Reading 1976 – Something Better Change

The 1976 Reading Rock Festival. A bit hazy this one. Who did I go with?

Looking at the line-up there are a lot of names I don’t recognise, so there were a lot of small-time acts who didn’t hang around for too long.

http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/reading-76.html

However, there were two acts here that I would never forget. I already had a burgeoning love of reggae, but was really only aware of the more commercial hit songs from the late sixties onwards, stuff like Susan Cadogan’s ‘Hurt So Good’; Desmond Dekker; Bob Marley; The Pioneers’ ‘Long Shot’; Harry J. Allstars’ ‘Liquidator’; Dave & Ansel Collins’ ‘Double Barrel’ etc. 

The Liquidator:

No Woman No Cry:

To see U-Roy & The Mighty Diamonds (still one of my all-time favourite bands) should have been a treat. And there they were, both down for Friday appearances.

The Right Time:

Their music was great – but this soon became irrelevant as both acts were ruined by mindless racism – chanting, can throwing, booing. This was an eye-opener for me – a realisation that there were a lot of ignorant fuckwits in the crowd who were, evidently, narrow-minded racists. And  what some of these ‘music fans’ appeared to want was self-indulgent twaddle. It was time for change, and, to misquote Sam Cooke, and to completely misappropriate the message behind this song...A change was gonna come:



Huge apologies for this - but it's an excuse to play this wonderful 1964 song, a clarion call for the Civil Rights Movement: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Change_Is_Gonna_Come 

Ok, a more appropriate tune and, for good measure, here’s The Stranglers’ ‘Something Better Change’:

Incidentally, I vividly remember walking  into a record shop in Wellington, Somerset in 1977 and hearing The Stranglers’ song ‘Peaches’ – it was so different from anything I’d heard before (although they sometimes sound a bit Doorsish): catchy, edgy and with that trademark Burnel bubbling bass -  time to stop playing Hotel California and go and buy ‘Rattus Norvegicus’:

Here’s ‘Hanging Around’:

For me change couldn’t come sooner. Bob Marley had globalised and popularised reggae but the majority of this audience were not only not ready for it, they were also openly aggressive about its appearance at their beloved ‘rock’ festival. However, and thank goodness, the next few years’ line-ups would see the introduction of new wave and punk bands. It would soon be time for a punky reggae party:

Bob Marley:

The only band name that could be linked with the new wave at this festival was Eddie & The Hot Rods, although they were still a pub rock band at this time – more about them next time.

Big names at this festival were Gong, Rory Gallagher, Manfred Mann, Camel & Ted Nugent. The ones that I was familiar with and enjoyed were Rory Gallagher (can’t go wrong with the blues! – here’s ‘Too Much Alcohol’):

 ...and Manfred Mann (Manfred Mann’s Earthband’s album ‘Solar Fire’ was a particular favourite) and The Sutherland Brothers (they wrote Rod Stewart’s ‘Sailing’ hit, were a bit drippy but I had a soft spot for them. God knows why!):

.Blinded By The Light (written by Bruce Springsteen):

A year later this festival would get a little more interesting...