Radio What Wave Playlist June 8/2018. Beginnings of Punk/New Wave in London Ontario
This is a special on the origins, causes and beginning of the punk/new wave music/art scene here in London Ontario. I wasn’t there for all of it, and haven’t run across anyone who has as there were so many somewhat inclusive events that you had to be in the know, to know about…so here’s my 2 cents.
- Nihilist Spasm Band….This Is A Test….from a CD whose title is symbols. There’s no doubt that the NSB were the originators here, as they started playing at the York Hotel, now called Call The Office. They had a weekly residence that probably brought more complaints than compliments as these artists made their own instruments, played to their own beat and did just want they wanted. The originators of what was to be called Noise and they count amongst their admirers/fans Sonic Youth who have actually guested with the band.
- Roxy Music…..Editions Of You…..from their second LP and they played London Arena 2/8/1975 and many who were to become involved in the punk/new wave scene were in attendance. Only thing missing was Brian Eno, as he had left the band prior to this gig and many were disappointed by this.
- Rough Trade….Birds Of A Feather….from the 1976 Direct To Disc LP that Jack Richardson produced. RT made an appearance or 2 in London, long before they had their early 80’s Canadian hits and were a musical theatre troupe who were into bondage, S&M and many other so called perversions and eager to display this on the stage!
- Nihilist Spasm Band….Stop and Think Shitheads…..yet another ‘song’ from NSB and the same release as above.
- The Diodes…..Nothing Can Change The Shape Of Things To Come….from the Time/Damage Live 1978 LP and recorded at the El Mocambo Tavern In Toronto. Oddly, the same week a band called The Rolling Stones played the same venue! The Diodes were the first punk band to play London, May 1977 at Niederman’s loft in downtown London. This was also the very first gig here in which an 8.5 x 11 poster was made and put up around town. The police put a stop to that, the postering that is, but the gig went on for about 30 or so people. It was a deal made between Ralph Alfonso, manager of the Diodes and Mike Niederman, as Mike had published some of Ralph’s poetry and writing via Applegarth Follies. And part of the deal was to get a rehearsal spot in the basement of the Liberal Headquarters in Toronto, and turn this space into a club. The club became the Crash’n’Burn Club, the first punk club in Canada and lasted part of the summer of 1977.
- The Diodes….Time Damage….as above. This was the oldest Diodes live recording that I could find in my collection.
- Eddie And The Hot Rods…..Ignore Them….recorded live at Fryfogles, downtown London Ontario 11/7/1977 as the Rods did a few nights here. The very first of the UK punk/new wave (the band were actually pub rock or protopunk, but the press called them punk) combo to play here in London, and the proper folks were all in attendance. Some band called Red Rider opened up for the Rods.
- Eddie and The Hot Rods….The End…. As above. Poor sound quality, but what do you expect from a 40 year old cassette?
- The Curse…..Eat Me…..from a live recording at Forest City Gallery here in London, 11/25/1977 put on by artist Gerard Pas. The Ugly were supposed to play as well, but claimed transportation issues and never made it to the gig. Food was tossed, alcohol was consumed, insults flew both ways and everyone had fun. FCG continues to this day to have to occasional live music show, although they have moved several times since.
- The Curse….He’s My Boy….from the Teenage Meat CD on OPM Records, and recorded at the above show…this is the only track on the CD from the above show.
- Peter Tangredi….Life Is A Crazy Passion….from the Demics Covers CD and the summation of what it was like here in London (and many other places here in North America) back in 1977. Peter was in Crash 80’s, Idiot Savant, Suffer Machine and more.
- The Demics….Heart Of The City….from a live recording at the Blue Boot 1978.
- The Demics….Mystery Dance….as above.
- The Demics….New Rose….as above. When The Demics first started, they did lots of covers, many of them of 60’s garage bands….ie Music Machine, Electric Prunes, Love and more. And the Blue Boot became the Cedar Lounge in the summer of 1978, London’s exclusive punk/new wave club. We’ll be doing a full show special on this venue to mark the 40th anniversary this summer.
- Uranus….Route 66….from a live recording on CFNY out of Toronto. The first new wave/alternative/whatever radio station in this part of the country.
- Uranus….Cruisin’… as above.
- Uranus….Motorbikin’…. as above. Uranus were the band of choice of the bikers around here and they did this song just for them! Uranus were also the first rock’n’roll band to play the Blue Boot, and eventually got The Demics in there and started the whole mess rollin’.
- The Perks….McPig….from their only 7” from 1978 on the Awes Label. Awes was a downtown recording studio and also a short lived record label.
- The Perks… Escape…as above. The Perks were a highschool project, recorded this and broke up.
- Uranus…..53 Buick….from their first self released EP, and recorded at Awes Studio.
- Uranus….Tommy Get Your Gun…. as above.
- The Demics….Cowboys Are Fags….from the NYC CD on OPM label and recorded at Awes Studio.
- The Demics….Factories…. as above.
- The Demics….Oh Well….as above. The Demics released their first EP on Ready Records out of Toronto in 1979, the Awes recordings are from 1978.
- The Regulators….Brainless Wonder….recorded live at the Polish Hall in 1979. The Regulators released one 7” and the Polish Hall was the site of many all ages gigs here in town.
- The Stoves….Can’t Slow Down….recorded live at the Cedar in 1979.
- NFG….Cowboy Rock….from a live recording, probably 1979 and maybe at the York Hotel.
- NFG….Hyjack Victim….as above. NFG became 63 Monroe, then First Date for a short time, and then back to 63 Monroe and still play to this day.
- The Zellots….Holocaust…..from a live recording at the Kent Hotel in Kitchener and broadcast over the airwaves of CHRW by DJ Simon Less. Simon’s real name is Peter Moore, and he recorded loads of local bands and broadcast some of these shows over the airwaves of CHRW. He went on to win a Grammy a year or so back, for his work restoring some Dylan recordings.
- The Zellots….Object….as above. The Zellots story is told in an issue of Mongrel Zine out of Vancouver, and they were the local band that coulda and shoulda, but somehow didn’t!
Thanx for all the phone calls, texts, emails, FB messages and Heys on this show as it was a load of fun putting it together and playing these tunes that mean so much to me! We might just play a few more tunes from that era next week!
There could be an archived show here:
http://www.radiowestern.ca/program/radio-what-wave