Rowland S.Howard with Nikki Sudden
-Chronology-

08-Oct-85
DE Hamburg,Kir
[with Crime and the City Solution]

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitar)/ Rowland S.Howard (guitar)/ Christian Hartje [Element of Crime] (bass) and Epic Soundtracks (drums).

Note: Rowland and Epic are then member of Crime and the City Solution mk III, on their first European tour. Nikki and Rowland first met at a Crime and the City Solution gig at the Marquee in London on 13-May-85 and hit it off straight away.

Early 1986
[UK London, Rowland S.Howard (with his girlfriend Genevieve, his brother Harry and Epic Soundtracks) start recording These Immortal Souls' "Get Lost, Don't Lie" album. Recordings will take place at 4 London studios until mid 1987].

16-Jun/04-Jul 1986
UK Leamington Spa, Woodbine St Recording Studio, recording sessions for Nikki Sudden's "Texas" album between. Engineered and produced by John A. Rivers. Rowland joins on 3 songs; "Death Is Hanging Over Me", "Broken Tooth" and "When I Left You".

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitar, organ) and Epic Soundtracks (guitar, piano, percussion, drums) with guests: Duncan Sibbald (bass)/ Jonathan Hodgson (bass, viola, violin) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars).

July 1986
[DE Berlin,Hansa Ton Studios. Crime and the City Solution records "Six Bells Chime" (for the "Room Of Lights" album). Engineered by Flood with Sven Borman].

09/18-Aug-86
[Rowland and Epic tour North America as member of Crime and the City Solution].

August/September 1986
UK Barford St.Michael,(Fairport Dave Pegg’s) Woodworm Studio (a former Baptist chapel), recording sessions for Nikki Sudden's "Dead Men Tell No Tales" album. Engineered by Tim Matyear. Rowland joins on 3 songs; "Before I Leave You", "Girl With The Wooden Leg" and "Cupful Of Change".

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitar, bouzouki, dulcimer, harmonium, piano) with guests: Duncan Sibbald (bass, acoustic guitar)/ Andrew Bean (tambourine, guitar) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars, organ).

Note: "My idea was to go into the studio and record 100 songs, then release the best ones as one album. By the time I recorded the tracks that were on the album and a few others Creation said that I'd spent too much money in the studio and they had to have something to release straight away. That's one of the reasons the album was so short. The album was never really finished." From "The Last Bandit" autobiography by Nikki Sudden (Arcana 2011).

August/September 1986
[UK London,The Strongroom Studios, recording sessions for Crime and the City Solution. "Room of Light" album. Engineered by Flood].

08/14-Sep-86
[Rowland and Epic tour Germany as member of Crime and the City Solution].

September/October 1986
UK Barford St.Michael,(Fairport Dave Pegg’s) Woodworm Studio (a former Baptist chapel), recording sessions for Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc" album and "Wedding Hotel" single. Engineered by Tim Matyear.

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitar, bouzouki) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars, organ, dulcimer, harmonium, drums, bouzouki) with guests: Genevieve McGuckin (harmonium)/ Andrew Bean (drums) and Epic Soundtracks (drums, percussion).

Photo: Rowland in the studio. Credit unknown. Another photo, taken in the back garden of the Woodworm Studio. Credit Dave Pegg.

Note: Other songs recorded at these sessions "Jack Ketch", "Howling Wolf" (*), "Southlands" (**), "This Is The Kingdom" (*), "Lost Last Will", "(She Walked) Across The Sand", and "Behind The Walls". The latter is the only one which got released (on "The Boy From Nowhere" 6CD box, Troubadour, 2013). Tracks (*) are just basically Nikki, Rowland and Andy Bean messing around; (**) is a song a little similar to "Rebel Grave".

September/October 1986
UK Barford St.Michael,(Fairport Dave Pegg’s) Woodworm Studio (a former Baptist chapel), recording sessions for Jeremy Gluck [The Barracudas] with Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "I Knew Buffalo Bill" album and "Looking For A Place To Fall" single. Engineered by Tim Matyear. Produced by Crag Antler.

Line-up: Jeremy Gluck (vocals), with Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitars, bouzouki) and Rowland S.Howard (bass, guitars, organ, snare drum). Guests: Jonathan Hodgson (violin)/ Andrew Bean (drums)/ Epic Soundtracks (drums) and Jeffrey Lee Pierce (guitars).

