Resident band at the Breedon Bar, Pershore Road, Birmingham. Supporting bands such as Doctor Feelgood, Steve Gibbons, Trevor Burton, Frank White, The D.T's.
Headlining Tamworth Rock Festival the year that it was almost rained off, but quick move to Lincoln's night club. Great gig. Particularly last encore, our unique rendering of The Sex Pistols' Anarchy in the U.K. Brought the bleedin' 'ouse down. (in more ways than one)....... ROCK AND ROLL!!!
Residency at the 'Nag's Head' Nuneaton holds many fond wild memories also. We were introduced to the local Biker community and played at many Motorcycle 'rallies' Great fun. Especially 'Lady Godiva' Coventry.
Playing all over the Midlands Tamworth, Birmingham, Coventry, Nuneaton, Derby, Burton. Never forgetting where it all started; 'The Tavern in the Town', compered by the legendary Rick Quay. Our first ever gig. Then called the 'Original Royal Family' we only knew 8 songs. What a great gig, our first time out. We had no idea how we would be received. Ended up doing the whole set again for encores.
The 'Band Aid' Gig at the Assembly Rooms was memorable. Also Supporting Doctor Feelgood at the Assems. We had to change most of our set because half of our songs were theirs Ooops! Good old Lee Brilleaux (main man Dr.Feelgood) R.I.P. said. "Play whatever you F......g want lads. Let's rip this joint", and what a great gig.
Tamworth Herald – 08/09/89
All Reviews by SAM HOLLIDAY
Also Smith and Jones – Corvettes
Certainly not ALAS Smith and Jones because this was most pleasant. Any comparisons with the Original Royal Family is purely deliberate and what we have is that self same boogie-woogie good time r ‘n’ b thankfully untainted by yucky musical ‘progress’ and providing the audience with tasteful, sharp and humorous sounds. Dave Smith is still a big star and a big hero even if he is now a slim-line version of his former mighty self. That voice! Those tunes! Those smiling spectators! That’s living orite!
Tamworth Herald – 29/09/89
As you may have seen in last week’s ‘Scene Around’, another of the alternative comedy and music cabarets takes over the Castle Hotel tonight (Friday). The Great Stan (a mindreader who will explain his theories on talking to the dead and dolphins) teams up with The Cheeky Chappies, Steve Evans, Terry Cavell and from the musical stable our own Also Smith and Jones. It sounds like big smile time so get along tonight to the Castle Hotel. Tickets are either £2.50 or £3.00.
Tamworth Herald – 06/10/89
So Climactic!
Also Smith and Jones – Old Liberal house Amington
Good time Dave Smith and his five rum and black chums, the Also Smith and Jones band, set the tone last week for the Climax Blues Band to produce the raunchiest set I’ve seen them deliver in twenty years. There hasn’t been a night like this in Tamworth since Feelgood put the Assems into orbit four years ago!
Also Smith and Jones began their sixty minute set with standards by Muddy Waters and Albert Collins to demonstrate their authenticity, integrity and musicianship (even George Melly has to do that before he lets the good times roll!) Then came ‘No Made Yackamo’ and the audience (nearly 200 r ‘n’ b crazies) began to forget about art and enjoy themselves. With the Stovepipe Stomp as always the band transported the Amington pub into blissville – it was good, it was wildly funny and entirely unpredictable. From then on the extrovert Andy Codling whizzed among the audience and hopped on to tables in a frenzy of tenor sax hysteria and Paul Speare, who looks as though he ought to be in a bank, jigged a little and seemed to be enjoying himself. He sounded like one of the best sax players in England (which he is). It was quite a set. If I had been the Climax Blues Band I would have made an excuse and left the room. How can you follow that? Well they did, as you will read in a couple of reviews time…
Bill Mann
Tamworth Herald – 13/10/89
The highly-acclaimed duo of the Expresso Bongo Orchestra and Also Smith and Jones steam up for a spiffing double bill in Tamworth tonight (Friday).
