X-certs Album Nearing Completion
Clive, Chris and Neil are finalising the track listing for the album but we thought we’d share with you Neil Mackies thoughts on the band………….
Thanks for sending the CD’s through. After listening to them, it’s reminded me just what a fantastic band the X-certs were. OK maybe we weren’t the most slick of bands, but on our night, there were few to beat us for energy & passion at that time in Bristol. We had a huge influence on a lot of groups that came after us, and also had one of the biggest followings in the city (our early gigs at Trinity church could easily pull in 400 – 500, which was quite a feat for a local band with no record deal). Yes some of our followers were notorious and a lot of people were afraid to come to our gigs at times in those early days, but we as a band were a friendly bunch, politically motivated, and that first line-up of Clive, Simon, Taff & myself regularly got ourselves on the wrong side of the law, on the backs of trucks, etc. But we had a good camaraderie which was second to none. Clive & myself regularly came to blows with each other, but we loved each other like brothers. Such was the passion of the day! When Taff left & Chris joined, we became a much slicker musical outfit, which enabled us to play bigger & better places, and broadened our horizons. This time was also very special. My memory is of two very different X-certs. The first line-up – home-grown, raw, energetic, political – the second line-up, slicker, tighter, and more focussed. I liked both these eras equally for different reasons.
Can’t wait……………….
