Farewell The Professsionals
After close on a decade, the rejuvenated Professionals have called it a day. It came and went so quickly but I'm so glad it happened. Memories of their first ever performance, a warm-up at The Fleece in Bristol, still make the hairs stand up on the back on my neck. To actually hear those classic songs live was special, they meant so much to me back in the day, and all these years later they still did. There were many exhilarating shows that followed, and although the line-up changed over the years, the Cookie / Tom Spencer central axis remained constant throughout, as did the excitement and energy they generated.
Let's not overlook the music, not just the oldies, but the new tunes they crafted. They were determined not to trade on nostalgia and set about successfully creating their own musical legacy, one that could stand on its own. The albums, 'What In The World' and 'SNAFU' were packed full of top notch tunes, with fabulous playing and production. The series of '1-2-3' EPs were likewise terrific, they didn't release one poor song. The final single 'No One's Watching' promised more to come but it wasn't to be.
Personally, I felt they were always under appreciated, and I suspect this came into play when deciding to call time. How often did they go down a storm in front of large audiences at festivals and supporting the likes of SLF and Rezillos, only to play days later in a tiny venue? It was also puzzling that they struggled to land other support slots with major bands from the genre. Could it be those bands felt threatened by having a Sex Pistol and a great band stealing their thunder? It's not as far fetched as it sounds, believe me. So hats off to Billy Idol and the like.
As I write, 'Fade Away' is playing, so it seems an apt time to wrap this up. All things come to an end. It won't be the last we hear from Cookie and Tom, they both have too much to offer. No retirement for these guys, after all, you can't keep a 'Good Man Down'. Au revoir The Professionals. And thank you.
Phil Singleton 22 April 2024
