| If you
think of Southend you probably think of Eddie and The Hot Rods, Dr Feelgood and
that whole Canvey Island R'n'B thang. But think again. The spirit of
the Stooges and MC5 was alive down there too, and when the Sex Pistols
arrived to give music a much needed kick up the butt Southend soon had The
Machines as well (though not to be confused with the similar sounding Machines
from Coventry).
Formed in 1977 by
guitarist Nick Paul they played The Roxy and Vortex in the twilight of those
venues popularity and even blew The Damned off stage one gig at the City
Of London Polytechnic. In all fairness though The Machines were not major
league players, but they had the spirit and drive, like so many, for
one maybe two singles.
Sounds 29.4.78 |
Nick Paul on
the cover of 'Strange Stories' a fanzine "run by our TWO managers, Dave
the hairdresser and Richard the 18st civil servant with a leg iron (you
should have seen him pogo!). They cobbled it together in Dave's bedroom
where he was on the run from an ex-wife!" |
