PUB ROCK WE’LL DRINK TO THAT!

Chas De Whalley celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Naughty Rhythms tour, which took pub rock to the nation, made stars of Dr Feelgood... and paved the way for punk

‘Watch Out! First Time Ever! Non-Stop Real Music Coming Your Way At 1000 Smiles An Hour!’

That was the headline across the top of the full page ad which appeared in the music papers in January 1975 announcing the Naughty Rhythms Tour to the world. Beneath it in bold were the names of Dr. Feelgood, Kokomo and Chilli Willi – three top-flight London pub rock bands itching to break out of the bars and into the big time by braving some of the largest concert venues in the country.

Back then, places like Birmingham Town Hall, London’s Rainbow Theatre and Leicester’s venerable De Montfort Hall were where rock fans would expect to see well-established singles and album acts such as Mott The Hoople, Slade, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath on their regular jaunts round the UK. But could a bunch of newcomers, without a hit record between them, expect to attract the 2,000-odd bums on seats needed to sell out those hallowed halls?

Andrew Jakeman thought they could. RC readers of a certain age are more likely to recognise Jakeman as the fast-talking and frighteningly ambitious JAKE RIVIERA, soon to be immortalised as co-founder of Stiff Records and Machiavellian manager of Elvis Costello And The Attractions. Late in 1974, Jake was looking after Chilli Willi And The Red Hot Peppers and desperately …

by Chas De Whalley
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