Pauline Murray/John Cooper Clarke
Newcastle
John Cooper Clarke has the whimsical air of a man who reckons himself lucky to be getting away with it, as though one day the jig will be up and he'll be told to sling his hook, pack up his carrier bag and go. With an attitude like that, it's impossible not to warm to him.
Given the full stage backing of the Invisible Girls for the first time (including Martin Hannett seemingly making up guitar fills on the spot like a degenerate, seated, chain-smoking Segovia), Clarke isn't at all phased by the plush complexity of what's happening around him. He could probably rattle off his poetry backed by any bunch of musicians from the Royal Philharmonic to the Plasmatics.
Instead of ice cream or bingo, the interval was taken up by Honourary Girl, Vini Reilly, (aka Durutti Column) playing overly sweet, intelligent musak too loud. This was in preparation for the return of the slightly altered Girls line-up (No Hannett and Robert Blamire taking over on bass) this time for the near as dammit home town debut of the 'solo' Pauline Murray.
The set consisted of all the new Illusive album, with a couple of songs played twice as encores. The material is sweet and pleasant and appealing, with lots of repetition. 'When Will We Learn' could have been written by Benny and Bjorn with its synthesised strings and poppy hook line. The way that it and most of the other songs are arranged are in general less direct, less to the heart of the matter than Penetration were. Because it's the same band on stage as on the record (bar a substitute of drummers) the two performances are very close, and also very Martin Hannetty.
The latent power pop is diffused by the trebly weirdness of the Girls and the set up is jarringly reminiscent of the Phil Spector philosophy of artist playing second banana to the producer: Which is not to take anything away from Hannett as he's obviously got his finger on some sort of pulse, but whether it's the most sympathetic environment for Pauline is another matter.
Towards the end of the set Pauline said she's really pleased that no one has shouted for anything by Penetration. In this sort of transitional stage between old and new, the greater majority of attendees are going to be old fans, there because it's Pauline and Robert from Penetration, rather than because of the new material, so while no one wants to see Pauline singing 'Don't Dictate' till she's 65, completely denying the past does reek a little of artistic snobbery. 'Movement' or some of the other Murray/Blamire Penetration songs wouldn't have been out of context. If there's strength in the present, there's no need to pretend that what's gone before doesn't exist.
Live review by Ian Ravendale
Sounds 11 October 1980
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