Get Out More.........................................Gig Review

VIC GODARD AND SUBWAY SECT (Firebug, Leicester)

19-11-2007

It's probably a quarter of a century since Vic Godard trod the boards in the West Midlands, so here's a plea to any local promoter tuning in. Do us all a favour and get this bona fide punk legend booked up now.

I first saw Godard at Wolverhampton Civic Hall in May '77 at the start of the Summer of Hate, when he and his Subway Sect shared the bill on the White Riot Tour with The Clash, Buzzcocks and Slits.

At that stage they were still grappling with the basics of technique although a love of dense, repetitive Velvetry was already in evidence.

By the time another 12 months had passed (I caught them at the Top Rank supporting The Damned), they were already on their way to becoming punk royalty thanks to a heavyweight debut single "Nobody's Scared".

This was their prime, and punk writer Jon Savage ruminates that "for a couple of seasons in 1978 Subway Sect were the finest punk band in Britain, possibly the world."

That might be over-stating the case, but not by much, and they were certainly on a par with Birmingham's wonderful Prefects with whom they shared many similarities, professing an anti-rock n' roll ideology while at the same time refashioning the old beast with a ragged but tuneful ferocity.

"Ambition" followed, a glorious 7" that topped the indie charts for weeks, but the chaotic management of former Clash boss Bernie Rhodes scuppered their debut album release, and the band slipped into post-punk obscurity without ever committing defining versions of their best tunes to disc.

That's all changed in recent weeks, with Godard putting out the "1978 Now" CD - a faithful approximation of their great "lost" album - and this Leicester date was one of a handful of gigs he's doing to promote it.

It was certainly worth the commute from Brum. Godard hangs around the bar in his Royal Mail uniform (he's a postie by trade) but once he dons slightly more dapper stage gear - and despite the fact that he looks like your slightly wayward uncle - he's a confident performer.

The voice is no great shakes - never was, despite laughable efforts to brand him as Frank Sinatra revivalist in the early 80's - but he has an engaging reedy warble, and on tracks like "Chainsmokin", and "I Changed My Mind On The Telephone" there's a passionate intelligence at play in lyrics reflecting life's humdrum agonies.

Our biggest whoops are reserved for full-on encores of the old "hits", but "Different Story", "Stool Pigeon" and "Stand Back" all bear witness to a real song-writing talent that the year haven't dimmed.

Now, let's be having him in Birmingham.

Ever see Vic Godard and the Subway Sect?

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