1x October 1986
UK Release of Nikki Sudden & The Jacobites "Texas" album (Creation records).

Review: Review taken from NME 18-Oct-86.

21-Oct-86
UK London-Ladbroke Grove,Bay 63
[with My Bloody Valentine and The Turncoats]

Setlist: When The Rain Comes Down/ Jangle Town/ One More String Of Pearls/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Broken Tooth/ Kissed You Twice/ Wedding Hotel/ Ambulance Station/ Back To The Coast/ Big Store/ Fortune Of Fame/ Only Children Sleeping.

Photo: Credit Ian Andrews.

Ad: Ad taken from NME 18-Oct-86.

Note: "Texas" album launch. Acklam Hall opened in 1975 (@ 12 Acklam Road in Westway Bay 63), with a benefit gig for the North Kensington Law Centre, headlined by Joe Strummer’s pre-Clash group, the 101’ers. In 1985 Acklam Hall was re-launched as Bay 63. A second re-launch happened at the end of the 80s, by the promoter Vince Power from the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden, transforming it into the nightclub Subterania.

22-Oct-86
UK Brighton,The Richmond
[with Traddodiad Ofnus and The Regular Guys]

16/30-Nov-86
[Rowland and Epic tour UK/Europe as member of Crime and the City Solution].

03-Nov-86
DE Ludwigshafen,Music Hall

05-Nov-86
DE Nürnberg,Zabolinde

06-Nov-86
DE Pforzheim,Skandal

07-Nov-86
DE Freiburg,Waldsee

08-Nov-86
CH Lausanne,La Dolce Vita

09-Nov-86
DE Geislingen,Rätschenmühle

10-Nov-86
DE Köln,Rose Club

11-Nov-86
DE Frankfurth,Batschkapp

12-Nov-86
DE Giessen,Ausweg

13-Nov-86
DE Hannover,Bad

Ad: Taken from SPEX (German) music magazine November 1986.

Note 1: Start of a (23 date) European tour in support of the "Texas" album. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

Note 2: One track ("Captain Kennedy") from the Lausanne gig was released on "Crown of Thorns" album (CD Secretly Canadian, 2002); one track ("Tell Me") from the Frankfurt gig was released on "Crown of Thorns" album (LP Crazy Mannequin Records, 1988 and CD Secretly Canadian, 2002).

14-Nov-86
DE Dortmund,FZW

Setlist: Pin Your Heart To Me/ When The Rain Comes Down/ Where The Rivers End/ In Your Room/ The Last Bandit/ Back To The Coast/ Tell Me/ Fortune Of Fame/ Captain Kennedy's Lament/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Such A Little Girl.

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

15-Nov-86
DE Herrenberg,JZ

16-Nov-86
DE Ravensburg,JZ

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

19-Nov-86
DE Bremen,Römer
[with The Lolitas]

Setlist: When The Rain Comes Down/ Road Of Broken Dreams/ Tell Me/ Bethlehem Castle/ Angels In My Arms/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Such A Little Girl -I Can't Get No Satisfaction -Dancing With Myself/ Just My Imagination - Ready Steady Go - Such A Little Girl.

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

21-Nov-86
DE Enger,Forum
[with The Lolitas]

22-Nov-86
DE Essen,Zeche Karl
[with The Lolitas]

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

23-Nov-86
DE Berlin-Schöneberg,The Loft (im Metropol)
[with The Lolitas]

Setlist: When The Rain Comes Down/ Bethlehem Castle/ Tell Me/ In Your Room/ Back To The Coast/ Captain Kennedy's Lament/ Jangle Town/ Angels In My Arms/ Pin Your Heart To Me/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Big Store/ Such A Little Girl/ Hello Wolf/ Fortune Of Fame/ When I Left You/ Hip Shake.

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

25-Nov-86
DE Hamburg,Markthalle
[with The Lolitas]

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

26-Nov-86
DE Düsseldorf,Haus der Jugend

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

27-Nov-86
BE Antwerpen,De Ruimte

28-Nov-86
NL Apeldoorn,Gigant

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

29-Nov-86
NL Haarlem,Het Patronaat

Ad: Scan from De Waarheid newspaper 29-Nov-86.

Note: Part of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

09-Dec-86
FR Rennes,Les Transmusicales festival
[with Etienne Daho, etc..]

Ad: Scan of ad.

