The band Life Support was one of the reasons Deadbeat started, the others were to get into clubs, gigs and get free records. Get a fanzine plug the band a very simple concept. After we interviewed Roddy Frame in issue 5 the Band got dumped. Hilary's drawing of Siouxsie Sioux for issue 6 was outrageously good and the fanzine was bigger than the band who became affectionately known as Vile Rapport, a much better name I'm sure you would agree than Life Support. That was quick. Simple as that. Practices were abandoned in favour of visits to the Dance Factory, and the stationery shops for white letraset. The band continued and as blots on the St Andrews and Dundee landscape go, Vile Rapport were a big one and we enjoyed every minute. The band had many different drummers and guitar players but the Fat duo of Al 'make up the lyrics at each gig as ah see fit' and Si 'spitting, splattering and battering the bass ' to "The Penny Drops as the Mushroom Rises". When the single was finally released in 1984 the public were delighted to find they received 99p back in change every time they bought one.
Ironically when Tucker joined the band on guitar they had the potential to record something reasonable so they split up in 1986 around the same time as Deadbeat disintegrated. Nothing like a wedding to spoil a party!
So 25 years later in St Andrews to celebrate the demise of both Life Support and Deadbeat we'll be meeting with Dr Jim Salisbury to listen to his stories about being 50 and managing the band all those years ago. The interview was simple. Do you have a car? You'll be our manager then. When we drove down to JJJs in Galashiels Jim was also adept at being the debt collector as our dubious club owner decided we weren't worth a penny, something we'd told him before we left St Andrews. It was a an excellent gig by our standards but when one old geezer asked for the band's P.A. to be turned down so he could hear the racing commentary from the Craven Stakes, we knew we were toast. We've yet to find the venue or who'll be supporting us, but it'll appear hear by September 2011.
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| Not many bands gave 99p change from a £1 - we did!! |
