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Audience recordings

Sony Professional Walkman and dodgy cheap mic!

These are the tapes that kicked this whole website off many years ago. My three concert recordings from three different years. Including their last ever live show in 1990. Thanks to them I got round to making the original site, met the band members, got the chance to do a box set for them, made a few online friends, and added to my tape collection a little as well!

And no, I don't sell or trade them. But to give something back for all the years of listening pleasure, I've made my three audience recordings available for FREE download. Have a listen, or download and keep them, and enjoy!

The Mean Fiddler

Harlesden, London, 2 September 1988

The second of two nights at the Mean Fiddler. My favourite gig of all time. And the very reason I'm doing this website. The guitars sound awesome (at times completely drowning out the vocals) as it was recorded in the mosh pit right under Bill's guitar monitor. But this gives it a mean, over-the-top vibe all of its own. Kicks off with a drunken, swaggering 'You're Gonna Change', then straight into a storming freight train-like 'Sweet Water Pools'. The real stand-outs are an early version of 'Watusi Wedding', with truly evil fuzz guitar licks and surreal rantings, and epic, down and dirty versions of 'I Want Up' and 'Tracking The Dog'.

The only disappointments were my drunken flatmate yelling "Oh, Yeah!" into the mic all night and the tape failing during an awesome 'Twin Cadillac Valentine'. So good it blew my tape deck all away. 'Clear View' got split in two at the 45 minute mark when I had to flip the tape, so that's missing as well.

My biggest regret was not recording it the previous night when I went on my own and stood up on the balcony with perfect sound and vision. Instead, the following night I stand in the mosh with my mates and record it from there?! Go figure.

Town & Country Club

Kentish Town, London, 4 December 1989

A good workout of the 'Totally Religious' tracks, and another rarity in 'Accident Prone' which was never recorded. The closing number is a true mystery, in that Kenny and Bill can't remember even hearing it, never mind playing it. The track slams to a halt half way through as Bill throws his guitar down and storms off stage for some reason, resulting in the only occasion I've come a cross of the Messiahs being booed.

Subterania

West London, 5 June 1990

The Screaming Blue Messiahs' last ever gig. Though the band had already split at the end of '89 they were contractually obliged to do these two nights at Subterania (4th and 5th of June). Another outing for 'Accident Prone' and another mystery song. Again Kenny can't identify this and suggests it may be something new Bill was trying out. A heavy, lumbering dirge that sounds reminiscent of a slowed down version of 'Clear View'.

I had convinced a good friend of mine to finally come witness the band. How ironic it was to be his first and last ever Messiahs gig.

The Garage 

Nottingham 15 February 1985

Audience recording.

A packed to the rafters set list of 19 tracks, and not bad quality given it's taped from the mosh pit.

Another unique track (11), never played before or since.

1: Just For Fun 1:49

2: Good And Gone 1:30

3: I Want Up 3:04

4: Vision In Blues 3:05

5: Growing For Gold 3:15

6: Tracking The Dog 3:28

7: Let's Go Down To The Woods 2:39

8: You're Gonna Change 2:10

9: Someone To Talk To 3:42

10: Happy Home 3:21

11: (Untitled) 3:08

12: President Kennedy's Mile 2:45

13: Destroyer 2:50

14: Holiday Head 4:23

15: Twin Cadillac Valentine 3:23

16: Wild Blue Yonder 2:57

17: Set Fire To You 3:52

18: Accident Prone 4:09

19: Good And Gone 2:04

The Leadmill

Sheffield 3 March 1985

Audience recording. 

Thanks to Nick Canute for supplying.

1: You're Gonna Change / Someone To Talk To 5:57

2: Happy Home 3:24

3: Keep Me from Evil 2:53

4: Talking Doll 3:05

5: Destroyer 3:05

6: Holiday Head 4:16

7: Twin Cadillac Valentine 4:18

8: Wild Blue Yonder 2:41

9: Set Fire To You 3:07

10: Accident Prone 4:02

11: Good & Gone 1:41

The Marquee

London 19 March 1985

Slightly muffled sound but interesting set list. 'Set Fire To You', which was played occasionally in the early days, 'Johnny Panic', only ever found on this recording. 'Yes Indeedy', a Motor Boys Motor song.

1: Just For Fun 3:40

2: Good And Gone 1:36

3: I Want Up 4:17

4: Vision In Blues 3:43

5: Growing For Gold 4:19

6: Let's Go Down To The Woods 2:50

7: You're Gonna Change 3:15

8: Someone To Talk To 4:16

9: Happy Home 4:10

10: Keep Me From Evil 3:47

11: President Kennedy's Mile 2:48

12: Johnny Panic 2:47

13: Destroyer 3:21

14: Holiday Head 5:58

15: Twin Cadillac Valentine 5:26

16: Wild Blue Yonder 3:02

17: Set Fire To You 3:37

18: Smash The Market 4:01

19: Accident Prone 3:15

20: Yes Indeedy 3:29

Paris Theatre 

London 30 March 1985

Live BBC FM radio broadcast

Cassettes of this knocked around Camden Market for years, one such cover at left. Two never released tracks in 'left in Blues' and 'Destroyer'.

