31/8/2019 The Hollywood Brats @ Nell's

It's not every day you get a chance to see the infamous Hollywood Brats - in fact no one has had a chance to see them for over 40 years - so tonight's gig is rather special. They were possibly the best band you have never heard of, and effectively were punk several years before anybody had ever heard of punk rock due to their uncompromising snotty attitude, and dirty raw sound - contrasting with their sleazy Glam Rock look. They were undoubtedly ahead of their time and had burned out before the punk explosion in 1976, although some of their members became instrumental in the earliest days of that scene. Now, for one night at least - they are back. The venue is Nell's Jazz & Blues an upmarket West Kensington joint that is not these days used to hosting sleazy rock bands - although things were different it's it's earlier life as the West One Four club and even before that...

However, first tonight we get a set from The Vulz. They are a London band who play very 1970's style early punk rock.

If you like that sort of stuff they have some good tunes and are well worth checking out. Their lead guitarist Gary Pearce has also been seen recently playing bass with the Bermondsey Joyriders.

Not surprisingly, this gig is sold out in advance. The infamous Hollywood Brats may never have 'made it', but they have become legendary in the UK's underground rock 'n' roll scene. They were definitely a band ahead of their time. If they had just appeared a few years later things might have been very different, but in the early to mid 1970's the world just wasn't ready for them. Maybe it still isn't, but their intrepid frontman Andrew Matheson has reformed the band around three core original members - along with some new recruits to make up the numbers. Still out to impress, the singer is by far the best dressed man in the room.

In the mid-1970's the band became masters of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory with a mixture of self inflicted disaster and incredibly bad luck - they mixed with the stars but remained in the gutter. They managed to record one album, but although it contained some great songs it wasn't released until years after the band had gone their separate ways. But that's another story - if you want to know more then read Andrew Matheson's fantastic book Sick On You which tells the band's story in a tragic and hilarious way - easily one of the best rock books I've ever read.

Members of the band became influential in the earliest days of the London punk scene, but by then the Hollywood Brats had already split up. Keyboardist Casino Steel went on to join early punk rockers The Boys while guitarist Brady formed the infamous London SS along with others who would later appear in The Damned, Generation X, and The Clash. The band never got as far as recording anything or even playing a gig although they provided a vital springboard for the yet to be discovered punk scene. In more recent years Brady has reformed London SS with a new lineup who have actually made an EP and played shows. Meanwhile, Andrew Matheson made a couple of solo albums before vanishing into obscurity. Until now.

With the publication of the brilliant 'Sick On You' book and the release of an expanded double CD version of the band's only album there is now new interest in the Hollywood Brats - and their singer has decided it's time to cash in on this fact while all the members are still alive. So Casino Steel has been found, and Brady dragged away from the pubs and clubs of Camden. It's actually a miracle that Brady is still alive considering his past habits and current liking for a drink. Although the band only ever had one guitarist, tonight a second one has been brought in 'just in case' - and I'm told the unpredictable Brady is apparently under strict instructions not to drink before the show. Apparently (and amazingly) he sticks to this. However, it seems that someone doesn't trust the hapless guitarist not to fuck up - and whoever is on the mixing desk appears to have been instructed to keep Brady's guitar way down in the mix and boost the 'standby' guitarist. This doesn't appear to be necessary as the legendary Irish boozer seems to be in good shape and playing well as far as we can tell. I actually feel quite sorry for him as the other guitarist overplays and steals Brady's limelight throughout the set. Seeing (and hearing) the band's original guitarist perform was one of the main things I was paying for, and I definitely wasn't the only one to be disappointed with the sound mix for this reason.

The setlist is predictably most of the band's one and only abum, but there are a handful of great songs on there. No soppy ballads or any crap like that - it's full on dirty sleazy rock 'n roll. All the 'classics' are there - 'Courtesan', 'Another School Day', 'Chez Maximes', 'Tumble With Me', and of course 'Sick On You' get an airing - the latter two also having been covered on The Boys first album. As well as the three new 'guest' members of the band on guitar, bass, and drums - another figure joined them on stage towards the end of the set. A scruffy but rather familiar figure.

