Even before signing with a record label, the Tom Robinson Band was receiving plenty of favourable reviews in the music press and building a reputation for campaigning for gay rights, anti-racism, civil liberties and other good causes. They were viewed as very much being part of the punk/new wave scene.
Their label, EMI, decided that the band's first single should perhaps be the most inoffensive song in their set, and "2-4-6-8 Motorway" stormed up the UK charts to reach number 5, helped no doubt by my purchase ! Ostensibly about a long distance all night truck driver, it is still rated as one of the best driving songs every recorded.
The B-side was a cover of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released", with some lyrics altered and a completely new verse.
EMI were bolder with the follow-up, the Rising Free EP, which contained 4 songs including the anthem "(Sing If You're ) Glad To Gay". The BBC refused to play this song, instead playing one of the other songs, "Don't Take No For An Answer", although Capital Radio had no such qualms. "Glad To Be Gay" was an infuriatingly catchy singalong song, and a friend at school once admitted he was humming the tune on the bus, realised what he was doing and anxiously looked around to see if anyone had noticed ! Capital Radio also frequently played the song "Martin", a witty and charming Ian Drury/Music Hall style song about an elder brother and the scrapes they got into. I thought it was a tremendous song.
The EP reached number 18 in the charts and shortly after, the first album was released. Strangely, neither "2-4-6-8 Motorway" of "Glad To Be Gay" were included, and instead it contained 10 new songs.
After hearing some of the songs on the radio I went out and bought the album, which I like immensely, especially the rousing protest anthems "Up Against The Wall", "The Winter of '79" and "Ain't Gonna Take It". I didn't think there was a bad song on the album, and with its sharp and witty lyrics, energetic rock and catchy hooks, I thought it was one of the albums of the year, reflecting the social anger of the times with accessible music.
One frequent misnomer though is that the causes TRB were fighting against were a result of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government, but in reality Maggie was only elected in 1979, and this album was recorded in 1978. It was actually Jim Callaghan's out of touch Labour Government running the country at the time, and the Winter of Discontent was just around the corner.
Another misnomer was that all the band members were gay, whereas it was just singer/songwriter/bass player Tom Robinson. Guitarist Danny Kustow, keyboard player Mark Ambler and drummer Dolphin Taylor were all straight.
"Up Against The Wall" is considered to be a punk classic and its intro was described by one scribe in the Music Press as "Keef" chords ie something you would expect Keith Richards to play ! A protest song against urban decay and social disorder, with the solution being to line politicians, local councillors and civil servants up against the wall and shoot them. Its a fast paced song with a great guitar solo, although the tempo slows for third verse before speeding back up for a return of the chorus. It is chock-a-block with great lyrics, "High wire fencing on the playground, high rise housing all around. High rise prices on the high street, high time to pull it all down !" & "Consternation in Brixton. rioting in Notting Hill Gate. Fascists marching on the high street, carving up the welfare state".
The politics take a back seat with "Grey Cortina", another TRB motoring song that name checks Bruce Springsteen, blazing on an eight track machine. It has a jazzy piano intro but is essentially a routine punk thrash. "Wish I had a grey Cortina, whiplash aerial, racing trim. Cortina owner - no one meaner, wish that I could be like him".
The mood mellows a little with the blues/funk "Too Good To Be True", dominated by Steely Dan style keyboards and the notable absence of any electric guitar until a tasteful solo in middle break. "I've given up reading the papers, I've given up watching TV. Hope in hell I'm able to tell, whatever's happened to me"
It's back to frantic punk for "Ain't Gonna Take It", another protest song with a rousing chorus. The middle section sounds similar to The Ruts "Babylon's Burning". "But we ain't gonna take it ( Ain't gonna take it ). They're keeping us under but we ain't gonna take it no more"
Side one closes with "Long Hot Summer" with the keyboards again to the fore over a driving beat. There is a manic guitar solo for the outro, followed by Emerson Lake and Palmer style keyboards.
The side two opener "The Winter of '79" is actually a forward looking prediction of the future decay of UK society and is not be confused with the Springsteen-esque "Spirit of '76" by The Alarm which also had a powerful mix of frustration, bitterness, sadness and determination.This song has a great guitar riff and a nice keyboard line, and there is a sad, melancholic guitar solo. There are so many good lyrics. "All you kids who just sit and whine, you should have been there in 1979", "Spurs beat Arsenal, what a game. The blood was running in the drains", "It was us poor bastards took the chop, when the tubes gone up and the buses stopped. The top folks still come out on top. The government never resigned", and "When all the gay geezers were put inside, and coloured kids were getting crucified. A few fought back and a few folks died, in the winter of '79".
"Man You Never Saw" is another frantic punk song with a manic guitar solo. "Don't repeat this conversation, don't let on we've met before. Try and make like I'm a stranger, I'm a man you never saw"
"Better Decided Which Side You're On" is a return to blues/funk but with faster beat that Too Good To Be True", and then accelerates into a toe-tapping chorus. Against there are plenty of clever lyrics "If left is right then right is wrong", "pretty soon there'll be no room for sitting on the fence" & "Too bad for the gay revolution, this is as far as you get. And if you think you're free, well listen to me, you ain't seen nothing yet. We're all gonna feel the backlash, of puritanical power, and kicking us down while we're on the ground, gonna be their finest hour".
"You Gotta Decide" is another funky song with a tasteful guitar lick. "Every single house has been looted, every single city's been burned. Every can of food has been opened, every single stone has been turned".
"Power In The Darkness" has a percussion intro, before the organ and then the bass come in with a funky beat. The middle section has a spoof BBC News Radio reading during an organ solo, then spoken words by Tom giving a supposed right-wing rant reminiscent to Pink Floyd's " In The Flesh" on "The Wall". "Freedom from the reds and the blacks and the criminals, prostitutes, pansies and punks. Football hooligans, juvenile delinquents, lesbians and left wing scum. Freedom from the niggers and the Pakis and the unions, Freedom from the Gipsies and the Jews. Freedom from long-haired layabouts and students. Freedom from the likes of you !" It wouldn't be allowed today !!
"Power In The Darkness" remains a great listen whilst being a powerful commentary on the times in which it was written. Whilst some of the themes are a little dated now, many of them are still relevant today.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. Up Against The Wall
2. Grey Cortina
3. Too Good To Be True
4. Ain't Gonna Take It
5. Long Hot Summer
1. The Winter of '79
2. Man You Never Saw
3. Better Decide Which Side You're On
4. You Gotta Survive
5. Power In The Darkness
Released 1978
UK Chart Position : 4
Singles :
Up Against The Wall ( No 33 - 1978 )
Too Good To Be True ( - 1978 )
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