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The CUD Story, pt.12
(above) Stage
invasion, Bradford Queens Hall, Mar 30, 1990
1990
2 Jan
Martin Baker resigns as CUD manager.
15 Jan
Jim Tracey, former tour agent offers to be our new manager, with
Eric Longley, the New FADs manager giving business support. They
endeavour to repair bridges with Imaginary Records who had been
pissed off by Martin.
19 Jan
Wakefield presentation of £800 cheque for Age Concern, raised
at CUD charity gig.
23 Jan
Jim visits Leeds to finally stand a round and tell us of the upcoming
tour. A new album producer is sought. The latest idea is a guy who
worked on D-Mob’s latest hit.
Patchbay, who had produced free demos with us late last year hear
about our plans and get pissed off. The idea was that they would
profit from our next deal by getting us to work there. No more would
we get studio time ‘on credit’. More bridge repair is
needed.
Meanwhile, chief bridge burner, Martin asks for the merry-go-round
van to use for pizza delivery. Request denied.
3 Feb
Patchbay call, talking about losses of £6,000. They threaten
to ‘bootleg’ the CUD Patchbay tapes to recoup some costs
(These so-called Patchbay Tapes, 1989 versions of Now, Robinson
Crusoe, Eau Water and Manchester have since turned up on the Space
CUDets bootleg, ‘Not Exactly L.E.G.I.T’ )
8 Feb
Jamie Hewlett calls and talks about putting together a Tank Girl
record with CUD doing the backing.
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18
Feb 21
Feb 1
Mar 5
Mar |
6 Mar
Lime Lizard interview and a night out at the Marquee.
7 Mar
Brighton Poly Basement with Andrew Smith from Melody Maker in tow.
It’s not a great show in a basement with an audience of just 100. (Ah! Now we can moan about a measly 100 punters!) The venue poster has two teats rather than three on the CUD ‘U’ and claims we’re from Manchester. We crash at Jamie’s flat.
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8
Mar We miss a photo session at London’s NFT when the van runs out of petrol. We pull out of a support tour with Birdland, cause we think they’re crap. Apparently this decision creates some bad feeling in the business. An NME feature is cancelled. It turns out we’ll be doing the Birdland London show after all. 11 Mar Photo session. CUD wear lipstick and prance about with flowers and feathers. |
12
Mar
Bristol Fleece and Firkin
Raising money for inflatables.
13 Mar
Bournemouth Benedicts
A quiet audience.
14 Mar
Swansea Uni
Eric arranges accommodation with some of his old college friends,
but he’s winding us up now with sexist comments.
15 Mar
Warwick Uni, with Beats International and Voice of the Beehive
Best performance of the tour so far, with a generous rider to celebrate
it.
16 Mar
Gloucester, Guild Hall Banana Club
We visit Brian Jones grave in Cheltenham on the way and get chased
off by a bull mastiff.
Here CUD are introduced to Eric’s contact Dave Gregory, guitarist
with XTC, his latest suggestion for producer. Much better than Eric’s
first suggestion, a guy he knows from 70s/80s band The Motors as
a producer. XTC we can relate to. Dave is quiet-spoken and friendly,
says we look like Pink Floyd. Is this because we have an inflatable
pig at the front of the stage. (Sorry, Carl, couldn’t resist
it!)
17 Mar
Oxford Co-op Hall
18 Mar
Harlow Square
A lot of very young fans are refused entry.
Despite sound problems it a good show, with the now obligatory stage
invasion.
Our dressing room is a portacabin.
20 Mar
Liverpool Poly
21
Mar
Newcastle Riverside
Always a great reception here.
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22
Mar 27
Mar |
31
Mar
London Brixton Academy, with Birdland and Carter the Unstoppable
Sex Machine
1, 2 Apr
Record ‘Hey! Wire’ at Thatched Cottage Studios with Dave
Gregory producing.
6,
7 Apr
Record B-sides, ‘Possession’ and ‘Purple Love Balloon’
at Patchbay Studios, Farsley with Justin and Dolan from the New
FADs co-producing.
Mike Dunphy has really come up with the goods writing for this single,
the first without a Potter writing contribution, despite what the
label says.
Mike has turned into a prolific and excellent pop songwriter. (Up
until signing with A&M, all the songs were credited to all four
band members, but only a dozen or so ever had music written by anyone
other than Mike.)
8 Apr
NME interview. William gets drunk, takes the tape recorder and interviews
the photographer.
12 Apr
We’ve officially made it. Leeds Jumbo Records gives us 10%
discount.