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Dead Men Walking
Parr Hall, Warrington "We're gonna rock this town"…& that's what they did, delivering what Slim Jim Phantom summed up as the best DMW show ever! What the fans turning up hadn't realised was that Billy Duffy had rejoined the group for the sound check, running through Sanctuary, In A Big Country, & Runaway Boys, in readiness for his surprise appearance at the climax of the show. In the meantime, the opening onslaught of Rock This Town, Wild Flower and Burning Sounds had got the seated audience wanting to dance. When Kirk introduced All You Young Men as a protest song, someone shouted they were protesting at being seated. Glen asked, "Who seconds this? Who thirds it?" All of a sudden everyone was out of their seats, with a rush to the front. Instant mosh pit! And it was one hell of a mosh pit. The crowd went crazy to the delight of DMW. The current line up are relishing playing each other's material; Bruce Watson clearly loving being part of the set up, stretching some fantastic sounds out of his guitar. His Stray Cats guitar playing caused Slim Jim to remark, "That's just like the record!" Bruce may have been a last minute replacement, but he's not taken the role lightly, far from it, he's been playing out of his skin. Fragile Thing, performed as a duo with Mike Peters, is a class song by anyone's standards. It would be nice to see Bruce involved in future DMW projects. Stepping Stone (which was reintroduced into the set for the Colne show two nights earlier), kept up the frenzy, with You'll Never Take Me Alive, Rumble in Warrington, & Spirit Of 76 going down particularly well. Possibly the highlight of the current set has to be the rockabilly God Save The Queen. Still unmistakeable, yet embellished with a whole new melody, it tops any GSTQ remix. It's a danceable rock & roll song, with resultant simultaneous pogoing & jiving. Perhaps the best illustration of the fusing of styles that makes up DMW. If a passionate Edie (vocals handled jointly by Mike & Kirk) had kept The Cult fans happy, they were soon to become ecstatic. Mike announced, "Look who's just got better!" as Billy walked on, brandishing his famous Gretsch White Falcon. The opening strains of Sanctuary pierced the air, & the pit went wild. This was the first performance of the 6-man DMW line-up. Two electric guitars, two acoustic guitars, one electric bass, and the drums. Never mind Coalition bombing raids, this was "shock & awe!" Next was Westworld, with Kirk & Billy revisiting their Theatre Of Hate days, followed by an uplifting In A Big Country to close the set. All 6 re-emerged for the encore of Runaway Boys and Pretty Vacant, leaving the crowd exhausted. Slim Jim was right, it was surely the best DMW show to-date. Review by Phil Singleton Dead
Men Walking With Billy Duffy having to drop out of the tour (at least for now) at the last minute due to a football injury, Bruce Watson from Big Country has been drafted in, a mere two days before the start. A tall order for Bruce, especially as a number of fans would be turning up expecting to see Billy. As per usual, DMW tend to turn adversity into an advantage. They have wisely kept some Cult songs in the set, no doubt to please the fans who'd turned up to hear them. It was also welcome, and I feel important, to see the group including Big Country songs. With Mike Peters having clearly become the main vocalist, handling the lead for The Cult, Big Country and Stray Cats material, in addition to his own, both Glen and Kirk provide the variety in terms of delivery. This mix remains the central premise of the group. The NEWI is a spacious hall, making a contrast to the unbearable heat at the Leeds concert I attended in July. A healthy and vocal turnout, who weren't shy and sang with gusto, helped the atmosphere; a fact which wasn't lost on the group. DMW also seemed relaxed with one another, which resulted in spontaneous good-natured improvisation between the five of them. Slim Jim Phantom has now begun to settle and influence the sound, adding a rockabilly backbeat to God Save The Queen, (lead vocals by Glen). Bruce added some spot on Steve Jones-style guitar to the song, making this a fun and storming rendition. It's notable that Bruce played electric guitar, rather than the acoustic Billy had used during the warm up gigs in July. I wonder if Billy will choose the same in preference to his acoustic when he rejoins the group? Slim Jim's integration into the group seemed complete with the live debut tonight of Stray Cat Strut. Terrific. Special plaudits also for the breathtaking performance of Big Country's Chance which had the whole crowd singing. A sure fire way to close the first half of the show on a high (DMW have reverted to the mid-show break allowing the fans the opportunity to mix and get autographs etc). In total, four Bruce Watson / Stuart Adamson songs were included, with In A Big Country being particularly well received. Now how about Fields Of Fire? Glen still performs Rich Kids (Burning Sounds), Pistols (GSTQ, Vacant), and solo (On Something), for his fans, all of which continue to delight the audience. It's gratifying to be in a crowd where the audience is so receptive to all the musicians on stage, despite the different styles (in theory at least). Furthermore, the group have reverted to closing the show with All Or Nothing, the DMW anthem. DMW continue to evolve and offer something new. Just check the number of different songs on the two live CDs the group have released so far. The musicians have plenty more to bring to the table. Can't wait. Review by Phil Singleton Dead
