Swamp walk/On The Brink gig review

The Corporation, Sheffield

Friday, December 222^nd 2023

My final gig of the year was a ‘bucket list’ event. I never got the chance to catch Swampwalk back in the day so to be invited to their 30-year anniversary show was a privilege. The band were formed by former Geddes Axe/Chrome Molly guitarist Andy Barrott who wanted to go in a more aggressive direction and boy did they achieve that direction with two fantastic albums and an EP of rabid punk metal.

Chatting with the band in a pub before the venue’s doors opened it was obvious that the band split on good terms and they all mentioned that the band had run its course and like many others they were besieged by bad luck. At one point they were going to be signed to a major label but literally the day before the guy signing the band died in a freak equine-related accident, so the band thought the fates were conspiring against them. All the band have fond memories of their time, especially bass player ‘Nez’ aka Neil, who was asked by The Human League to complete a tour of Europe with them. He was glad to and never played a single note because all the bass parts were done by synthesiser, but hey, he stayed in the best hotels and flew private or first class for a couple of months and when he returned, he had enough money to buy a Ford Fiesta. Nez is now a gamekeeper and hasn’t touched a bass guitar in nearly 14 years!

The evening kicked off with On The Brink who rattled out 30 minutes of Motorhead-inspired hardcore/punk n roll. They crammed a whole load of songs into their time, some of which, literally lasted 90 seconds and they all ended abruptly but they still whipped up the energy and got a great reception.

With their stage time rapidly approaching Swampwalk singer Gaz entered the stage and asked for people to search for his missing rhythm section. Apparently, they were happily drinking in the neighbouring bar but soon made their way and careered into opener ‘It’s A Disease’. Watching four men of a certain age rip the arse out of one of their songs with the same energy and attack as they did 30-years ago was sight to see, and so it continued on their single ‘Rush Of Blood’ which was championed by the likes of Tommy Vance and ‘Fluff’ Freeman. We got the majority of the debut album ‘Strangled At Birth’ with ‘Bangin’ On Your Door’, ‘Confusion’, ‘Who Do You Want Dead’ and the utterly brutal ‘I’m Sick’ before the superb ‘Psychomania’ from the second album wonderfully titled ‘Technicolour Vomit Jet’. ‘Falling Down, ‘What Gives You The Right’ and ‘Another’ were all rattled out and showed that the problems 30-years ago still exist, especially ‘Another’ which is about missing people. Gaz explained that a person goes missing every 90 seconds in the UK and the vast majority are never found. Quite apt in the current climate. ‘Rip It Off’ was less AC/DC and more The Angels (one of Andy’s fave bands) before the mean and nasty reaction to bullying – ‘Spineless’. ‘Read All About It’ again highlights the continuing fascination of the sex lives of famous people in the British tabloids before the ‘reet banger’ ‘Bastards’. Final cut was a rousing version of The Wonderstuff’s ‘Unbearable’ – utterly superb and got everybody bouncing.

What a great night and a great way to end the year. Meeting old friends – Andy Barrott and Big Mad Dave – new friends Gaz’s daughter Tania and her family. Swampwalk were a band that just didn’t get the breaks and if you ever get the chance to talk to any of the members ask them about their experience – man, have they got some stories but through it all they all retain a love for music.