Also in 1978, MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer was released from prison after a drug conviction, and he was invited by Mick Farren to celebrate by performing at a gig at Dingwalls Dancehall that was run by former Pink Fairies roadie David “Boss” Goodman. To my knowledge, this is the first time (chronologically) that past UARA Andy Colquhoun (guitar) performed with Mick Farren. Others present include Larry Wallis (guitar) and George Butler (drums). This concert helped revive Wayne Kramer’s musical career; he has released several more albums over the years and has also appeared in concert with Mick Farren on other occasions.
The tape was thought to be lost for many years but later turned up in a box, marked “Dingwalls”; and several tracks from the show were released by Total Energy Records on a 2000 CD called Cocaine Blues 1974-1978 with an artist name of Wayne Kramer & the Pink Fairies. This is somewhat misleading, as the concert was actually circa March 1979, and only Larry Wallis had ever performed as part of the Pink Fairies at that point in time. The complete tape of the concert was released as Wayne Kramer – Live at Dingwalls 1979 on Captain Trip Records in 2001; I don’t have this CD as yet.
Other than a song about oral sex that is a little hard to take, Cocaine Blues is quite good and features renditions of the MC5 classics “Ramblin’ Rose” and “Kick out the Jams”.
(March 2014/1)