Note: End of a European tour. Rowland and Epic were touring as member of Crime and the City Solution, and were replaced by Wolf Karpen on guitar and Lindy Morrison [Go-Betweens] on drums.

2x-Dec-86
UK Mile End-South London,Scarf Studio, overdub and mixing sessions for Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Wedding Hotel" single. Engineered by Tony Cohen.

January 1987
UK Mile End-South London,Scarf Studio, overdub and mixing sessions for Jeremy Gluck with Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "I Knew Buffalo Bill" album and "Looking For A Place To Fall" single. Engineered by Tony Cohen.

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitar, organ) and Epic Soundtracks (guitar, piano, percussion, drums) with guests: Duncan Sibbald (bass)/ Jonathan Hodgson (bass, viola, violin) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars).

16-Jan-87
UK London,University of London Union
[with The Bodines and Voice of the Beehive]

Setlist: When The Rain Comes Down/ Back To The Coast/ Tell Me/ Jangle Town/ Angels In My Arms/ Captain Kennedy/ Big Store/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Such a Little Girl.

Ad: Taken from NME 17-Jan-87.

Review: Taken from Sounds Jan-87.

Note: Sound engineer Tony Cohen, who was out of it and completely screwed up the sound. He made it up by joining for the Scottisch gigs to do the sound free of charge.

17-Jan-87
UK Glasgow-Greenock,Barr’s Cottage-Subterraneans

Flyer: Scan of flyer.

Note: 122 persons attended. Sound engineer Tony Cohen.

From September 1986 until May 1987, Paul Barr, Thomas Taft and Chris Davidson ran a club called Subterraneans in Greenock, Scotland. It was held in the basement of the Melrose pub in the Barr's Cottage area of the town.

18-Jan-87
UK Glasgow,Rooftops

Setlist: When The Rain Comes Down/ Back To The Coast/ Tell Me/ Fortune Of Fame/ Jangle Town/ Captain Kennedy/ Road of Broken Dreams/ Big Store/ When I Left You/ Where The River Ends/ Fortune Of Fame/ Back To The Coast.

Photo: Credit David W Andrews.

Note: Sound engineer Tony Cohen. Bobby Gillespie [The Jesus and Mary Chain/Primal Scream] attends the gig.

09/12-Mar-87 and 12/16-Mar-87
UK Barford St.Michael,(Fairport Dave Pegg’s) Woodworm Studio (a former Baptist chapel), mixing sessions for Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc" album and "Wedding Hotel" single. Engineered by Tim Matyear.

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitar, bouzouki) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars, organ, dulcimer, harmonium, drums, bouzouki) with guests: Genevieve McGuckin (harmonium)/ Andrew Bean (drums) and Epic Soundtracks (drums, percussion).

Note: Other songs recorded at these sessions "Southlands", "Howling Swamp" and "This Is The Kingdom", all as yet unreleased.

14-Mar-87
UK Manchester,The Boardwalk
[with Donnybrook Affair]

Photo: Credit Manchester Digital Music Archive.

Flyer: Scan of flyer.

Note: As a 3-piece, without Duncan Sibbald (bass) and with Andrew Bean (drums). Rowland alternated between bass and slide guitar and Nikki just had an acoustic guitar with a distortion pedal.

April 1987
UK Release of Nikki Sudden & The Jacobites "Dead Men Tell No Tales" album (Creation records).

April 1987
UK Release of Jeremy Gluck's "I Knew Buffalo Bill" album (Flicknife records).

03-Jun-87
UK London-Camden,Dingwalls
[with Kid Montana, The Clockworks, Rollin' Thunder, The Sex Articles]

Setlist: Four Seasons of Trouble/ Too Long/ Gallery Wharp/ They're Hanging Me Tonight/ and more..

Photo: Screen capture from private video by Robert Brown.

Ad: Ad taken from NME 06-Jun-87.

Line-up: Jeremy Gluck (vocals)/ Nikki Sudden (guitar, vocals)/ Rowland S.Howard (guitar)/ Duncan Sibbald (bass)/ Gavin Poolman (guitar) and Peter Kablean [Gun Club, Fur Bible] (drums).

Note: Jeremy Gluck's only live performance with Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard, performing songs from their joint "I Knew Buffalo Bill" album.

