Demon - Blacksmith’s Arms Kingsley Holt 3rd September 2011
Paul Hume
Setlist: Liar / The Plague / Wonderland / Blue Skies in Red Square-Commercial Dynamite / Sign of a Madman / The Spell / Blackheath /Remembrance Day / Night of the Demon / Into the Nightmare / Standing on the Edge of the World Life on the Wire / Don’t Break the Circle // One Helluva Night
May 23rd 2000.
After twenty years of being a fan, May 23rd 2000 was the first time I saw Demon live. Since then, I have seen them on numerous occasions – I figure it’s about thirty times - and have taken photos and written a review of almost every one. That’s a lot of photos and reviews of the same band playing, largely, the same set! I have been to rehearsals, joined them in the recording studio, travelled to overseas gigs with them, created artwork for the CDs and DVDs, designed t-shirts and posters, and I even made a documentary film. I, probably, have the most complete digital archive of Demon memorabilia, stories, photos, artwork, anecdotes, cuttings, and ‘stuff’ of anyone on the planet. Yet, as I write this line, I have no idea what the next paragraph will say.
Ray Walmsley
Later…
You know what? I really didn’t know what to write. For me, the problem is that what can I say about Demon that I haven’t said before? No, this isn’t going to be one of those mid-season, dream sequence reviews, where I get hit on the head and have a series of flashbacks’ (although that does give me an idea). I’ve never made any secret of my friendship with the band, or the stuff I’ve done for them. I have always tried to be objective and honest though.
Yeah, we see what you’re up to, O, God of Thunder! You’re just waffling and padding out the review, aren’t you?
Only partly, Sparky. Only partly.
The last Demon review I wrote was from the 2010 Leek Arts Festival performance. Whilst the band was in fine form, various factors would soon conspire to make the future uncertain – nothing new to Team Demon. Nevertheless, it did seem as if that could turn out to be Demon’s swansong gig.
You know what? I really didn’t know what to write. For me, the problem is that what can I say about Demon that I haven’t said before? No, this isn’t going to be one of those mid-season, dream sequence reviews, where I get hit on the head and have a series of flashbacks’ (although that does give me an idea). I’ve never made any secret of my friendship with the band, or the stuff I’ve done for them. I have always tried to be objective and honest though.
Yeah, we see what you’re up to, O, God of Thunder! You’re just waffling and padding out the review, aren’t you?
Only partly, Sparky. Only partly.
The last Demon review I wrote was from the 2010 Leek Arts Festival performance. Whilst the band was in fine form, various factors would soon conspire to make the future uncertain – nothing new to Team Demon. Nevertheless, it did seem as if that could turn out to be Demon’s swansong gig.
Fazza
Towards the end of last year, a new CD was in the pipeline (and, from what I heard in the studio, it will rock your socks off).
Ray Walmsley, then, announced that he was leaving the band to work on some other projects. Paul Hume took over that guitar role.
Then, Andy Dale left. Paul Fasker Johnson was brought in to lay down the bass parts.
In spite of 50% of the band being called Paul, it looked like a solid line up was a distinct possibility. A 2011 Leek Arts Festival gig was arranged, but problems with the venue and insufficient rehearsal time with the new line up led to the gig being cancelled.
This gig, at The Blacksmith’s Arms, in Kinglsey Holt, near Stoke, was arranged and the UK fans would, finally, get their first chance to see this latest incarnation of Demon.
Yeah. Hang on there. Before you get your Man Spanx in a bunch, this is Demon. If everything was that easy, you would have been standing by a race track in Leicestershire, in early June, watching this band. Sadly, in spite of his best efforts, Fasker was unable to get to rehearsal and the gig. So who offered to fill in, on bass? Yes, of course, Mrs Walmsley’s little boy!
It wasn’t what I was expecting, I can tell you that.
Ray Walmsley, then, announced that he was leaving the band to work on some other projects. Paul Hume took over that guitar role.
Then, Andy Dale left. Paul Fasker Johnson was brought in to lay down the bass parts.
In spite of 50% of the band being called Paul, it looked like a solid line up was a distinct possibility. A 2011 Leek Arts Festival gig was arranged, but problems with the venue and insufficient rehearsal time with the new line up led to the gig being cancelled.
This gig, at The Blacksmith’s Arms, in Kinglsey Holt, near Stoke, was arranged and the UK fans would, finally, get their first chance to see this latest incarnation of Demon.
Yeah. Hang on there. Before you get your Man Spanx in a bunch, this is Demon. If everything was that easy, you would have been standing by a race track in Leicestershire, in early June, watching this band. Sadly, in spite of his best efforts, Fasker was unable to get to rehearsal and the gig. So who offered to fill in, on bass? Yes, of course, Mrs Walmsley’s little boy!
It wasn’t what I was expecting, I can tell you that.
Mr Cotterill's magic fingers...
Later still…
This has been an odd review to write so, you have probably given up on it now anyway. My main problem was finding an angle to hang it all on. Thirty-something reviews and I’ve said everything I can think of about Demon. Or, have I? The more I have thought about it, the more puzzled I have become. Quite frankly, I thought I may have to just give up. The review would read:
Demon played a set of classic tracks from the back catalogue, pleasing the fans greatly, and acquitting themselves admirably.
