Up the Junction

Once upon a time, during a period from about 1975 to 1979, barely a weekend would go by without me going to some gig. Friars in Aylesbury was my local but we'd also go down to Dunstable or Hemel Hempstead or London. It was a great era for live music and the sheer thrill of being in the middle of a sweaty heaving mass at a Buzzcocks gig (or Ramones or Doctor Feelgood or Blondie or whoever) defined my mid to late teens period.

Being a boring old fart now, I don't go to gigs, so for our 25th anniversary present last May my wife bought me tickets to see Squeeze at Vicar Street this Sunday just gone. Squeeze always intrigued me - their lyrics never quite rhymed but they were always interesting. They were probably just a bit after my time too.

I have to say though the gig on Sunday night blew me away. Absolute classic rock and roll from start to finish, even the slow songs drove along at speed and I never realised quite how many hits they had. We all remember Cool for Cats and Up the Junction and Labelled with Love but I'd forgotten songs like Take me I'm yours and Another nail in my heart. Fair took me back so it did.

Amusing to see the crowd was mainly grey or baldy haired 50 year olds like myself. Mind you Tilbrook has filled out too! The taxi driver on the way home had never heard of them, he said.