Men Walking
The void left by Pete's pop anthems has been filled by a mixture of rock and rockabilly, with Billy Duffy (The Cult) and Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats), instantly giving a different feel to the show. Also more obvious tonight was the amount of interchanging between the different musicians throughout the set, as songs were performed with different combinations on stage, allowing them all to take a breather. From the start the two newcomers are instantly given the limelight, beginning with the Stray Cats' Rock This Town, followed by The Cult's Wild Flower. It is evident that Mike Peters is now acting as more of a front man for the group, taking on the vocal duties of both The Cult and the Stray Cats material. To his credit he does an excellent job, delivering the vocals in a style faithful to the original songs while retaining his own sound. Despite the show remaining acoustic, with the exception of Glen's bass, the set now has a distinctive rock feel about it. The addition of Billy Duffy has introduced a whole new crowd to Dead Men Walking, with tracks such as Fire Woman and Edie (Ciao Baby) raising the roof. The shows have, of course, given Kirk Brandon and Billy Duffy the chance to revisit their Theatre Of Hate days. This included performing Propaganda as an acoustic duo, again to a rapturous response. Kirk also treated his fanatical following to Never Take Me Alive and Westworld. Let's not forget Slim Jim Phantom, one of the few drummers who plays standing up. This is perfect for Dead Men Walking as it allows all five contributors to stand in line while performing, emphasizing their individual importance. Slim Jim also brings with him some excellent stories, not to mention songs such as a Runaway Boys, and Rumble In Brighton (on which he sang lead). Glen had no problem adapting to the new material, with his bass crucial in underpinning the 'new' rock sound, and reinforcing his essential role within the group. With Mike Peters taking on the bulk of the lead vocals for the new additions, this has ironically led to the dropping of some Alarm songs, most notably the old show opener, The Stand. This tour has however seen the addition of Rescue Me from The Alarm catalogue. 68 Guns, which had been dropped for earlier warm-up shows, was reinstated tonight as an impromptu stopgap while the engineers tried to fix Billy's guitar which malfunctioned during Young Men. Well done Mike.
So where does this swelling of the ranks and the broadened repertoire leave Glen? Thankfully, with the same number of songs in the main set as before. Both Burning Sounds (featuring harmonica by Mike Peters), and On Something (the only 'new' song on show here tonight) were perfomed as a duo with Mike and were well received. Pistols standards, Stepping Stone and Pretty Vacant both delighted the crowd, with Vacant, as is tradition, closing the main set with a pogo-fest. The unmistakable opening strains of Vacant are now the responsibility of Billy. The encore was a stunning version of The Cult's She Sells Sanctuary, which seemed to sum up the more rock orientated feel of the new set. The packed crowd were in a frenzy by this time. The club, one of the hottest I've been to in recent times, was strewn with broken glass and vomit, so I guess the night had been a success. On a personal note, I missed the old show's closing rendition of All Or Nothing, now absent from the current set, which to me had summed up the Dead Men Walking philosophy. It seems they've moved on. I also got the feeling that with the new lineup they have now outgrown this smaller type of venue. With bigger shows beckoning in the autumn, it remains to be seen exactly how much they have grown in stature. It should be an exciting new chapter awaiting the group. Review / photographs by Phil Singleton (pictured: Glen; Billy Duffy with Mike Peters) Latest live reviews & appearances
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PALMA DE REUS, SPAIN
This gig was always going to be a bit different due to the presence of James Stevenson on second guitar instead of the usual Terry Edwards on keyboards. Terry couldn’t make the gig and so James was drafted in to play alongside existing guitarist Steve New. It worked – James had learnt all the songs pretty good and contributed some fine solos. Well, he should be good as he was guitar man in Chelsea, Gen X and Gene Loves Jezebel and has been drafted in on occasion to add guitar on tours with The Cult, The Mission and The Alarm, amongst many others.
