Showing posts with label The early years. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The early years. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
4 Be 2 - One Of The Lads - 1979
4" Be 2"
"One of the Lads"
Post-Punk formed in 1979 London, England, disbanded in1981
Members:Jock McDonald, Jimmy Lydon, Graham Wheeland, bassist Martin "Youth" Glover (Killing Joke), guitarists Dreary O'Hoodlum, and drummers Paddy O'Reilly and Paul "Youngie" Young.
4 Be 2 released a trio of singles, debuting on Island in September of 1979 with One of the Lads.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Celtic Soul Rebels - Shane MacGowan
In 1973, MacGowan's mother persuaded him to try to get some 0-levels, so he went to Hammersmith College - "my finishing school, the shittiest college for further education in London" - where he formed his first band, Hot Dogs With Everything. "I met Shane in the art class and I knew by looking at him that he was a Stooges and an MC5 fan," says his former bandimate Bernie France. "We also liked Hawkwind and the Pink Fairies, anything that was loud and had a lot of energy. There was a motley bunch of about five of us who would just go and get wrecked all the time and listen to records."
On top of pints of lager, speed and acid, MacGowan's family GP had put him on a heavy prescription of valium, and he started to suffer from acute anxiety attacks. He agreed to undergo a six-month detox in London's Bethlem Royal Hospital. "Rather than being sectioned I went into the loony bin of my own accord," he says. "I saw people being given ECT and I saw what it did to them. I saw lots of horrible things. But the minute I was threatened with ECT, I shaped up really fast and became ultra-sane. I started psychoanalysing my shrink, which was probably part of his technique. He could have sectioned me for another six months but our conversations convinced him of my sanity."
When Shane emerged from Bethlem, he immersed himself in London's live music scene, going to see bands like Dr Feelgood and Joe Strummer's 101ers. It was at one of the latter's gigs, in the spring of 1976, that he first encountered the Sex Pistols.
"They were the band I'd been waiting for all my life," he says. "Johnny Rotten was like Jesus Christ and we were his disciples. He looked great, he sounded great, he was great. And it was just a question of, Yeah, fuck it. I hate everything and they're actually doing it."
As Shane O'Hooligan, he became one of the best known faces on the punk scene. He formed The Nipple Erectors - later The Nips - and hinted at his future flair for songwriting when he penned the pop-punk classic, Gabrielle. By 1979 The Nips had split up and MacGowan was doing occasional gigs with The Millwall Chainsaws, a speed and amyl nitrate-fuelled punk band fronted by his mate Spider Stacy, whom he had first encountered at a Ramones gig a few years previously.
Like MacGowan, the Chainsaws lived in a squat in Burton Street, between Euston and King's Cross, an area that was also home to future Pogues Jem Finer, James Fearnley, Andrew Ranken and Darryl Hunt, "I was living in Judd Street in another big squat where Jock McDonald used to incite us into Molotov cocktailing the police on a Saturday night," says Hunt. "It was a very exciting and extremely creative time.
"Jock McDonald was the manager of 4Be2s, a brilliant post-punk band who subverted the immigrant put-down "No Irish, no blacks, no dogs" by fusing Irish music with dub. They were fronted by John Lydon's brother Jimmy, who sometimes joined Shane MacGowan in a chorus of Irish rebel songs, a pub pastime that MacGowan more frequently indulged in with Spider Stacy.
One Monday night in April 1981, MacGowan and The Millwall Chainsaws' drummer Ollie Watts were down in Soho at the New Romantic club, Cabaret Futura, when they decided that this was the time and the place to take Irish rebel music to the masses. Two weeks later, the Chainsaws donned suits to become The New Republicans and their five-song set included The Rising Of The Moon and The Patriot Game, plus Brendan Behan's The Auld Triangle. "Singing Irish rebel songs was a really good way of sticking up two fingers at the establishment," says Spider. "There was very little you could have done that would have been more calculated to annoy in London at that time." The audience included a group of about 20 off-duty squaddies who pelted them with beer cans and chips. "Everyone was totally out of their minds on booze and the plugs got pulled and we got thrown out," says MacGowan. "We were thinking of it as a one-off, but we quickly realised that if it caused that many people to be upset, or to wonder what the fuck was going on,then it was worth continuing with."
