In last month’s UNCUT, our writers, friends and favourite musicians reminisced about their favourite gigs.
Well, in this month’s issue we’re looking back on the worst gigs we’ve ever seen – including The Stone Roses, Bob Dylan, Kevin Rowland and David Bowie – with rare photos from the shows too.
We’re also going to publish one of the worst gigs every day, with online exclusives, so feast your eyes on this, and be glad you weren’t there!
*****
11 | THE FALL
The Junction, Cambridge
Tuesday, October 24, 1995
PAT LONG: The Junction was a nondescript building situated in the middle of an industrial estate behind Cambridge railway station. The Fall played there in 1993 and a bootleg of the show proves that it was incredible – the album that they were touring, The Infotainment Scan, was a return to form, Mark E Smith was just the right side of drunk and they closed with a thrillingly malicious version of The Sonics’ “Strychnine”.
I wasn’t at that gig. The one I went to was two years later and remains one of the most hostile I’ve ever seen – and that includes the Jesus Lizard show when David Yow rammed his forearm, James Herriot-style, into his anal cavity and then smeared his hand on the front row’s faces. The first thing Smith did was kick NME photographer Andy Wilsher in the face, lens first. He then slurred through a few songs, booted guitarist Craig Scanlon in the rump and stormed off to sing most of the rest of the set from the dressing room. Scanlon apparently left the band the next day after what were presumably 16 very long and tiresome years.
*****
plus WERE YOU THERE?
Not even UNCUTs war-weary gig-hounds have been to every show in history – but you lot probably have.
Email Allan_Jones@ipcmedia.com to share your memories, of the ones we’ve published or any which we have missed, and we’ll publish the best in a future issue