The 101ers (featuring Joe Strummer) - 1975-12-12 - Derby, UK

The 101ers
(Featuring Joe Strummer)
1975-12-12
Cleopatra's, Derby, UK
Audience recording, good quality
Mp3 @ 320 kbps

The 101ers were a short-lived pub rock band, known now primarily because it featured Joe Strummer as vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. Formed in London in May 1974, they played a mix of up-tempo rock classics, R & B, and some orginals, and were prominent briefly in the pub rock scene.
The group was named after the address where they lived together: 101 Walterton Road, Maida Vale. But then on April 3, 1976, the opening act for the 101ers at The Nashville Room, was a new band called The Sex Pistols, and when Strummer heard them he 'saw the light' and then knew he needed to be part of the developing punk scene. As he stated years later, "5 seconds into their (the Pistols') first song, I knew we were like yesterday's paper, we were over." Joe left the 101ers and joined a new punk band with Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and Keith Levenes, which became known as The Clash. They played their first gig, as opening act for The Sex Pistols, on July 4, 1976, just a little over a month after first getting together. Thus, by the time the 'debut single'for the 101ers was released, the Joe Strummer-penned 'Keys To Your Heart', Strummer was already in The Clash and the band was no more. The 101ers' recorded output was initially limited to that one single. However, by 1981, interest in The Clash was at its height and a second single and a compilation album Elgin Avenue Breakdown was released. The Clash have played 'Keys to Your Heart' at some live shows. Joe Strummer on his former band - "I know the 101ers were good. In fact, as far as sound and excitement went we were much better than Eddie and the Hot Rods." 
Here we have a full-length show from the 101ers, from Cleopatra's, a nightclub in Derby, in December, 1975. Note that their set is full of old-time Rock 'n Roll standards & classics (Bonie Maronie, Heartbreak Hotel, Be Bop a Lula, Who Do Ya Love, Gloria, etc), including numerous Chuck Berry covers (Johnny Be Goode, Oh Carol, Monkey Business, Roll Over Beethoven), some Stones (Out of Time) and even two Beatles tracks (I'm Down, I Saw Her Standing There). There also are a handful of original Strummer-penned songs (indicated in tracklist). So, here's your chance to hear Joe Strummer doing straight-up Rock 'n Roll, before his punkish epiphany, in the 101ers.  


Tracklist:
1. Bonie Moronie
2. Letsagetabitarockin (Strummer)
3. Shake Your Hips
4. Hoy Hoy
5. Heartbreak Hotel
6. Choo Choo Ch'Boogie
7. Smokey Joe's Cafe
8. Johnny Be Goode
9. Oh Carol
10. Out Of Time
11. I'm Down
12. Route 66
13. Who Do Ya Love
14. Silent Telephone (Strummer)
15. Monkey Businesss
16. Junco Partner
17. Be Bop A Lula
18. Steamgauge 99 (Strummer)
19. Hideaway (Strummer)
20. I Saw Her Standing There
21. Slippin and Slidin
22. Willie And The Hand Jive
23. Sweety of the St. Moritz (Strummer)
24. Motor Boys Motor (Strummer)
25. Roll Over Beethoven
26. Gloria (full length)

This is essentially Disc 2 from a bootleg known as 'Smokey Joe's Cafe' (Redline, Italy), containing this show from Cleopatra's (except that here I have replaced the edited version of Gloria originally included - for time constraints so show would fit on single CD - with the full length version). Disc 1 of this compilation consisted of various demos and outtakes.

John "Woody" Mellor aka Joe Strummer – Guitar, vocals
Clive Timperley – Guitar, vocals
Dan Kelleher – Bass, guitar, vocals
Richard Dudanski – Drums
Tymon Dogg – Fiddle, vocals

Link updated 11/8/21
The 101ers_1975-12-12_Derby.rar

Dr. Feelgood - 1976-03-10 - Detroit, MI

Dr. Feelgood
1976-03-10
Ford Auditorium, Detroit, MI 
Audience Recording (JEMS Master), very good quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps

