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Exclusive Interviews
In this section we aim to bring you many more Exclusive Interviews. Not only from the Artists who played at the Apollo and the Green's Playhouse, but also from the behind the scenes people who help create the Apollo legend. Watch out for interviews with Richard Park, Ten Years after and Budgie.
| author - Martin Percival and Ross McIntyre |
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interviewed - 07/04/2004 |
"The Rezillos were arguably THE leading band to come out of Scotland during the 1976-78 period. The band played what turned out to be their last gig for 23 years on 23rd December 1978 at the Glasgow Apollo. This concert was recorded, and was released in early 1979 as the live album “Mission Accomplished…but the beat goes on”.
In June 2004 Ross McIntyre, web master of the groups official site, and Martin Percival interviewed the band exclusively for Apollomemories. We hope you enjoy the interview and, if you’ve never heard the band, pick up the 1993 re-issue cd of the band’s only studio album “Can’t stand the Rezillos”. It combines the live album too all onto one disc. For the very latest information on what the band are up to please visit www.rezillos.com." |
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| How many times did the Rezillos play the Glasgow Apollo? |
Eugene Reynolds (Singer) – We played the Glasgow Apollo three times in total - we supported both the Stranglers and the Ramones there in 1977 and of course we did our very last gig there, of the first phase of the band, back in December 1978. |
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| What were your feelings at the time of that last gig? Do you have any other associated memories of that night? |
 Fay Fife (Singer) – I remember the last gig well. I can recall this weird feeling. Things were moving really fast and there was a very strong feeling at the time that music was just ephemeral - “pop will eat itself”. It also felt that people were almost willing us to break up. That, combined with a slight self destructive element that we had in us anyway, all helped to cause the split.
Eugene - I remember being quite enthralled and intimidated by the sheer scale of the place. It was the biggest show the Rezillos have ever played, at least to date anyway. The stage was pretty high. When we got worked up during a performance, the nagging feeling of it being "curtains" if we fell off the stage stuck in the back of your mind! It was very hard to see any of the audience when we trooped on stage due to the bright stage lights glaring in our eyes. When some back lights came on though during the show, they lit up the audience and I was quite zonked at seeing all those faces - so many of them! At the end of the show it was really moving to see a lot of the fans crying because they knew we were breaking up. I had a real lump in my throat. I thought: “What the hell are we breaking up for?” We were on the brink of becoming a huge band. Crazy really, looking back.
Angel Paterson (Drummer) – I had a variety of feelings at the time of the last gig. Relief, because the situation in the group was tense. Working together after the decision had been made to split up was obviously strenuous. Disorientation too, because we were trying to do a good show and record a good live album but for no really tangible reasons as the group, technically, no longer existed.
Eugene - At a couple of points during the set I was truly worried about the state of the balconies. Kids were jumping up and down like crazy. From the stage you could literally see the balconies moving up and down with the force of the body movements in virtual unison. The plaster was breaking up with the movement and it was dropping fine dust onto the crowds below. I thought, “Oh, shit. What happens if the balcony can't take it?” Luckily, it held up! I remember my mother and Fay's mother being at the gig in the audience. They were dumbstruck!
Fay – We played a lot of encores I recall, we almost didn’t want it to end. Groups break up because they stop getting on with each other and that’s what had happened with us at the time. If there had been a few more positive people around us maybe it wouldn’t have happened. |
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| Jo, what are your memories of the Apollo? |
 Jo Callis (Guitarist) - I remember us being a little apprehensive about our first appearance at the Apollo supporting The Stranglers in October 1977. We were still pretty much a 'local' band at the time and the Apollo was legendary AND we were supporting the Premier Division Stranglers. I think we were probably worried that the audience would be far too impatient to see The Stranglers to be bothered about us. They were being allowed to play in Glasgow for the first time since having been banned by the city fathers after their previous appearance. Most “punk” bands were banned at the time from the city. But the Rezillos had built up a loyal following in Glasgow over the previous year and that helped carry us through. We got a terrific reception and it was a great night for both bands. The Stranglers treated us with great courtesy and consideration, even holding the crowds back at the front doors at opening time so we could get a sound check. There had been a real buzz and sense of occasion about that evening, people were very excited about seeing The Stranglers again and,thankfully, they took to us as well!
