Vane and how sad it was. They all went to the funeral! Anyhow, it was something to remember that night, trying to recognise people after 30 years is a bit like oh sorry I didn’t recognise you… that’s me..bad memory. Very good night…Thanks to Deb Googe for looking out for me!
Penguin • Post Author •
June 12, 2011 at 8:10 pmSid from Rubella Ballet has edited a video of this gig which is now available here: http://store.payloadz.com/details/948366-video-music-video-the-mob-s-secret-gig-the-macbeth-.flv-.html
des
June 14, 2011 at 10:54 amSuch a great event to have been at. Thanks Mark, Leah, Tess, Alison,…everyone. Looking forwards to Brixton Weird Tales! (Prob. can’t make BeautifulDays) 🙁
Guest # 101. Is that Spence from Phobia – Evercreech/Bruton/Wincanton area from back in the day? Wouldn’t have known on the night after more than 20 years.
If you’re reading this, get in touch?
facebook.com/des.hoskins
Courts
June 14, 2011 at 12:38 pmAmazing.
baronvonzubb
June 15, 2011 at 12:33 pmNice to hear you all had a great time.
Erm penguin i know i aint supposed to ask for requests but have you got the heretics 4th single on blue vinyl…
Great band. Shame they all turned buddhist…
Nah seriously .this is an old roots fave of mine that ive now found on the net but cant seem to download
http://www.divshare.com/download/11735886-29b
Can u help ?
Enjoy BVZ
barbelith
June 22, 2011 at 9:06 pmjust ordered tickets for brixton jamm – £12 each – well worth the journey down from scotland for this.
luggy
June 22, 2011 at 11:27 pmThose online ticket agencies boil my piss, £1.44 service charge & a delivery charge of £1.65 when you’re printing out your own tickets!
Penguin • Post Author •
May 7, 2012 at 2:33 pmSaturday 12th May 2012
THE MOB
KILL PRETTY?
ANDY T
NU POGODI
at the 1in12 Club
21-23 Albion St
Bradford
7pm
£7 Members (£7.50 via PayPal to ‘theveganwarrior@yahoo.com’
£8 Guests (£8.50 via PayPal to ‘theveganwarrior@yahoo.com’
This event is for 1in12 Members and their Guests
Dale
May 25, 2012 at 9:43 pmI like the Mob. Was Kate Moss there though? I remember when rich, fur wearing scum were considered the enemy. Nevermind eh?. Shame she wasn’t repeatedly kicked until she looked like the elephant woman.
Penguin • Post Author •
May 26, 2012 at 12:57 pmKate Moss was not there as it was Jamies stag night. Jamie is someone that was in amongst the mid 1980’s circle of anarcho squatters after the Mob had split up. He was in Blyth Power for a little while. I knew him well in those days as did a fair few others including the lovely Raymond; of course no longer with us. Kate Moss was not born rich and whether she wears fur or not does not give you, or anyone else, the right to disfigure her for life due to eating meat or wearing skins of dead animals. No one I ever knew thought killing or maiming human beings was that much of a pose…
chas
May 26, 2012 at 9:56 pmIf she had been there Dale, you’d have had to fight your way through a lot of leather jackets to get at her. Silly boy.
Chris L
June 1, 2012 at 2:45 pmKYPP.co.uk = Giving short thrift to idiocy since 2007.
Carl
June 2, 2012 at 9:33 pmI don’t think I would argue with penguin . A brutal despatch !!
Tony Puppy
June 3, 2012 at 2:45 amLiz Hurley did used to come to the Centro Iberico though for gigs. When she moved from Reading to Finsbury Park and was at a loose end.
No one beat her to a pulp at the time, not that I remember.
I’m sure people like her, Kate and Jamie spreading good vibes about this scene as they mingle in their scene doesn’t hurt us. Let’s not hurt them.
Phil Pain
June 7, 2012 at 10:46 pmWell, of course Liz had to come along to a lot of the gigs in those days cos she was on my arm but hey, looks aren’t everything at the end of the day!
Love you all, is there anything about the Metropolitan and The Wet Paint Theatre up here?
andy nunn
June 15, 2012 at 11:27 amWell said Dale.
Penguin • Post Author •
June 15, 2012 at 6:10 pmFeel free to give your mind the night off Andy…
andy nunn
June 15, 2012 at 7:52 pmLOL.
andy nunn
June 15, 2012 at 7:55 pmseriously though, I don’t agree with jumping up and down on someones face until they turn into elephants, i just liked the slag off.
andy nunn
June 15, 2012 at 7:57 pmTalking about giving minds off for the night, is that your girlfriend sucking that ponies cock penguin.