Jonathan Fire Eater Live in London UK 1997
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- čas přidán 21. 02. 2019
- Audio recording (with photo op montage) made on an Aiwa stereo cassette recording walkman, using a tie pin stereo mic. Positioned in the centre, and back a little from the front of the sound system. I cleaned up and performed some audio restoration but the sound is more or less faithful to how the band sounded on the night. I would give it a 7/10 for quality. Stating the obvious here but, the use of ear phones will greatly enhance the listening pleasure. The images I used for the slide show are not of the actual gig in London, they are a great collection of the best images of JFE I could find here and there on the internet. There seems to be very little live recordings of JFE on CZcams so it’s about time I loaded this, enjoy.
Curtain Call @ 00.00
The Search for cherry red @ 4.00
When i’m 24 @ 9.00
These little monkeys @ 13.00
This is my room @ 16.45
I've changed hotels @21.25
Give me daughters @ 24.30
Make it precious @ 29.00
Everybody plays the mime sometime @ 34.00
When prince was a kid @ 38.30
Bipolar summer @ 43.15
I had a strong feeling that this gig might be very interesting and decided to take along my recorder so as to record it. Jonathan Fire Eater came on to the stage and took up their instruments and started to play, no introductions or anything like that. Immediately the sound was like some very weird dark carnival music reverberating from a stone cold basement. JFE sounded very different in many ways, firstly the sound coming through the PA sound system was very treble heavy soaked in reverb especially the vocals and the keyboards, which sounded like it was plugged into a broken speaker. The band looked very cool for such young guys and their sound was like all the best elements of The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Garage punk and all the best that those bands influenced. One thing that I noticed about the band members was that they were all extremely focused on what they were doing. As for the singer he was mesmeric, it’s hard to believe he was only 22 years of age and giving such a seasoned confident performance. The overall effect was spellbinding.
I would also like to say at this point that the gig was a mid week one and had it been a week end gig then that would’ve found people more up for letting themselves go wild, having said that, London audiences do have a tendency to stand and stare at bands, especially if the band are blowing the audience away, which is what happened on that particular night. The audience were gobsmacked with the sound and performance but remained about 5-6 feet in distance away from the front of the stage. A couple of times during the gig singer Stewart Lupton seemed a little perturbed with the audiences reaction towards JFE, he had no idea that JFE were simply blowing them away.
After the gig finished I was still hanging around and Stewart was standing nearby talking to someone, during this time we caught eye contact a couple of times, and the same eye contact was exchanged from the stage during his performance. I really wanted to have a chat and explain to him that the audience weren’t unimpressed with JFE. Most of the audience were made up of musicians who were in or connected to bands and they had never witnessed such an incredible gig. They were simply gobsmacked and stunned. I didn’t intrude on Stewarts conversation and never got to tell him that JFE revved up all the engines in the Garage that night. I was a regular at the Garage every week end for a few years checking out all the bands which were mostly bands on tour from the USA. By far one of the best and most memorable nights I’ve ever had was that JFE night. Thanks JSE for one of the best rock n roll memories ever.
On 27th May 2018 JFE singer Stuart Lupton passed away at the all too young age of 43. Stewart was a true original, with ultra stage presence, a gifted talented poet/wordsmith who, when performing live, was soooooo passionately absorbed in the music and his words, delivering it all with bundles of charm. May he rest in the gentle night. - Hudba
I was obsessed with this band in my 20's when they broke out. People STILL don't know about them. Coolest band I knew. And they STILL are. Absolutely love this sound. Played some Tremble songs on my radio show 4 years ago and got calls: "WHO IS THIS?" Thanks for this upload.
