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Wednesday 18 June 2014

Performance



This Happy Mondays performance of Performance on Tony Wilson's late 80s, late night Granada tv show The Other Side Of Midnight is jawdropping. Firstly because of the insistent, scratchy funk that the musical Mondays have dragged out of some unholy swamp. Horse's guitar playing is particularly good- horrible but good. Secondly because of the terrace chic of sweatshirts, trainers and baggy jeans, previously unthinkable for an indie band or a Factory records band but soon to be the default dress for a generation. Thirdly because of Shaun's glasses. But mainly, fourthly, because of Shaun and Bez's performance- a chemical analysis of Bez would reveal him to be at least 73% ecstacy at the point of filming. Shaun may be a pill or two behind him. They own this. They make it their own.

2 comments:

Rave Dobson said...

fookin' ace,Love it!

I remember that baggy sway dancing at gigs late 80's early 90's. The mondays (amongst others) were essential. A million miles away for the the pristine pop of stock akerman and waterboard that dominated the charts at the time.
Happy days

Bovril said...

The Mondays did a deal with Joe Bloggs and wore a load of their clothes, while slagging them off at the same time for being shite, but it left them more money for more recreational uses.... OSM wa essential, there weren't many outlets for decent music back then. It was the same show that the Roses were photographed at for their debut album