The two bands, who have been wowing them and wamming them in various parts in recent weeks, join forces at the Old Liberal House in Amington for a unique and exciting night.
The Old Liberal House is fast becoming a major and vital venue and the combination of these two ‘new’ forces looks set to fill the spacious room to its capacity.
The gig has been put together by those busy Info Publishing chaps who have been delighted with the success of recent Old Liberal House shows and see tonight as a real biggie.”
“This is a double bill of good time live music aimed at (dare I say it) the more discerning music lover,” explained Ian Gibbons in his preview of the show, “This promises to be a FUN packed evening.”
The Expresso Bongo Orchestra are making serious noises wherever they go at the moment. They are a nine-piece dance band fronted by Paul ‘Sexy Dexy’ Speare and their sound is described as an ‘entertainment force’. The band have combined seriously good influences with a huge dollop of fun and the end result is a sound and set that is entirely loveable. In his review of their excellent demo, Mike Turner said ‘they are undoubtedly all good musicians who enjoy playing good music.” What more could you ask for?
Well, you could ask for the triffic, really triffic Also Smith and Jones. This rum and black good time band are fronted by leading sex symbol/maniac Dave Smith and have earned huge acclaim since their recent reformation. Anyone who remembers the Royal Family will know what to expect but my spies (and my instincts) tell me that this is even yummier.
Put the Bongos and the Smithies together and you have a night which positively reeks of fun. The Old Liberal House (its in Woodhouse Lane, Amington in case you don’t know) looks set to grow in importance and stature in the next few weeks and months so why not test its wares (for the first time?) tonight and boogie with your suitcase.
Let the party begin.
Tamworth Herald – 20/10/89
Just Brilliant!
Also Smith and Jones – The Old Liberal House
Wickedly wonderful gear from a band destined to cure all the world’s ills at a single stroke. Helped enormously by a splendid sound, this r ‘n’ b crew took the audience to the proverbial cleaners and proved once and for all that calling music like this the ‘blues’ is a total misnomer for music that makes you happy to be alive. Dave Smith was at his vocal and visual best again but tonight I took my hat off to Les Jones who stole the show. Not only did he play the guitar with a nonchalance that belies real skill but he put on an immensely watchable show that made him the perfect foil for Smith’s eccentricity. The band can do no wrong.
Sam Holliday
Tamworth Herald – 01/12/89
Great Stan’s Weekend Blowout
TAMWORTH will this weekend host three unique concerts to raise money for the town’s ambitious alternative-comic project.
Three shows – one concentrating on r ‘n’ b, one on alternative comedy and one on top quality local music – will combine during the course of the next three days in a unique moneyraiser.
Tonight the Old Liberal House in Amington will host ‘a stompin’, gut rockin’, hard drivin’ rootsy rhythm and blues’ session, on Saturday night the venue is the Castle Hotel for a special alternative comedy show and then on Sunday night Lakins will stage a splendid Indie rock bash bringing the likes of Bash Out The Odd and the Yogots alongside Birmingham favourites Korova Milkbar.
All the shows, plus one held at Manhattan’s last night (Thursday) are designed to bring money pouring into the coffers of Tamworth’s alternative comiczine ‘The Great Stan’s Comic’. It is hoped that the first edition packed full of silly comic strips, attacks on the local and national music and arts scene and much else will be out in January and the success of this weekend will really get it moving.
“We are all very ambitious about this,” said organiser Chris Gould. “We want to make the comic as professional as possible and we need the money to do so. Hopefully these three shows can really help us.”
