A NIGHT ON THE PISTOLS
SEX PISTOLS BRIXTON 12.11.2007
I am a "the glass half full not half empty" kinda guy and so I tried
to get the word out that SPIZZENERGI were willing to support the SEX PISTOLS when their one-off gig in Brixton was announced. I even started a campaign via a forum on Gigwise.comwhere 84% of those who respnoded the wanted SPIZZENERGI on the bill. I then received an email from a Pistol "Spizz, Not down to me mate... All the best, Glen" I resigned myself to not going as tickets sold out in a flash then I got a call from a mate called Dave who happens to worship at the altar of The Small Faces (so much so he co-compiled the definitive book about them called Nice One). Due to work commitments he and his partner Carol could not go and did I want to go instead. Arrangements were made and permission asked to transfer guest status to me and Will. Will knows Dave because his son goes to the same school as Dave's boy. As I emerge from Brixton tube I run into Phil who does the Pistols website the thefilthandthefury fancy seeing you here "what are the chances" we joke. Last time we met we were attendees of the Timeslip convention back in May which was a hilarious alternative to the Chelsea v Man Utd FA Cup final which I won money off Coral the bookmakers as I had Chelsea to win on Penalties. I meet Will and have the first of two beers in The Prince pub in Cold Harbour Lane, Brixton. An incoherent Glaswegan in his late fifties invites himself onto our table and blabs on about pick pockets and real anarchy so we finish the second pint quickly and head for the Academy. Arriving at the entrance we announce we are on the guest list only to be asked "which guest list?" A quick call to Carol and we drop the name and we are directed to the stage door because we are on the promoters guest list. We get our tickets and VIP wristbands this is more than I expected! Well we go straight to the VIP bar and I get the first round in, shocking as people who know me. So was the cost we chat with Eric Idle lookalike Mark who has been to all the Pistols gigs as Glen's PA. X-Ray Spex girl Poly Styrene strolls by and Mark gets the next round as there are 17 minutes to go. We guzzle the Grolsh down and make our way to the right hand side at the back and the full house is chanting abuse at Goldie well since when has playing records constituted
a support act. Vera Lynn's 'There'll always be an England" and the band stroll on. Lydon lets us in on his glee that Maclaren has left I'm a Celebrity Jungle show. Pretty Vacant sounds great and a couple of songs later I want to take a closer look as anyone who has been to see Mick Jones's brilliant new band Carbon Silicon I am always right at the front. So I ease my way near the front and I can't help myself I'm in the mosh pit! Big grown men of all ages and even some punkettes of a slighter build are hurling themselves at each other and its like being in a huge human cement mixer. I start to laugh as we all buffet around and some very scary men push the bounderies of friendly violence. When 'Holidays In The Sun' starts it really goes mental and I'm loving it, laughing uncontrollably. It's very hot and smelly some BO whiffs are revolting. There's a big sign saying no crowd surfing (y'know cos it's dangerous), but someone is riding the crowds every other chorus. Well I'm glad I've got my Matrix boots on but after five songs I return to where I left Will and blimey he has got a pint waiting for me just what you want after some loony moshing. Show over back Will had to go catch a bus so upstairs to the VIP and Mark is getting the beers in and Kirk Brandon and I have a chat and Scottish Jenny's daughter from the days when I used hang out on Portobello Road Saturday market exclaims in a loud voice "Spizz!" and we chat - nice. Moving through the bar some big bloke says something manacing I turn around its big Steve English who spent most of his life looking after Pistols or The Clash's on stage security. Some more old days remembered and banter exchanged say hi to Buzzcock Tony Barber, then another "Spizz!" shout and its Maggi Ronson and she's with Ian Hunter's daughter Tracie! What an evening, we hug and I sit and we chat and I start looking at my watch fretting about catching the last tube. Maggi says she can give me a lift and so time for another beer! Finally after bumping into Phil (Pistols site) at the tube station we meet up again just as Glen and Paul Cook emerge from their dressing room and scoop a few of us back for some drinks and more comfortable surroundings. Glen says help yourself to a drink and before he can finish the sentence I've opened a 500ml can of Red Stripe. I get asked what is happening on the Spizz gig front and I whip out my flyers for the gig at Filthy MacNasty's on Saturday 15th December all of which this talking makes me thirsty and another can of Red Stripe opens taking the evening up to seven pints. Cooky prepares to leave and throws me a T-Shirt with Sid Viscious on it. A limited edition by some artist called Paul Broderick I don't think he's impressed by it and leaves to grab a cab and Glen packs up and we're all set to leave. I grab a couple of beers to take home well someone has to it is a punk gig and Tracie says take the vodka too. So clinking through the empty centre of Brixton a tramp begs for money so I give him the vodka his face lights up for him Christmas has come early! Into Maggi's sporty BMW and head for Tower Bridge where they drop me off.
The Pistols were awesome what an evening.
