UK Subs, Blitzkrieg, JMT, 4Q @ Planet X, Liverpool

(from 4Q Diaries) –

The band turned up at this gig after Charlie Harper of the UK Subs said that if they turned up he’d let them play. The promoter; in Neil’s words; ‘a right cocky scouse twat,’ wasn’t having any of it & told 4Q to leave the building & queue up with everyone else to pay to get into the gig. Fair play to Charlie Harper, he told the promoter that if 4Q couldn’t play then neither would the UK Subs. The promoter agreed but gave 4Q five minutes to set up & play.
The set up at Planet X was that the stage was in the cellar & the punters beforehand drank & waited in the bar upstairs. 4Q were quite disappointed at the prospect of playing to nobody but we were all extremely surprised when hoardes of punks rushed downstairs and up to the stage once the band ripped into their 1st song. It was probably the best gig to date, not musically as Paul wasn’t keeping time very well, but the band went down a storm, 100% manic in front of 300 pogoing punk rockers.

Someone said that the only difference between Captain Sensible & Neil was that the Captain is a wanker. Blitzkrieg reckoned 4Q sounded like an early Disorder. JMT went on next, a local band with no local following & after one song everyone trudged back upstairs to wait for the 2 main bands.
Blitzkrieg were ace, I used to write to guitarist Gaz Sumner when I was an ardent teenage collector of No Future Records, so it was ace to see them for the first time. The singer, Spike was an excellent frontman, very quick witted and didn’t take any shit from anyone.
UK Subs were spot on, full of energy. The bassist Flea was leaping about like a chimp on whizz – fuck me they were fast! With some of the songs you had to concentrate to recognise them due to the speed of them!

The promoter, Kenny actually gave 4Q £5 for their troubles, which was probably the most we ever got paid!!