April 12th 1973

“All work all day. Got wages for something 2.84 (wow!)” / “Roxy Music at Gaumont. Sharks support”

So, my third ever concert was Roxy Music at the Southampton Gaumont.

Nice of me to write so very much about it eh?

Naturally, I can’t remember anything about the night, even more surprised by my diary entry that Sharks were the support act!

I know I would eventually buy “First Water”, the Sharks’ debut album. How do I know this? Because, for some inexplicable reason, I still own it! I say inexplicable because having found and played this cut on youtube, I can’t understand my fascination one little bit.

The Sharks were formed by bassist Andy Fraser after the rock band Free split up in 1972. He was joined by drummer Marty Simon, Vocalist Steve Parsons (a.k.a. “Snips”) and guitarist Chris Spedding.

The same Chris Spedding who produced the original Sex Pistols demos, played on Jeff Wayne’s “War of the Worlds” classic concept album, featured on Harry Nilsson’s “Nilsson Schmilsson” LP, and even toured in a furry costume as a band member of cult kid band The Wombles (yes, that’s him on guitar)

However, in my mind Spedding is aces for just one thing. The magnificence of his 1975 hit single “Motorbikin’“. Sadly, there appears to be no footage available of this stand-out track, so the link comes courtesy of just a 30 second snippet via last.fm

In what is something of an ironic twist, Spedding played as a member of a reformed Roxy Music during their 2001 tour of the UK.

I seriously wish I could remember at least something from the evening’s proceedings, especially as this tour was the last one to feature Roxy’s electronics guru Brian Eno. (I am now such an Eno fan, you wouldn’t believe it)

Did I dress up at all? (Unlikely). Did other concert go-ers dress up in glamware? (Undoubtedly, yes) How did I get there? How did I get home? Who did I travel with? What was the encore? (Probably “Virginia Plain“?)

*sigh*…. as ever I must consign myself (and you, dear reader) to (sadly) a whole lotta nuthin’

I will hazard at an educated guess that the band did songs from both their debut album AND their recently released “For Your Pleasure” LP, something which – it appears – I had not yet heard before attending the concert. (I know this because I have read ahead couple of days ahead in my diary!)

So, 15 years old and my concert-going list so far consists of: 1) Oval Rock Concert w/ELP, Genesis, Focus, Wishbone Ash, etc 2) ELP & 3) Roxy Music. Not too shabby a start really.

Advertisement