GIG - Vegas Bar, Rhyl

LINE UP: Vices, Face of Christ, Braxton Hicks

(from Crudblog) I curse my car for not being big enough, had no intention of being in a band again, Joe caught me at a weak moment when he posted online that he was looking for like minded people to form an unambitious punk band. I approached Gwion cos he’s a good drummer and works with Sarah and you could say Braxton Hicks are a manufactured band! But, that aside, I should’ve got a bigger car to lug the gear round instead of driving with a hi-hat stand sticking in my ear.
This is only our fourth gig, and yet I feel like a veteran and not someone who’s been without a band for over 12 years – but it is good, Joe writes the songs and me ‘n’ Gwion play ‘em – simple, and it feels good. When it stops feeling good you should stop doing it. And if you wanna do it for the money and chuck any potential cred you may have down the swanny then learn Sex On Fire, Purple Haze and all the other shit, or be in a tribute band.
I did have this argument online yesterday, and my opponent said he got paid more for being in a tribute band than he ever did for playing in a ‘proper band’ and said he owed rock ‘n’ roll nothing. Point taken… There again, some of us are born a rocker and will die a rocker…

As Braxton Hicks (pic above by Huw Williams) we did toy with Warhead, Fuck You, California Uber Alles (UK Subs, DOA, DKs) when we first got together, but quickly learned (after one rehearsal) that the holy ground should be left untouched and, as angels we should dare not tread upon it. If covers are to be covered they should be the unobvious, or the obvious done in an unobvious way; as Vices did with R.Kelly later on.
‘You’re not famous anymore!’ Was shouted at me last time I played here, and although I never was famous, the contrast of having played continental festivals and Radio One live sessions to finding yourself in a backroom of a pub in Rhyl may have a detrimental affect upon some souls – and yet I was uplifted. I was buzzing (again). I dunno how Jimmy Case felt playing for lowly Brighton & Hove Albion having relished the European Cup glory days at Anfield, but I guess he did it because he enjoyed it.
I enjoyed it – every second of it. Every note, every beat, every screamed lyric, every bead of sweat that stung my eyes, the cramp in my hands, the nervous glances when we fucked up, the muted applause from the people not too sure what to expect from us and the nodded appreciation from those who did.
We added three new songs to the set tonight; Depression, This Song Was Never Written and Poison By Rancid (not a cover) – and the duration was still only 20 minutes (with 5 minutes of added ad lib banter). Maybe the heady days of people coming out in their droves to see unknown bands play live are gone forever, so I guess it’s our job to remove the un from unknown.

GIG - Tivoli, Buckley

LINE UP: UK Subs, Last Gang in Town, Braxton Hicks

(from Crudblog) The floodgates opened and the dogs of war unleashed the wrath of god upon us. Basically, it fucking pissed it down all day. So much that I got a call at 3pm to say the A55, A5 and North Wales coast train line were closed due to flooding, and our drummer, Gwion was the wrong side of the water with no paddle. Fuck!

Main-man, Joe and myself are sat in the Marine [sic] in Old Colwyn; it’s my birthday and were drowning [sic - again] our sorrows with a pint of Kronenberg. I can’t go home to Bangor as the roads are closed. We can’t do the gig as Gwion is marooned. We asked ex-Sons of Selina drummer, Cumi if he’d stand in, but he doesn’t know the songs. What a downer…
The decision was made to go to Buckley anyway and enjoy the gig. We may as well leave now as to ensure we got in as a ‘band’ rather than a punter.

The journey was pretty silent… Yeah we wanted to see the Subs, but we were supposed to be supporting them too…
Last Gang in Town and UK Subs were milling around backstage when Joe and myself turned up; bits of drum kit were being set up and amps were being rolled in. I saw soundman (he is a sound man), Chris White and told him our bad news and he said, ‘There’s plenty of drummers knocking about, see if Last Gang’s will stand in for you.’ It’s not that simple though as our songs are not that simple. We met up with Subs mainstay Charlie Harper and relived tales of yore. He was telling us they played on the south coast last night and spent all day travelling up here and then a long journey to Glasgow tomorrow, he was concerned as the weather may have prevented them from getting here today. We said how gutted we were that Gwion was stranded and we couldn’t do the show. Charlie quipped, ‘Ask Jamie, he’ll do it. He’s a great drummer.’
Joe and me were still dubious, no one can learn your songs in an hour and we didn’t want to make cunts of ourselves.
The UK Subs did their soundcheck, and we thought, ‘Fuck it, let’s ask him,’ and approached Jamie with Charlie’s suggestion. ‘Yeah, of course I’ll do it! Get me a copy of the songs and I’ll learn them.’ (!!!)
With 4 of our tracks on Soundcloud, Jamie sat in the dressing room nursing a hangover and taking in our songs as we tucked into curry and rice. Last Gang sound-checked and their bassist and guitarist are probably the two friendliest band-persons I’ve ever met, letting us use their amps, helping us get the right sound, even tuning our guitars! Jamie came down and we soundchecked Get Outta My Head – fuck me! He’s nailed that song in 5 minutes, the beat, the stops, the changes!! – he said he’ll have the other 3 learnt with the half hour that we’re due on stage.