Test pressing bootleg of The Nips, released towards the end of the band’s career on Soho Records. From what I understand the then manager of The Nips (after Stan Brennan) released this record just to get some cash back off the band!
The gig itself was recorded in Wolverhampton in March 1980 and is pretty good quality. ‘Gabrielle’, my personal favorite, and ‘King Of The Bop’ are featured on side one.
Both Shane MacGowen and Shanne Bradley went onto much bigger things after The Nips, performing in those absolutely class bands, The Pogues and The Men They Couldn’t Hang, band’s which everyone out there should know something about.
Tony Puppy
April 27, 2008 at 7:37 pmYou’re really digging them out tonight Penguin. Excellent stuff.
Carl
April 28, 2008 at 7:42 amA great piece of history.. I could not help smirking to myself all the way through thinking that this was before Shane was Irish !..
He certainly reinvented himself after this.
Great stuff
betab
April 28, 2008 at 12:33 pmMagic. Never managed to replace my copy of this after something heavy fell on it and it sort of bent….
Jim
April 28, 2008 at 4:14 pmYeah, this was Shane’s “mod” phase. I saw the Nips at Wolverhampton Poly supporting the Purple Hearts around this time, and I suspect that this is that very gig. I must give it a listen to see if I can recall it, I think I may even have the set-list somewhere up in the attic.
Shane was certainly a unique character and was always interesting although it took him a while to find his niche.
Penguin • Post Author •
April 28, 2008 at 4:17 pmShane thanks The Purple Hearts during the set (on side two) for loan of backline etc. So you where at this gig Jim.
Carl
April 29, 2008 at 10:07 amI never realised that he had a “mod” stage as well !!
When did the first Pogue Mahone stuff start to appear ??
I could google it but there are people on this site like “Nic” who seem to have it all in there head…so thanks in advance
Nic
April 29, 2008 at 11:45 amPogue Mahone played their first official gig in late 1982, although some of them (MacGowan, Stacy, Finer etc) had been dossing about in bands since the late 1970’s while MacGowan was still in The Nips…
I’m sorry I remember all this stuff: it’s not my fault!
I do like sex, drink and fighting as well…
😉
Carl
April 29, 2008 at 12:14 pmAs ever Nic, Brilliant…
so MacGowan had a couple of years to make himself Irish then !!
Steve
April 29, 2008 at 6:13 pmAt the very end the Nips also had a Nuggets/psych phase, as evinced by the final song on this LP, Can’t Say No, (love the sarcy intro and the derisive ‘pop-TONES!’ kiss-off at the end) which I assume is actually from a different gig, as is the preceding Hit Parade (a much wittier song of punk disillusionment than Crass ever mustered).
The Nips went through so many musical phases basically because Shane is/was a huge music FAN(atic).
Penguin • Post Author •
April 29, 2008 at 8:12 pmNic, I too like sex, a drink, and a good tear up. Let me know when you are in the big smoke next and we can chin some hapless twat.
Afterwards we can talk track listings on obscure LP’s!
Steve
April 29, 2008 at 10:19 pmSynchronicity sensation!
The reformed Nips are playing a secret unannounced set at the 100 Club on May 6th (the Cute Lepers are headlining).
Punk rock will never die etc etc
Nic
April 30, 2008 at 7:45 amI’ll let you know when I’m down in the smoke, Pengy (I keep promising myself to harrass Chris at some point) – I’ll put my best shitkickers on, and make sure I’ve memorised the complete life history of all the bands on the Hackney Musicians Collective LP…
🙂
I thought Punk is/was a rotting corpse???
😉
Penguin • Post Author •
April 30, 2008 at 8:06 am“Punk is dead…all about the old days”
Steve
May 8, 2008 at 7:18 pmI went to the 100 Club on Tuesday – it was great! Even if Johnny Moped (also on the bill) does look disconcertingly like Jack Duckworth nowadays.
This gives a flavour:
http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=56467158&blogID=391592840
chris
May 8, 2008 at 8:35 pmI got a text earlier in the day asking if I wanted to go along to this but to be honest i wasn’t too fussed about the Nips and didn’t bother. I had no idea Johnny Moped was playing !!! I’d have LOVED to have seen him. Love Johnny Moped stuff.
Nic
May 9, 2008 at 8:39 amThere’s always room for a bit of Johnny Moped: my good lady wife has a practised look of sympathy mixed with despair when I growl the lyrics to ‘No-one’ at her…
🙂
tonyb
May 9, 2008 at 11:28 amJ Moped were fuggin superb on tuesday.
Shane even remembered some words!
min
June 13, 2008 at 6:10 pmHi stewart:) I remember that place on Cazenove rd, thought i imagined it! my son Rowan is sooo into 70’s reggae & dub, and would love to hear your stuff-so would i actually. His band plays dub and ska/punk. Rowan actually played with Denis Bovell (Blackbeard) in Mauritius last month….and they have a gig in Belfast next week, said the guy is legend, in his 70’s now and lives in Tottenham…..i don’t have much to swap unless you like German techno or gay house?? as my entire record collection was ‘borrowed’ in the 80’s by Wog to support him with his self medication project.Rowan mite have some though….