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Toxik Ephex - Punk As Fuck At The Moorings Sept 16!!


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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

This is the night before I have to leave home at 9.30am to go to university in Edinburgh! A free gig as well! I'd definitely be saving up to get the train fare to Aberdeen for this if it wasn't practically impossible for me to go to this gig!!!

Admittedly, I haven't heard Toxik Ephex but I think I'd like any band with a single called "Punk As Fuck".

Free gig as well!

fuck.

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Here's some more information...

Toxik Ephex were founded in 1983 (I think although there may have been an embryonic version prior to that). The definitive line-up was:

Dod - lead ocals

Freddie - lead guitar, backing vocals, and occasional lead vocal

Frankie - rhythm guitar

Mikie - bass

Chiz - drums

Freddie famously dressed up as Denis The Menace, and features on the cover of their "Adventures of Nobby Porthole. The Cock of the North" album.

The band played almost entirely original material, mostly written by Freddie. They did also perform the odd cover from time to time, such as a Rezillos "Up Against the Wall" or SLFs "Doesn't Make It Alright".

At one time the band were offered 65,000 to sign a mojor record deal but famously turned it down. Seriously. Although the amount tends to vary every time I hear that story between 20,000 and 100,000... but you get the idea.

http://www.topplers.net/artists/toxik/toxik_ephex.html

Toxik are arguably the greatest band to come out of Aberdeen. Of all the Aberdeen bands that "almost made it", Toxik came the closest. Their material is melodic, aggressive, chock full of political comment, and relevant even today. Classic archtypal punk rock at it's very finest. They are perhaps more highly regarded among their more famous peers than anywhere else. Which speaks volumes. Search them in Google to see what I mean.

Toxik briefly reformed in 2002 without Keilan taking over from Freddie on guitar. They stupidly asked me to manage them. Highlights were the reformation gig at The Moorings and a fantastic support slot for The Dead Kennedys at The Forum. We had a plan to record Take You Share for the first time - live of course. So I started experimenting with stereo miking etc. Then the band broke up again. Needless to say I carried on and now fortuitously the band have reformed and The Moorings is kitted out with a state of the art 24 track digital Sydec Soundscape system. So guess what we're going to do!

The current line-up, probably the strongest ever is as per the classic one but with Keilan substituting for Frankie on guitar, and doubtless providing some backing vocals too.

Among the stand out tunes IMO are:

Playing with Fire - written about the Piper Alpha equally applicable to any crop or political disaster, especially one involving fire.

Shades of Grey - one of the earliest examples of a enviromentalist song. Cracking lyrics.

Do You Care - about old people

Take Your Share - anti nuclear energy protest song, only ever been performed live, with masive audience participation chorus "I don't want no nuclear waste in my garden, I don't want to turn my backyard into a bomb"

Maggie / Tony - take your pick of PM and change the lyrics to suit. Scarily they still make sense 20 years later...

Ahkaminecuzahwizbleezin - a song about getting pissed, usually sung by Freddie

And there are many, many more believe me!

So whether your an old fan, or have never heard Toxik before this is shaping up to be one of the great gigs of 2005. Back in 2002 we couldn't fit everyone in the bar, and ended up with 30 people sitting on the street outside. Fortunately the bar is a little bigger now. Want to have your voice present on the chorus to "Take Your Share" the great lost gem of Toxik Ephex back catalogue, never previously recorded? Then get your arse down to The Moorings for this ;)

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Want to have your voice present on the chorus to "Take Your Share" the great lost gem of Toxik Ephex back catalogue' date=' never previously recorded? Then get your arse down to The Moorings for this ;)[/quote']

Sadly I'm working nights on the 16th but will be there in spirit!!

And while you're recording TYS, have a wee word with Freddie and see if he can remember how to play (Waiting For Your) Taxi, another great "lost" Toxik song. I'd pay good money for a decent quality version of that!!

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Sadly I'm working nights on the 16th but will be there in spirit!!

And while you're recording TYS' date=' have a wee word with Freddie and see if he can remember how to play (Waiting For Your) Taxi, another great "lost" Toxik song. I'd pay good money for a decent quality version of that!![/quote']

Freddie is nothing short of a genius.

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Kirk, you will love them.

Dk's support was fantastic, but they were better at Drummonds a while before that.

Toxik are the greatest band to come out of Aberdeen full stop. Every time I make up a compilation "Obstacles" HAS to go on it.

