Found out by chance that CS is part of a new group called King Mob which has released an album titled Force 9.

King Mob also features vocalist Snips (who was with CS in the band Sharks in the 70s), bassist Glen Matlock (once of the Sex Pistols and most recently with the re-formed Faces), drummer Martin Chambers (ex-Pretenders) and another guitarist who hides behind the name Sixteen.

The group has a London gig on Thur 17 Nov at the 229 Club (it's near Oxford Street at 229 Great Portland Street); tickets are a mere £5.50 in advance or £8 on the door.

Went along to the King Mob gig on Thursday and enjoyed it as much as I had the album. The band may be destined to play smaller venues or support sets, but is none the worse for that.

Spedding was on his usual fine form and linked in well with the other guitarist (Sixteen) and bassist Matlock, who was also on good form. I missed out on Sharks in the 70s, so was pleasantly surprised at how robust a singer Parsons/Snips is, despite his (deliberate) lasciviously camp demeanour.

Got to briefly meet 4 of the 5 in the bar afterwards, so the CD cover was 80% autographed by the end of the night. Sadly the missing 20% was Spedding (victim of an early morning flight booking a few hours later, Sixteen told me), so I can see me doing the Stagedoor Johnny routine at SB Empire if he's still part of Team BF then (don't know if J.O'B has any news on that score yet?).

So, look out for King Mob at a venue near you next year!

Didn't seem worth opening a new thread for this King Mob snippet, so here we are...

Was looking at the King Mob website a few weeks ago and there is/was a short video interview of the band by a lovely American lady who I instantly recognised as one of the DJs from a bar I use near the City.

A subsequent chat with her revealed that she shares my passion for Spedding's playing and is a friend of Stephen W. Parsons, the King Mob vocalist (interesting girl too: not many pub DJs have their own radio shows, sing backing vocals for Adam Ant and work in film...).

I also mentioned my enduring interest in Roxy and shortly after resuming DJing she played Va Va Voom by King Mob, followed by Love Is The Drug.

Bless her, on seeing me enter the bar last midweek, she almost immediately played LITD again and Spedding's Motorbikin'! Don't think I've heard the latter since mid 70s TOTP and never in a public place; I do hope Spedding would have been amused, as it made me laugh out loud and got me some very odd looks (albeit from people who weren't alive when the song charted...).

It's getting to be a bit like an "in" joke which only two of us understand, but all harmless fun and it gets the music out there for those who might not otherwise hear it...

Smudge, you lead an exciting life!!! Either with or without Lady Smudge!

My only comment is: Jeepers, couldn't The Lady DJ play something from the Roxy catalog other than LITD??? It seems sooo predictable and bland...

I'll ask her if she's got anything else, DCJ, and maybe throw in a suggestion or two.

I guess it's got to fit in with the general ambience of the bar and what the clientele expects. Mind you, after Motorbikin' there must be a chance for just about anything to get an airing!

As if hearing Motorbikin' in a public place wasn't funny enough...

Spotting me in the bar tonight, said DJ decided to check if I was paying attention by playing the title track from Eno's "Here Come The Warm Jets".

Laugh? Let's just say I'm glad I'd previously been to the bathroom!

Oh, and the DJ's Roxy catalogue has been expanded to incorporate More Than This.

I may have neglected to mention that the bar in question features exotic dancing, so that might put the Spedding/Eno soundtrack in more humorous perspective... A veritable feast for the ears & eyes (For My Pleasure perhaps?)!

DCJ may be interested to know that the eminent DJ treated us yesterday to If There Is Something & Tokyo Joe, as well as another blast of King Mob's Va Va Voom.

The fact that people 20 years my junior didn't bat an eyelid suggests that the music is still valid 35-40 years after it was recorded (although unfortunately it got less attention than it deserved, possibly because of other competing attractions!).

On short cutting through Soho's Denmark Street (formerly London's Tin Pan Alley and still home primarily to musical instrument shops) on Thur, I bumped into two members of King Mob: vocalist & leader Stephen W. Parsons & Japanese bassist Toshi (Glen Matlock's replacement).

I was saddened to learn from SWP that the group has disbanded, due primarily to lack of bookings (full explanation at www.kingmob-beatgroup.com). They were a good live act during their short existence.

SWP now has a new group called The Presence, which will have Spedding's services as producer, rather than as guitarist.