That’s not my style though. My problem is that the statement is only partly true. Demon did do a set of classics from their back catalogue and, unless you are a complete muppet, you would be hard-pressed to be disappointed with songs like Sign of a Madman, The Plague, Wonderland, Remembrance Day, and so on. It wasn’t perfect; there were a few technical issues. The sound on stage was tricky (it was fine out front) and, although they had rehearsed, there were a couple of minor cock-ups. After a few more live performances these minor issues will disappear and everyone will be on the same page.
What mattered most to me was how the band played together. Since that first line-up I saw, the only member of the band that is the same is, the one man who has been there since the beginning, Dave Hill. Even since I saw the band a year ago the line up is 50% different. This was an entirely different band, in effect.
This has been an odd review to write so, you have probably given up on it now anyway. My main problem was finding an angle to hang it all on. Thirty-something reviews and I’ve said everything I can think of about Demon. Or, have I? The more I have thought about it, the more puzzled I have become. Quite frankly, I thought I may have to just give up. The review would read:
Demon played a set of classic tracks from the back catalogue, pleasing the fans greatly, and acquitting themselves admirably.
That’s not my style though. My problem is that the statement is only partly true. Demon did do a set of classics from their back catalogue and, unless you are a complete muppet, you would be hard-pressed to be disappointed with songs like Sign of a Madman, The Plague, Wonderland, Remembrance Day, and so on. It wasn’t perfect; there were a few technical issues. The sound on stage was tricky (it was fine out front) and, although they had rehearsed, there were a couple of minor cock-ups. After a few more live performances these minor issues will disappear and everyone will be on the same page.
What mattered most to me was how the band played together. Since that first line-up I saw, the only member of the band that is the same is, the one man who has been there since the beginning, Dave Hill. Even since I saw the band a year ago the line up is 50% different. This was an entirely different band, in effect.
I had no idea what to expect. Ray and Dave Cotterill had worked so well as a tag team on guitars and Andy was the only [live] bass sound I knew in Demon. With Neil, Dave and Fazza, I knew the score. My big problem was Paul Hume. I know the guy is a good player but, let’s face it, he had a Herculean task to overcome. He joins the band as they are recording the new CD, is working in the studio mixing it, and has to learn twenty-or-so tracks for the live set. He was taking over from Ray, who had ten years worth of playing in the band and, who was now stood just across the stage, playing bass.
No word of a lie, people, I feared the worst. As much as I love this band, I thought that it was going to be a dog’s breakfast.
I almost put my camera away when the leader tape suddenly went off: ‘Oh, oh, I thought. It’s going to be one of those gigs!’ Then, something happened and you could have knocked me down with a 20lb sledgehammer: it sounded pretty, pretty, pretttttty good.
Paul’s guitar sound really lent a heavy edge to the sound that made me pay attention and Ray’s bass playing was right on the money. Mr Cotterill, well, he was just his usual self and you got to love the way he plays. Mr Ogden and Mr Hill were right where you would expect them to be (behind a drum kit and trying not to destroy a microphone, respectively.) One big bonus for me was that I actually did manage to take a couple of pics of Fazza that were in focus, which I think is a first for me; light seems to behave strangely around him.
No word of a lie, people, I feared the worst. As much as I love this band, I thought that it was going to be a dog’s breakfast.
I almost put my camera away when the leader tape suddenly went off: ‘Oh, oh, I thought. It’s going to be one of those gigs!’ Then, something happened and you could have knocked me down with a 20lb sledgehammer: it sounded pretty, pretty, pretttttty good.
Paul’s guitar sound really lent a heavy edge to the sound that made me pay attention and Ray’s bass playing was right on the money. Mr Cotterill, well, he was just his usual self and you got to love the way he plays. Mr Ogden and Mr Hill were right where you would expect them to be (behind a drum kit and trying not to destroy a microphone, respectively.) One big bonus for me was that I actually did manage to take a couple of pics of Fazza that were in focus, which I think is a first for me; light seems to behave strangely around him.
I liked the fact that the setlist which, whilst keeping all the tunes you want to hear, had been shifted about a bit. Starting with Liar, for example, that was refreshing and it was heavier than I’ve heard it before and it did kick the gig off with quite a punch in the face. Then, The Plague, Wonderland, The Spell, all had a (for want of a better word) grunt which did make me take note and wonder why I hadn’t heard that before. It was nice to hear Night of the Demon and Into the Nightmare midway through the set too, it makes them stand out. When they were used as openers, you kind of knew what to expect and I had to keep taking a crafty look at Ray’s setlist to see what was up next.
Any new line-up takes time to gel and this one wasn’t perfect. However, you can see the potential is there and all it needs is a little bit more rehearsal, work a couple of new tracks in there and get a few gigs under their belts and this band will be a hard act for anyone to follow (although I’d advise Fazza against pulling a Jerry Lee Lewis before Chuck Berry performed).
There you have it, my faithful followers. Just when you thought it was all going Pete Tong
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
5th September 2011
Any new line-up takes time to gel and this one wasn’t perfect. However, you can see the potential is there and all it needs is a little bit more rehearsal, work a couple of new tracks in there and get a few gigs under their belts and this band will be a hard act for anyone to follow (although I’d advise Fazza against pulling a Jerry Lee Lewis before Chuck Berry performed).
There you have it, my faithful followers. Just when you thought it was all going Pete Tong
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
5th September 2011