A review from Erics, Liverpool of Gordon the Moron, Ed Banger, Giro, & John Cooper-Clarke:
Manchester, as we all know, is this year's Akron. Or last year's Leeds, or is it next Thursday's New Delhi? Confusing. What's for sure is that a good proportion of that town's odder talents have found their way to Rabid Records, presenters of this intriguing package.
It's an early-evening set for the under-18's, many of whom are lured by Gordon's TOTP appearance with Jilted John. And yet, after a shambolic set, the hapless fellow exits to the sound of his own footsteps. Gordon's a clever lad, no singer, no dancer, but with a gift for the (un-marketable) absurd -- there's a Devo piss-take, a 3-second version of “Heartbreak” (three people clapped), a disco song (nobody clapped) and an Elvis piss-take, “You Aint Nothin' But A Goldfish” (somebody laughed). At which point the act collapsed. Gordon vanished and his group, The Prime Time Suckers, stood around uncertainly before shuffling off.
Giro, by contrast, know just what they're about and, to judge from “Red Dead Meat” and the striking “Central Detention Centre,” they've the making of a truly 'modern' sound. Check them out.
Don't look know, but here comes old Ed banger (“and his Therapy Group”), a slightly grizzled flower child who entertains with the same determination of Gary Glitter. Come what may, Ed's still game. You want Industrial Rock? Well try “I Like The Sound of Breaking Bricks.” Foremost amongst Ed's plans for the future is a change of name. Shrewd move. (Actually I loved him).
And finally it's time for the man with “that certain nothing,” the only poet you can dance to, John Cooper-Clarke. From “Gaberdeen Angus” and the wittily polemical “You Never See A Nipple In The Daily Express” to the ever popular “Psycle Sluts” and “Kung Fu,” this man is magic. I could quote until the cows come home but it's far better that you get it from the horses mouth, and with a CBS deal, you should soon get the chance.
And later, at the grown-ups' show, well... Gordon ditched his set to read poetry while assorted Suckers played free-form and he faced a barrage of beer-glasses and chants of “Gordon Is A Moron” for his pains; he proclaimed Giro “One of the 20,000 best bands in the world;” the next Pope made a surprise appearance but Jilted John did not. Ed Banger redeemed himself with “Kinnel Tommy” and Johnny Clarke forgot his lines and everybody laughed.
Such is the zany world of Rabid.
Thanks to rabid JCC fan Matt in NY for keeping it all these years and sending it to me.
Paul Du Noyer
Copyright acknowledgment is hereby graciously given to the New Musical Express for this totally unauthorized violation of their proprietary copyright, and our blatant reproduction of their 1978 article - which I'm sure they've forgotten all about anyway.