Yes, it's none other than Bob Geldoff. The Boomtown Rats singer has been a vocal Hollywood Brats fan - saying of their album "Proper, true rock 'n' roll. The music is magnificent". Tonight he joins the band for a song that didn't make it onto the album - a cover of The Kinks 'I Need You'. This song does actually appear on the recent expanded edition of the album along with some other out takes, covers, and rough and ready live recordings.

Well it's certainly been quite a night. The club is packed, the atmosphere electric, and it seems everyone is there - all the familiar faces and musos from London's underground rock 'n' roll scene. It really feels like we have been at something special - an event. For most the people present it is their first, only, and probably last chance to see these underground legends.

28/8/2019 Ryan Hamilton & The Harlequin Ghosts + Clem Burke & The Tearaways @ The 100 Club

 A good bill, but it's really the support act I'm here to see...

So on first are Ryan Hamilton & The Harlequin Ghosts - formerly Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors.

This is the band Ryan plays with when he tours in the UK, and they are very good.

Regular readers will probably recognise bassist Rob Lane AKA Laney 74 from various other bands over the years.

Ryan Hamilton himself is a US country rock singer/songwriter with unique on stage charisma and a great line in banter. As well as being able to write great songs like 'Smarter' he is very funny between songs. He tells some great stories as well! If you go to one of his shows you will be well entertained for sure.

I was looking forward to seeing tonight's headliner. Clem Burke is best known as the very Keith Moon inspired drummer of Blondie. He has also been involved with other things over the years, having played with Michael Des Barres & The Chequered Past - along with Blondie bandmate Nigel Harrison on bass. I remember seeing that band at Dingwalls and The Marquee back in the day. Clem was even in The Ramones for about five minutes as well!

Tonight he is taking a back seat (literally) with his own band The Tearaways. They play very 1960's inspired powerpop. Clem Burke has been one of my favourite drummers since I first discovered Blondie, but I am a bit underwhelmed tonight and he doesn't seem that together for some reason. His band although competent are unremarkable...

...but he has one ace up his sleeve tonight - a guest appearance by a Sex Pistol!

Glen Matlock is no stranger to the 100 Club - he must have played here more times than almost anybody, back from his days playing bass with the Sex Pistols up until now - last time I saw him I was supporting him at this very venue. But regardless of the main act's punk/pop/new wave credentials it's the support band who provide th best entertainment tonight.

25/8/2019 Little Gransden Air Show

Today is a real scorcher - possibly the hottest day of the year! The perfect day to travel out into the country on a motorcycle - if only I still had one. Thanks to thieving scum I am having instead to travel to an air display by car for the first time in many years. This is sub-optimal, but at least the car's built in SatNav helps me find a small airfield in the middle of nowhere. I have never been to Little Gransden (not to be confused with the nearby WW2 bomber airfield Gransden Lodge) before but have read very good reports of it's annual charity airshow. I decided it was time to pay a visit.

It's billed as a 'family' event (including a car show) without any particular theme so there is a wide range of different aircraft flying - both military and civil. This is a Spartan Executive from 1938 - a very modern looking and advanced machine for it's time. It's so 1930's it actually looks like an art -deco aircraft!

Another Spartan. They both flew together in formation at the show - a

very rare sight in the UK, or even in the USA where they were built.

This Boeing Stearman is actually not as old as the Spartans!

Continuing the training aircraft theme here is the aircraft most

pilots in theUSA moved onto after the Stearman - the Harvard.

In the background can the seen a British post war training

aircraft -  the Canadian designed de Havilland Chipmunk.

If you were lucky enough not to get 'washed out' in pilot training during the war

you might be lucky enough to graduate to a 'hot ship' like the P-51 Mustang.

Once a very familiar sight in these Cambridgeshire skies.

Later in Russia they were using this trainer based on the famous Yak WW2 fighter aircraft.

Training aircraft have a tendency to come to grief - this one seems to be no exception.

Something a bit more modern - a Pitts Special aerobatic aircraft. 

Small, but a very hot performer with an exceptional power-to-weight ratio

I didn't bother trying to take any pictures of aircraft actually flying - it's a complete waste of time on a phone or tiny digicam as they just look like black dots in a big sky unless you have a proper telephoto or zoom lens.