On top of pints of lager, speed and acid, MacGowan's family GP had put him on a heavy prescription of valium, and he started to suffer from acute anxiety attacks. He agreed to undergo a six-month detox in London's Bethlem Royal Hospital. "Rather than being sectioned I went into the loony bin of my own accord," he says. "I saw people being given ECT and I saw what it did to them. I saw lots of horrible things. But the minute I was threatened with ECT, I shaped up really fast and became ultra-sane. I started psychoanalysing my shrink, which was probably part of his technique. He could have sectioned me for another six months but our conversations convinced him of my sanity."
When Shane emerged from Bethlem, he immersed himself in London's live music scene, going to see bands like Dr Feelgood and Joe Strummer's 101ers. It was at one of the latter's gigs, in the spring of 1976, that he first encountered the Sex Pistols.
"They were the band I'd been waiting for all my life," he says. "Johnny Rotten was like Jesus Christ and we were his disciples. He looked great, he sounded great, he was great. And it was just a question of, Yeah, fuck it. I hate everything and they're actually doing it."
As Shane O'Hooligan, he became one of the best known faces on the punk scene. He formed The Nipple Erectors - later The Nips - and hinted at his future flair for songwriting when he penned the pop-punk classic, Gabrielle. By 1979 The Nips had split up and MacGowan was doing occasional gigs with The Millwall Chainsaws, a speed and amyl nitrate-fuelled punk band fronted by his mate Spider Stacy, whom he had first encountered at a Ramones gig a few years previously.
Like MacGowan, the Chainsaws lived in a squat in Burton Street, between Euston and King's Cross, an area that was also home to future Pogues Jem Finer, James Fearnley, Andrew Ranken and Darryl Hunt, "I was living in Judd Street in another big squat where Jock McDonald used to incite us into Molotov cocktailing the police on a Saturday night," says Hunt. "It was a very exciting and extremely creative time.
"Jock McDonald was the manager of 4Be2s, a brilliant post-punk band who subverted the immigrant put-down "No Irish, no blacks, no dogs" by fusing Irish music with dub. They were fronted by John Lydon's brother Jimmy, who sometimes joined Shane MacGowan in a chorus of Irish rebel songs, a pub pastime that MacGowan more frequently indulged in with Spider Stacy.
One Monday night in April 1981, MacGowan and The Millwall Chainsaws' drummer Ollie Watts were down in Soho at the New Romantic club, Cabaret Futura, when they decided that this was the time and the place to take Irish rebel music to the masses. Two weeks later, the Chainsaws donned suits to become The New Republicans and their five-song set included The Rising Of The Moon and The Patriot Game, plus Brendan Behan's The Auld Triangle. "Singing Irish rebel songs was a really good way of sticking up two fingers at the establishment," says Spider. "There was very little you could have done that would have been more calculated to annoy in London at that time." The audience included a group of about 20 off-duty squaddies who pelted them with beer cans and chips. "Everyone was totally out of their minds on booze and the plugs got pulled and we got thrown out," says MacGowan. "We were thinking of it as a one-off, but we quickly realised that if it caused that many people to be upset, or to wonder what the fuck was going on,then it was worth continuing with."
Friday, November 27, 2009
4" Be 2"
4" Be 2"
4 Be 2 · (Active: 1970's —1980's)
Styles: Post-Punk
Formed: 1979 London, England
Disbanded:1981
Active: 1970's—1980's
Biography by Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
He didn't achieve the fame that his older brother John enjoyed, but Jimmy Lydon was part of his own group for a short period during the late '70s and early '80s, 4 Be 2. Like the early releases of his brother's second major band, Public Image Ltd., 4 Be 2's sound featured art-damaged, dub-influenced post-punk. With revolving door assistance from Graham Wheeland, bassist Martin "Youth" Glover (Killing Joke), guitarists Dreary O'Hoodlum and Jock McDonald (who doubled as the group's manager), and drummers Paddy O'Reilly and Paul "Youngie" Young, 4 Be 2 released a trio of singles, debuting on Island in September of 1979 with One of the Lads. The Frustration single followed in July of 1980 and added backing vocals from Keren Woodward and Sarah Dallin, two future members of Bananarama. Though the sleeves for the singles credit John Lydon with production, Jimmy swore (nudge nudge) that it was his father -- not his brother -- that did the knob twiddling. The singer opted to leave the group in March of 1981 and the group celebrated the fact with the All of Lads 12," which was issued on Shamrock. After that, the group continued briefly with Jimmy's adolescent brother, Martin, as the vocalist. Back to the top Members of 4 Be 2 Artist Instrument Born Dreary O'Hoodlum, Graham Wheeland, Jimmy Lydon, Jock McDonald, Paddy O'Reilly & Paul "Youngie" Young
Before we start, John had NO real involvement in any of these 4"Be 2" records, but lets explain… We're only mentioning them in this discography as a way of warning people who don't know better...
