ECT … LIVE HEAVY METAL ON CHANNEL 4 – A NEW BLOG SERIES


In the spring of 1985, UK television was subject to something extremely unusual… just over 2 months of live heavy metal.. each and every week on channel 4.

In those days of 4 tv channels only this was a big deal for metalheads and probably still to this date represents the greatest coverage ever of Hard Rock music on terrestrial television.

Critics would say the format could have been better. In the days of music videos taking over the world magazines such as Kerrang suggested this would have shown metal in a better light.

However the show created its own historical moment in metal time - and for two months, live heavy rock took over Channel 4 on Friday afternoons.

I had the pleasure of attending one of the broadcasts (more on that in a later instalment) and was glued to every bonkers episode, but first off let’s go back to the very beginning and you can watch it all here (via YouTube videos).....

 

ECT – EPISODE 1 – 12th APRIL 1985 – MOTORHEAD, LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH, MAGNUM, MADAM X

 
Off we go >>>>> live on channel 4 (yes it was actually live not pre-recorded) and opening two months of metal mayhem were ….

…MOTORHEAD

Dressed in suits, the then 4 piece got things off in style with Nothin Up My Sleeve, Bomber and Mean Machine !!!

Here we go boys! :



One of my favourite bands in the whole world were on the first show - THE LORDS OF THE NEW CHURCH. Dark swaggering and mysterious The Lords were in top form and Stiv's prophetic drug joke in between songs must have set pulses racing at Channel 4. Prophetic because Stiv always had a taste for indulgence and he physically deteriorated massively over the next few years. Anyway enjoy The Lords at their peak...




Next up were MAGNUM who had the dubious honour of appearing twice on the show, both in the first and the last episode. Heading for soon to be chart success and promoting their new well reviewed album ‘On A Storyteller’s Night’, Magnum were definitely favourites of rock critics and fans in 1985..

Here’s MAGNUM’s performance – How Far Jerusalem and Just Like An Arrow  :
 
 

Bizarrely headlining, but a big thrill for me were short lived American glamsters MADAM X. I loved their album ‘We Reserve The Right’ and MADAM X arrived in the UK high kicking and rocking with this stomping live performance! If only bands were half as mad these days.

On vocals was Bret Kaiser who had really glammed himself up for the occasion after his rather drab look on the album cover (he’s on the right below and yes just loooook at the bass player second on the left!)



Bret left the band a short while later and he was replaced with a similar vocal style screamer. A guy by the name of Sebastian Bach… sadly I don’t think MADAM X ever recorded with him.

Anyway enjoy the fun! Songs are High In High School and Come One, Come All

You’re Hiiiiiiigh…..

 


And that was episode 1 of ECT – metal fans rejoice, back with episode 2 soon!!!
 
 
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