No Spitfires to be found (on the ground) today, but the star of the show was probably this rare Mk 1 Hurricane - a rarer breed than the Spitfire these days although the opposite was the case in 1940.

The weather was glorious with not a cloud in sight and scorching temperatures. The ticket price was much lower that the big air displays at better known airfields and although this was a smaller show with less of the 'heavy metal' star acts of the UK airshow scene like the Red Arrows or the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight there were still plenty of hot performers - including ones that didn't land like the Sea Fury and Spitfire so I didn't take pictures of them. It really was great value for money compared to the larger more well known airshows. One interesting 'act' was a performance by a 'Little & Large' duo - a full size aerobatic aircraft with a highly skilled pilot, and a much smaller radio controlled model of the same aircraft 'flown' from the ground - flying in formation with each other while performing all sorts of synchronised aerobatic manoeuvres - this was really amazing to see and must take incredible skill from both pilots considering the huge difference is size and power-to-weight ratio between the two aircraft. There was also some amazing aerobatic flying from display teams and solo aircraft - some of them performing manoeuvres that just don't seem possible as they seem to cease 'flying' and go totally out of control for a few moments!

One thing that really struck me about Little Gransden was the much more relaxed and informal atmosphere compared to the bigger events at places like Duxford - much more like I assume airshows used to be like many years ago. It's much easier to get closer to the aircraft on the ground and see what's going on. Yet in spite of all this it struck me as being really well organised and safe. I will definitely be back.

16/8/2019 Back 'N' Black @ Big Red

This isn't something you see every day; an all girl AC/DC tribute act - from Switzerland of all places!

This is Back N Black and they are pretty good. They don't try to be an exact copy of AC/DC, but the sound is quite close as is the energy and attitude.

This band have obviously drawn a lot of people as Big Red is packed. As an AC/DC tribute act it goes without saying that the setlist is packed with absolute bangers, and the standard of musicianship is good too - you can't fail to have a good night!

As they hail from Switzerland I guess these girls don't get to play in London that often so it's a bit of an event when they do. Black N Red are certainly a 'party' band and Holloway Road's Big Red is definitely a 'party' venue so a good time is guaranteed.

This is for sure a band I'd go and see again, but who knows when that might be, or where? Sadly it looks like it won't be at Big Red - this very well known rock bar is being forced to close next month due to a massive increase in rent demanded by the greedy landlords. It's a shame the owners of Big Red are being forced to leave - the place had become a North London legend with the rock crowd. I had loads of great nights there and also saw some really good bands there. I and many other people will really miss it. 

With the loss of The Gaff over the road, the 12 Bar Club nearby, and the 'Intrepid Fox' @ the famous Archway Tavern at the Northern end in recent times the 'Holloway Strip' is becoming a shadow of it's former self. Like in the West End it feels like our rock culture is being rapidly eroded.

A little cross country walk: Hatfield - St Albans and back

 A lot of people who live in the area probably don't even realise that there was  a time when you could catch a train direct from Hatfield to St Albans. I decided to investigate. I caught the train from New Barnet to Hatfield on the old Great Northern main line from Kings Cross. Although Hatfield Station itself has been modernised it still retains one unusual feature - the Northbound and Southbound platforms are staggered instead of being alongside each other as is normal practice. Apparently the reason for this is connected to Hatfield House which is virtually next door to the station. The platforms were staggered so that when members of the Royal family such as Queen Victoria visited Hatfield house they would have privacy from members of the public waiting for trains on the other platform as they alighted from the Royal Train.

Like most stations on the line Hatfield is a shadow of it's former self with it's extensive sidings for goods traffic and importance for the local area long gone. Also gone is the junction just North of the station where the line to St Albans branched off to the East. There is no trace of this still visible from the main line, but if you know where to look you can find the remains of a railway cutting a few minutes walk from the station. Nearby can be found this modern sculpture depicting Hatfield's historic railway and aviation connections.

