JAH WOBBLE + BLURT – CHALK, BRIGHTON 7.5.23
This evening’s entertainment comes courtesy of 64 year old legendary bass guitarist Jah Wobble. The event is part of the ‘Brighton Festival’ and tonight’s event is being staged at the Chalk venue in Pool Valley. It is billed as a special performance titled “Metal Box: Rebuilt in Dub”. Sounds like a dangerous undertaking in reimagining the holy grail of post-punk!
The Festival blurb states:
“A founding member of Public Image Ltd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Image_Ltd – alongside ex-Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon, revered guitarist Keith Levene and drummer Jim Walker – Jah Wobble helped forge this influential group’s uncompromising sound. Now the visionary bassist revisits their post-punk masterpiece. Released in 1979, second album Metal Box featured such avant-garde cuts as Swan Lake and Poptones. Now Wobble has recreated the whole LP with dub interpretations and more expansive arrangements”.
‘Metal Box’ dropped on 23rd November 1979 and takes its name from the round metal canister which contained the initial pressings of the record. It was later reissued in standard vinyl packaging as ‘Second Edition’ in February 1980 by Virgin Records.
The original ‘Metal Box’ tracklisting reads:
‘Albatross’ 10:34
‘Memories’ 5:05
‘Swan Lake‘ 4:11
‘Poptones’ 7:46
‘Careering’ 4:32
‘No Birds’ 4:41
‘Graveyard’ 3:07
‘The Suit’ 3:29
‘Bad Baby’ 4:30
‘Socialist’/’Chant’/’Radio 4’ 12:34 (3:10, 5:01 & 4:24)
The album was recorded from March to October 1979 and a few weeks after it’s 23rd November release, on 10th December, John Lydon (lead vocals), Keith Levine (guitar, synthesiser), Jah Wobble (bass) and Martin Atkins (drums) went into Maida Vale Studio 4 for the BBC and recorded ‘Poptones’, ‘Careering’ and ‘Chant’ for the John Peel show. The songs were first broadcast a week later and I, like many across the land, had their fingers hovering over the record button of their mobile tape recorders! It was to be PiL’s only session!
‘Metal Box’ was a departure from PiL’s 1978 debut ‘Public Image: First Issue’ which was released on 8th December 1978, just in time to be a Christmas stocking filler. The album contained the legendary ‘Public Image’ single, which had come out on 13th October, and for me is STILL the best thing that Lydon has ever done and that includes the Sex Pistols work as well!
‘Metal Box’ saw PiL moving into a more avant-garde sound characterised by John Lydon’s cryptic lyrics, propulsive dub-inspired rhythms led by bassist Jah Wobble, and an abrasive, “metallic” guitar sound developed by guitarist Keith Levene. The album is widely regarded as a landmark of post-punk. In 2012, the album was ranked number 461 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Yes I know what you’re thinking… “God that’s low, should be much higher!”
It is generally accepted that Jah Wobble played bass guitar on all of the tunes on ‘Metal Box’ with the exception of ‘Radio 4’ and he was on drums for ‘Careering’ and ‘The Suit’, as well as playing piano on ‘The Suit’. Interestingly, Wobble played and recorded the backing track of drums and piano for ‘The Suit’ at Gooseberry Studios with Mark Lusardi, which started out as a cover of ‘Blueberry Hill’. He brought the backing track to the band at The Manor, to which Lydon “freaked out when he heard that… He was galvanised into action and within a few hours ‘The Suit’ existed.”
I strongly suspect that tonight Wobble will solely be concentrating on his bass guitar duties, as opposed to sitting behind a drum kit or a piano. Let’s see shall we……
Jah Wobble and his four chums were all dressed in black attire and they graced the Chalk stage at 8:19pm. His chums are Martin Chung (guitar), Jon Klein (guitar, backing vocals), George King (synthesizers, laptop, backing vocals) and Marc Layton-Bennett (drums).
From our left to right we have:
George – who is looking after the rather fancy Nord Stage 4 which features a piano section, a synth section, an organ section, plus an extensive range of effects. As well as this keyboard he also has an Impulse Novation keyboard as well as a laptop to the rear, plus he sang backing vocals as well.