Clair Gunst thanks for your comment. JFE were an exceptionally unique band and were without any doubt bound for greatness. Its hard to believe that they are still not very well known. Anyone who was lucky enough to witness JFE live was completely blown away by the experience. The success that The Walkmen achieved was only a shadow of what JFE were bound for but as I understand it internal wranglings put a stop to that happening. The sound quality of this recording is a little raw but I loaded it because ther are very little live recordings of the band available on CZcams etc, I hope that those new to discovering the band can get a glimpse of their greatness from this concert. Ps what is the radio show you do, your choice of music has me intrigued :-)
In 1997, I had just started uni on the South Coast and had joined the uni radio. A friend of mine was in the music department and was given the assignment to interview JFE. I tagged along, we werd two young girls from abroad, never did an interview before. I cannot remember the interview anymore but we ended up going to the pub with two of the guys before their gig and the keyborder got so drunk, he swayed during the gig. I recall the singer indeed being charasmatic AF. Happy memories.
Thanks for sharing your memories.
I appreciate this. I lived in DC during the time they released Tremble under boom lights and wolf songs. And this recoding is the only one I've ever heard that captured what I saw and thought was absolutely brilliant
Jason Bonner thanks very much for watching listening and commenting. As I said in the desrciption I took along the recorder because I sensed that the band and gig was going to be a one off event.and something special.
I'm glad that I held onto the cassette capturing an audience "bootleg" recording of the bands magic, as there are very very few live recordings around of this extraordinary band.
P.S when you get a chance as with all listeners, you should realy listen to this gig through headphones, the sound is so much better turn up the volume and picture yourself standing at the front of the stage and trembling under the boom lights. :-)
@@robertcaffrey6097 oh I did! And I recommend as well. There is a cool room sound to it when listened to that way. Thanks again
@@JasonBonnerMusic glad you had the good sense to stick on the headphones. I done some audio restoration and fattened up the sound a little. There is a "cool room sound" for sure. :-)
Outstanding, thank you.
Youre very welcome, glad that you enjoyed the vid. Many thanks.
Thank you! I was at that gig as a London-dazzled 18 year old
John Jones I think everyone at that gig was dazzled by the band that night. I hope you enjoyed hearing it again.
This was a great show. They also played across the street at the Union Chapel...that was glorious. The Strokes completely lifted what they did. Stuart was such a charasmatic frontsman. The Walkmen are fantastic... but JFE were truly special. We were all gobsmacked.
Thanks for your comment, I take it you were also at this "Garage" gig ? I didn't get to the Union Chapel gig I'm sure that must have been something very special, the Union Chapel is a fantastic venue and perfect for JFE gobsmacked is right anyone who witnessed the band live will attest.
@@robertcaffrey6097 Yes, I saw them a few times, in Leicester and up at King Tut's in Glasgow. Very small shows, with half the audiences just standing, a few loons dancing, but largely just stunned, as R&R was in such a sad state at thatpoint, post grunge, it was all boy bands and club music. JFE felt like the rebirthof something good. I wish more people had seen them. Thank you for posting this online. It's wonderful to hear it again.
@@RUFUSDAYGLO23 Youre very welcome and many thanks for watching listening, commenting and sharing your memories. Anyone who was lucky enough to witness JFE live knew it was something very special and unique.
Thank You!
My pleasure, you're very welcome, I hope you enjoyed it.
Robert Caffrey This is one of my favorite bands ever. I love that I’m getting to hear a performance I’ve never heard before. Stewart is truly one of the greats! Thanks again
@@ConAlma97 JFE were a great band for sure, I feel very privellaged to have witnessed them live. So glad I held onto the recording and now and it can be uploaded and shared by all. For such an interesting unique and important band it's disappointing that there is no footage or recordings available of them on their Uk tour. I agree with you that Stewart is truly one of the greats. Glad his talents were recorded and can still be enjoyed by all. Do you have any names for the songs I couldn't name in the description ???
Robert Caffrey
21:25 - I’ve Changed Hotels
29:00 - Make It Precious
@@ConAlma97 Thanks ever so much for your help with naming the songs, they have been updated and now all tracks are listed. :-)
Stewart had a Jonathan Richman like quality to his speaking voice.
