On This Day 16/12/1979 The Ruts

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On this day, 16 December 1979, punk band The Ruts played Cardiff’s Top Rank.

The Ruts were formed on 18 August 1977. The band consisted of singer Malcolm Owen (vocals), Paul Fox (guitar), John "Segs" Jennings (bass) and Dave Ruffy (drums). On 16 September 1977, the band made their live debut, playing three songs during a break in a set by Mr Softy (another Fox band) at The Target, a pub in Northolt, Middlesex.

Ruffy moved from bass to drums after original drummer Paul Mattocks left, and the band was active in anti-racist causes as part of the Misty in Roots People Unite collective based in Southall, West London playing several benefits for Rock Against Racism.

Although the band were often described as coming from Southall, Owen was from Hayes, Fox moved from Kilburn to Hayes in the 1960s, whilst Ruffy and Segs were based in South London. Ruffy had been born in York, but spent his formative years in the East End of London, whilst Segs grew up in Southend-on-Sea, having been born in the East End.

Their debut album The Crack was produced by Mick Glossop and released in September 1979, reaching number 16 in the UK Albums Chart. The two singles "Babylon's Burning" and "Something That I Said" were re-recorded for the album. Edited from the album, the band's third single for Virgin at the end of October 1979 was the roots reggae track "Jah War", about the Metropolitan Police's Special Patrol Group's violence in Southall disturbances in April 1979. However, the BBC refused to play it, labelling the song as "too political".

Setlist

Savage Circle

I Ain't Sofisticated

S.U.S.

H Eyes

Criminal Mind

Something That I Said

Dope for Guns

Jah War

Babylon's Burning

On This Day 22/10/1976 Mott

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On this day, 22 October 1976, Mott (formerly Mott The Hoople) played Cardiff University with support provided by Welsh rockers Lone Star.

Mott came into being following the departure of both Ian Hunter and Mick Ronson, who had left to become a duo leaving former bandmates to continue as Mott.

The new line-up consisted of Watts, Griffin, and Fisher along with lead guitarist Ray Majors (formerly of Opal Butterfly, Hackensack, and a brief stint with Andy Fraser and Frankie Miller) and front man Nigel Benjamin. This line-up released two more albums, Drive On (1975) and Shouting and Pointing (1976), both of which sold poorly.

After Benjamin quit in 1976, Mott briefly replaced him with Steve Hyams,[10] before joining forces with John Fiddler (formerly of Medicine Head), and became British Lions, recording two albums, British Lions (1977) and Trouble With Women (posthumously released on Cherry Red Records 1980) before finally splitting up without any chart success.

On this day 27/11/1970 Pink Faries

On this day, 27 November 1980, rock band the Pink Fairies, played Cardiff University.

Initially active in the London (Ladbroke Grove) underground and psychedelic scene of the early 1970s. They promoted free music, drug use, and anarchy, and often performed impromptu gigs and other stunts, such as playing for nothing outside the gates at the Bath and Isle of Wight pop festivals in 1970, as well as appearing at Phun City, the first Glastonbury and many other free festivals including Windsor and Trentishoe.

Playing for free in June 1970 outside the Bath Festival, they encountered another Ladbroke Grove based band, Hawkwind, who shared similar interests in music and recreational activities. A friendship developed which would lead to the two bands becoming running partners and performing as Pinkwind. Sensationalist coverage in the (Mick Farren edited) International Times solidified their rebel reputation.

Polydor Records commissioned the group to record a single, "The Snake" / "Do It", and were happy enough with the results to offer the group an album contract. The debut album Never Never Land was released in 1971.