Although bands like Rockpile and Graham Parker & The Rumour emerged from the Pub Rock scene with greater success and international acclaim, the band that probably most exemplified what the Pub Rock Movement was all about, and carried the banner most proudly, the 'Poster Child' of Pub Rock, if you will, was probably Dr. Feelgood. Dr. Feelgood was a hard-driving  distinctively British R & B band out of Canvey Island, Essex, formed in 1971. Lead by their vocalist, Lee Brilleaux, and guitarist Wilko Johnson, Dr. Feelgood developed a frantic, gritty act with a rough and ruthless edge. Their distinctive sound and style, with Johnson's jerky movements and choppy, percussive guitar style, Brilleaux's raucous vocals and harmonica, and their dark, shabby, unkempt suits, they personified the look, sound, and attitude of Pub Rock. By 1974, they were one of the leaders of the Pub Rock movement and were getting more notice and acclaim. They released their first studio albums (Down By The Jetty-1974, Malpractice-1975) at this time, but didn't make it really big until the release of their next, a live album (Stupidity-1976), which, being live, captured the full appeal of the band better than their studio efforts, and went all the way to #1 in the UK. However, their success never translated to the US. Despite attempts to release Malpractice, Stupidity, and their 4th album (Sneakin Suspicion-1977) in the US, as well as a brief tour there in 1976, they just never caught on with American audiences (or radio programmers), and no further albums were ever released in the US. Dr. Feelgood is also credited with being a strong influence on the next phase in the British Rock scene, Punk Rock, as they already had the attitude that would carry forward. However, after 1977, and disputes over their 4th album, guitarist Wilko Johnson left the band, and they would never be the same again, nor achieve the same level of popularity. And by this time, Punk was becoming all the rage and stole much of the thunder from Pub Rock, and the pub rock movement (and bands) faded. Dr. Feelgood did carry on, however, first with Gypie Mayo on guitar, who brought his own unique style, then others. Lee Brilleaux continued with the band until his untimely death due to cancer in 1994. but even after that, upon the wishes of Lee himself, the band continued on again (although now without any original members) throughout the nineties and beyond, and has continued on to this day, being a very active, touring pub band. Wilko Johnson continued in several diferent bands over the years (most notably w/Ian Dury & the Blockheads and the Wilko Johnson Band), but has never gone back to Dr. Feelgood. Here is a show from their very limited American tour in 1976, which shows them in a much more subdued state then their normal high-energy antics (they were probably advised to tone things down for the American audience). So, it is not really a typical show for this period, but it does show off their music and musical abilities as a rockin' bluesy R & B band (It seems that there were very few recordings actually made at the various Pubs during this Pub Rock scene, so many of the recordings that are available for all these bands are from more formal concerts and US shows). Interestingly, for this show, they opened for Starcastle and Journey, which, ironically, are just the type of bands (Prog rock, glam, slick, overproduced sound) that the pub rock movement (and Dr. Feelgood) were reacting to and rebelling against (perhaps, then, it is not surprising that this type of audience didn't exactly embrace them).  

Setlist:
01. I Can Tell
02. Twenty Yards Behind
03. Another Man
04. Going Back Home
05. Back In The Night
06. Keep It Out Of Sight
07. Boom Boom
08. Don't You Just Know It
09. Riot In Cell Block No 9
10. Rolling And Tumbling
11. She Does It Right
12. Roxette
13. You Shouldn't Call The Doctor (If You Can't Afford The Bills)

Band Members:
Lee Brilleaux - vocals & harp
Wilko Johnson - guitar & occasional lead vocals
John B Sparks - bass
The Big Figure - drums

Note: Opening set in support of Starcastle and Journey for what was their first and only American tour (promoting their 2nd album, Malpractice).
   
Dr. Feelgood_1976-03-10_Detroit.rar
link updated 05/19/2023

Rockpile - 1979-08-20 - Palladium, NYC, NY

Rockpile
1979-08-20
The Palladium
New York City, NY
FM Broadcast recording (WLIR-FM), very good quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps
Artwork Included

Here's one more excellent radio broadcast show from the mighty Rockpile. This one from their 1979 US tour, and another WLIR radio show from New York in very good quality, and this one features (finally) a live Rockpile version of Lowe's 'Cruel To Be Kind', as well as a couple other songs ('Born Fighter', cover of  'Jailhouse Rock', etc.) not included in previous shows here. We are very lucky to have so many high quality live shows available from this excellent live band. In addition to those featured here, there are are a few others, including a 1980 NY (The Ritz) performance in a bootleg known as 'Provoked Beyond Endurance'. Also available are 2 very good official live releases (Live at Montreux 1980 and Live at Rockpalast 1980). So, once again, enjoy one more dose of Rockpile. Following this we will go back to featuring some of the other, somewhat lesser-known bands of the Pub Rock movement. 