Martin – has control of an Ibanez guitar, which looks like the Ibanez AZES40 AZ Essential in Purist Blue.
Jah Wobble – is of course on lead vocals and switches between a couple of Fender bass guitars, (one of which was a Fender Precision bass), as well as a two drum and two cowbells percussion which he stands and plays from time to time.
Jon – was also on guitar, but his was a Yamaha, and he also assisted with backing vocals.
Marc – is stationed to the centre rear of the stage and is playing a more full on drumset than that used by tonight’s support act.
Jah Wobble was this evening sporting his trademark hat, black glove on his right (playing) hand as well as donning a “Dub Specialist” t-shirt. He seemed very much up for it this evening. Sadly, there were no setlists to be seen, and Wobble gigs almost always go off-piste, so it was going to be rather tricky in describing each tune, especially as ‘Metal Box’ wasn’t played in order or as far as I could tell in full. The lads threw in some other compositions as well, just for the hell of it.
Not surprisingly, Wobble sometimes had to refer to lyric sheets on display on a large stand immediately in front of us as he didn’t originally sing lead vocals on ‘Metal Box’ as that was Lydon’s job. We had thankfully secured centre front positions for both the bands this evening and so had a birds eye view of all the happenings as well as being swept away in the moment.
The punters this evening were quite a mixed bag with quite a few “characters” in amongst them, but suffice to say after just a few tracks, our Stepney born geezer up on the expansive stage had everyone eating out of his hand. It was pleasing to note that the venue was rather busy, possibly not quite sold out, but certainly many more (possibly double the amount) than at my previous Brighton gig encounter two years ago.
Even back in the PiL days, Wobble would often be seated as he played his bass guitars and this evening started just the same for the first couple of tunes, the second of which was very funky. He then took to his feet for the third number and then rarely revisited his chair for the rest of the night. It was to be a lengthy set, they always seem to be with Wobble. Tonight came in at 110 minutes which included special dispensation from Chalk staff that authorised the overrun.
The opening notes of ‘Poptones’ rang out across the venue and I looked immediately behind me to spy my mate Guy with a very broad intensive smile right across his face. Things were going very well indeed. Wobble ticked his fingers across his Fender and the deep bass sound the notes produced were f*cking epic!
Wobble sang “We only wanted to be loved; We only wanted to be loved” and we had arrived to a nod of ‘Fodderstompf’ from the debut PiL album. No doubt these days the standards police wouldn’t ever allow the “I will show the frustration with our society by picking up that fire extinguisher and spraying it into the mic” to take place.
With Wobble still standing and having traded in his bass guitar for the double drums and cowbell setup, they were off again and I swear that Reece (or is that Rhys?) at the back of the house on sound had just cranked it up a little! Wobble was more animated than I had recalled him on previous occasions and the punters were feeding off of this. He even did a small jump on one occasion, this man of great stature was having fun and even balancing on one foot on several occasions.
Next up was the tune ‘Public Image’, which was the first ever PiL single, although this version was a dub stylee version, but this was clearly a two-parter as the latter half was the original speeded up version. I kid you not, sometimes during a live set, the hairs on my arms stand to attention in excited appreciation of what my ears are receiving. But for this second part, a large majority of my whole body tingled, from under my hair on my head, the back of my neck, my arms and so on. Bloody hell if I could bottle this feeling, I’d make a mint. My body had just indicated to my brain that this version was THE best song I had heard live throughout the whole year! This had been almost on par with sex! Note the “almost”.
Blimey, where do we go from here? The quintet then gave us a freestyle punk number, with Wobble bouncing around, before segueing right into their take on John Barry’s theme for ‘Midnight Cowboy’, with Martin playing those haunting notes on his Ibanez. Wobble threw some ballet moves which former young ballerina Jordan Mooney (RIP) would have chuckled at. It was also pleasing to note a lady near the front of the stage wearing a ‘Jordan Mooney Official Memorial Charity Concert’ t-shirt.