4"Be 2" were formed by John's brother Jimmy Lydon along with Jock McDonald (real name O'Donnell); and featured a whole host of Lydon family & associates, including Youth from Killing Joke. John's other brother Martin sometimes appeared with them; as did a certain John "Rambo" Stevens... The band's name was taken from an Irish nickname for a plank of wood, and not rhyming slang. Honest.
The 4" Be 2" claimed John Lydon produced most of their material. However, as far as we know his only involvement, apart from socialising, was to possibly produce their first two singles. Though he later denied working with them at all! Claiming it was just a Jock McDonald cash in... Probably the most infamous John Lydon / 4"Be 2" "collaboration" is the trip to Dublin in 1980, where John ended up in Mountjoy Prison after being beaten up by a barman.
By Autumn 1981 the 4"Be 2" broke up and Jimmy retired into marriage, the rest of the band – with McDonald on vocals – had already released two 12"singles in 1980 and 1981 under the name The Bollock Brothers. Many of the Bollock Brothers (and related) releases had a habit of stating that "J. Lydon", appeared on, or produced them. However, this easily could have been Jimmy and not John Lydon.
Be warned! Various other Bollock Brothers / 4" Be 2" records have been released under a variety of names. Despite what they say about John Lydon's involvement, basically, it's just a scam, avoid them all (except the dub version of 'One of the Lads' which is actually not a bad record).
7" ONE OF THE LADS / UMMBABA (p/s) - ISLAND WIP6530 - (8/79)12": ONE OF THE LADS (Dub Version) / ONE OF THE LADS / UMMBABA (p/s) - ISLAND WIP6530 - (11/79)
(Credited as "Produced by John Lydon")
Debut single by the 4" Be 2". John Lydon allegedly produces both tracks.
Bass guitar by Youth Martin of Killing Joke. Sleeve concept and photography by Dennis Morris.
7": FRUSTRATION / CAN'T EXPLAIN (p/s) - WEA K18290 - (7/80)
(Credited as "Produced by John Lydon")
Second single by the band. 'Frustration' was allegedly produced by John Lydon, who is pictured on the sleeve under the name "Pig Youth". He also gets a co-writing credit on the A-side under the same name. Music press reports from the time claim that he also played bass on the B-side. However, it seems very unlikely, and rumour has it he actually fell asleep during the recording!
A 'Dub Version' of the track also appeared on the 1986 'Lydon & O'Donnell Family Album' (MBC JOCKLP5)
12": ALL OF THE LADS / JIMMY JONES / BITCH - McDONALD LYDONSHAMROCK-1
(4/81)
(Credited as "Produced by John Lydon")
Last 12" single from the band, now on their own label. John Lydon allegedly mixed and produced the two songs on the B-side.
Martin Lydon's address is printed on the cover for T-shirts and info ("for T-shirts or info on the 4"Be 2"s write to Martin Lydon...").
LP: THE LYDON AND O'DONNEL'S FAMILY ALBUM - MBC JOCKLP5 - (6/86)
(Features; One Of The Lads (Dub Version)' / Frustration (Dub Version) / Jimmy Jones / Bitch)
Jock McDonald compilation album featuring all the alleged John Lydon / 4" Be 2" releases. The remainder of the album features Bollock Brothers tracks.
BOOTLEG LP: D WING - UD 6533 - (?/81)
FRUSTRATION / DC-10 / CELTIC ORIGIN / DO THE HUCKLEBACK / BELFAST / FRUSTRATION (AGAIN)
'Hot Wacks' lists this Japanese bootleg (by the same label who released PiL's 'Sci-Fi' album). Apparently it features studio recordings almost certainly recorded in mid 1980 when the band recorded the 'Frustration' single. Therefor it's possible it features John Lydon in some shape or form; possible...
