You’d think these pub rock trailblazers would have left a slew of live albums in their wake, but that’s not the case. Their appearance with Hawkwind and Man at the Roundhouse for the seminal Greasy Truckers Party in February ’72 and its ensuing triple album yielded their only substantial live release.
This limited release of 250 copies, taped at Cardiff’s Top Rank in June 1974, should be welcomed with open arms. Not just because live Brinsley material is in short supply, but because it’s from a moment when they were about to receive plaudits for what would prove their final album, The New Favourites Of…, with the Nick Lowe-penned (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding sitting ready for future picking by Elvis Costello.
Arguably co-creators of pub rock alongside US exiles Eggs Over Easy, what’s demonstrated here is how much they leaned on a similar scattergun mix of country and transatlantic rock, more honky-tonk than home-grown musical hall. They disbanded the following year, variously heading off to Graham Parker or to Rockpile, but this energetic set is a reminder of their scene-setting credentials.
