Monday 04 October 2021.

Sunday 03 October 2021. GENERATION SEX Channel 4 tv at 11am - Sunday Brunch programme featured an interview with Billy Idol. It was not actually in the tv studio, but it said Billy was "Live From London". Billy mentioned his already announced UK arena tour for 2022 but also said that Generation Sex would play their first UK dates in 2023. The band feature two members of The Sex Pistols and two members of Generation X. Sunday at 4pm I bumped into Sex Pistols/The Professionals drummer PAUL COOK in King Street, Hammersmith. He was on his way to get a haircut. One of the things we talked about was "yes, discussions of some UK shows with Generation Sex had been talked about". Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones has not been on a UK stage since Sex Pistols shows in 2008. --------------------------- Saturday 02 October 2021. SCRITTI POLITTI + ALEXIS TAYLOR live at Shepherds Bush Empire. Rare UK tour for this art-pop band that had a few hits in the 1980s. I have never seen them play live before. Celebrating the 35th anniversary of SCRITTI POLITTI’s ‘Cupid & Psyche 85’, the band will be embarking on a very special UK tour performing the album, in its entirety, for the very first time. This is the final show on their nine date UK tour. Special guest across the tour will be Alexis Taylor. ------------------ The show is not sold out, but very full. ALEXIS TAYLOR and band arrived on stage at 8pm for their 45 mins set. Alexis was on keyboards and his set included an interesting electro cover of "Wild Horses". SCRITTI POLITTI arrived on stage at 9.05pm for their 85 mins set. The have the bands name as a backdrop, but the stage is very sparse. The crowd are cheering the opening bars to every song. We have an electronic drum kit (very popular in the 1980s). Those drums and the keyboard sounds did a great job of reproducing that very polished electro sound the album had back when it was first released. Green Garthside on vocals, still has that sweet voice of his. He said his panic attacks had stopped him performing regularly for the past 20 years. He was giving a full pint of Guinness by a stage front fan near the end. Many fab songs from the album were played with the highlight for me , a mega version of their big hit "Wood Beez" (Pray Like Aretha Franklin). A full standing ovation from the audience at the end of a great show. Full setlist played tonight... The Sweetest Girl Day Late and a Dollar Short The Boom Boom Bap Oh Patti (Don't Feel Sorry for Loverboy) Skank Bloc Bologna Trentavious White The Word Girl Small Talk Absolute A Little Knowledge Don’t Work That Hard Perfect Way Lover to Fall Happy Birthday Dear Dickie (sung for guitarist’s birthday) Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin) Hypnotize Encore: At Last I Am Free (Chic cover) (with Alexis Taylor)

Posted 4th October 2021