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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]

Service for Everything

This nice display advert dates from 1954 and shows the famous local music shop Wilson Pecks more or less reaching the zenith of their business. By this time they occupied a huge shop opposite the town hall with departments across several floors.  Many local musicians got their first gear here, and their record and concert ticket department were familiar to most music enthusiasts.

As you can see they had branched out into TVs and other electrical goods. We don’t remember their branch on London Road so it may have closed not long after.  They also had a branch in Chesterfield but again this is poorly documented.  There are more details and some old shop bags on our A-Z page.

More Poly Flyers

new additions

In Town Tonight – The Rubinoos

Not massively well known these days but The Rubinoos still have a bit of a cult following and were peaking in 1978 / 79 when they were booked for this Sheffield Polytechnic Xmas bash in late 1978.  Their brand of power pop probably went down pretty well too, though it is not a gig we saw. Their only hit was a cover of I Think We’re Alone Now, but I only recall Lene Lovich’s more adventurous version from the following year. Formed in 1970 the band are still going strong! £1.40 ticket price, won’t buy you a bus ticket today! SR.

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