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Live Bands At Speedway Meetings


Parsloes 1928 nearly

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Aye that's the song. I got a tape of their stuff back in the day but wasn't keen on any of it.

 

 

Hawkwind used to boast they would play anywhere, anytime, for free. I can see how that offer would seem attractive to speedway promoters. A couple of original band members were speedway fans but they were gone by 76. Jazz and speedway, what an awesome combination...

 

 

That John Davis record is an aural abomination. It's so bad they must have worked at it. Seriously, if you own this record destroy it with fire. Shawn Moran had an honest bash at Chris Spedding's Motorbikin'. I wonder if the collaboration you mention was The Rivals. I've got a disc with a few of these tracks on, I uploaded a couple to Dropbox and they deleted them under some copyright ruling!

'The Rivals' rings a bell! I remember reading an interview with John Davis in 'Backtrack' and he was somewhat embarrassed when the article got round to discussing his attempt at becoming a recording artist!

 

Hawkwind were invited to perform at White City in a hope of increasing speedway awareness at Wood Lane...the promoters also had a belly dancer booked on another occasion...I know which I preferred!

 

I recall that the group 'Mud' were speedway fans and would attend Wimbledon on a number of occasions. Don't know if they ever performed there however.

Edited by steve roberts
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I don't think Mud ever played at Plough Lane.Neither did Alvin Stardust nor thank heavens Sam Fox,though they all made celebrity appearances at the track.At least one of the guys from Mud lived round the corner from me.Me and one of my mates knocked on their door on our way to school to get an autograph,but was told by the lady of the house he wasn't at home :neutral:

 

Think I am right in saying Marc Bolan lived in the shadow of the stadium.Don't know if he ever went to the speedway though,but he might have bought a record or two from Briggo's old shop....

Edited by iris123
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Hawkwind performed at a meeting at White City in 1976. .

Blimey, didn't know that - do you or anyone else know what date/what meeting this was?!

thanx

Motorhead (along with fellow metallers Saxon and Angelwitch)did a festival at Hackney Stadium in the early 80s.

I guess this is more likely to get itself a blue plague or equivalent on the new housing development being built there on the site of the Wick than the exploits of Thommo, Banger, & Plech!?

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Blimey, didn't know that - do you or anyone else know what date/what meeting this was?!

thanx

I guess this is more likely to get itself a blue plague or equivalent on the new housing development being built there on the site of the Wick than the exploits of Thommo, Banger, & Plech!?

Unfortunately I no longer have my programmes so don't know the exact date except that it was in 1976!

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Didn't Chas n Dave play Cardiff several years ago? Seem to recall Suzi Quattro playing a year or two before/after this. Don't recall much interest from the crowd and, with music tastes often varying considerably, it isn't unexpected that even a well known band could flop in front of a speedway crowd.

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Didn't Chas n Dave play Cardiff several years ago? Seem to recall Suzi Quattro playing a year or two before/after this. Don't recall much interest from the crowd and, with music tastes often varying considerably, it isn't unexpected that even a well known band could flop in front of a speedway crowd.

I agree entirely. Musical taste varies considerably and there's always a danger alienating a percentage of people if the music played is much of the same and from a certain era whether it be modern or past. Striking a balance is the important thing (easier said than done!)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Blimey, didn't know that - do you or anyone else know what date/what meeting this was?!

thanx

I guess this is more likely to get itself a blue plague or equivalent on the new housing development being built there on the site of the Wick than the exploits of Thommo, Banger, & Plech!?

Just reading a White City programme dated 28th April 1976 (vs. Reading) stating that 'Hawkwind' would be appearing that very night!

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Didn't Chas n Dave play Cardiff several years ago? Seem to recall Suzi Quattro playing a year or two before/after this. Don't recall much interest from the crowd and, with music tastes often varying considerably, it isn't unexpected that even a well known band could flop in front of a speedway crowd.

John 'Posh' booked a few warm up acts at Cardiff- who can forget 'The Samba Ants' (wtf were they?).

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The Kursaal Flyers released a single called 'Speedway' in about 1975. A decent song - and actually about our sport (unlike say, Morrissey's later tune of the same name).

 

There was also a rock & roll band in the early 70's called the Wild Angels, who released an album called 'Live at the Revolution'. From memory the front cover featured the band astride speedway bikes, facing the camera, on what appears to be a speedway track - I never did find out which track. I think they were from S. London/Kent but the 'stadium' looked more rural/undeveloped than any of the London tracks or Crayford.

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I saw the Wild Angels at the Hammersmith Palais supporting Little Richard.Not that this has anything to do with bands playing live at a meeting

 

Apparently the Wild Angels were Gene Vincent's backing band on his tour of the UK in 1969.

 

I've now found a link to the LP cover I mentioned above - evidence of a band being present at a speedway track, if not playing live at a meeting.

https://www.discogs.com/Wild-Angels-Live-At-The-Revolution/master/575009.

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Thanx Split for mentioning Nero and the Gladiators a group I hadn't thought of for years, I remember buying their record "Entry of the Gladiators". Followed the link you listed to wikipaedia and sorry to see "Nero" passed away a few years ago. As I recall, their records were on the Decca label-saw them on TV way back and thought they were cool-still do God bless 'em!!

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