Live at the 'Railway Tavern', Mildway, London 1981 (?)

THE VARIATIONS

London 1979, things were pretty grim. Margaret Thatcher had just been voted in as prime minister, IRA bombs going off, garbage piling up in the streets as workers go on strike, Sid Vicious dies.

 But in north london things were more positive, Madness were playing The Hope and Anchor, Camden market, JD Wetherspoon had just opened their first pub in Harringey, Arsenal beat Manchester United with a last minute goal to win the FA cup, and the MOD REVIVAL was in full swing.

In the middle of this mix, hailing from Archway, Old Street roundabout, Essex Road and Marquess estate, Mick, Ray, Tim and Fergus left school and started THE VARIATIONS.

 Music had always been part of these guys lives and the scene needed its own sound. Punk had been around for a while but was starting to waver as major record companies started to cash in.

The MOD revival was cool, less angry than punk, less about rebelling, more soulful, it had something to say and it was full of hope.

 Inspired by groups like The Jam, The Specials, The Clash, Generation X, The Ruts, Purple Hearts, The Chords and Nine Below Zero and of course the film Quadrophenia the boys polished their chrome and started to put on regular nights at the Mildmay pub in Islington.

 It was around this time I first saw them. My brother had told me about a bunch of his mates who were in a band and looking for a manager, so I went and checked them out.

 I can still remember standing across the road from the pub, seeing all the scooters lined up and thinking "what am I getting involved with now?" 

The Mildmay was packed, kids in parkas and two tone suits and there was a feeling tension was in the air. When the band came on stage the place erupted, it was like the band had channeled all frustration that everyone was feeling into their music and had used it to burst the cork.

 Mick was smooth and debonair in his suit whipping up the crowd with a combination of covers and originals with a confidence that only cockneys are born with. Winking at all the girls at the front, encouraging the lads in the crowd to sing along with the lyrics and getting them dancing with fist pumps. Fergus and Tim kept the rhythm section pounding along at an intense pace. Tim bopping around like a fairground duck on speed. Fergus with his shirt off covered in sweat as he pounded the skins like his life depended on him being heard! And Ray, Ray was just Ray. He had that glint in his eye that let you know he was going to succeed at bringing the night on and then going home with the hottest girl in the room, and that was before he even strapped his guitar on, he was a cool dude if ever there was one.

 These kids were alright! People were singing the bands lyrics, trying to be louder than the band, they were dancing and jumping around, it was a relentless stream of teenage energy, sweat started to drip off the walls and by the end of the set I was sold, I became their manager.

What followed was a whirlwind two years of gigs and recordings. I remember Ronnie Scotts packed with young mods, their scooters all parked on Frith Street glinting in the summer sun (we don't mention Adam French and Fergus 'borrowing' a drum stool from the main venue, downstairs at Ronnies) Then on another occasion with a gig at the Central Hotel in Gillingham that ended up in a massive fight after the dressing room mirror got smashed and the promoter refused to pay us, we barely got away from that one!

Eventually the band imploded, probably an argument about some girl.

 I haven't seen these guys for forty years, but I remember that they were good times. Like I said, mods were cool and THE VARIATIONS reflected that, they were soulful, full of hope and had something to say, I hope you can hear that in the songs on this LP.

I'd like to dedicate these sleeve notes to Tim, where ever you are I hope you're doing alright, be lucky mate.

Terry Hollingsworth

March 2020.

The above article was taken from the fanzine "Extraordinary Sensations" #4 from 1981

The above article was taken from the fanzine "Extraordinary Sensations" #4 from 1981

The above article was taken from the fanzine "Extraordinary Sensations" #5 from 1981

The above article was taken from the fanzine "Extraordinary Sensations" #5 from 1981

The above article was taken from the fanzine "Extraordinary Sensations" #6 from 1981

The above six page interview was taken from the fanzine "Fight Back" #1 from 1981.

The above five snippets were taken from the fanzine "Fight Back" #2 from 1981.

The above gig poster for 'The Variations' & '007' at the 'Barracuda, London, W1 took place on Monday 12th April 1982

The above snippet were taken from the fanzine "Fight Back" #3 from 1982.

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