OFF: University of Errors last night

[Jon Jarrett]

On Wed, 9 Oct 2002, Nick Medford wrote:

> Did any other listmembers attend the gig at the Islington Garage last
> night? Probably not, as the place was only half-full- a criminal shame, as
> this was a stupendous performance from Daevid Allen and his new cohorts.

        I made it to the Brighton one the night before. when they were
supporting the Electric Prunes. I can't have got as much as you but it was
also really extremely fabulous.

        I went with the lass who used to post here occasionally as Sherman
and she was an immediate convert, so one more for the cause there I feel.

> The U of E came on to a tape of circus-style music and indulged in a little
> clowning before getting down to the business in hand. It was superb. No
> doubt Mr Allen is a man of many parts but no New Age tweeness last night,
> this was loud'n'filthy avant-garde psychedelic punk with the band playing
> as if possessed. Josh Pollock is simply extraordinary, wrenching wild
> sheets of noise from his guitar. If you've heard Peter Laughner's playing
> on the early Pere Ubu singles, the guitar sound isn't a million miles away
> from that, but if anything even more unhinged, teetering on the edge of
> chaos but always *just* controlled enough- given the audacity of the
> musical risks being taken, it was remarkable that the band so rarely broke
> down into self-indulgence or incoherence. The drummer (whose name I didn't
> catch) was similarly uninhibited, and credit has to go to bassist Michael
> Clare (who looks oddly like the writer Will Self) for keeping it all
> together, seemingly impervious to the lunacy all around him. I struggle to
> give points of reference but if you can imagine Camembert-era Gong crossed
> with the MC5 and the Bonzo Dog band (a stretch I know) you're in the
> general area.

        There were several things about Josh Pollock worth mentioning. He
managed to share stage focus with Daevid for a start, though Daevid wasn't
completely all-out, possibly because he had a decent foil. Pollock took
the stage in red silk pyjamas and slippers, the only concession rock being
the taped-on cable point on the strap over his back. He played with I
think not much more effects than phaser but made a comepletly ridiculous
sound. He gurned ceaselessly and generally played so as to give the
impression of being an utter Neanderthal who didn't understand his
instrument but as Nick says it was consummately done, just enough
control. Also, he addressed the crowd, even down to his vocals, through a
megaphone at all points. I thought he was very good. Oh, and for one very
intense song he suddenly produced a pair of drum-sticks, squinted blearily
at them and proceeded to join the drummer (also very good) in blatting a
rhythmically-precise seven shades out of the kit for some time. It
reminded me very stromgly of the Korean drummers I nearly missed ICP
for. But anyway.

        Daevid also played rather well, mind, including some lovely
glissando (but we expect this).

> What did they play? I can't give a complete setlist but most of the
> forthcoming "Ugly Music For Monica" album was aired, as I was able to
> confirm at home later with my newly acquired pre-release cd-r. This is
> easily the best album the band have recorded, it doesn't *quite* capture
> the full frenzy of the live attack- how could it- but it's the best thing
> Daevid has done for many years and if you have any interest in the man, you
> NEED this album. Other than that, some glorious and rarely-heard classics
> were given the Errorization treatment- barnstorming renditions of "Hope for
> Happiness", "Pot Head Pixies", "Pretty Miss Titty" and a superb rendition
> of Kevin Ayers' "Clarence in Wonderland"- for the first 30 seconds or so I
> thought this was going to be the Velvets' "Sister Ray"- yup we're talking
> *radical* turbo-charging of the old faves here.

        That album, which I believe is now out (Andy G, are you carrying
it?) is utterly superb and must be owned. It will give you a completely
new idea of Daevid's muse because the band are actually contributing
rather than just backing. In particular, it's nothing like the first UoE
album which was much more a Daevid solo one.

        We got lots of that album, we also got `Pot Head Pixies' at double
speed or thereabots, and a great `Stond Innocent Frankenstein', and a
couple of bits off the first album, which were made up for the new sound
with great effect. They even recharge their own songs. Um, `Involve Me'
and `Money Doesn't Make It' I think. It was all great, and covered a fair
old range from simple (well, not simple, but not pretentious) punk to
space glissando and the two-drummer blitzout which wasn't anything of
theirs I've so far heard.

> Current Gong sax-man Theo Travis came on to add to the sonic squall at one
> point, and it was by far the loosest and boldest playing I've heard from
> him. But the absolute standout highlight was "Fohat Digs Holes in Space",
> during which the venue took off and went into orbit around the Crab Nebula.
> If you've never heard the U of E's take on this ancient Gong classic, you
> must. You must!

        I didn't get that, but it is on a live CD-R they were selling and
it is very much worth the listen. Gongwerx will never come closer to
doom... Shocking, nonetheless, how much more defined the sound has become
in the punk attack direction even since that was recoreded in 2000.

> The band are due to play some dates in Sweden soon, but you shouldn't let a
> little thing like a few thousand miles keep you from seeing this amazing
> band. Especially as the University's financial situation would appear to be
> parlous- why else would they be selling pre-release cd-r's of the new album
> for a fiver each- this is a unique and quite brilliant band, and I implore
> anyone and everyone to get behind them. Tell your friends, tell your
> enemies, tell all the people you do not know.

        Everything this man says is true. I have seen it. Yours,
                                                                 Jon

ObCD: Harvey Bainbridge - _Live 2000_
--
"I recognise that I have transgressed many of the precepts of the divine
law, and that I am subjected by various vices and iniquities, disobedient
to the words of the divine mystery brought unto me and a worshipper of the
delights of this military age." Marquis Borrell of Barcelona, 955 A.D.

             (Jonathan Jarrett, Birkbeck College London)