Live

Rip It Up, Issue 22, 1 May 1979, Page 18

Live

Here Comes the Weekend (Punks)

The Clean The Heavenly Bodies Toy Love

Beneficiaries Hall The Clean had their debut here over a year ago, and back then it was good to see young guys getting up on stage and playing something other than disco and trite cover versions. They were bad, but they were serious which meant their hearts were in the right place, and they have improved. But not enough. Vocalist Hamish Kilgour has style, granted, and his brother, David’s guitar technique is better, but the band's overall industrial thrash and incompetency cuts no ice this year. A change in attitude would help coz the punk revolution’s over, so let’s see ya smile, eh boys?

the Heavenly Bodies know they won’t change the worlcLso they entertain instead. Old Enemy bassist, Mick Dawson, fronts the band consisting of Kim Barron (vocals), Miles White (guitar) and Neil Dodia (drums). They've taken good local rock back to the pubs and their performance at the Beneficiaries Hall was a surefire balance between sixties rock and Dawson’s own stuff written with the Enemy. They stole the show. Toy Love have everything going for them: a batch of great original songs, a fluid tight fastmoving band and a natural character up-front, Chris Knox. Why then, don't they leave the stage to screams for more from an ecstatic audience. Simple, even though the P.A. was bad there was still no apparent structure or deliberate pacing to their double set; it came across as a mindless and unrelenting attack resulting in terminal boredom. Potential classics like "Squeeze" and old Enemy standards like "Don't Catch Fire" and "Swimming Pool" are buried in flat non-arrangements. There's no contrast, no colour, the songs are stifled by a two year old aggression which now sounds incongruous.

With a record contract on hand Toy Love could brush up and become truly lethal without any danger to their original uncompromising stand. They deserve ft.

George Kay and Keith Tannock

Cockroach

Mainstreet, Auckland.

I was attracted to Mainstreet to catch Cockroach because of their word-of-mouth reputation stemming from an apparently superlative gig at Nambassa. That in itself sums it up Nambassa was something of an anachronism and cockroach at Mainstreet trying to recreate a festival-type atmosphere had a touch of the absurd about it.

Most of Cockroach's repertoire is culled from the Sixties. Nothing wrong with that, you may say. A lot of the young bands around town play Kinks, Stones and Who material. But Cockroach lack the pure energy of, say, Johnny and the Hookers.

The band perform only occasionally so you can't expect a really tight sound. They were formed, apparently, to raise funds for a Maori Land dispute and no-one, least of all myself, would question the noble intentions behind such a birth. But although they may very well come alive at such occasions they miss the mark when a degree of professionalism is desired.

There’s some good talent in the band but the line-up needs to be stabilised and more care exercised in arrangements and choice of material. Their loose carefree sound may be infectious at a festival but in a regular rock venue it just doesn't cut.

John Dix

Electrabeat

Zwines Giving credit where credit is due, Zwines deserves an honourable mention for its liberal policy towards new bands. Many of Aucklands' top new outfits have debuted there and though the New Wave boom is clearly over, exciting new bands still come through the club. This Friday was a case in point when newcomers Electrabeat turned in a couple of impressive sets. Comprised of two guitars (Ben Michael and John Harper), bass (Jules Malcfney) and drums (Torey Leggett), the band was formed by Maloney and Michael from the promising new wave combo Get Smart which unfortunately split last year. Though maintaining the emphasis on live action the band appreciates the increased scope given by two guitars. Thus besides their dance favourites some more demanding material has been added, both original and covers of the likes of Devo, Magazine and XTC.

Their wealth of original material is an apparent asset. Almost all of it is fast paced and some of it is very catchy indeed. However some of it should definitely be steered back to the drawing board. Also on the negative side there were too many mumbled song titles and too much shagging about between numbers.

Nevertheless the final impression has got to be favourable. Electrabeat have an exciting repertoire and firepower to spare. They are definitely contenders.

Dominic Free