Music to move to

This City Fun review of the Leigh Festival was from none other than Kevin Cummins, then budding photographer, now friend to music celebrities and last seen lording it up on the Manchester City Cup Final bus parade with the players.  Thanks to Mike Noon for the scans as ever, and note the links that Occultation label-mates, The Wild Swans, have to the first two Scouse bands...


400 PEOPLE SITTING IN A WINDSWEPT FIELD ON A SUMMER AFTERNOON

LEIGH FESTIVAL, ZOO AND FACTORY LABEL DAY

Where were you?  The very poor turnout meant that most of Manchester / Liverpool each missed three of their respective best bands,

Liverpool first:  All well danceable bands with tape/drum machines and silly names.

TEARDROP EXPLODES:  4 members (real drummer!!) not at all doomy as on "Bouncing Babies" single.  Light, bouncy rhythm, very melodic.

ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN:  Having three guitarists gives them depth and power, whilst the drum machine bounces out dance rhythms to such classic choons as "Read in in Books", "Pictures on my Wall" and "Monkies".

OMITD:  Brilliant!  Pop for the 80s.  "Electricity" should be top 20, no messing!  Andy, Paul and Winston the tape machine ran through their establishd set of electric dance musik.  Everyone should go and see this band.

MANCHESTER:

A CERTAIN RATIO:  Much better now that they've dropped most of their electronic screeching effects from their set.  Worth seeing again.

DISTRACTIONS:  Squeaky clean, tight pop - as good as ever.  Music to move to, though few people did.

Finally, JOY DIVISION:  One of the most hypnotic, surging groups I've heard.  Anyone who can't move to "Disorder", "Insight", "Interzone" or the fantastic "Transmission" must not be alive.  Even better live then on "Unknown Pleasures", the elpee.

Tony Wilson said we're the elitists having seen great bands who people will soon pay through the nose to see.  I reckon the old sod's right.

KEV KOMMA

Here's Cummins' brilliant photo of The Distractions at Belle Vue, Manchester, taken 22 August 1979.  It's in his excellent photographic history of Manchester music 'Manchester: Looking for the Light through the Pouring Rain':

The Distractions, Belle Vue, Manchester, 22 August 1979. (c) Kevin Cummins.