Our next visit to the Apollo was on the Ramones "Rawkit to Russhaah" tour in December the same year. It was not one of our happier tours and I don't remember a great deal about the night, except that we got a great reception again, and with us being a lot more established by then, particularly in Scotland, perhaps the Ramones felt a little unnecessarily unnerved by the evening.
By the time we were headlining in our own right a year later, Glasgow and the Apollo had become home from home, we had no fear of the 20 or so feet drop from the front of stage (like standing on top of a small cliff, if you went to the edge and peered over!). All our friends from the west coast would be spurring us on too, determined to have a good time come what may. Our farewell gig there in December '78 was a bit of a "wake' in a way, - a great party, tinged with the sadness that we were never going to do this again ...or so we thought! In fact when we reformed and were doing our 2002 Edinburgh Hogmanay show all I could think of was that last show at the Apollo, and how it all still seemed so recent. |
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| Did you go to Glasgow Apollo much as fans? |
| Fay – I remember I saw Roxy Music there. We didn’t get the chance to see too many other bands in the 1976-78 period as were always playing live ourselves. |
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| Did any of you play at the Apollo after the Rezillos with your various new bands? |
Ali - Once with TV 21 in, I think, May 1982 supporting the Rolling Stones. It was just about TV 21’s last gig. |
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| Did the Revillos ever play the Apollo? |
 Eugene - No. Just about everywhere else in Glasgow, but not the Apollo. We did play the Pavilion, just across the road though.
Jo Callis – My last visit to the hallowed halls was the opening show of the Human League’s "Dare" tour in November 1981. It was the first night of a tour with a newly put together band that could have really done with a couple of more days rehearsal - well, you've got to shit yourself a little! On the way up from London, where we'd been doing the "technical" rehearsal to sort out the Stage Rig and Lighting etc, we watched the film "Alien" on the tour bus to cheer ourselves up a bit. But Glasgow never lets you down, no hostile life forms there (well, the usual odd one or two maybe!) just the exuberant Apollo crowd. It was a great opening night and we were forgiven the odd shambolic moment. For (my) "old times" sake we even did an electronic version of the Rezillos "Destination Venus" for the encore, which, of course, went down a storm! |
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| How did the “Mission Accomplished” live album come about? Whose idea was it? |
 Eugene - Well, we announced we were splitting up at the early stage of a lengthy sold out British tour. The promoters were going mad and asking for refunds. If I remember correctly it was my daft idea to do a live album to go some way to rectifying the dire financial situation. |
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| What were your feelings about the way it turned out? |
Eugene - Once it was recorded and mixed Fay and I were not into the idea of it coming out. MY, how contrary of us ! I know that inside me I knew what I didn't like, but I wasn't capable at the time of saying what I DID like. The angst of the inability to express oneself! From a realistic perspective it could never do justice to the electric memory or atmosphere of the occasion. There is one moment though that really goes some way to capturing a fleeting moment. When Fay says "Hello Glasgow!"- you can really hear the audience roaring - like some strange creature from prehistoric times. It's a sound I'll never, ever forget. |
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| Have you still got the whole gig still on tape somewhere? |
 Yeah, I took a reel to reel recording myself. I still have it somewhere, I think. I’ve never played it since the day it was recorded. I imagine it sounds somewhat different from the live album. |
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| Any closing comments on the Apollo itself or on Glasgow as a place to play? |
 Jo - The thing you realise after having played The Apollo, or indeed anywhere in Glasgow a good few times, and also from talking to Glaswegian friends about their memories of regularly going to gigs and shows, is how much Glasgow is a real city of music (and the arts in general) - always thriving with bands and a music loving population with long memories. That tradition continues now in places like the Barrowlands, the Carling Academy and many other new and well established venues, and long may it do so. |
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| Official Rezillos Website |
| http://www.rezillos.com/ |
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