Always interesting to see how random strangers end up reading my little blog.
“dave greenfield somersham” was a popular search yesterday.
But I’ve NEVER blogged about Somersham, tucked away in the low levels of the Fens.
Stick “Somersham” in the Search engine at the top of this page and get “Nothing Found“. In fact, I haven’t been there for YEARS, not since the Windmill was in the Guide.
Ah.
A search on Bing didn’t reveal my blog, so I tried the fancy new search engine called Google.
Oh, THAT Dave Greenfield.
Sadly lost to Covid-19 this month, Dave was (apparently) not only the Landlord at an early Guide pub tick, but also the keyboardist on the first single I ever bought.
At the age of 14 I furtively met an older lad in the corner of the playground at Cottenham Village College and handed over my 30p for an ex-demo copy of The Stranglers classic with that new wave late ’70s theme of Armageddon (See also : Atomic by Blondie and Luton Airport by Cats U.K.).
Look closely at the cover (top) and see how it’s signed by “Colin“. Probably the fifth Strangler.
I saw them once, at the Wirrina in Peterborough in 1987. Just up the road from Somersham, oddly.
In truth, that 1979 album was as good as The Stranglers ever got, though that post from the Angel in Ramsey quotes their later hit for which they’ll be forever known.
Thanks for everything, Dave.
Strangely I found them to be a far better live act after Hugh left. Many of the punk acts who’ve kept going since the 70’s have become more musically interesting live, even if their creative muse is long gone. You were a bit of a late starter for buying music then?
Windmill might have been an engaging establishment for a lock-in.
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I was converted to pop music at 14 by Glaswegian legend B.A. Robertson.
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I dread to think what other things a 14yo could be influenced in by any Glaswegian.
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Charles Rennie Mackintosh very influential on me.
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I saw them once just before Hugh left and I thought they were just going through the motions. It seems I should have stuck with them.
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Same here, when I saw them in ’87 they were already playing the same circuit and old sets as Numan and Motorhead (though “Always the Sun” was a late cracker).
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Name that beer – SKOL
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I knew you’d know, Paul, being an expert on industrial lagers. Skol makes sense, the punk’s drink.
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Saw The Stranglers only the once at Wembley in 79 as part of a diverse four way line up along with The Who, AC DC and Nils Lofgren. Should have seen more of them, great group.
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