So we had two very contrasting guitarists standing either side of Mr Matlock in the rather lovely ‘La Palma de Reus’ setting. This is a kind of open air theatre built right in the middle of a residential part of the city of Reus near Tarragona. It’s surrounded by apartment blocks and takes the form of a circular amphitheatre facing a covered stage. Palm trees, chestnut trees and the odd olive tree make a very Mediterranean atmosphere and it was hot … but the music was hotter, as they say. Highlights included Idiot and Open Mind off the CD of the same name which James Stevenson had contributed guitar to so he was naturally more familiar with these songs. Also, Treat Her Right the old Roy Head hit, the evergreen Stepping Stone and of course, God Save The Queen. Really impressive was Steve New’s inspired guitar work on Suck It And See, a song to be included on the new Philistines album out later this summer. James Stevenson got his own back with a fine solo on another one from the new album, On Something.
But the real highlight was the special tribute to Joe Strummer by way of London Calling. Clean, crisp, staccato guitars cracking out the riff while Glen’s fingers dribbled down his bass. Lovely. In summary, two guitars worked very well especially playing the GTSQ and Pretty Vacant parts in unison. Maybe, Glen should use James Stevenson in addition to Steve and Terry.
A great gig, a great audience, a great setting, great fun. Even the promoter was grinning and dancing.
Review/photographs by John Thurlow (top left - live show; bottom right - soundcheck L-R; Stevenson, Matlock, New) An Audience with Glen Matlock North
Bar, Blackburn Glen hit the ground running with his first live & acoustic solo show of the year. A packed North Bar greeted Glen as a hero when he took the stage. A new song Whose Side Are You On?, started the show before Glen launched into A Different World from his Creation Records album, followed by the classic Rich Kids' Burning Sounds. All three songs were greeted with the same enthusiastic reaction. It was clear from the start it was going to be a great night. Stepping Stone quickly followed with Glen asking for, and getting, ample audience participation. The Blackburn crowd were up for it, big style, and enjoyed some good humoured banter with Glen as he introduced Sad Meal For One. "When you go and get something to stick in the microwave, where do you go to?" Pizza Hut! was the reply from the crowd. "You never heat anything up in the oven? There must be somebody here that does, otherwise I'm buggered! I go to Marks and Spencer's, because I'm a little bit more upmarket!" The crowd loved it! Glen followed this with a tribute to the late Joe Strummer in which he told of how they played the song Wand'rin' Star as everybody was leaving his funeral. Glen then delivered a knockout rendition of I Fought The Law with more vociferous back-up singing from the crowd. With barely a moment's break, God Save The Queen floored the delighted crowd, who weren't expecting such a treat, the first time Glen has performed the song solo in the UK. This crowd was genuinely earning their rewards. As they say: give and you will receive! The show was billed as an 'Audience with...' and, with the crowd buzzing, this was the appropriate place in the set to answer questions. Promoter John Winstanley had distributed paper around the club earlier in the evening for people to write down questions. John took the stage to ask a selection of them. This was an excellent way to approach the Q & A session, as it meant good questions, no awkward silences, & everyone could hear clearly, not only Glen's replies, but the questions themselves. Amongst the questions fielded, Glen discussed Bernie Rhodes. He explained that although Bernie helped the Pistols out in the early days, he didn't see eye to eye with Malcolm McLaren. Bernie could see everything that was wrong with the way Malcolm managed the Pistols, and so did exactly the opposite with The Clash. While the Pistols never broke America, The Clash, by default, became massive in the US. Other topics raised included the relevance today of songs such as Anarchy In The UK, Joe Strummer's first meeting with Mick Jones, and the current state of modern commercial music, (Glen astutely pointed out that before Britney Spears there was always the likes of Clodagh Rogers, basically the same, only the skirt was different!) The show then continued with Ghosts Of Princes In Towers, Idiot (which generated more audience participation with its sing-a-long chorus), and the magnificent On Something (surely one of the top 5 tunes Glen's ever written). To round off the set, Pretty Vacant gave the raucous crowd chance to tear their vocal chords one last time. In reply to a