04-Jun-87
UK Barford St.Michael,(Fairport Dave Pegg’s) Woodworm Studio (a former Baptist chapel), recording sessions for Jeremy Gluck with Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Burning Skulls Rise" mini album. Engineered by Tim Matyear. Produced by Jeremy Gluck and Joe Drake [later Shotgun Wedding].

Line-up: Jeremy Gluck (vocals) with Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitars, bouzouki) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars, organ, snare drum). Guests: Joe Drake (bass)/ Jonathan Hodgson (violin)/ Andrew Bean (drums) and Epic Soundtracks (drums).

Note: Recording "Sorrow Drive" and "The Proving Trail". Other song recorded at these sessions "Prayer For A Gunman", as yet unreleased.

12-Jul-87
[First concert by Rowland's own These Immortal Souls band at the Mean Fiddler in London-Harlesden as support for Sonic Youth].

18/22-Jul-87
UK Barford St.Michael,(Fairport Dave Pegg’s) Woodworm Studio (a former Baptist chapel), recording sessions for Jeremy Gluck with Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Burning Skulls Rise" mini album. Engineered by Tim Matyear. Produced by Jeremy Gluck and Joe Drake [later Shotgun Wedding].

Line-up: Jeremy Gluck (vocals) with Nikki Sudden (vocals, guitars, bouzouki) and Rowland S.Howard (guitars, organ, snare drum). Guests: Joe Drake (bass)/ Jonathan Hodgson (violin)/ Andrew Bean (drums) and Epic Soundtracks (drums).

Note: Recording "The Proving Trail", "April North", "Episode In A Town" and "They’re Hanging Me Tonight". Other song recorded at these sessions "Prayer For A Gunman", as yet unreleased.

24-Jul-87
UK Edinburgh,The Venue

Setlist: Crossroads/ Kiss At Dawn/ Wedding Hotel/ French Revolution Blues/ When The Rain Comes Down/ Burning Skulls Rise/ Feather Beds/ Fortune of Fame/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Big Store/ Back to the Coast/ Crossroads.

Flyer: Photo of flyer.

Note: First of 8 gigs with this line-up. Peter Kablean [Gun Club, Fur Bible] joins on drums.

"Some of the best gigs I've ever played were with the legendary Rowland Howard/ Duncan Sibbald/ Desperate line-up. [...] This particular line-up only played eight gigs. [...] The first gig we played was at the Venue in Edinburgh. Two London shows followed, then we went to Augsburg." From "The Last Bandit" autobiography by Nikki Sudden (Arcana 2011).

03-Aug-87
UK London-Finsbury Park,Sir George Robey

Flyer: Photo of flyer.

Ad: Taken from NME 01-Aug-87.

Note: Second of 8 gigs with this line-up. The Sir George Robey was renamed the Powerhaus in 1996 (as part of the Mean Fiddler group) and closed down in 2004.

Aug/Sep-87
UK London,-

Note: Third of 8 gigs with this line-up.

10-Sep-87
UK Release of Jeremy Gluck's "Looking For A Place To Fall" single (Flicknife records).

18-Sep-87
DE Augsburg,Siedlerhof

Setlist: Where The Rivers End/ Fortune Of Fame/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Wedding Hotel/ French Revolution Blues/ When The Rain Comes Down/ Johnny Smiled Slowly/ Back To The Coast/ Kiss At Dawn/ Big Store (Orig.)/ Crossroads/ Such A Little Girl.

Note: Fourth of 8 gigs with this line-up. Released as bonus CD with the reissue of the "Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc" album (Secretly Canadian, 2002). Released on vinyl as "Johnny Smiled Slowly" (Bang! Records, 2017).

19-Sep-87
AT Ebensee,Kino
Holzstock Fest am Traumsee - Open Air festival

Photo: Photo credit Ronny Hartwig [ex Once Upon A Time, later True Spirit].

Note: Fifth of 8 gigs with this line-up.

22-Sep-87
DE Berlin-Schöneberg,The Loft (im Metropol)
Chan-Song-Berlin
[with Ma Gita, Santrra, Wild Stares]

Setlist: (A.o) Mess With Me.

Handbill: Photo of handbill.

Flyer: Scan of anniverary flyer overview 1987-1988, sourced from rockinberlin.de.

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals,guitar), Coco Neubauer (bass) and Desi Desperate (drums).