So what exactly can you feats your ears on this weekend. Well, read on and find out…
Tonight (Friday) – Amington Liberal House
If you like to boogie woogie to foot-stomping r and b then the only place to be tonight is the Amington Liberal House in Woodhouse Lane. Our own Also Smith and Jones and the spiffing Eight Ball Joe will team up with the classy no messing style of the Pink Cadillacs and the excellent Mighty House Rockers. The Rockers are regarded as real floorshakers and they already have an album and radio work to their credit. Put together this is a night which should really get the r and b crazies going and it costs a mere £3.50 for four top class outfits. Worth it to see Dave Smith’s wincing alone but you will get even more for your money than that. Starts 7.30pm, ends 11.
Saturday night – The Castle Hotel
It’s smile time again as the Great Stan spearheads a four comedian (and one band) show at the Castle Hotel. Billed as The Blowout Party it features comedians Terry Cavell, Tim Lacy, Ken Bell and the Great Stan alongside Little Terry’s Blues Band. Terry Cavell is described as ‘libellous humour’, Tim Lacy is regarded as THE man to watch on the Midlands scene and Ken Bell is a fast moving and original comedian. As for Stanley he is doing his ‘best of Stan routine’ a collection of (and I quote) ‘the world’s greatest comedy routines’. Sounds are provided by r n b men the Little Terry’s Blues band and it starts at 8pm costs £2.50.
Sunday night – Lakins nightclub
A unique Sunday night venue for a rather unique collection of bands. Lakins opens its doors on the night to welcome in local heroes, Bash Out The Odd, King Wodericks and the Herb Garden and fast-rising Birmingham squad Korova Milkbar. You don’t need any introductions to the three local bands except for they are all very good indeed, while Korova Milkbar are made up of ex-members of Wunderstuff stablemates The Surf Drums. Much noise is being made about the Korovas and remember it is in Tamworth where the Wunderstuff started to blossom so you could be on the groundfloor of another major success story. The whole bash costs just £2.50 so get along (and remember it is LAKINS) and have a boogie. Starts 7.30pm.
Got all that? Right, get along to as much of the above as you can and give the comic a boost. You’ll die laughing if you don’t.
Tamworth Herald – 15/12/89
WE have plenty of pre-Christmas shows to tell you about this week so feast your eyes on the collection of goodies below and get set for plenty of smiles in the next few days…
Tonight (Friday) – Tamworth Arts Centre
A hastily arranged show this which sees Whats This Heads Down Mindless Boogie About Nothing team up with Shock Culture for a Friday night bonanza. With the possible addition of Special Mystery Guests this promises to be a tempting alternative to Friday night pub crawling and it starts at 8pm.
Sunday Night – Tamworth Arts Centre
You are cordially invited to the Bignewyogotsherbert Christmas Show which offers you four top quality local bands and the possibility of a few carols! As the rather long title may suggest the four bands you can see are The Big Noise, The New Puritans, King Woderick and The Yogots and The Sherbert Trees all of whom have more fizz and bubbles than a bucket full of coke. It costs a mere £1.50 and apparently fancy dress is optional. I’m not sure about the Christmas Carols but I am sure this will be a heap of fun gig-goers!
Monday Night – The Castle Hotel
Another happy collection of mirth and music is in view as the meaty, beaty big and bouncy Also Smith and Jones spearhead ‘A Silent Night’. As well as enjoying the Smithies, you can laugh to the likes of Frank Skinner, Terry Cavelle, Shaun Percival and the amazing Jed ‘Everton nil’ Moore. Music is also provided by former Strap on Jack men, True Grit and Nick Lowe and all told this promises to be a riotous night of debauchery. It’s at the Castle Hotel remember and it should set Christmas off with a bang.
Monday Night – The Mean Fiddler, London
Catch 23 return to their London base again on Monday as part of the Best Band of the Year series. The boys will be taking a horde of their t-shirted fanatics again and if you want to see if there are any seats left ring. Could be a big night for the band this so here’s hoping for real festive cheer!
