Mr Moondog

Thats a blast from the past that is. I was about 10 when that came out. All the kids on Friday morning (after watching TOTP the night before) were walking round the play ground doing Den Hegartys acappella bass line. He was a mad looking guy, thats why all the kids liked them I suppose. I was in that playground mob. can recall the totp even now, critically under rated where Darts. I know Mick loved them too, the influence on the Paleys is clear ....................................

Never mind all that THIS IS THE TIME FOR ACTION

It is Johnny Baxter! The smallest man to ever hit skins for Shack. in band about 4 months.

As I have mentioned previously in my despatches, an LP 'Live at la Locomotive' was actually recorded and later slightly overdubbed and then mixed in the same gaff that The Strands LP was done in. I was not aware of any tapes of that being loose, and these perhaps come from the first and second Loco shows that Shack did. Little known fact - Hilda from the locomotive later married Martin carr from the Boo radleys after they did the Liverpool Live festival with Shack, Dr Phibes, Top , The legendary Eat My Dog (who's singer/rapper wet his pants on the Locomotive stage!) and the non show from the LA's. The live LP was deemed to be 'shit' by Mick and John and Ian Eastwood who was mixing it - and despite several attempts it couldn't be made to work. I think la Loco had plans for several of these LP's so I don't know who else they recorded - one for the spies.

If I am not mistaken - it was Martyn Campbell ex Rain and later Lightening Seeds who played Bass on the Paris , london & Liverpool shows of that year, the drummer was either Ian Templeton or perhaps Johnny Baxter - I will dig out photos. If he's 3ft 6 its J.Baxter.

Arioch, surely the song you refer to as 'In the City' is actually STRANGER from Waterpistol? non? I would love to get a cd of these tracks you have posted up and would swap them for something tasty from my Shack collection...... get in toch mon Ami.

Hello Arioch, Well thanks for your keen intrest in my stories, in Paris the day of the recording of the long lost 'Shack Live at La locomotive' LP there was a huge incident at the hotel we always stayed in , the transvestite prostitutes on the street had to call the gendarmes after being pelted with debris by Shack / Eat My Dog and some of Dr Phibes and the house of wax equations. This ended with a huge barney in the foyer during which m.Head esquire was witnessed throwinga vase of flowers at the head receptionist and several members of the party where evacuated from the scene to another nearby hotel. The festival of Liverpool bands was a great success, with the fantastic (ahem) TOP joining the above mentioned bands but not the LA's who pulled out cos the future Cast singer had bust his arm (allegedly) - something (cancelling shows) that they seemed to do a lot that year. A little known piece of musical history was made as it was James Barton - the legend behind the legend that is CREAM, who was the DJ for this event and it was his first forray out of scouseland. Dr Phibes then joined Shack for a trip to Switzerland - Laussane I recall, which the bands manager (me) estimated to be a six hour drive . Sixteen hours later we arrived at the venue - with twenty minutes before the band was due on stage ! The customs stop at the border ended with an enquiry into the ownership of a magazine called 'Blonde Girls take it up the ass' rather than the deadly cocktail of drugs hidden about the various bus occupants. The people who were on that bus will remember who the magazine belonged to, sufice to say it wasn't me or one of the Heads, but someone connected to The Stone Roses and mixing desks etc... I could / should write a book about those times, but it would seem like fiction. More later Im sure as it comes back to me through the haze.