• The Wild Swans China

I arrived at the venue at 8:00 p.m. The parking area was dark but attendants were there eager to guide you. The strong winds and the crashing sound of the waves made me a bit jittery. There was actually an ongoing typhoon ( signal no.1 in Metro Manila ); and it was only three days before, when a previous typhoon caused a phenomenon called, “storm surge”, battering and flooding parts of the bay area. There were already a considerable number of people waiting in line for the doors to open. I noticed that many if not most are wearing black shirts and some have pictures and the logo of The Wild Swans emblazoned on it.

The Wild Swans China

The Wild Swans third album 'The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years', proper is a revelation and throwback for fans of that early 80s post punk movement that exploded. I suppose interest in the band was reignited with the releases of the compilations 'Incandescent' and 'Magnitude', which command silly prices on ebay. The Wild Swans formed in 1980 when Paul Simpson, who had left The Teardrop Explodes after the recording of their first single, teamed up (on vocals) with Jeremy Kelly (guitar), Ged Quinn (keyboards), James Weston (bass) and Justin Stavely (drums).

There were three front acts. First was by the Sid band which started at 8:30. I recognized the front man as the lead singer of a popular band here during the '90s, the Alamid band. They performed New Wave songs such as 'Away' by Bolshoi, 'Walk Away' by The Sisters of Mercy and 'Chamber of Hellos' by Wire Train, among others. I must say they were great! They provided the initial adrenaline rush and enveloped the area in New Wave atmosphere.

It was followed by jazz singer Tricia Garcia. Included in her set were jazzy renditions of New Wave songs. The third was provided by a popular New Wave cover band, Kudos loves the 80s. Finally, what everyone have waited for, the Wild Swans opened their set with the rousing “Bible Dreams,” immediately setting-off a blast of excitement and nostalgia. Seventeen other songs with the trademark Wild Swans jangle, mixed with propulsive post-punk drumming and bass, and gothic keyboards; with the added sweet, melancholic, and poetic lyrics delivered in a voice described as haunting were unleashed one after another. (Interrupted only by some chatter from Paul and a little introduction of his band members.) Seven (7/10) songs from the classic, Bringing Home The Ashes; 3 from Space Flowers; 4 from their latest (another classic) cd, The Coldest Winter For A Hundred Years; their 1981 debut single “Revolutionary Spirit” and its b-side, “God Forbid”; “No Bleeding', found on the Renascent compilation cd, Incandescent; and lastly, Care’s “Whatever Possessed You”.

What more can we ask for? The band gave a very solid performanc-tight and cohesive.

Stuart Mann and Richard Turvey looked cool and performed smoothly. Mike Mooney was in high gear and Ricky Maymi was full of energy. The presence of Les Pattinson was a very special bonus because Echo & the Bunnymen is also popular( and idolized) here. His swaying style of doing bass is still the same as compared with his younger years in the 80s. Paul Simpson looked elegant with his black suit and his stage presence exudes both enigma and gentlemanly confidence.

His legendary voice is still the same after all the years (although he had difficulty with the high notes). The audience was very engaging and their enthusiasm never wavered all throughout the concert but the loudest cheers were afforded to the two most popular Wild Swans songs here: 'Whirpool Heart' and 'Bringing Home The Ashes.' The audience was up and jumping as they sang their hearts out. While performing the two aforementioned songs Paul reached out to acknowledge his adoring fans.

This has been a week of happy endings for me, and I’m not referring to a trip to the massage parlor (this time). Y’see, twenty-odd years ago, I bought one of those awesome Sire Records compilations Just Say Yes, which featured a veritable who’s who of new wave/alternative rock in the late ’80s.

Amongst the Depeche Mode and Erasure remixes sat a song by The Wild Swans, a combo from Liverpool that had been kicking around in various forms since the dawn of the decade. The Wild Swans were a little New Order, a little Echo & The Bunnymen (in fact, Bunny drummer Pete de Freitas produced their debut single), and a dash of every other jangle-rock band of the moment – Sire had a habit of signing a lot of bands that sort of blended together. Isn’t that right Ocean Blue? In fact, vocalist/keyboardist Paul Simpson doesn’t have much good to say about his experience on Sire – from a “Being on a major was just one compromise after another. To be fair, Sire did give us a huge push in America and we even had a hit single in Germany but it’s at home you want to shine. The Smiths psychically destroyed us.

They had the pretty jangle and the soaring vocal melodies but with the extra winning ingredients of big blouses, gladioli and humour. We were prop and humour-free. I know I keep saying it but that beautiful keyboard refrain from There is A Light That Never Goes Out is Ged’s from “Enchanted”.

Later I would just crumple when voices from the audience would accuse us of being Smiths copyists but inside I’d be thinking how these morons were revealing to the whole concert hall how ignorant they were.” And, Simpson continues: “Everything changed after we signed the deal with Sire,” explains Simpson. “Overnight we completely lost touch with reality. We should have recorded our debut album cheaply in Liverpool with a good engineer instead of in an expensive toilet in London with a name producer at the controls.” Such experiences are no doubt common amongst many bands whose priorities lie outside Platinum sales discs.