This was later released in 2007with the final extra song on the HUX Records 'Live at the BBC' CD.

1: (intro) 0:34

2: Good And Gone 1:32

3: Vision In Blues 3:19

4: Growing For Gold 3:26

5: Tracking The Dog 3:07

6: Let's Go Down To The Woods 2:53

7: Happy Home 3:11

8: Holiday Head 3:59

9: President Kennedy's Mile 2:44

10: Destroyer 2:48

11: Wild Blue Yonder 3:12

12: Twin Cadillac Valentine 5:24

Leiden, Holland

October 1985

Details supplied say audience recording, but it is a very good quality one. If it wasn't for some audience chatter you might think it was a mixing desk job.

1: Killer Born Man 4:31

2: Someone To Talk To 4:47

3: Happy Home 3:14

4: Holiday Head 4:14

5: I Want Up 4:58

6: Twin Cadillac Valentine 4:38

7: President Kennedy's Mile 5:08

8: Talking Doll 3:08

9: Smash The Market Place 3:57

10: Growing For Gold 4:02

11: Keep Me From Evil 3:14

12: Vision In Blues 4:25

13: You're Gonna Change 2:30

14: Let's Go Down To The Woods 2:44

15: Destroyer 3:07

16: I'm Mad Again 4:04

17: Good And Gone 1:52

18: Happy Home (encore) 3:59

19: Accident Prone 4:26

The Marquee

London 31 October 1985

Audience recording

Pretty good quality and a rare live rendition of 'Talking Doll'.

1: Just For Fun 4:19

2: Good and Gone 1:53

3: Tracking The Dog 5:10

4: Killer Born Man 6:04

5: Growing For Gold 4:29

6: Someone To Talk To 4:57

7: Happy Home 4:58

8: Holiday Head 4:26

9: Twin Cadillac Valentine 4:52

10: Let's Go Down To The Woods 3:12

11: I Want Up 5:15

12: Talking Doll 3:05

13: Vision In Blues 4:34

Onkel Po

Hamburg 26 November 1985

Audience recording on Aiwa walkman

A pretty rough tape, sounding at times as if it's recorded from the inside jacket pocket, but a string of rarities and two doses of 'Good and Gone'.

1: Just For Fun 3.25

2: Good And Gone 1.52

3: Tracking The Dog 4.22

4: Killer Born Man 5.21

5: Someone To Talk To 4.38

6: Growing For Gold 4.39

7: I Want Up 4.15

8: Happy Home 3.48

9: Holiday Head 4.40

10: Twin Cadillac Valentine

11: President Kennedy's Mile 4.07

12: Talking Doll 2.54

13: Let's Go Down To The Woods 2.45

14: Smash The Market Place 3.21

15: (unknown) 3.20

16: You're Gonna Change 2.27

17: Vision In Blues 3.12

18: I'm Mad Again 3.21

19: Destroyer 3.38

20: Good And Gone 2.20

Markthalle 

Hamburg 24 May 1986

Audience recording on Aiwa walkman.

From the same cat who recorded the previous show no doubt. Stand outs are a hummed version of 'Sweet Water Pools' and groovy versions of 'Killer Born Man' and 'I'm Mad Again'.

1: Happy Home 3:48

2: Holiday Head 4:04

3: Tracking The Dog 4:59

4: Growing For Gold 4:09

5: Sweet Water Pools 5:17

6: I Want Up 6:29

7: Good And Gone 2:43

8: Killer Born Man 4:42

9: Someone To Talk To 4:46

10: Clear View 5:33

11: Twin Cadillac Valentine 9:25

12: Talking Doll 3:24

13: I'm Mad Again 6:35

Leicester University 

7 February 1988

Audience recording.

Good packed set and some good extended numbers, plus another encore which was not typical.

1: Sweet Water Pools 4:56

2: Holiday Head 2:53

3: Someone To Talk To 5:43

4: Happy Home 3:39

5: Clear View 3:34

6: I Want Up 5:33

7: Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge 5:33

8: I Wanna Be A Flintstone 4:49

9: Bikini Red 5:08

10: Tracking The Dog 6:27

11: Talking Doll 2:34

12: You're Gonna Change 6:18

13: All Shook Down 3:26

14: Twin Cadillac Valentine 4:44

15: Good And Gone 1:57

16: President Kennedy's Mile 5:08

17: Sweet Water Pools (encore) 4:58

Paradise Club 

Boston 6 April 1988

WFNX FM live broadcast.

The band were booked to do two shows at the Paradise Club, and were expecting a relaxing couple of days there. On the way to the gig they were told it was in fact two back-to-back shows the same night. This is the second of the two, and a testament to their gig-fitness and energy.

