BOC 1981

[Mike Godwin]

> Date:    Thu, 4 Feb 2010 08:43:30 -0500
> From:    "Swartz, John A." <jswartz at MITRE.ORG>
> Subject: Re: BOC Donnington '81
> I recall back in the early 80s seeing in a rock magazine (Creem, Circus, Hi=
> t Parader, or maybe Kerrang), 2 pictures of Eric Bloom.  The first one show=
> ed a smiling Eric with a caption where they are presumably quoting him (alt=
> hough I doubt it - you know, it was more like a cartoon thing) as saying wh=
> o cares if our drummer quit, our set was bad, and a few other things that I=
> can't recall.  The next photo showed him jumping up and down on something =
> (perhaps the very object in this discussion) with the text underneath sayin=
> g something like "I f#$&ing do!".
> Anyway, regarding the sound.  There's been some contention about what exact=
> ly happened.  Here's links to a few articles that tell more of the tale reg=
> arding the sound (some of the details regarding Albert's departure may be i=
> ncomplete or misleading - everyone has their opinions and recollections on =
> what happened).
> http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/donington-1981.html  - overall description o=
> f the event
> http://www.hotrails.co.uk/blueskybag/georgegeranios/810822_donington.htm - =
> BOC soundman George Geranious' view of what happened, and some recollection=
> s about how soundmen deliberately hacked the live sound of opening bands on=
> occasion.  Interesting reading.
> John

* What a depressing insight into behind-the-scenes shenanigans by  
festival organisers. I saw the Soft White Underbelly Show in Dunstable  
just before the Donington fiasco, and, as mentioned in Geranious's  
article, Albert turned up late, but gave a bravura display of drumming  
on the later numbers in the set, especially on 'Veteran of the Psychic  
Wars'. I don't think there was anything wrong with the sound system,  
even when Rick Downey was playing the drums during the first few songs.

- Mike Godwin