4 Be 2 · (Active: 1970's —1980's)
Styles: Post-Punk
Formed: 1979 London, England
Disbanded:1981
Active: 1970's—1980's
Biography by Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
He didn't achieve the fame that his older brother John enjoyed, but Jimmy Lydon was part of his own group for a short period during the late '70s and early '80s, 4 Be 2. Like the early releases of his brother's second major band, Public Image Ltd., 4 Be 2's sound featured art-damaged, dub-influenced post-punk. With revolving door assistance from Graham Wheeland, bassist Martin "Youth" Glover (Killing Joke), guitarists Dreary O'Hoodlum and Jock McDonald (who doubled as the group's manager), and drummers Paddy O'Reilly and Paul "Youngie" Young, 4 Be 2 released a trio of singles, debuting on Island in September of 1979 with One of the Lads. The Frustration single followed in July of 1980 and added backing vocals from Keren Woodward and Sarah Dallin, two future members of Bananarama. Though the sleeves for the singles credit John Lydon with production, Jimmy swore (nudge nudge) that it was his father -- not his brother -- that did the knob twiddling. The singer opted to leave the group in March of 1981 and the group celebrated the fact with the All of Lads 12," which was issued on Shamrock. After that, the group continued briefly with Jimmy's adolescent brother, Martin, as the vocalist. Back to the top Members of 4 Be 2 Artist Instrument Born Dreary O'Hoodlum, Graham Wheeland, Jimmy Lydon, Jock McDonald, Paddy O'Reilly & Paul "Youngie" Young
Before we start, John had NO real involvement in any of these 4"Be 2" records, but lets explain… We're only mentioning them in this discography as a way of warning people who don't know better...
4"Be 2" were formed by John's brother Jimmy Lydon along with Jock McDonald (real name O'Donnell); and featured a whole host of Lydon family & associates, including Youth from Killing Joke. John's other brother Martin sometimes appeared with them; as did a certain John "Rambo" Stevens... The band's name was taken from an Irish nickname for a plank of wood, and not rhyming slang. Honest.
The 4" Be 2" claimed John Lydon produced most of their material. However, as far as we know his only involvement, apart from socialising, was to possibly produce their first two singles. Though he later denied working with them at all! Claiming it was just a Jock McDonald cash in... Probably the most infamous John Lydon / 4"Be 2" "collaboration" is the trip to Dublin in 1980, where John ended up in Mountjoy Prison after being beaten up by a barman.
By Autumn 1981 the 4"Be 2" broke up and Jimmy retired into marriage, the rest of the band – with McDonald on vocals – had already released two 12"singles in 1980 and 1981 under the name The Bollock Brothers. Many of the Bollock Brothers (and related) releases had a habit of stating that "J. Lydon", appeared on, or produced them. However, this easily could have been Jimmy and not John Lydon.
Be warned! Various other Bollock Brothers / 4" Be 2" records have been released under a variety of names. Despite what they say about John Lydon's involvement, basically, it's just a scam, avoid them all (except the dub version of 'One of the Lads' which is actually not a bad record).
7" ONE OF THE LADS / UMMBABA (p/s) - ISLAND WIP6530 - (8/79)12": ONE OF THE LADS (Dub Version) / ONE OF THE LADS / UMMBABA (p/s) - ISLAND WIP6530 - (11/79)
(Credited as "Produced by John Lydon")
Debut single by the 4" Be 2". John Lydon allegedly produces both tracks.
Bass guitar by Youth Martin of Killing Joke. Sleeve concept and photography by Dennis Morris.
7": FRUSTRATION / CAN'T EXPLAIN (p/s) - WEA K18290 - (7/80)
(Credited as "Produced by John Lydon")
Second single by the band. 'Frustration' was allegedly produced by John Lydon, who is pictured on the sleeve under the name "Pig Youth". He also gets a co-writing credit on the A-side under the same name. Music press reports from the time claim that he also played bass on the B-side. However, it seems very unlikely, and rumour has it he actually fell asleep during the recording!
A 'Dub Version' of the track also appeared on the 1986 'Lydon & O'Donnell Family Album' (MBC JOCKLP5)
12": ALL OF THE LADS / JIMMY JONES / BITCH - McDONALD LYDONSHAMROCK-1
(4/81)
(Credited as "Produced by John Lydon")
Last 12" single from the band, now on their own label. John Lydon allegedly mixed and produced the two songs on the B-side.
Martin Lydon's address is printed on the cover for T-shirts and info ("for T-shirts or info on the 4"Be 2"s write to Martin Lydon...").
LP: THE LYDON AND O'DONNEL'S FAMILY ALBUM - MBC JOCKLP5 - (6/86)
(Features; One Of The Lads (Dub Version)' / Frustration (Dub Version) / Jimmy Jones / Bitch)
Jock McDonald compilation album featuring all the alleged John Lydon / 4" Be 2" releases. The remainder of the album features Bollock Brothers tracks.