Tracklist:
01. DJ Intro
02. Down, Down, Down
03. And So It Goes
04. I Knew The Bride
05. Switchboard Susan
06. Crawlin From The Wreckage
07. Trouble Boys
08. Girls Talk
09. Band Intros
10. Crackin Up
11. Born Fighter
12. Let It Rock
13. Cruel To Be Kind
14. I Hear You Knocking
15. Elvis Rap
16. Jailhouse Rock
17. Sweet Little Lisa
18. Love So Fine
19. Love So Fine (cont.)
20. They Call It Rock
21. Ju Ju Man
22. Encore Break
23. Promised Land
24. Lets Talk About Us
25. DJ Outro (0:17)

New Link! Updated 03-06-22
Rockpile_1979-08-20_Palladium.rar

Rockpile - 1978-11-04 - Roslyn, NY

Rockpile
1978-11-04 (Early Show)
My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY 
FM Broadcast recording (WLIR-FM), very good quality
Available in both Lossless (FLAC) and mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Ok, we're really piling on the Rock now! Here's another fine Radio broadcast show from Rockpile, this one from their 1978 US tour and a stop at My Father's Place in NY. The setlist is similar to others from this period (previously I presented the Bottom Line show from this tour here), so there is nothing new regarding the song selection, but it is another great rollicking show from Nick, Dave, Billy, and Terry, as they show us what rock is all about. 

Tracklist:
1. Intro
2. Down Down Down
3. And So It Goes
4. I Knew The Bride
5. Deborah
6. Trouble Boys
7. Breaking Glass
8. Never Get Me Up in One of Those
9. Let It Rock
10. So Fine
11. I Hear You Knockin'
12. They Called It Rock
13. Ju Ju Man
14. Heart of the City
15. Crowd noise
16. Let's Talk About Us


mp3:  Rockpile_1978-11-04_RoslynNY_mp3.rar

FLAC: Rockpile_1978-11-04_RoslynNY_FLAC.rar

Rockpile - BBC Sessions (1977 & 1979)

Rockpile
BBC Sessions - 1977 and 1979
February 14 & April 7, 1977; June 16, 1979; BBC In Concert
FM Broadcast Recordings, excellent quality
Available in both lossless (FLAC), where available, and mp3 (320 kbps) versions

Here's more live Rockpile! And this time, in excellent quality from BBC radio broadcast recordings, and also available in lossless versions (at least for some). Just great stuff! The only down-side here is that because these are from multiple different sessions, there is some duplication of songs ('I Knew the Bride' 3 times, etc.). Also, I did not have a lossless source for the 1979 session, so that is available as mp3 only, but for the FLAC version I included some tracks from a 1979 San Francisco show (which were included in the lossless show package I received). These are of lesser quality than the BBC material, but still good quality. One other note, I put these together from multiple different partial sources, so there may be some differences or inconsistencies among tracks (volume levels, etc.), but all are high quality recordings that sound great, and together represent the most complete versions of these sessions that are available. So, rock on some more with Rockpile at their best.


Tracklist:
BBC Session February 14, 1977
1. Introduction
2. Heart of The City
3. Ju Ju Man
4. Down Down Down
5. I Knew The Bride
BBC In Concert April 7, 1977 (broadcast April 23, 1977)
6. Introduction
7. Down Down Down
8. Back To Schooldays
9. I Knew The Bride
10. Band Introductions
11. Mess of The Blues
12. I Hear you Knockin
13. They Called It Rock
14. Here Comes the Weekend - So Fine

BBC In Concert June 16, 1979 (mp3 only)
1. Intro
2. Sweet Little Lisa
3. So it Goes
4. I Knew The Bride
5. Girls talk
6. Cracking Up
7. Let It Rock
8. Love So Fine
9. Switchboard Susan
10. Ju Ju Man

1979 San Francisco (Audience recording, good quality) FLAC only;
15. Introduction
16. So It Goes
17. Fool Too Long
18. Breaking Glass
19. They Call It Rock
20. Heart of the City

mp3: Rockpile_BBC sessions_mp3.rar

FLAC: Rockpile_BBC77&SF79_FLAC.rar

Six Years of 'Chron'

Six Years on the Blog...