Tamworth Herald – 05/01/90
 Silent Night Gig – The Castle Hotel
If you ever thought that all the best live music in Tamworth was at the Arts Centre and the only comedy involves a couple of sick Rikk Quay jokes during computer breakdowns, then you really should have been at the ‘Silent Night’ show at the Castle Hotel.
The evening kicked off with an extended set by True Grit who were forced to fill in for the delayed lorry-load of comedians. Nobody was complaining though and if the band were having to fill out their set with weaker material I certainly didn’t notice. It’s difficult to pigeon-hole True Grit but they are best described as good…and they have the great quality of not taking themselves too seriously.
Then came Norman, a strange loony with a raincoat and shopping bag. Shaun Percival was much more of an alternative comedian except the he refreshingly left politics out of his set and concentrated on some side-splitting toilet jokes.
Compere for the evening was Jed Moore whose poems were fairly well received and added to the variety of entertainment on show.
But Norman and Shaun were just the starters – the main course was Frank Skinner who was worth the huge admission fee on his own. It is a great achievement to attract comedians of Saturday Live calibre such as Frank Skinner and one which deserves support. And Mr Skinner obviously found the intellectual level of his audience and played to it with a well-received routine about Scoobie Doo cartoons.
I’d like to say how well this performance rounded off a perfect night of comedy – I’d like to say that but unfortunately Terry Cavelle appeared. He was an appallingly bad comedian who insulted everyone, made jokes in poor taste and was generally about as funny as a bus timetable.
Luckily the evening was saved by the brilliant Also Smith and Jones - a blues band with a great sense of fun and a fanatical love of their own music. They had people dancing on the tables and yelling for encores. Like everyone else appearing that night, they were new to me. And it was impressive that such quality acts are playing Tamworth venues, so don’t spend all your time at the Arts Centre – you might miss something good.
Review by Sean Atkins
Tamworth Herald- 19/01/90
ALSO Smith and Jones, fresh from a series of triumphant shows, are due in action at Lincolns on Sunday night.
The band, now with the legendary Eddie Blunt back in action, will be at the venue on Sunday with some as yet unconfirmed support acts.
More details from Also Smith and Jones and/or Lincolns itself.
Tamworth Herald – 13/04/90
It’s another CRAZY week for local music fans who have so much entertainment to choose from it’s mindboggling.
Friday Night
The Great Stans Cabaret (Old Liberal House, Amington)
The features the incredible Jo Brand of Saturday Night Live fame plus Alas Smith and Jones, Ken Bell, Pike’s Peak, Bue and Terry Cavell. Jo Brand is an excellent comic, known as The Dea Monster and Famous for her self-deprecating, wicked sense of humour. Sex, weight and drugs are among her topics of convo. Elsewhere there are plenty of other smiles and of course the uplifting sound of the Jones boys. The venue is the Old Liberal House, Amington, tickets are available on the door and when will more MUSICBOX readers realise that this is a cracking night out that most of them would love???
Sunday Night
Tamworth Herald – 13/04/90
It’s another CRAZY week for local music fans who have so much entertainment to choose from it’s mindboggling.
The Climax Blues Band/Alas Smith and Jones (The Rathole, Lincolns)
A powerful line-up and one which looks set to clean up the crowds of slightly older music fans. The Climaxers have a reputation for being one of the hottest live bands on the planet while the Smith and Jones combo are equally adored locally. The theme is good quality r ‘n’ b and although tickets cost a fiver there won’t be a single complaint afterwards judging by the reaction afforded to both bands the last time they teamed up. One of the biggest gigs of the year so far for Tamworth, a large crowd is assured.
Tamworth Herald – 27/04/90
Great Stan’s Easter Show – The Old Liberal Liberal House, Amington
Also Smith and Jones
The band the Mayor complained about – what a recommendation. Smith and Jones were brilliant as usual and the only problem was that the set was too short – but apparently there had been complaints and we don’t want to offend anyone, do we?
Review by Sean ‘Two Haddocks, One Greenhouse’ Atkins |
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