Note: "Mess With Me" released on "Crown of Thorns" album (LP Crazy Mannequin Records, 1988 and CD Secretly Canadian, 2002). Coco Neubauer [founder of Lolitas]; Ma Gita is Margitta Haberland [violinist and vocals in Abwärts from 1979 to 1981]; Santrra is Sandra Herbener [ex- Mannamaschine].

01-Oct-87
[Second concert by Rowland's own These Immortal Souls band at the Town & Country club in London as support for Primal Scream].

08-Oct-87
UK Release of Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Wedding Hotel" single (Creation records).

25-Oct-87
[Third concert by Rowland's own These Immortal Souls band at the Town & Country club in London as support for The Gun Club].

26-Oct-87
UK Release of Nikki Sudden and Rowland S.Howard's "Kiss You Kidnapped Charabanc" album (Creation records) and -surpisingly- the same day These Immortal Souls' "Get Lost (Don't Lie)" LP/CD album (Mute records) is released as well.

07-Nov-87
UK London-Hackney,Club Mankind
London Post Industrial Inter Galactic Noise Structure festival
[with Genesis P. Orridge, Z'EV, Trimeh, Zing Zang,..]

Article: Scan of article from "Scene and Heard" rock magazine #13, May/June 1988.

Note 1: Sixth of 8 gigs with this line-up. "Back in England our band played one very strange London show. Rowland turned up to the club in Stoke Newington [Hackney] a few moments before we went onstage. He played, got paid and then left. At least he had something worth spending the money on. I had to wait until all the equipment was safe before I could join him." From "The Last Bandit", autobiography by Nikki Sudden (Arcana 2011).

Note 2: PIIGNS three-day festival line-up day one (Thursday 05-Nov-87): Gerechtigkeits Liga, Bourbonese Qualk, Greater Than One, Grief; line-up day two (Friday 06-Nov-87): Mietek Dymny, Kiwisex, These Immortal Souls. line-up day three (Saturday 07-Nov-87): Nikki Sudden & the Jacobites, Genesis P. Orridge, Z'EV, Trimeh, Zing Zang

Club Mankind was a squatted train station building, run by Nigerian skinheads, and located on the corner of Mare Street and Amhurst Road. Later it was renamed Hackney Central and since 2013 "Oslo".

28-Nov-87
UK Manchester,The Boardwalk

Flyer: Scan of flyer.

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals,guitar), Duncan Sibbald (bass) and Andrew Bean (drums).

08-Dec-87
GR Athina,Rodon

Setlist: Where The Rivers End/ Road Of Broken Dreams/ Death Is Hanging Over Me/ Wedding Hotel/ French Revolution Blues/ Fortune Of Fame/ Jangle Town/ Crossroads/ ?/ ?/ Back To The Coast/ ?/ ?/ ?-Hey Hey, My My/ Fortune Of Fame.

Ad: Scan of ad.

Note: Seventh of 8 gigs with this line-up. Billed as 'The French Revolution'.

"We did the soundcheck and I went back to the hotel, took a bomber [amphetamine pill] and immediately fell asleep. Next thing I know I'm being woken up, "Nikki, it's midnight! You were supposed to be on stage five minutes ago!" I pulled my boots on and staggered downstairs, out on the streets and to the club. The place was totally packed! [...] I took a bottle of Moët [champagne] and poured it into a glass. I downed it and we went out. The first number we played was Road Of Broken Dreams. After the second song I turned to Rowland -who was in the same state as me- and asked, "What shall we play next?" "Do Road Of Broken Dreams. That always goes down well!" We played the song three times during the set... During the long spoken bit in the middle of Death Is Hanging Over Me I took off my guitar and lay on the stage kissing the most gorgeous girl in the audience. The band doodled away. I said I'd see her later... The gig finished and I went backstage and downed another bottle of champage. Went out and found the girl. Found her out on the street... the night air hit and I passed out. Next thing I know I'm waking up in my hotel bed. Rowland got off with the girl! From "The Last Bandit" autobiography by Nikki Sudden (Arcana 2011).

10-Dec-87
GR Athina,Channel I FM radio show

Setlist: Jewel [Marc Bolan]/ Ambulance Station/ Teenage Christmas.

Note: Nikki Sudden solo on acoustic guitar. Above tracks released on "The Boy From Nowhere" 6CD box (Troubadour, 2013).

xx-Dec-87
UK London-Finsbury Park,Sir George Robey

Note: Eight of 8 gigs with this line-up.

