The Rio @ Bradford All-dayer - Saturday November 3rd, 2001:-
Broken
Bones
When actions speak louder than words ..
I really did want Broken Bones to play, especially as I was thwarted at the
last minute trying to get them to play at the 2000 show. If you have read the
'band' page which is on this web-site then you'll not need to be informed as to
the chequered history of Broken Bones.
The nearest that I got to seeing the band before was in early 1990 at a gig at
Sheffield University was cancelled at the last minute for a reason that I
never found out about. Who knows what they might have sounded like back then
as this was the band at the peak of their thrash metal incarnation, not it
has to be said my favourite era.
The new LP 'Without Conscience' certainly made me think that Bones had
re-discovered an older form and I have to admit that I was very curious indeed
to know what they were going to sound like at Bradford as I had heard very
mixed reviews indeed from people as to what they were like now. What actually
manifested itself was something like as follows.
The band turned up (uncomfortably) late and the show was well under way before
I finally saw them roll up outside in a car. I guess that the others went
round the back and eventually Paul Hoddy, the bands bass player (with whom I
have always dealt with), appeared. We had a bit of a chat and I asked him to
go and get Bones for me so that I could meet him.
You see as a non-musician Bones is to me a real guitar hero. He of course
started off in Discharge and was responsible for some superb songs, even to
this day, the 'Why' EP and 'Hear Nothing .. ' albums still sound as ferocious
as anything I've ever heard since, despite their twenty years of age ! Funnily
enough, I just recently managed to dig out a tape of the 'Trader in Death' EP
by Broken Bones which I haven't heard for years due to the fact that I don't
have a record player any more. This was one of Broken Bones' best produced
efforts and is truly intense with some extremely fast guitar work
indeed.
Now I have heard it said that Bones is actually very quiet (shy ?) and says
very little and indeed, Paul is very well spoken and the rest of the band
seemed pretty quiet too when I met them later. To cut a long story short,
Bones duly appeared and said wait for it .. 'Hi' and then nothing, much to
Paul's amusement. I ventured the fact that Bones might speak at all
'Sometimes' was the reply and that was it, I laughed and off through the door
went the fastest fingers in British Punk Rock, never to be heard from (at least
verbally) again !
So, what exactly did the least in your face band I have ever met have in store
for the punters ? Here is a quote .. "They were really quiet off-stage and
hardly said a word but when they hit the stage they made a really fearsome
racket" Ok, that pretty well sums it up. All my doubts about their perfomance
capabilities were vanquished when they kicked off with 'F.O.A.D' which isn't
again one of my favourite songs but it sounded great that day believe me. Old
and new blended seamlessly together with many numbers from the new LP thrown in
for good measure along with some other classic Broken Bones songs and 'State
Violence, State Control' just for added value. They were in a word 'excellent'
and I was really pleased that they played that day, there are times when
actions speak louder than words and on this occasion it was Bones' guitar
that did ALL the talking. Cheers lads !
