Church & Crypt Sessions
The Rehearsals (84) & Performances (85)
Robbo, the drummer, would bring molasses wine to any rehearsals. His athletic prowess and & a proper job took him away.
I entered one of my songs in a local competition under his name (Tone H was miffed coz his song didn't make the cut, despite his tune being better) so 'The Paul Roberts Band' (without Paul Roberts naturally) played Sico's (El Sico’s - later it was known as TJ's) in Newport and Chapter in Cardiff. However, the complete rhythm section were on holiday for the Newport show. Only three of us turned up, Jane Killian on vocals, me & Tone H. The water was running down the walls and the mic was live. It was a dangerous stage and the club was a tip. Fearing electrocution, we dragged Tone's Vox amp out of his car & put everything through that. Total madness.
a one-off, Tone H
What a mess! No PA. I remember the barman stopping in his tracks when I started singing 'Bazaar' - could stop a train. Jane was nearly sick with trepidation. Landmark stuff.
For Chapter we borrowed the talented Paul Hackling on drums & rehearsed a proper 30 minute set, plus a very loose opening acoustic set. Gareth Williams, a founder of the Welsh 'Railway Children,' was on bass there. By then most of this set had been recorded on a mobile 8-track, but not this live show.
It featured:
The Room
The Crypt
1984 Crumlin
While The City Sleeps
On The Reservation
Jungle Billy
Three Kingdoms (finally recorded in 1999) was heavily rehearsed but I don't think was played. Tone said, "Let's write something mad, huge, like Macarthur Park!" Always the grand gesture. No half measures. I thought it was impossible, but we did it. Really pleased with the guitar on the chorus.
Two members of the group formed a splinter-group at this time, called The Secret Jesus Factory. What a fantastic name! Fronted by the incomparable Kim Wehden, they wrote some great songs with acerbic lyrics (most pertinent in today’s world of austerity, poverty & selfishness). I have a copy of their eponymous set at Aberdare from the summer of 1986, a soundboard recording no less! (Contact us if you want a copy, with permission from the band, of course). There were no monitors apparently, so Kim is singing in a different key from the band! Don’t smirk. The same thing happened to Tracey Thorn at Glastonbury, when she was performing with Massive Attack. Soul-destroying!