NO NUKES AIN'T GOOD NUKES
NED'S ATOMIC DUSTBIN
CUD
THE WONDER STUFF
Charing Cross Road
Astoria
CHRISTMAS REALLY did come early at the Astoria tonight. At ten past
eight, very special surprise guests The Wonder Stuff are on stage and
the place is in uproar.
"Shame about that fucking Finsbury Park gig!" snarls Miles,
and obviously still on a value for monet kick the Stuffies crash through
a greatest hits half-hour which is nothing short of spellbinding. 'Circlesquare'
is a shimmering delight and woefully neglected as a dreamy summer single,
'Don't Let Me Down Gently' a first round knockout. By the time they
get to the obligatory set closer 'Gimme Some Truth', Miles has broken
strings on three guitars and foul-mouthed everyone in the place.
We're even more sorry to see him go when Leeds troubadours Cud turn
up on stage half an hour later. Nevertheless, they're greatly improved
all round. 'Strange Kind Of Love' and 'Now Is The Time' are both enjoyable
rumble-funk affairs, sabotaged only by Carl's tortuous vocals. The man
sings like a wounded bison. More's the pity, because he dances like
a superstar. Flares flapping and arms waving, he finishes the set dancing
along to the drum solo, which he obviously thinks will bring the house
down. It doesn't - but nice try, Carl.
after all this excitment, the Neds really are quite a disappointment.
They have their moments though like when singer Jonn barks out the chorus
of "Ice Ice Baby" or when Rat puts aside the riffola for a
few seconds to deliver a snatch of 'Groove Is In The Heart', but they're
never quite atomic. Jonn still lurches around like a fifth-form Phil
Oakey, but 'Kill Your Television' aside, their one dimensional brain
haemorrhage pop soon wear pretty thin.
Not long ago they were the kids hanging around Stourbridge dressing
room door, and at times they still sound like it.
"You're quiet tinight!" Jonn tells us throughout, as the band
hurl themselves at the walls - that's because most of us are still recovering
from The Wonder Stuff. Even when they encore with sa brain splitting
'Until You Find Out' everyone's still hoping Miles might just come out
and raise our spirits again. Alas, he's gone, and the Neds may still
be there encoring now.
Intil they find out their own formula for the wonder stuff, greatness
will elude them. For tonight at least, they were back to being wide-eyed
fans. They should be all the better for it.
Paul Moody