From this point you can trace the track of the old branch line to St Albans opened in 1865. The line closed to passengers in 1951 Very little of the old trackbed has been built on, and the rest has been converted in to a cycle/footpath called the Alban Way. It has been well surfaced and must be very easy cycling to St Albans as being an old railway line there are effectively no hills. It also takes quite a direct route - and of course there is no traffic! If you fancy walking the route it's about seven miles from Hatfield to St Albans - so this is what I did. The local Councils of Hatfield and St Albans have taken a very enlightened view by not only making this route open to the public but also providing many information boards along the way. I found all the old photos of the railway line and other local points of interest fascinating! There are maps and a lot of interesting information on the history of the line and the area it passed though.

I follow the path of the old railway through the town of Hatfield and discover the overgrown remains of the platform and the steps leading to the former Lemsford Road Station, built for the workers at the nearby de Havilland aircraft factory - once the major employer of the town. The halt built to serve the aircraft works was built during WW2 and was only open for a few years. Like the station the factory and airfield are now also history and very little trace of them remains. A little further on the former trackbed is dissected by the A1M road just before the motorway disappears into the tunnel under Hatfield and the modern Galleria shopping centre. I rejoin the old railway just on the other side of the A1M before it dives under the Great North Road just South of the former de Havilland/Hawker Siddley/British Aerospace site - I nearly ended up working there once...

Soon after leaving the outskirts of Hatfield I arrived at this former Level Crossing Keeper's House.

Just on the other side of the former level crossing I discover something rather charming - the wonderfully named Nast Hyde Halt - originally opened in 1910. The platform remains but the building that once stood on it is long gone. Something really nice has happened here - some of the local residents have taken it on themselves to try and recreate some of the atmosphere of the old Halt and surrounding area. This was all done by local volunteers with their own time and money not the council who only paved the old trackbed. 

Not original items but the locals have added a level crossing gate, a signal, a short length of track to represent the siding which was once here, and many signs to add character and provide information. A lot of time and trouble have gone into trying to recreate a feel of what this place must have looked like in the past - not an exact recreation but a lovely atmosphere has been created here.

I love what has been done here and spend quite some time looking around. I find much of interest on the rest of the seven mile walk from Hatfield to St Albans, but this is my favourite part of the whole line.

So I continue on towards St Albans. I find that the good people who did so much work as Nast Hyde have been adding character further along the line as well...

Beware of the trains.

Thereby hangs a tale...

There is no sign here, but I think this marks the council line between Hatfield and St Albans - and also the end of the influence of the residents of Nast Hyde.

Soon after crossing 'the border' the bridge at Smallford appears. This is one of the more interesting parts of the line.

On the platform at Smallford Station can be found the only surviving station building on the whole line - apart from the London Road station in St Albans itself. There were other buildings at Smallford Station but they are all long demolished. This one surviving building is 'Listed' (for what that's worth) but is not in great shape and slowly deteriorating.

The section of line between Smallford and St Albans used to run through open country, but these days from this point onwards the northern side is mostly industrialised.

Butterwick sidings used to be in open countryside and served a huge refrigerated warehouse that was intended to store meat in bulk during WW2 safe from the Blitz in London. It was later used for storing bananas and trains continued to serve the sidings at Butterwick because of this until 1968. There was little passenger traffic on the line after (or indeed before) the war and one the the main uses of the line was goods traffic to the sidings here as well as Smallford to service a scrap metal dealer until 1968 when the line finally closed for goods traffic. The refrigerated warehouse is now gone and an industrial estate now occupies the site of the former sidings to the West of Smallford.

Most the road bridges on the line still remain like this one at the road to Colney Heath, although some do appear to have been rebuilt at some point in the line's history as they don't appear that old. The bridges and engineering of the line were built to accommodate a double track railway line, but only a single track was ever laid.

Walking over another former level crossing and as the outskirts of St Albans are reached the platform that marks the site of Hill End Station can be found. This once served a large hospital where many casualties from the two Word Wars were sent.

At Ashley Road the line dives under another bridge that looks surprisingly modern. It must have replaced the original one very late in the life of the branch - possibly due to road widening.

By this point you are right in the town of St Albans itself, but you wouldn't know it as this stretch of the line mostly runs through cuttings. These are now very overgrown so the old trackbed has quite a rural feel even though it runs through a built up area. Because of this it is also a haven for wildlife.