It was now encore time, but the lads didn’t bother going off stage, they simply took the enthusiastic applause and cheers and offloaded the 90’s rave sounding Happy Monday’s style number, which I think was ‘Becoming More Like God’. The lady behind me seriously got this vibe and was transported back to a field somewhere at the dead of night with thousands of other illegal ravers. We spoke to her after the event and Wobble and chums had made her do it! Something else that needed to be bottled and sold!
Next up was a dub cover version of the ska classic, ‘Liquidator’ by Harry J All Stars, which went on another freestyle journey. I reckon Reece was on the loudness knobs again…good lad! It’s at this point in proceedings that Wobble does what Wobble does and entertains the crowd with random thoughts and statements that make us laugh. The best of these for me was “the electric bass guitar is at the top of the food chain, with no known predator”. Although it’s impossible not to like Wobble unless you meet face-to-face down a very narrow dark alley, he does, however, get a little carried away here to the detriment of the quality of music that had gone before. I was feeling myself going off the boil. I also sensed this from others around me too.
It got more freestyle, or should that read, jazz freestyle, with the arrival of their take on (the circa 3 minute) Roy Budd’s ‘Get Carter’ theme tune, which The Human League had condensed down to just over a minute, but tonight’s version was a massively extended 12” version, or make that 18” version. We had sadly arrived at curfew, but Wobble asked if they could play another number and the Chalk staff thankfully allowed them to do so. I mean, if Wobble asked me, I certainly wouldn’t refuse this imposing figure! Our reward was the awesome ‘Visions’ Of You’, which my colleague Nicola (who was also in attendance this evening) had witnessed live back in the early 90’s in London with Sinéad O’Connor on vocals…envious or what!
The time was now 10:09pm and Wobble informed everyone that he “was just getting started” as he started with playing the two drums and cowbells combo, but was thwarted by playing any further by someone who appeared from the rear of the stage. I honestly believe that Wobble would have played past the two hour mark, just like he had previously done in Brighton on 24th January 2020 – review HERE.
Jah Wobble:
John Joseph Wardle aka Jah Wobble – bass, vocals, percussion
Jon Klein – guitar, backing vocals
George King – synthesizers, laptop, backing vocals
Martin Chung – guitar
Marc Layton-Bennett – drums
Jah Wobble setlist included:
‘Albatross’ (from 1979 ‘Metal Box’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘Memories’ (from 1979 ‘Metal Box’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘The Suit’ (from 1979 ‘Metal Box’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘Poptones’ (from 1979‘Metal Box’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘Fodderstompf’ (from 1978 ‘Public Image: First Issue’ album (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘Public Image’ / ‘Public Image (dub version)’ (from 1978 ‘Public Image: First Issue’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘Socialist’ (from 1979 ‘Metal Box’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
‘Swan lake’ (from 1979 ‘Metal Box’ album) (Public Image Ltd cover)
Midnight Cowboy’ theme (John Barry cover)
‘Liquidator’ (Harry J All Stars cover)
‘Get Carter’ Theme (Roy Budd cover)
‘Becoming More Like God’ (Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart tune)
‘Visions Of You’ (Jah Wobble’s Invaders of the Heart tune)
Support this evening came from Blurt who had hot-footed it from The Bird’s Nest in London where they performed last night. I don’t recall having seen them live before, but that’s not to say that I haven’t witnessed them, it’s just a case of I don’t remember them.
Ted Milton formed Blurt in Stroud in Gloucestershire back in 1979 with his brother Jake and guitarist Pete Creese. The trio produced what some have described as Dada-Avantgarde-Jazz or Paranoid Jazz-Mutant Funk. Their core sound is centred around Ted Milton’s alto-sax and poetry.
The band made their recording debut a year later when they dropped their ‘My Mother Was A Friend Of An Enemy Of The People’ / ‘Get’ single, which was followed in May 1981 by their ‘The Fish Needs A Bike’ single, which I’m totally certain that I heard the legendary John Peel (RIP) play on his night-time show on Radio 1 at the time. He even got Blurt in to play a session the previous September which featured ‘Cherry Blossom Polish’, ‘Paranoid Blues’, ‘Ubu’ and ‘Some Come’.
