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Jazz at the Crucible

Playback time

A piece of progressive rock ephemera. Without this little slip of paper who on earth would ever know about this evening at Sheffield’s ABC cinema on June 7th 1978? Given away on the counter at local record shops, you could get in and listen to the album through in full, then I assume dash down to Virgin or Bradley’s and pick it up the next day.  Of course in 1978 such music was deeply unfashionable (a concept album centred on the pyramids of Giza). At the time the album was due out I suppose Arista Records had to try and think of ways to plug it; John Peel was hardly going to add it to his playlist!  In the end it just tipped into the album charts peaking at number 49.  If you remember going let us know how it all went…  Simon R.

 

Some great Uni posters

thanks to David Shade. Anyone remember the Ladybirds? 😉

Help wanted with Sheffield venues

Izzy Hawksworth is looking to speak to someone who has knowledge on the history of O2 Academy Sheffield, The  Leadmill, Sheffield Arena and Doncaster Dome for her college coursework. It would also be great if she could speak to
someone who has previously worked at one of the venues! Her contact details are izzyhawksworth@yahoo.co.uk, 07540001677 and her Twitter is @Izzy_Hawksworth. Any help is appreciated, thank you!’

Sharon Lee sent in this poster, showing that Bob Marley played at Genevieves! Can anyone confirm (or deny) this? The story is that the Wailers went home before the end of the tour, but that Bob played in Nash’s backing band to the end of the tour.

Sleeves

Some more additions

TV Product / The Prams

Released in 1979 on Limited Edition Records (home to Artery and De Tian), this 7″ EP is probably most notable for featuring future Mission axe-hero Simon Hinkler. TV products tracks were recorded at Western Works and produced by Cabaret Voltaire.

TV Product – Nowhere’s Safe / Jumping Off Walls
Drums – Jess Jespersen
Bass, Backing Vocals – Tony Perrin
Guitar, Vocals – Simon Hinkler

The Prams – Me / Modern Men
Bass, Backing Vocals – Simon Lee Ellis
Drums, Percussion – Caroline Boaden
Vocals – John Flanagan
Guitar, Backing Vocals – Brian Pearson

In town tonight

Another ticket from our archives; as you’ll see it is a complimentary, given out to staff at local record shops and in this case never used.  The gig was actually reviewed in the NME the following week and may have been part of the Be Stiff tour.  It took place at Sheffield Polytechnic in the main hall at the student union. I think this would be before the Phoenix building opened.  It looks like the Ents ticket designer was a little fixated with the rock band Budgie, as that was the design on one of their album sleeves (done originally by Roger Dean). Why do I remember all this stuff? Eric was promoting his debut Stiff release at the time. Simon R.

The Apex Jazz Band

A lot of Sheffield people will remember the fun and games which accompanied the annual University Rag Week.  Sadly the event became mired in controversy in the 1990s and the Rag parade is now a distant memory.  Never mind what the woke generation would make of the dubious taste of the Rag magazine’s contents at times.  But there is no doubt that it helped students and residents get along with one another, and this great cutting Simon just found shows one of the musical events of the 1954 Rag week.

The question is who were The Apex Jazz Band and where are they now? They were taking part in a concert at the City Hall for Rag week, along with two other outfits, Mick Mulligans Band, and the Mick Gill Band.  One assumes they were all students at the University in 1954 so probably only here for a couple of years but drop us a note if they ring a bell with you.  SR.

[Simon has to declare an interest as he designed and printed the colour leaflets for rag week for a couple of years in the 1980s]

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