Remember Dod is your friendly neighbourhood piper outside Markies!

Just remembered the "pipe off" with Dod and the Real McKenzies piper at one of the RM's gigs at Drakes - that was fuckin' ace! One of the best things i've ever seen.

Anyone with even a passing interest in punk should make the effort to get to this show. I promise you'll love it.

Cannae wait.

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Sadly I'm working nights on the 16th but will be there in spirit!!

And while you're recording TYS' date=' have a wee word with Freddie and see if he can remember how to play (Waiting For Your) Taxi, another great "lost" Toxik song. I'd pay good money for a decent quality version of that!![/quote']

"Taxi" made it back into the set a few years back so I'm sure it will be making an appearance! You better watch out for that taxi! .... "whats he gonna do"

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Kirk' date=' you will love them.

Dk's support was fantastic, but they were better at Drummonds a while before that.

Toxik are the greatest band to come out of Aberdeen full stop. Every time I make up a compilation "Obstacles" HAS to go on it.

Remember Dod is your friendly neighbourhood piper outside Markies!

Just remembered the "pipe off" with Dod and the Real McKenzies piper at one of the RM's gigs at Drakes - that was fuckin' ace! One of the best things i've ever seen.

Anyone with even a passing interest in punk should make the effort to get to this show. I promise you'll love it.

Cannae wait.[/quote']

That would have been the 28th December 2002. They also suported the UK Subs at Kef in Autum 2003.

I was with them at the Drummonds gig too, flogging the CDs. If you have one of the 3 EP set of "Punk as Fuck" then it was probably me that sold you it. Those are remastered by Mark Nicol from the original vynl. Mark Thomas will attempt an even better remaster of that soon with a pristene unsed vynl, my gyrodeck and Soundscape.

Believe me gig at The Moorings in August 2002 was MUCH better. The crowd at Drummonds were positively lethargic, and I recall Dod getting frustrated with them.

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That would have been the 28th December 2002. They also suported the UK Subs at Kef in Autum 2003.

I was with them at the Drummonds gig too' date=' flogging the CDs. If you have one of the 3 EP set of "Punk as Fuck" then it was probably me that sold you it. Those are remastered by Mark Nicol from the original vynl. Mark Thomas will attempt an even better remaster of that soon with a pristene unsed vynl, my gyrodeck and Soundscape.

Believe me gig at The Moorings in August 2002 was MUCH better. The crowd at Drummonds were positively lethargic, and I recall Dod getting frustrated with them.[/quote']

That would be good skills if the EPs were remastered again!

Aye, Dod was pissed off - He kicked Ant Karloff in the face when he fell asleep (too drunk - it was his birthday! - should have remembered the date!) and dragged our table up to dance for the last songs! I was at the Moorings gig but was far too drunk to remember it. I do remember a few things about it, but was in no state to enjoy it!

You are spot on - they are one of the best bands ever - True legends. looking forward to seeing them again.

Is there going to be any chance of getting a copy of the gig when it's been mastered or whatever you have to do to it? I'd love that. I've always wanted a Toxik live CD.

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That would be good skills if the EPs were remastered again!

Aye' date=' Dod was pissed off - He kicked Ant Karloff in the face when he fell asleep (too drunk - it was his birthday! - should have remembered the date!) and dragged our table up to dance for the last songs! I was at the Moorings gig but was far too drunk to remember it. I do remember a few things about it, but was in no state to enjoy it!

You are spot on - they are one of the best bands ever - True legends. looking forward to seeing them again.

Is there going to be any chance of getting a copy of the gig when it's been mastered or whatever you have to do to it? I'd love that. I've always wanted a Toxik live CD.[/quote']

Yes that was December 28th 2002 then.

There are plans to compile a full live albums worth of Toxic's material, although this may take several gigs to complete. Mark Thomas will mix and master it, then I'll get it pressed and hopefully it will become available in the shops and finally mission accomplished for me! This is the purpose of these gigs, and hence why they are free.

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Guest Bob Double Jack

Believe me gig at The Moorings in August 2002 was MUCH better.

I remember doing the sound for that gig - my one and only foray into doing sound for a gig.

I don't think I did too badly if i remember correctly.

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Would everyone please note that there is no support band, and that Toxik will be playing between 9pm and 10pm. Admission is FREE. Last time Toxik played we had 100 people in the bar by 6pm, and they weren't due to take the stage until 11pm... So strongly recommend that you get down early otherwise you may be dissapointed.

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