1: Holiday Head 3:32

2: Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge 4:32

3: I Want Up 4:56

4: Happy Home 3:14

5: Bikini Red 3:54

6: All Shook Down 4:31

7: You're Gonna Change 4:15

8: I Wanna Be A Flintstone 4:02

9: Twin Cadillac Valentine 7:37

10: (interval)

11: Sweet Water Pools 4:30

12: President Kennedy's Mile 5:14

13: Clear View 4:40

14: Talking Doll 2:45

15: Killer Born Man 4:01

16: Someone To Talk To (outro) 8:35

City Gardens 

Trenton NJ 17 April 1988

Audience cassette recording.

Supplied by Dru Myers.

Photos and flyer from same gig supplied by DC Harbold.

1: Sweet Water Pools

2: Holiday Head

3: Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge

4: I Want Up

5: Happy Home

6: Bikini Red

7: All Shook Down

8: You're Gonna Change

9: I Wanna Be A Flintstone

10: Talking Doll

11: Killer Born Man

12: Good And Gone

13: Clear View

14: Someone To Talk To

Rote Fabrik 

Zurich 7 December 1989

Swiss Radio DRS3 FM broadcast.

An unusual gig with a lot of experimentation and long jams. Try EIGHT whole minutes of 'Four Engines', the slowest ever version of 'You're Gonna Change' and a really great 'Accident Prone'. In parts this sounds... strange, and in others absolutely blinding.

This is the recording that the band released in 2007 as Live In Zurich, and was again included in the 2016 Vision in Blues box set.

1: Wall Of Shame 5.54

2: Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge 4.30

3: Sweet Water Pools 5.39

4: Mega City 1 5.43

5: Four Engines Burning 8.05

6: Gunfight 4.08

7: All Gassed Up 4.09

8: Twin Cadillac Valentine 5.32

9: Happy Home 3.31

10: You’re Gonna Change / Accident Prone 7.40

11: Here Comes Lucky 4.58

12: Martian 3.58

13: Big Big Sky / Good And Gone 8.36

Sound Desk Sampler 

1986 and 1989

Years ago Kenny sent me a CD with a few live sound desk recordings and a couple of demos.

An unrecorded track Coco The Town played live, and two studio demos, all from the time of writing Totally Religious. The Town & Country tracks are from the night I saw and recorded them too!

1: Sweet Water Pools 5:09

Live, Australia 1986. Mixing desk.

2: Killer Born Man 4:24

Live, Australia 1986. Mixing desk.

3: Accident Prone 5:20

Live, Australia 1986. Mixing desk.

4: Let's Go Down To The Woods 2:38

Live, Australia 1986. Mixing desk.

5: Coco The Town / I Want Up 9:05

Live, Tampa, Florida, 1989. Mixing desk.

6: Mega City One 5:30

Live,Town & Country Club, 4th Dec 1989. Mixing desk.

7: Gunfight 3:24

Live,Town & Country Club, 4th Dec 1989. Mixing desk.

8: Valerie 1:59 Studio demo, Miami 1989/90

9: Satellite Beach 3:31 Studio demo, Miami 1989/90

The Great Lost Gig

1989?

David Hill sent me this unearthed gem of a concert snippet. Five tracks of outstanding quality from an unknown time and place. I can only guess late '88 or '89 as it contains Watusi Wedding. Fantastic little find in 2020!

1: Holiday Head 2:43

2: Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge 3:17

3: You're Gonna Change 3:56

4: Watusi Wedding 2:51

5: Good And Gone 1:27

BBC 6 Music

6 Music Live Hour

1988

Five tracks live from the Town & Country Club, 12 February 1988.

Broadcast 8th September 2010, 4am.

No other details exist but superb recording and set list, albeit a small one!

1: Tracking The Dog 6:46

2: I Want Up 6:38

3: Smash The Market Place 5:29

4: Sweet Water Pools 4:56

5: Bikini Red 5:29

SBMFM

Watusi Wedding from somewhere in 1989. From the Great Lost Gig.

Sweet Water Pools live in Australia 1986. From the Sound Desk Sampler.

Discography

Side Roads

Radio & TV

Bootlegs

Audience recordings

Sony Professional Walkman and dodgy cheap mic!

​

The Mean Fiddler

Harlesden, London, 2 September 1988

​

Town & Country Club

Kentish Town, London, 4 December 1989

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Subterania

West London, 5 June 1990

​

The Garage

Nottingham 15 February 1985

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The Leadmill

Sheffield 3 March 1985

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The Marquee

London 19 March 1985

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Paris Theatre

London 30 March 1985

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Leiden, Holland

October 1985

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The Marquee

London 31 October 1985

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Onkel Po

Hamburg 26 November 1985

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Markthalle

Hamburg 24 May 1986

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Leicester University

7 February 1988

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Paradise Club

Boston 6 April 1988

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City Gardens

Trenton NJ 17 April 1988

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Rote Fabrik

Zurich 7 December 1989

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Sound Desk Sampler

1986 and 1989

​

The Great Lost Gig

1989?

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BBC 6 Music

6 Music Live Hour

1988

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SBMFM

The Garage 

Paris Theatre 

Markthalle 

Leicester University 

Paradise Club 

City Gardens 

Rote Fabrik 

Sound Desk Sampler 