1988
UK Release of Jeremy Gluck's "Burning Skulls" album (Flicknife records).

22-Feb-88
DE Berlin-Schöneberg,Turbine Rosenheim

Line-up: Nikki Sudden (vocals, acoustic guitar) and Rowland S.Howard (acoustic guitar).

Article: Scan from "Ich und mein Staubsauger" fanzine #18, March 1988.

Note: Several shows, one at 5AM. At the time Rowland had just finalised a month long European tour with These Immortal Souls, before embarking on a month long North American tour. The Turbine Rosenheim club opened in 1986. In September Dr Motte [Love Parade] organised with DJ Jonzon the first Acid House party in West Berlin at the club. "The place was so small that hardly ten people fit on the dance floor." quote from "Berlin Calling", a book by Paul Hockenos.

31-Mar-88
NL Groningen,Vera
[support for Thin White Rope]

01-Apr-88
NL Eindhoven,Effenaar
[support for Thin White Rope]

02-Apr-88
NL Goes,'t Beest
[support for Thin White Rope]

03-Apr-88
NL Amsterdam,Melkweg
[support for Thin White Rope]

Review: Scan of review of the Groningen gig, taken from Nieuwsblad van het Noorden 01-Apr-88. "Sudden and Thin White Rope let the guitars howls: [...] Heavily distorted guitar chords, a somewhat whiny, fragile voice. A simple accompaniment of bass and drums and all that poured into slow, lingering songs. Unfortunately, the trio was not played-in at all. The drummer in particular was sometimes a mockery. Sudden hasn't lived in England for years, but he appreciates recruiting his group members from the English music industry. And just stepping off the boat onto the stage does not cut it.". 300 in attendance at the Vera gig.

Listing: Scan of listing, taken from Algemeen Dagblad 31-Mar-88.

Note: First gigs of Nikki Sudden's new band The French Revolution. Without Rowland, who's touring the US and Canada with These Immortal Souls (from March-April, 1988). The French Revolution band tours UK/Europe extensively throughout 1988/1989, until disbanding in September 1989. Two tracks ("Crossroads" and "Kiss At Dawn") from the Amsterdam gig were released on "Crown of Thorns" album (LP Crazy Mannequin Records, 1988 and CD Secretly Canadian, 2002).

0x-Apr-88
BE -,-

19-Apr-88
UK London-Camden,The Palace

Handbill: Photo of handbill.

26-Apr-88
UK Brighton,The Richmond
[with The Levellers]

01-May-88
DE Hof,Alter Bahnhof
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

05-May-88
DE Nürnberg,Komm
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

06-May-88
DE Gammelsdorf,Zirkus
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

07-May-88
DE Geislingen,Rätschenmühle
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

08-May-88
DE Köln,Rose Club
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

09-May-88
DE Aachen,Jakobshof
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

10-May-88
AT Linz, Posthof
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

11-May-88
AT Wien,U4
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

12-May-88
AT Salzburg or Ebensee,-
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

13-May-88
DE Augsburg,Bootleg
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

14-May-88
DE Marzburg,KFZ
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

15-May-88
DE Frankfurth,Batschkapp
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

16-May-88
DE Stuttgart,Röhre
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

18-May-88
DE Heidelberg,Schwimmbad
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

Listing: Scan of listing, taken from SPEX mag 05-1988.

Note 1: One track ("Such A Little Girl") from the Linz gig was released on "Crown of Thorns" album CD (Secretly Canadian, 2002).

Note 2: Without Rowland, who's touring Europe and the UK with These Immortal Souls (from May/June, 1988). One month, 26-date tour of Germany, Austria and Switzerland with Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice. Kristof Hahn [later Swans and Les Hommes Sauvages] is hired as guitar technician/roadie and also joined in occasionallly on some songs at the gigs. Thirsty Justice is: Eric Le Marechal (vocals/guitar) [then Nikki and Rowland's European tour agent, later Les Hommes Sauvages], Kristof Hahn (guitar/vocals), Duncan Sibbald (bass) and Andrew Bean (drums).