BOOTLEG LP: D WING - UD 6533 - (?/81)
FRUSTRATION / DC-10 / CELTIC ORIGIN / DO THE HUCKLEBACK / BELFAST / FRUSTRATION (AGAIN)
'Hot Wacks' lists this Japanese bootleg (by the same label who released PiL's 'Sci-Fi' album). Apparently it features studio recordings almost certainly recorded in mid 1980 when the band recorded the 'Frustration' single. Therefor it's possible it features John Lydon in some shape or form; possible...
Thursday, November 26, 2009
The early years 1979 - 1983
4" Be 2"
4" Be 2" were formed by John's brother Jimmy Lydon along with Jock McDonald (real name O'Donnell), together with a whole host of Lydon family & friends. The band's name was taken from an old Irish joke about a plank of wood, and not rhyming slang! The 4" Be 2" claimed John Lydon produced most of their stuff. As far as we know John Lydon's only involvement with them, apart from socialising, was to possibly produce their first two singles. Though he later denied working with them at all, claiming it was all a McDonald cash in... Probably the most famous John Lydon / 4"Be 2" "collaboration" is the infamous trip to Dublin in 1980, where he ended up in Mountjoy Prison after being beaten up by a barman. By Autumn 1981 the 4"Be 2" broke up and Jimmy retired into marriage, the rest of the band with McDonald on vocals had already released two 12"singles in 1980 and 1981 under the name The Bollock Brothers. Many of the Bollock Brothers (and related) releases had a habit of stating that "J. Lydon", appeared on, or produced them. However, this easily could have been Jimmy and not John Lydon. Incidentally John's other brother Martin also appeared with the band, along with a certain Mr John Rambo...
Members: Jimmy Lydon, Jock McDonald
Genre: Electronic Rock
Releases:
1979 One Of The Lads - Island Records
1979 One Of The Lads (7") - Island Records
1979 One Of The Lads (12") - Island Records
1980 Frustration (7", Single) - WEA International Inc.
1981 All Of The Lads (12") - McDonald And Lydon Records
Red Lipstique
Genre: Electronic Rock
Releases:
1982 Drac's Back (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1982 Drac's Back (12") - Magnet (2)
1982 Drac's Back (7") - Magnet (2)
1983 Drac's Back (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1983 Oscar Wilde (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1983 Shame,Shame,Shame (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1983 Shame,Shame,Shame (7") - Charly Records Ltd.
4" Be 2" were formed by John's brother Jimmy Lydon along with Jock McDonald (real name O'Donnell), together with a whole host of Lydon family & friends. The band's name was taken from an old Irish joke about a plank of wood, and not rhyming slang! The 4" Be 2" claimed John Lydon produced most of their stuff. As far as we know John Lydon's only involvement with them, apart from socialising, was to possibly produce their first two singles. Though he later denied working with them at all, claiming it was all a McDonald cash in... Probably the most famous John Lydon / 4"Be 2" "collaboration" is the infamous trip to Dublin in 1980, where he ended up in Mountjoy Prison after being beaten up by a barman. By Autumn 1981 the 4"Be 2" broke up and Jimmy retired into marriage, the rest of the band with McDonald on vocals had already released two 12"singles in 1980 and 1981 under the name The Bollock Brothers. Many of the Bollock Brothers (and related) releases had a habit of stating that "J. Lydon", appeared on, or produced them. However, this easily could have been Jimmy and not John Lydon. Incidentally John's other brother Martin also appeared with the band, along with a certain Mr John Rambo...
Members: Jimmy Lydon, Jock McDonald
Genre: Electronic Rock
Releases:
1979 One Of The Lads - Island Records
1979 One Of The Lads (7") - Island Records
1979 One Of The Lads (12") - Island Records
1980 Frustration (7", Single) - WEA International Inc.
1981 All Of The Lads (12") - McDonald And Lydon Records
Red Lipstique
Genre: Electronic Rock
Releases:
1982 Drac's Back (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1982 Drac's Back (12") - Magnet (2)
1982 Drac's Back (7") - Magnet (2)
1983 Drac's Back (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1983 Oscar Wilde (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1983 Shame,Shame,Shame (12") - Charly Records Ltd.
1983 Shame,Shame,Shame (7") - Charly Records Ltd.
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