The original 1st verse
of the 1979 demo of Energy Crisis includes the prophetic lines: (from 38 secs)
OIL INFLATION SPIRALS
DEPRESSION TAKES A HOLD
CONSTANT WORLD RECESSION
OUT OF OUR CONTROL
uploaded onto YouTube
October 31, 2006
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=tGcSrBzELIY
I had only been playing
with bassist Jim Solar (credited as Alpha Scanner) and Mark Coalfield (piano)
since January 1979. We had sacked the 1st ENERGI guitarist Pete Hyde as he couldn't
play outside the rock'n'roll/blues structure and hated punk. We then recorded
a demo with a chap I knew who liked The Stranglers called Glen, As he reminded
me of Rem in the TV series Logan's Run so we called him Rem Radium.
It was this drummerless demo that we sent to John Peel and John Walters that got
us the session.
We hatched a policy that we would never turn down a gig (or a radio session) because
we were short of a player. When we got the session we had already sacked Rem Radium
because he was not up front enough so Jim suggested a chap called Paul who we
called Paul Guest but we still hadn't found a drummer but we'd do it without one.
It was my second session so I knew what was required. It was a sunny Maida Wale
when we arrived at the studios around 11am. Both Paul and I liked a beer but Paul
seemed more thirsty than anyone else. We started off in a workman like fashion.
European Heroes
Here I was at my most Joe Strummer influenced and my young and naive kinda way
I try to have a pop at terrorism and how our freedoms are eroded as a consequence
of terrorist's actions.
Energy Crisis
My first green environmentalist song of 1979:
POISONING GASES TEARING UP THE SKY
DISRUPTION OF WEATHER CAUSING US TO FRY
BURNING RADIATION SEVEN MILES HIGH
CANCER TISSUES FORMING 'CAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO DIE
WHEN THE OZONE LAYER IS GONE
WE WILL HAVE TO RUN FROM THE SUN
THE HUMAN RACE IS ONLY SAFE AT NIGHT
WHEN THE ATMOSPHERE AND TEMPERATURE'S RIGHT
http://www.spizzenergi.com/spizz/ssenergy.html
Prophetic eh? No one was listening then either.
Soldier Soldier
Again some of the Strummeresque passion is poured into this one. The screams are
by me and people couldn't believe a young man could scream so high! I think the
percussive style of Marks keyboard playing makes up for the absence of drums and
so my decision to go ahead without drums was the right one.
Paul was becoming progressively worse for the drink and his timing was shoddy
so because I was giving everything for every take my voice was becoming a little
hoarse (not a gee gee, no like sore).
Life's So Safe
Peelie followed this track saying "A classically inaccurate title."
I wrote this as I was fed up of scaremongers (of which I apparnetly am one too)
and so I saying Life's So Safe like on the cosy TV soap "The Cedar Tree",
or Radio One, or John Peel, or Solihull from where I sprang.
Needless to say we had to let Paul go as he drank more than me and not in a good
way. There was only one thing we could do... Pete Petrol returned in time for
the first Rough Trade package tour with all girl band Kleenex and all girl band
The Raincoats. Spizzenergi on tour with 8 girls!! However our excitement bubble
burst on day one...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
spizzenergi.com presents:
Indie Casino @ Inn On The Green, Portobello Green
SPIZZENERGI & very special guests THE PRISCILLAS
Thursday 16th October: Doors 8pm Ticket £10
Inn On The Green 3-5 Thorpe Close London W10 5XL
http://www.iotg.co.uk
THE PRISCILLAS on stage 9pm
http://www.myspace.com/thepriscillas
SPIZZENERGI on stage 10:10pm
http://www.myspace.com/spizzenergi