So this was Sigue Sigue Sputnik's first UK show of 2003, a short guest appearance at the electrogogo night at Madam Jo Jo's, a small Soho based club in London which has been used for certain scenes in Eyes Wide Shut and A Clockwork Orange (so I'm told). Sputnik's last UK gig had been quite a lacklustre show so it with a feeling of apprehension that I travelled down for this show with SputnikFred and the Sputnik Biker. Having worked our way around the various London Underground problems we finally settled into The White Horse, a rather charming little pub within spitting distance of the venue where we were eventually joined by Miss T and then Penny and Barry.

We entered the venue shortly after the doors opened. Quite a few people were already there and many more were to follow. The band had set up the merchandise next to the bar!!! and the whole of Sonic State were there watching over it. We spotted many a familiar face in the crowd and spent ages catching up with people as the stage area was prepared for the arrival of the Sputnik's. The stage area was set down a level from the bar and seating area so the choice was either to be right at the front of the stage looking up or looking down from above. That was an easy choice, there's no place to be other than the front row at a Sigue Sigue gig, well for me at least.

10' o clock, the advertised time SSS were due to take to the stage came and went, still the DJ played his electropop until finally the clockwork intro boomed out and we descended to the stage area to take our rightful place down the front. The Sputnik's looked the bollocks (Norfolk slang for shit hot) as soon as they appeared. Tony sleek and thin as ever clad in black leather and high heals, Neal also in black with silver hair and loads of face make up (evidence of the many sleepless nights fatherhood brings perhaps?), Jenny at the back with Ultra Real top and dark glasses. Finally and best of all Mr Degville with canvas trousers, sting vest (showing signs of a bit of a middle age spread I thought although obviously nowhere near the size of mine!!!!), studded belt with playing cards, feathered coat and hat, funky gloves, high heals and blacked out eyes with bright contacts. He looked fuckin' superb. With no delay they launched into what we already knew was gonna be a short set. The set list went like this.

THE KING OF ROCK N ROLL
21ST CENTURY BOY
EVERYBODY WANTS WHAT SPUTNIK WANTS
JAYNE MANSFIELD
LOVE MISSILE F1-11 (with Sympathy For The Devil)
MICKEY MOUSE IS GOING TO HELL
EVERYBODY LOVES U

If you take the SSS discography at face value regarding Jayne Mansfield being on Dress For Excess the Sputnik's spanned all their studio albums during this set. They have never looked or sounded better since their live rebirth in 2000. This show went far and beyond the Garage performance last December and just show's what they are capable of. Me and aNNIe did have Martin's genitalia thrust in our faces on several occasions which was, well I dunno really kinda fun I suppose. Martin had several ideas as too what could be done with this part of his anatomy, especially to the guy at the back who yelled out for a "fucking pop song with a tune". This show gave the band the chance to come out and play whatever they liked, no set list to adhere too, the crowd picked the final song of the main set when asked what we wanted we replied (almost unanimously apart from the ever present request for Hack Attack) Mickey Mouse. Interestingly Neal did suggest that if we hummed Hack Attack they'd play it. Technically everything seemed fine, a slight delay starting Everybody Wants What Sputnik Wants (or Degville wants as he insisted we all sang), Deg's also knocked out Neal's guitar lead a couple of times which caused no problems and added to the genuine sense of fun onstage.

After Mickey Mouse they were gone but were called back for one more song. I was a bit disappointed that they chose Everybody Loves U, as usual Martin changed the words around and added a few "fuck with you's" for good measure but ultimately his proclamation of "I wanna wank like you" caused a great laugh amongst us, especially between myself and Pen.

After this they really were gone. I had a quick chat to Tony and Jenny. Tony spoke of his imminent DJ set which unfortunately I was unable to stay for, which was due to include his recent collaboration with Mick Jones. We also spoke of the sales figure's for Ultra Real and he said that it has sold more copies than Pirate Space did in it's first few months, which is encouraging. The forthcoming Generation X box set was also mentioned although he wasn't too keen to speak of this!! Jenny was well and looking forward to a possible forthcoming SSS show in Brighton (roll on!!!) and of course her continuing endeavours with Sonic State (cute drummer by the way).

And then we left and ended up on the night bus trundling our way through East London in the wee small hours, a true experience of a lifetime.

Penny has been lucky, a Sputnik gig almost on her birthday for two years running now. This must have been a mighty fine present for her from the band, it's a gig I ain't forget for a very very long time.

With much love to all of you who were there.

SHE WAS STILL BLONDE AT THIS ONE TOO!!!! ME AND OUR ANNIE

HER HAT WAS BETTER THAN MINE, ME AND T

THE NIGHT I MET LYNN FOR THE FIRST TIME

ANOTHER ONE WITH MISS T

THE SWAMPIES DOWN THE PUB BEFORE THE GIG

TICKET