Blurt also released their debut long-player ‘In Berlin’ in 1981. It was recorded live at the Rock Against Junk concert in Berlin, Germany on 13th December 1980, and released the following year, through record label Armageddon. It reached No.14 on the UK Indie Chart and No.12 on the US chart. Blurt‘s self-titled studio album dropped in 1982 and there has been a string of releases ever since on many different labels throughout their extensive career.
Over the years Ted has kept the band going with several line-up changes, but maintaining the idiosyncrasy and originality that has marked the Blurt sound from the very beginning. Blurt have a very strong live reputation. Most of Blurt’s compositions feature simple, repetitive, minimalistic guitar and/or saxophone phrases, but they can also explore more abstract musical territories, often serving as an atmospheric backdrop for Ted Milton’s existentialist poetry.
The mature trio take to the Chalk stage at 7:12pm and entertain the crowd for the next 48 minutes up until the set’s end at 8pm.
Ted, with his Penfold (‘Danger Mouse’) style glasses and small Mohican hairstyle, commenced with a story about (what I thought was that he said) that he used to be a bus driver or conductor based in Pool Valley where we are right now and that he used to be on the Eastbourne route. I took this with a pinch of salt as I was aware that they were based miles away from Brighton, but it may well be true?
They then launched into the first number, with Ted’s vocal delivery style not far off that of Lydon with the iguana nodding style delivery. I concluded that Blurt could arguably be an acquired taste and that Ted would certainly be able to keep you amused in a pub for hours on end, with his poems, stories and the like.
Although there was one setlist on view, I had the distinct impression that the lads were straying from it on a number of occasions. The third number was a funky jazz number. It wasn’t to be their only one either! For the fourth tune, guitarist Steve was at times on shared vocals with Ted. It then dawned on me, whilst I was watching Steve play that he drew a slight resemblance to Andy Summers of The Police, and that Steve was playing his guitar just as well, and sometimes in an unusual style. Meanwhile, Stuart Copeland on drums, OK then, it was Dave on drums, was a rather decent musician also, especially on the fifth track. It was quirky jazz all the way.
Ted was a captivating fella and his saxophone delivery was akin to the bands Rip Rig + Panic and Pigbag. At times the vocal delivery not only reminded me of Lydon big time, but also elements of certain off kilter David Bowie.
Before we (and Steve and Dave) knew it, at 7:47pm, Ted was wandering off stage, giving the air of urgently needing a lavatory break, but his bandmates swiftly secured a dramatic U-turn. Thus an additional 13 minute encore was secured. On his return Ted got out his poem/lyric book for a tune and it suddenly got very noisy and possibly freestyle. They went down an absolute storm, you would have thought at that point that they were the headliners. For myself and my friends the jury was out!
Blurt:
Ted Milton – vocals, saxophone (1979–present)
Steve Eagles – guitar, backing vocals (1987–1990, 1994–present)
Dave Aylward – drums (2008–present)
Blurt proposed setlist:
‘Plunge’ (from 2010 ‘Cut It!’ album)
‘Cut It!’ (from 2010 ‘Cut It!’ album)
‘The Ruminanth Plinth’ (from 1982 ‘Blurt’ album)
‘Man To Fly’ (from 1986 ‘Poppycock’ album)
‘Pure Scenario’ (from 2010 ‘Cut It!’ album)
‘UZI’ (a 2021 single)
‘I Wan See Ella’ (from 2015 ‘Beneath Discordant Skies’ album)
‘Let Them Be!’ (from 2015 ‘Beneath Discordant Skies’ album)
‘Cherry Blossom Polish’ (from 1985 ‘Friday The 12th’ album)
‘Hat’ (from 2010 ‘Cut It!’ album)
‘On The Stage’ (from 2006 ‘The Best Of Blurt – Volume 2 – The Body That They Built To Fit The Car’ album)
‘Giant Lizards On High!’ (from 2015 ‘Beneath Discordant Skies’ album)
‘Block’ (from 2010 ‘Cut It!’ album)
‘Listen To Me, Shirley!’ (from 2015 ‘Beneath Discordant Skies’ album)
‘They’ll Be Here Soon!’ (from 2015 ‘Beneath Discordant Skies’ album)
Find out more about Blurt HERE.