Just managed to grab a 1st US pressing of Tremble Under Boom Lights on wax. Such a great band they were 👌
Yeah really something special. I hope you enjoyed the London Garage Gig. I like the Memory Clinic stuff, is that your band ???
@@robertcaffrey6097 I absolutely loved listening to it. I've been listening to it repeatedly all day 😅 Yes they are/were. Use to play few years ago!
@@letmetellyalilstory9122 I like the Memory Clinic stuff good band you deserve a big audience. Good vocals and melodies....
@@robertcaffrey6097 Thanks man. That's much appreciated!
@@letmetellyalilstory9122 Youre welcome, you deserve the compliment. I am a musician myself and know a good tune when I hear it. These are a couple of links to stuff i played on and produced. Maybe not your thing but worth a listen. czcams.com/video/71LcRSsRcpY/video.html czcams.com/video/5bNWO8sLD7I/video.html
Fantástico, excelente poder disfrutar de un concierto de JFE aun sin haber estado en el. Saludos desde Colombia
muchas gracias, estoy feliz de que hayas disfrutado del video y el concierto. Viva Columbia.
Thanks for the upload, real old skool style recording. Brilliant.
And the details of your night were a pleasure to read, especially as I saw JF*E five times in total during the couple of U.K. tours they played. I was absolutely mesmerised by them, like nothing I’d ever heard before, dark, brooding with a sinister carnival voodoo vibe to every song they played. I even blagged my way into their dressing room, they looked shit scared of the fat northern bloke talking shit. Made my own JF*E T-Shirts too, contacted their NYC manager, he was complaining about the problems he was having with his teeth!!! Christ I adored this band. So sad how things turned out, but Stuart Lupton burned brightly for a whirl.
The Rhythm, The Rebel, The Treble...
Thanks again, peace and love.
Count Dante thanks ever so much for looking, listening and taking the time to write your great comment recalling your memories of seeing and experiencing JFE, fair play to you for going back stage and chatting with the band I always regret not doing so myself that night at the Garage gig. Yeah very sad the way things turned out but some one off people burn so bright it's a shooting star experience. Peace and love to you also and thanks again for stopping by.
@@robertcaffrey6097 No problem, it was a pleasure to read of your experiences. I think JF*E stuck with a lot of people, and, although they never reached the heights of many more, much inferior bands, their lack of stratospheric success and their failure to follow the mainstream path, made them mean so much more to the people who witnessed them. I don’t know if you ever caught ‘The Childballads’ but it was the next project. The Walkmans first album is fantastic too. Like a pissed up, tired JF*E playing ballads in a dusty old pub.
As an aside, I produce a fanzine and in the last episode I wrote a piece on JF*E and also included a lovely piece by a NYC journalist who followed JF*E from the early NYC days. Post me your email and I’ll send you a link for the PDF.
Peace
@@thehumblegent I am familiar with some of the Childballads stuff and agree that the Walkmen early stuff is quality. JFE were something uniquely special and were without doubt destined for greatness but I sometimes think that greatness wouldve diluted their integrity, after all, prosperity has a tendency to ruin the soul. They reached that greatness with those who discovered them and could see it was real.
What is the name of your Fanzine/ it sounds very interesting. I would very much like to read the articles you mentioned.......
Keep on keeping on.
@@robertcaffrey6097 You can edit your post and remove the email now mate, I’ve copied it. I’ll email you in a bit. Peace
@@thehumblegent Good man Mr Dante. :-)
Some of the most underground shit you will ever come across on CZcams
I'm hoping you mean that you enjoyed the vid :-)
Thanks for posting this! Which venue out of interest?
Hi thanks for watching, I hope you enjoyed it. The venue was The Garage in Islington London. I thought I had included details of the venue itself in the description. @ 0.07 there is an image of the actual ticket for the gig.
@@robertcaffrey6097 Love that venue. Seen some great gigs and played it a few times.
@@tabletop77 Yeah I agree a great venue , and I also attended some great gigs there..