final question, "Who brought the Pistols back together in '96?", Glen quipped, "The bank manager!" to the delight of the good natured crowd. A terrific success. A packed, positive crowd, great venue, spot on promotion and organization, plus of course, a top notch performance from the man himself. Well done to everyone concerned. Review by Phil Singleton Ellis Hooks (featuring Glen Matlock on bass) Dingwalls, London New Year's Day 2003 - live BBC Radio 3 Set List: Undeniable / Hey Good Lookin' / I Release You / That's Where It's At / Something For Everyone / Sliding / Blaze Up This Town / Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa / It's not Me / I've Been There / Everything's Falling All Around Me / 40 Days and 40 Nights This was Ellis Hooks' first ever live appearance in the UK, and performing the bass duties was none other than Glen Matlock. Hosted by the BBC, the concert was broadcast live on the radio. Billed as a hot new soul sensation from Alabama, Ellis and his band easily won over an appreciative audience. There's no denying his sincerity and love for the music he performs. While firmly rooted in soul, there was a tip of a stetson towards the pioneers of country music, with the band performing Hank Williams' Hey Good Lookin', to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of his death. As with most accomplished singer songwriters, Ellis Hooks' own compositions are based on personal experience, resulting in some words of wisdom for the audience, "If it doesn't work out, let it go, just move on." There was a break in transmission during the set, which according to the BBC, was due to the power going off at Dingwalls. With the connection re-established the band continued on unphased with a number of quality songs including Otis Redding's Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa, and my favourite two of the evening, Blaze Up This Town and I've Been There. After the final song was broadcast on the radio, the concert continued for those at Dingwalls. The sound mixing ensured Glen's bass lines remained both prominent and central to the music. He can clearly turn his hand to any style. Yes, it may seem a million miles away from the Sex Pistols, but is it really all that different? Raw, honest, and yes, energetic. The previous day Ellis Hooks, again with Glen, recorded an Andy Kershaw session to be broadcast soon on BBC Radio 3. Review by Phil Singleton That's my review of the BBC broadcast. Here is a review from our man at Dingwalls! I must admit that when it got mentioned that Glen Matlock was to play bass for Ellis Hooks my first thought was, who the heck is Ellis Hooks?? Well he's 28 years old, and was born in Alabama , USA. He sang in a baptist choir as a child before getting "the blues". Dingwalls is packed tonight as the BBC have sent out 500+ invites to those on their mailing list. Glen is on bass and Nashville guitarist Jon Tiven has flown over (he also produced the album) to help out. It does not take long to see why Glen has got involved, as this boy Ellis has got the lot. His heroes are Otis Redding and Sam Cooke and his songs are in that vein. They play about a dozen songs in a 50 mins set that makes dancing compulsive. It was so great to hear a singer that really projects every word so soulfully and so confidently as well. He was born to sing, that's clear to see, and he loves the stage. He's tall and slim with rock star hips, and spray on trousers that the girls at the front certainly took a shine to. The set was split between classic soul covers and tracks from his recently released debut album Undeniable, which really do make you understand why Radio 3 DJ Andy Kershaw has made it one of his fave albums of 2002. With a couple of decent reviews and help from people lIke Andy Kershaw he could go far. I for one will following his career, that's for sure. Try to give his album a listen if you can. "Undeniable " is out now on Zane Records via Pinnacle cat number ZNCD 1018 (Glen Matlock does not play on the album). Review by Ray Morrissey < Newer Reviews | Older Reviews>
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With
Pete Wylie, often seen as the driving force behind Dead Men Walking, now having
left the fold, it was clear that there would be some fundamental differences between
this new version of the group and the old. This short five date tour was designed
to give the band time to gel prior to a much larger tour in the autumn. 
THE
PHILISTINES
The
final encore of the Small Faces All Or Nothing was memorable, mainly for
the audience participation. Glen handed the microphone out to the front rows of
dancing maniacs and they sang lustily … but it certainly wasn’t exactly
‘All Or Nothing’ they chanted; sounded more like ‘Be My Baby’!