Setlist
Are You Ready / Scarecrow / Really Hard / Hup-Springs / Billy’s Shirts / Summer Song / Vulture / Chain Mail / Black Hole / Johnny Yen / Wonderful / Stutter
Support
The Railway Children
Review
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Uprising / Scarecrow / What’s The World / Doubts / Billy’s Shirts / So Many Ways / Summer Song / Stowaway (Reggae Cowboy) / Drunkard / Vulture / Really Hard / Wonderful / Chain Mail / Withdrawn
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From Maninthecornershop (off a Leeds forum)
By now they were doing well, indy charts and a bit of press, ‘The Next Big Thing. As my mate Dave was want to say,’There’s a buzz on the band.’ Half the football lads in East Leeds turned out for this one. James Brown fronted the excellent but short lived Butter Cookies a sort of Hank Williams meets Half Man Half Biscuit and gets the ale in type band as support. They went over quite well, the student/football crowd were mixing well and good night looked in the offing. Some band from Sheffield who sounded and indeed looked like The Icicle Works were on next and got everyone tapping their toes. By the time James took the stage the ale had been flowing freely and, sadly, the local bikers who were doing security had been throwing their weight around. It was only a matter of time. It’s hard to understand as the lads loved the band but the tention of some was directed at the band. Fights started and yes, some innocent students caught some shit. One biker got put through a cig machine face first and the gig almost collapsed. Tim and the boys battled on gamely. Ironically the music, such a frenzy sound tracked the violence. I was mad as hell, drunk and just let myself go, dancing like a loon. It was gonna end in tears. Keenan, the promoter grabbed me and threatened me with the bouncers if it didn’t stop. To this day I have no idea why he grabbed me. At the time, these were my band, in my back yard. I was fucking pissed the way things were going. I got on stage grabbed Tim’s mike and said if things didn’t calm down the gig would end. Bit of a surprise for all concerned. Things calmed down – relative term. The band continued, getting lost in the music and producing a storming set. Maybe the tension in the air served as some kind of creative force? Whatever. Things came to a head with the drums going over, Tim saying, Thanks a lot Leeds it’ll never happen again.’ aand the boucers running for their lives. It got very hairy outside after, cars going over and running street fights. I saw Scottie talking to Tim after, upstairs, I smiled at him and shook my head. he responded the same. I’ve since challenged Kennan about his action that night and he said I stood out and he panicked. First and foremost I was and stil am a music fan. He didn’t need the threats. Help me would have sufficed.
Inspite of everything it was a good gig. The Jesus And Mary Chain had contrived riots those veggie munching Mancs had the real deals.
A rather bizarre drinking song, the only recorded version existing from the Leeds Astoria gig in 1985, the opening line of “let’s go to the pub and forget all our troubles”.
Song: | Drunkard |
Released: | Unreleased |
First Heard: | Leeds Astoria, 23rd November 1985 |
James record the Chain Mail / Sit Down EP with Lenny Kaye at Crescent Studios in Bath.
James play a series of shows including the Manchester Platt Fields Festival and Bristol Aston Court Festival.
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None.
James are enjoyable wimps. Their neurotic set jerks through all manner of stolen children’s TV theme tunes. These days their novelty value is fading slightly, and one wonders just where the exit signs lie for James. Still, armed with platefuls of vegetarian curries, James leave the spotlight in high spirits.
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