I loved ‘Motown Junk’ which I had on 12″, released by Heavenly Records. I had actually booked them a couple of times for the Rock Garden, just on a normal Tuesday night paid on a ticket deal. I had phoned the number on the cassette and it was Richey’s mum who would answer. She would call upstairs to let him know it was me on the phone for him.
This Buzz Club was completely rammed. People had been hanging around the venue already before we even arrived at 5ish. Fans had driven from London and further a field for this one.
A fifteen minute film of that Manics Buzz Club gig was found in an attic in 2013, unseen for twenty years. You can’t hear James Dean Bradfield‘s vocals at the start as Ben (the camera man) is standing to the side of the stage. However this is where Richey is playing and so it makes it all the more poignant. Ben moves to the front of the stage at 4:45 and the rest of the clip has great sound. Watch for fight in the crowd at 6:52.
The Manic Street Preachers live at The Buzz Club, Aldershot. 16th February 1991.
Thanks to Dave Driscoll for the live recording on this page, made on his Sony Walkman.
In 2019, Pat Doherty who worked at the West End Centre on our Buzz Club nights got in touch. He’d seen someone selling a fanzine, signed by all of the Manics – to ‘Louise and Bob…..The best looking couple in Aldershot.’ I’ve no idea who they are but it sold for £250.
This went out on Radio X recently – at 1 minute in they talk about their Buzz Club gig.
Read more about 1991 here
ITTLG 