19-May-88
CH -,-
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

20-May-88
CH -,-
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

21-May-88
CH -,-
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

22-May-88
CH -,-
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

23-May-88
DE Osnabrück,Hyde Park
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

25-May-88
DE Bochum,Zeche
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

26-May-88
DE Wilhemshafen,Kling Klang
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

27-May-88
DE Hamburg,OK FM radio
(Nikki Sudden solo acoustic)

27-May-88
DE Hamburg,Grosse Freiheit
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

31-May-88
DE Kassel,Spot
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

01-Jun-88
DE Münster,Jovel
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

04-Jun-88
DE Enger,Forum
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

05-Jun-88
DE Berlin-Schöneberg,The Loft (im Metropol)
[Elliott Murphy and Thirsty Justice]

Listing: Scan of listing, taken from SPEX mag 05-1988.

Note: Two tracks ("Sea Dog Blues" and "Murder Valley") from the Hamburg radio show was released on "The Boy From Nowhere" 6CD box (Troubadour, 2013).

01-Jul-88
UK London-Camden,The Palace
[support for Green On Red]

Ad: Scan of ad from NME.

20-Aug-88
UK London,Riverside Studios

Note: Alan McGee also played guitar for a couple of songs.

07-Sep-88
UK London-Camden,Dingwalls
[support for Suicide, with Sonic Boom]

Ad: Scan of ad from UK mag.

xx-Jan-89
UK London-Camden,The Palace
[with Thirsty Justice]

Note: The only time Rowland S. Howard joins The French Revolution live band.
Thirsty Justice is: Eric Le Marechal (vocals/guitar) [then Nikki and Rowland's European tour agent, later Les Hommes Sauvages], Kristof Hahn (guitar/vocals), Duncan Sibbald (bass) and Andrew Bean (drums).

17-Jan-89
AT Salzburg,-

21-Jan-89
AT Ebenssee,Kino

20-Apr-89
NL Arnhem,Willem I
[with Princess of Peace]

21-Apr-89
NL Leeuwarden,De Brouwershoeck
[with Pigmeat]

Review: Scan of review of Leeuwarden gig, taken from Leeuwarder courant, 24-Apr-89. "Beautifully voiced sorrow by Nikki Sudden: [...] With a high, unsteady but precisely because of that so personal, voice he sings about his suffering. Although that is beautifully voiced, the songs sometimes suffer from monotony. In addition, the uncomfortably high sound volume didn't really add to the listening pleasure, but Nikki Sudden has enough personality to make us wonder why he isn't a star and so many less talented people are.[...]". 100 in attendance at the Leeuwarden gig.

Note: Start of a month long tour of Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

22-Apr-89
BE Eeklo,De Media

24-Apr-89
FR Paris,-

29-Apr-89
FR Lyon-Vénissieux,Le Truck

Setlist: See My Rider/ Captain Kennedy's Lament/ Beethoven's Ring/ Road Of Broken Dreams/ French Revolution Blues/ Where The Rivers End/ Murder Valley/ Back To The Coast/ Great Pharaoh/ Groove/ Midget Submarines/ Crossroads/ Too Bad For You/ Fortune Of Fame/ Cathy/ Jump On Jack.

Note: Released on "The Lyon Affair" CD (Troubadour/Easy Action, 2018).

03-May-89
DE Bochum,Bahnhof Langendreer

04-May-89
DE Giesen,Ausweg

05-May-89
DE Detmold,Hunky Dory

06-May-89
DE Krefeld,Kulturfabrik

07-May-89
DE Hamburg,Fabrik

08-May-89
DE Frankfurth,Cooky's

09-May-89
DE Berlin-Schöneberg,The Loft (im Metropol)

10-May-89
DE Heidelberg,Schwimmbad

12-May-89
DE Stuttgart,Rohre

xx-May-89
CH -,-

xx-May-89
AT -,-

17-May-89
DE Hannover,Bad

18-May-89
DE Nürnberg,Rühersaal

19-May-89
DE Weiden,Jugenszentrum

20-May-89
DE Schwindkirchen,Rockhouse

21-May-89
DE Schondorf,Hammerschlag festival

22-May-89
DE Uebach-Palenberg,Rockfabrik
[with Animal Crackers]

Listing: Scan of listing, from SPEX mag, 05-1989.

12-Sep-89
AT Augsburg,Armadillo

Note: "Midget Submarines" released on "Crown of Thorns" album (CD Secretly Canadian, 2002).

16-Sep-89
AT Ebensee,Holzstock Festival
[with Caspar Brötmann Massaker, The Iron Fish, The Bates, Die Zeit]

Note: Last ever French Revolution gig.

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Last modified 11th of September, 2022.