Rock Spot:Thoughts on A Musical Adventure in Manchester
By WTJU Rock
DJ Fontana Mercury recently returned from an eye opening trip to the UK.
I recently interviewed Alan Hempsall, a famous rock musician of Manchester’s (UK) legendary Factory Records. Alan was in a band with Graham Massey (later of 808 State), formed post-punk group called Crispy Ambulance, and currently performs as Scissorgun with Dave Clarkson. As exaggeratedly documented in Anton Corbijn’s 2007 film Control[1], Alan performed at a storied gig in early 1980, at Derby Hall in Bury, UK, which resulted in a riot when he stood in for Ian Curtis singing with Joy Division. Alan was meant to sing “Digital” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, but when Ian walked off the stage and Alan replaced him, a riot broke out in the confusion. The audience started pelting them[2] with glass bottles. The chaos and mayhem led to them hiding out in their dressing room. Hooky ended up going back out in the crowd looking for a fight and had to be physically restrained by Tony Wilson.
Doing this interview with Alan reaffirmed my belief in the value of preserving music history through the tradition of oral stories passed down from the people who were there. Being able to hear Alan’s story of how it all really went down made me feel like I was there. And that was very special!
It also reaffirmed my belief that the only way to know what you know is real, is by talking one on one with the people who lived it. It made me realize how wrong AI is, how dangerous algorithms telling us what to listen to really is, and how information now is skewed for people believing what they want to believe, not necessarily the truth. Granted, in the movies, the legend or the myth is usually more entertaining than how it actually happened, but to hear how it all really went down made me feel like I was there. And that is special. It can’t be replaced.
The next time you’re feeling disconnected, untethered, or lacking in the joyful light of togetherness through music, go out to a gig of a band you’ve never heard of. Talk to the people there. Talk about music and life. Share stories. Maybe write a song or form your own band the next day. Keep it going. Pick up the phone. Go out and meet up.
Music as an artform will never go away—but the way it is created, disseminated, appreciated is changing in a way that is not necessarily positive, and its raw, organic, from-the-heart creation is what is at stake with the commercialization of what seems like EVERYTHING these days. This is why we at WTJU are so passionate about preserving FM radio as a free form of discovery of new music and learning about the old. Preserving musical history, educating and entertaining. Hosting free, live gigs encouraging community involvement.
[1] Anton Corbijn’s 2007 film Control, about the life of Ian Curtis, legendary frontman for Joy Division, and pioneering mind and spirit of most alternative rock and roll to come; ask most bands today, and I’m willing to bet most of them name Joy Division as an influence).
[1] Terry and Twinnie (mates and roadies for the band) and Tony Wilson (TV presenter who founded Factory Records with Alan Erasmus) along with Peter Hook (Hooky), Bernard Sumner (Barney), and Stephen Morris.
DJ Fontana Mercury is one of the Carry the Zero hosts broadcast on Thursdays from 2-4pm.
If you have something to say, some great gig to report on or just fancy putting pen to paper since you haven’t done that in a while, send articles for the Rock Spot to anniedeblanco@gmail.com