While we have been boppin' and rockin' to Rockpile over the past week, this blog, the BB Chronicles, has reached another milestone. It has now been 6 whole years since I started this little musical venture. That's right, we just reached our 6th Anniversary. Now, that may not be much in terms of music  history (most of the music posted here is way older than that), but for this type of music blog, that's quite a long time. So many other very fine sites have come and gone in that time, but this little outpost is still here, with most all of the music I've ever posted still available. Anyway, just wanted to acknowledge that before moving on. We have faced several challenges over the past few years, including having all of my links and uploaded files deleted three separate times (due to closure of filesharing sites, crackdown on potentialcopyright infringement, etc.), but the blog has persevered and right now virtually all of the posts are available once again (however tenuous that may be). Currently, Zippyshare seems to be working very well, has many advantages (fast, multiple downloads, etc.), but also some disadvantages (200MB size limit, only 30-day storage). I thought that the 30-day limit (any file not downloaded over a period of 30 days would be deleted) would be a major headache, especially for some of the older posts, but actually, I have been quite pleased and surprised that most of the files (even the older ones) still get downloaded pretty regularly. There have only been a handful that have had to be re-upped due to non-use. So, it has been very nice to see that these posts still see fairly regular activity even long after they were originally posted. Of course, this has been and will to continue to be a small, personal undertaking, where I try to provide insight, information, commentary, and links to unreleased music content for artists that I feel deserve to be heard and appreciated by more people. In that sense, I do believe that we have something at least a little bit special here, and hopefully, people like what they find here and will keep checking back. so, thanks to all those that do stop by and check things out, and to all those who comment, interact, and provide feedback and more to me. 

And once again, as I have each year at this time, I also want to take this time to thank and celebrate all the others out there who have made so much of this great music, which is not available for purchase anywhere, freely available to all who wish to download and enjoy it. I am only able to offer these downloads because others before me have made them available. So, to all the other bloggers, tapers, forum posters, and music fans that have collected these recordings and made them available over the internet, as well as to all the great artists and musicians out there that allow these recordings to be freely exchanged, I offer a huge and heartfelt Thank You.

As for the future of the blog, well, at least for the time being, it will continue pretty much as it has been, that is, on the same limited basis (one or two posts a week, tops). I very much enjoy doing it, but just have a very limited time I can devote to it. So, please be patient, as it may take me some time to get around to posting things, etc. But I will always strive to provide new and interesting content that is generally not available from the other usual music blogs. Frankly, though, I don't really know how long this will be able to continue, but I'll keep it going while I can. I will make my same usual complaint, however, and that is that I do wish I could get more comments, feedback, and discussion from you, the readers of this blog. Please, let me know what you think of what is here, provide your own insight and perspective, and some real discussion of some of this great music. i would love to hear and see more from you, if possible.

Coming right up will be even more from Rockpile (as they have been very well-received), as well as some more of the 'pub rock' bands, as I continue with that feature, and hopefully much more interesting stuff over the next several months.  

...and I'll be posting more tonight!

Rockpile - 1980-02-06 - Liverpool University

Rockpile
1980-02-06
Mountford Hall, University of Liverpool,
Liverpool, UKAudience recording, good quality
mp3 @ 320 kbps

Here's more from Rockpile, this one several months later, back in the UK in early 1980. The setlist is similar to the previous 1979 shows, but does have a few different songs thrown in, and of course features another rollicking performance. This  show was also particularly notable for the opening act, a band billed as 'The Horace Barlow Experience". Actually, it was Elvis Costello  & The Attractions performing incognito in an unbilled, unannounced appearance. This was the first of only two shows (the other being the following night in Bedford) where this occurred. Of course, earlier in their career, Rockpile opened for Elvis for many shows on his 1978 US tour, so Elvis was returning the favor here.
 
Tracklist
01. Sweet Little Lisa
02. So It Goes
03. I Knew the Bride (When She Used To Rock & Roll)
04. Switchboard Susan
05. Three Time Loser
06. Trouble Boys
07. Girls Talk
08. Crawling From The Wreckage
09. Singing The Blues
10. Cracking Up
11. The Promised Land
12. I Hear You Knocking
13. They Called It Rock
14. Ju Ju Man
15. Down Down Down
16. Let's Talk About Us

Rockpile_1980-02-06_Liverpool.rar