The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys - Basil's Balls Up Band

[unclemort1960]

did`nt one of the members used to be a journo for sounds or NME?

[CinimodTtocs]

I also have a iTunes version of an album by Crannog if anyone remembers them?

[CinimodTtocs]

Hi, if anyone wants a copy of the cassette, email me and I'll send it on free, gratis and for nothing.

[charlie5254]

Such happy days!

[CinimodTtocs]

They really changed this song and made it their own - the sign of a great band....

[The007Weasel]

Wow, so cool to see this after a bike accident & knock on the head in 1995 lost all my memories of my younger days.

I too spent most Sat nights at The Ken, mostly screaming for Basil's to play Evil Ways.

Some 5+ years back they did a one-off reunion at The Cartoon and it was such a blast to see all the usual crowd turn up out of the blue after a 20 year gap, just as if it was just another gig night.

Fantastic band, with fantastic fans...

Best wishes to all.

[Feghead]

I was at this gig!

I had just turned 18 and I was blown away

by the Basil's. Their version of the Alan Toussaint song 'On your way down' was sublime....and what a beautiful sax solo Randy plays on this - Long live the Basil's!

Hey Authur I remember you too!

I knocked over your drink in the Castle in Tooting one Friday Night

[thenickanator]

Drummer's a machine!

[LowlifeLibrarian]

Thank you for this, many happy memories, my life revolved around this and other pub bands in the late 1970s - I was the barefoot girl who was known for some reason as "Arthur" - Aidan I think we may have met??

[AidanDK]

@LowlifeLibrarian

We most certainly have met! I remember a lunatic outing after a "Balls up" gig at the Kensington, when sally and you and I (and another girl, whose name and face eludes me) got in my car and drove to Edinburgh for breakfast! You used your rent money to help pay for petrol, and we stopped at my great-uncle's in Leicester to borrow some money on the way back to London. (He was delighted, and referred to the visit many times later.) Many years ago - wonderful times!

[LowlifeLibrarian]

@AidanDK

Hi Aidan, I remember that crazy night well! We picked up some Scots hitchikers on their way back from a football match, there were about 7 of us squeezed in your car! The other girl was Jenni. I met you through Nigel Miller Richards, is he still around? I'm still in touch with some of the guys from the band - Basil, Randy, Stephen, Dave. Happy days! - Stevie x

[hughjarseo]

Wow

Takes me back, one of the first pub bands I used to see in the late 70's at the Kensington, along with Pacific Eardrum & a load of bands I've forgotten the names of. They're still gigging occasionally as far as I know- well the ones that are left, Randy (singer), & the drummer. Last saw them about 4 or 5 years ago in Croydon at the Cartoon(now sadly closed). Always a good live band with a great sense of humour

Happy days, & thanks for posting the vids :-))

[AidanDK]

I had a lot to do with this band, as I lived in the same house as the singer/sax player, and used to occasionally drive/roadie for them in 1975 - 76. Their first gig was in 1975 in a pub at the north end of Kensington Church Street - they certainly didn't play the Kensington until after I'd emigrated, at the end of '76.

I saw them at the Kensington several times at the end of the 70's & start of the 80's, when in England on visits. Great fun! See video of Kosmik Debris - total lunacy!

[tommyrockon]

@AidanDK

Hi Aiden, not sure whether we met in the mid '70's but I was Roadie with Bob Kerr's Whoopee Band and we did a gig with B.B.U.Band supporting us in London somewhere. I remember bringing my P.A. to The Cartoon one evening and mixing the band. Great days with lots of fun with Randy and the guys. I used to have a cassette but loaned it to a mate and never saw it again ..

[caferive]

I used to see this band on a regular basis, they had a residency playing alternate weekends with Dr Feelgood at the Kensington, off Holland Park Rd, must have been the early 70's, top knotch band, lots of fun, wonder where they are all now.?? great video by the way well done posting this one!!!!!...ah fond memories...!!!