Some words and pics from Alan Dearling
First up was Stephen Hartley, aka Sage. The Stephen Hartley Band offered an intimate set of largely autobiographical songs. ‘Stories’ from Stephen’s life, especially from his years up to his time in Scotland where he trained as a doctor.
Stephen told me that, “I’m also known as Sage – it’s a nickname I got at school, because there happened to be several Stephens about. My initials: SH therefore became ‘saitch’, equals ‘Sage’.” Stephen was joined by Gary Brown, the original and only Notsensibles’ bassist, on bass. Tyler Hanley, the current mayor of Todmorden was on drums. Stephen told me: “Tyler is my sons’ age and was in their band The Strange. He’s played with me and Gary on a number of occasions and he’s the best drummer I’ve ever come across.”
Obviously, Sage is pretty political, and the songs included a nod towards George Orwell in ‘George’s Brother’ which offered a condemnation of foodbanks. His set certainly came to life with the energetic and catchy, ‘I’ll meet you at the bar’. An obvious invitation for punters to go and buy Stephen a beer! The closing number, ‘Swampland’ also got the audience energised, in readiness for the set of Notsensibles’ songs. Obviously, many in the audience were long-term fans of the ‘Sensies’ as they are affectionately known.
A bit of background: Stephen Hartley and Notsensibles
Stephen Hartley is best known as guitarist with iconic north-west punk band Notsensibles, who recorded four singles, an album and a Peel session. He’s continued to play in bands ever since, playing anecdotal, autobiographical songs, which he’s released on his DIY back room label, Eli Records. After the engineering apprenticeship that he was serving during the days of Notsensibles, he spent five years as a busker, playing classical guitar.
He went back to school on the day that his daughter was born, to study medicine, eventually becoming an A&E consultant. He runs a one and a half acre organic smallholding. His book ‘Painting Snails’ uses the annual cycle of the land as a framework for stories from his past.
For the last ten years Stephen has teamed up with original Notsensibles’ bass player Gary Brown, playing original material and always including Notsensibles’ songs in their sets. Lindsay Riley was on drums.
Stephen said after the gig: “Our gig at The Golden Lion in Todmorden was extra special, as we were joined by special guest, Roger Rawlinson on keyboards. Roger wrote most of the Notsensibles’ songs.”
During the second set, Gaz took centre stage as lead singer, as they played all the singles and songs from their infamous album, ‘Instant Classic’.” This was crammed full of lively fun with much singing-along. Many members of the audience behaved like the grand-parents of punk rock! Like the songs themselves, the musos and the punters didn’t take themselves too seriously. The song ‘Death to Disco’ was released as a single in April 1979, and probably their most famous song arrived later in 1979 when they, (depending on your point of view), ‘lampooned or celebrated’ the election of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister, with, ‘I’m in Love with Margaret Thatcher’.
At the live gig, stand out moments included the powerful, frantic and frenetic, ‘I am The Bishop’, the dippy bonkers-ness of ‘I thought that you were dead’ and the North of England music-hall pastiche, ‘Little Boxes’, and the obvious ‘finale’, the duo of songs, ‘Death to Disco’ and the ‘Maggie Thatcher’ song. The Notsensibles’ songs are at times strangely reminiscent of a punk band fronted by Spike Milligan and The Goons!
The musical spaces in between and after the live sets were uplifted by some great punk tunes played by the DJ, including The Adverts’ ‘Gary Gilmore’s Eyes’ and ‘London Calling’ from The Clash.
Gaz & Sage + friends will continue to gig in 2024: Landed festival in Wales in July, with other festivals in the pipeline.