A little further down the line is the site of the old Fleetville Sidings and it's old industrial area near the now missing bridge. As with many other locations along the line there is a useful information board with details of what went on here and old photos to give you and idea what the place used to look like before it became a residential area. Walk a few minutes more and the remains of another platform can be found.

This was the Salvation Army Halt. They had a large factory, printing press, and siding by the railway - for many years the famous 'War Cry' Salvation Army magazine was printed here and shipped out by rail. This halt and siding remained in use until 1964. Again an information board provides much fascinating detail. Maybe I should have taken pictures of them all, but if you really want to know more you'll just have to visit the area yourself...

Keep on walking and you get closer to the heart of St Albans, but you wouldn't know it. After a while you reach this impressive bridge which carries the four tracks of the Midland main line out of St Pancras. A footpath can take you from the former GNR line to the nearby St Albans City Station.

Just on the other side of the Midland Railway bridge the line passes under London Road.

Just on the other side of the bridge is the old London Road Station. This was originally the terminus of this branch line from Hatfield - hence it once having two tracks under the bridge and two platforms. Part of one platform survives today, and on it is the most substantial railway building left on the entire line. The former station is in excellent condition and now has a new life as an office and school building.

Sadly none of the other station buildings remain. New housing has been built where the former sidings used to be. Keep walking along the 'new' section of the line and the scenery changes. Up until this point the line has run through pretty flat and featureless countryside with very little to see. Suddenly the ground falls away and St Albans Abbey can be seen in the distance.

Below can be seen the old cress beds adjoining the chalk stream - the River Ver which gave it's name to the ancient Roman town of Verulamium - later to evolve into Saint Albans.

Crossing the River Ver is the only substantial piece of engineering on the entire Hatfield to St Albans line.

In spite of still being in the town of St Albans the old line still retains a rural air as it continues on it's way. After going under one final and now reinforced road bridge it is no longer possible to follow the old trackbed the short distance to it's final destination.

After going under the bridge you can either turn right to walk the rest of the way via residential streets, or if you turn left...

...you can cross the still in use branch from the L&NWR main line out of Euston via this unguarded pedestrian crossing that has somehow escaped today's all-encompassing Health & Safety culture and take a longer route towards the former gasworks site that was also served by the railway until 1964. Either way you can make your way to the end of the line.

This is the still in use St Albans Abbey Station and was also the final terminus of the GNR Hatfield to St Albans line. This once proud station is now reduced to what is effectively a couple of bus shelters at the end of a long siding connecting it to the L&NWR main line - you can get to train to Euston from here. The line from Hatfield joined up with it at a junction a few hundred yards away not far from the bridge in the previous photo - that part of the trackbed is no longer accessible. Sadly the impressive station building here has been demolished and passengers these days have to rough it on a bleak platform devoid of any facilities. I wouldn't fancy having to wait for a train here late at night. Such is progress...

And so I make my way back to Hatfield - walking is probably quicker than getting the train from St Albans Abbey Station to Euston, walking to Kings Cross and getting another train out of central London to New Barnet. If only I could go cross country by train? 

Taking a slightly different route through Hatfield itself I come across a well known landmark at the art-deco former Comet Hotel - now a Ramada Inn. Ironically although this record breaking de Havilland Comet racing aircraft from 1934 is associated with the factory at Hatfield these aircraft were actually built at de Havilland's factory/airfield at Stag Lane in Edgware, London shortly before everything was moved to the new site in Hatfield.

The large de Havilland/Hawker Sidley/British Aerospace factory and airfield in Hatfield closed in 1993 and sadly there is already virtually no trace of it left apart from one remaining hanger which also incorporates the airfield control tower. It only survives because it is a listed building. There were plans to house a museum devoted the former aircraft plant and the many famous aircraft that were designed and built there, but that fell through and it's now used as a leisure centre. The runway has been torn up and most of the site covered in new offices and warehouses with virtually no trace of it's history, although there is a massive Wetherspoons pub in a corner of the site which is themed on the former airfield/factory.

I found much of interest and thoroughly enjoyed my walk from Hatfield to St Albans and back. I noticed that along the route there was a signpost pointing to a pub across some fields - maybe I shall return and do the walk again, but with a slight 'pub crawl' theme visiting various hostelries along the way. There are only a few and they are several miles apart - what could possibly go wrong?