The Roxy
in London was an important venue for many aspiring Punk bands,
Eater, X Ray Spex, Buzzcocks all got early gigs there. TV told me
that for the Adverts, it was also an important place TV: "It was
vital for us, and vital for the U.K. punk scene - if you want to get
something new happening, you have to have a place where people
thinking the same way can meet....most importantly, it was a place
where the new bands actually got a chance to try out what they were
doing in front of an audience. Most of the bands who came there,
including The Adverts, had never played live before."
The
Adverts released a clutch of classic singles, 'Gary Gilmores Eyes', 'No Time
to be 21' to mention just 2, and a classic album "Crossing the Red
Sea with the....", however longevity was not to be in store for them
TV: "In the end it was my decision to break up the Adverts...it was
still a devastating feeling, to stop doing what I'd put so much
heart and soul into, but I knew that trying to carry on with it
would be even worse. The only thing that got me over it was that I'd
seen the end coming for at least six months, and had already started
formulating plans for my next band, The Explorers, and it was only a
matter of weeks before I was in the rehearsal room with them...once
we'd recorded "Tomahawk Cruise" I knew I was able to put the Adverts
behind me and get on with my life."
Tomahawk Cruise single 1980
It seems
to me that TV is inexhaustible, constantly touring, writing even
finding time to release his book 'GETTING THERE: Punk Rock Tour
Diaries: Volume 1’. TV has recently toured and played with Dead Men
Walking I asked how that came about TV: "I'd heard rumours that they
were interested in having me join for some time, I think it was
Captain suggested it. We've kept in contact since the days of the
Damned/Adverts tour in 1977 anyway. The Dead Men have have a really
solid line-up now, so rather than play the whole set with them I
went on and opened with a solo set, then joined in for a few songs
at the end. Was a really enjoyable tour." Seeing TV twice last year
doing his solo show, I continue to be impressed by the passion he
shows in his performance and how his song writing if any thing has
got better since his days with the Adverts. What drives him to write
about what he does? TV: "I can't really say why I write about the
things I do - it's just a question of being open-minded and letting
everything in."
As we reach the 30th Anniversary of that thing we know as Punk, what
plans has TV got to celebrate the anniversary of the Adverts getting
together? TV: "I am planning something special this year to
celebrate thirty years of the Adverts. I'm arranging something at
the 100 Club on my birthday, April 5th. No Time To Be 51!" However
TV is not one for standing still TV: "Punk only has relevance if
it's moving forward. It's nice every now and then to have the bands
reform, play the songs...but you can't let yourself be stuck in a
time warp, you have to move on and create new stuff."
Finally on a personal note, having met both TV Smith and Gaye, I
found them to be very down to earth and genuine people. In fact to
quote TV "What impressed me was...they were obviously normal people
just like me and weren't pretending to be superstars."
