THE CUBAN HEELS Farnborough Technical College 17th November 1981
Farnborough Technical College was probably somewhere I should have a gone, as opposed to the Sixth Form. Certainly my lack of interest in academia was probably a clue.. Even the Head of the Sixth Form, Dr Badcock (I know that is funny in itself), head carved of the beetroot, Churchillian demeanour, guttural “blurgs” of utter disapproval emanating from a stomach not dissimilar to that of an elephant seal, with fingers taping the table like a sectioned centipede in a rush, unaware that his ward was no longer a grammar school. Came out with the classic “My Boy… If you want to wear silly clothes.. Go to tech!!” My crime, I wore a cravat instead of a tie, my excuse “I was feigning homosexuality so I could be like the rugger buggers..” was disregarded.. Maybe I would have taken up his offer if it wasn’t so much sport annoying him…
The Technical College actually put on gigs… In the late 70’s early 80’s they put on quite a lot of reggae, which I loved.. I saw THE CIMARRONS and ASWAD there, though the latter was only in the bar as the band had turned up but all their kit had gone to the Kent Farnborough as opposed to Hampshire Farnborough…
So to THE CUBAN HEELS… At the start of 1978 saw a Glasgow shouty punk band called JOHNNY & THE SELF ABUSERS split into two.. Half of which would become THE CUBAN HEELS.. THE CUBAN HEELS very quickly released a single, an almost SOFT BOYSesque version of “Downtown..” Which I have but bore very little to THE CUBAN HEELS of the early 80’s..
By 1980 they had started their own label “Cuba Libre” which also released records by THE SHAKIN’ PYRAMIDS, toughened up their sound with guitar driving and chiming, vocals yelping to Hadleyesque torch song, bass fretless and wobbly.. One of things that I got from this gig was the wish to be able to play bass like that.. There are a couple of songs that I didn’t recognise.. Still don’t 30 years later but by the time of this gig they had 2 great JOHN PEEL sessions behind them and the release of their album “Work Our Way To Heaven” the cover of which appeared to be hated by everyone but me… But I didn’t care I love the record.. On this night they a had a go at “Coming Up For Air” which I never heard them play live previously and was in marked contrast to the lush string arrangement of the album version…
Listening to this old recording there are a number of things that come flooding back.. Firstly, the level of malevolence directed at the band by my learned friend as a result of them not playing “Matter Of Time..” You really should hear him on the subject of bands he doesn’t actually like.. Secondly, I missed the last train at Farnborough and got close to having a punch up with a taxi driver, who wanted £10 to get me the six and a half miles home.. I walked home in a haze of drunken righteous ire, which was going to happen anyway (but without the righteous ire) as I didn’t have ANY money left… But thirdly and most importantly.. I only found this out a few days ago.. Although, I wouldn’t know Jo and Danny (of IT’S JO AND DANNY, BLUETRAIN fame..) for another 4 years or so… This gig was one of their first romantic dates.. If this gig hadn’t happened then history may have been different.. No BUZZ CLUB, no STONE ROSES playing Aldershot and no GREEN MAN FESTIVAL… Phew Wow!
Oh the other half of JOHNNY and THE SELF ABUSERS? They became SIMPLE MINDS…
- The Innocents
- Sweet Charity
- Unknown To Me
- Work Our Way To Heaven
- Unknown To Me
- Where The Days Go
- Primitive
- Coming Up For Air
- The Call Of The Wild
- Walk On The Water
- Liberty Hall
- Primitive (Reprise)
- My Colours Fly
