[Music] The Piranhas collected works

[BrianB]

I stumbled across this in a charity shop years back ...

https://www.discogs.com/release/112...-From-South-Africa/image/SW1hZ2U6MzE3NjkzMTU=

And some while later found this ...

https://www.discogs.com/release/5313730-The-Piranhas-Play-Kwela/image/SW1hZ2U6MzMxNjE3MDE=

 

[Happy Exile]

That will bring back some memories,

I bumped into Johnny Helmer at an IT conference about 15 years ago - it was a real shock to see him there. Talk about seeing someone out of place

John Helmer is still around Brighton - he does a podcast now on online learning and development (a big industry round here) with accompanying YouTube videos as well. I met him a handful of times through a job a few years ago and always found him a top chap to work with. He's achieved a really hard to achieve and admirable mix of humble and authoritative on his subject.

 

[Bodian]

To be fair tho, I used to find that with every local band I ever followed. You get so used to getting so caught up in the thrill of the live sound that the eagerly-anticipated record nearly always ended up sounding flat and alien. In fact even taping the gig and playing it back the morning afte the night before produced pretty much the same effect. I guess you had to be there in the moment

Still play the Long Tall Texans now and again - they sounded as good on record as live.

 

[Gwylan]

She was later in the band Attila hates, the Molesters.

Ah, The Molesters. I remember one of their singers telling us that the Brighton Riot Squad looked like a bunch of hippies (as that not only included Attila but our teddy boy drummer, this was a bit bizarre). She said I was the only one who looked like I should be in a punk band, except that I "looked like a poof". They were different times,

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Ah, The Molesters. I remember one of their singers telling us that the Brighton Riot Squad looked like a bunch of hippies (as that not only included Attila but our teddy boy drummer, this was a bit bizarre). She said I was the only one who looked like I should be in a punk band, except that I "looked like a poof". They were different times,

Different times indeed.

 

[aolstudios]

To be fair tho, I used to find that with every local band I ever followed. You get so used to getting so caught up in the thrill of the live sound that the eagerly-anticipated record nearly always ended up sounding flat and alien. In fact even taping the gig and playing it back the morning afte the night before produced pretty much the same effect. I guess you had to be there in the moment

I think a combination of bands' inexperience & the dreadful job local studios tended to do at (not) capturing the energy of the best of those bands' live performances was mostly to blame. A real shame, it was a special scene for a while

 

[scooter1]

The original Attrix album cover was going to remain black and white, with a view that the listener could colour it in themselves - or so I was told at the time. That album was recorded at Pathway Studios somewhere near Worthing seafront, I have a test pressing on vinyl at home

 

[smudge]

Everyone mentions the Alhambra on a Sunday night, but unless my mind is playing tricks on me, I could swear they mostly at the Bucaneer on a Sunday night. We used to come from Lewes as our classmate, Dick Adland (Slexia) RIP, was the drummer. Big Albion fan too, great lad.
Other bands I saw around that time, The Molesters, Nikky & The Dots, The Lil-Lets, Peter & the Test Tube Babies, Ajax All-Stars (white boy reggae band). Several others lost in my memory.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Everyone mentions the Alhambra on a Sunday night, but unless my mind is playing tricks on me, I could swear they mostly at the Bucaneer on a Sunday night. We used to come from Lewes as our classmate, Dick Adland (Slexia) RIP, was the drummer. Big Albion fan too, great lad.
Other bands I saw around that time, The Molesters, Nikky & The Dots, The Lil-Lets, Peter & the Test Tube Babies, Ajax All-Stars (white boy reggae band). Several others lost in my memory.

I definitely saw The Piranhas at The Buccaneer on Sunday nights, maybe they moved on from the Alhambra.
I went with some lads that lived in the same area, I was probably the youngest aged 14, The Piranhas were the second band I saw live.
Do you remember seeing a support band called Chicane?

 

[Iron Butterfly]

Remember going to see the Dodgems at the Buccaneer on the Friday night before the Spurs home game. Massive invasion of North Londons finest overrun the door stuff and bouncers, but ended up with the Dogems doing a version of Glory Glory and a singalong.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Anybody know if Bob is planning any more Piranhas gigs? I've seen the videos of the re-formed group at the Albert but not seen them live.

Having seen the original line-up well over 50 times (including trips on the minibus to see them play London gigs), I'd love to see them "one last time".

Can't remember happier days than those Sunday nights down the Alhambra.

I hear that Bob is looking at doing post pandemic gigs but nothing for now.

 

[smudge]

I definitely saw The Piranhas at The Buccaneer on Sunday nights, maybe they moved on from the Alhambra.
I went with some lads that lived in the same area, I was probably the youngest aged 14, The Piranhas were the second band I saw live.
Do you remember seeing a support band called Chicane?

Can't remember Chicane, but I'm glad I wasn't dreaming about the Bucaneer.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Just saw this on Amazon. Anyone got it? Any good? Can't see any reviews....

(Saw them multiple times, at the Alhambra, mostly )

View attachment 142333

Thanks for flagging this up.

Still have the first album on vinyl - always remembered the line "I wake up in the morning and I look like a toast rack". I looked a couple of years ago to see if it had been re-released on CD so good to see it finally happen. Hope it makes a few quid for Bob and the boys.

 

[Bob!]

Lying on my back, It looks like a toast rack.

edit: from I don't want my body

 

[Garage_Doors]

Can't remember Chicane, but I'm glad I wasn't dreaming about the Bucaneer.

I too only ever saw them at the Buccaneer, guessed the Alhambra time passed me by.

 

[Garage_Doors]

Anybody know if Bob is planning any more Piranhas gigs? I've seen the videos of the re-formed group at the Albert but not seen them live.

Having seen the original line-up well over 50 times (including trips on the minibus to see them play London gigs), I'd love to see them "one last time".

Can't remember happier days than those Sunday nights down the Alhambra.

I was at the Albert gig a few years ago with only Dick missing ( i couple of years before he died) but with Zoot living in the States another reunion is very unlikely.

 

[smudge]

I too only ever saw them at the Buccaneer, guessed the Alhambra time passed me by.

Only saw The Lambrettas at the Alhambra, at least that's all I can remember. Jez Bird, another taken too soon.
Dougie Sanders from the band lived a few houses away down Landport Estate, Lewes. Gave my Mum a signed album; she preferred Roy Orbison.