Helen Reddington and Terry, at Women in Punk event. Amsterdam 18 June 2022
This photo shows Helen Reddington aka Helen McCallum aka Helen McCookerybook meeting Terry at the Women in Punk in the Netherlands event on 18 June 2022 in OCCII in Amsterdam.
They have known each other since the 1970s, when they were bass players/singers in the Brighton, England-based Chefs and the Leiden, the Netherlands-based Cheap ‘n’ Nasty, respectively.
Vondelpark, Cheap ‘n’ Nasty 1980 concert audience, pic by Dorith
This 27 September 1980 photo is by Cheap ‘n’ Nasty roadie Dorith. She photographed some of the audience during the Cheap ‘n’ Nasty set in the Vondelpark in Amsterdam during the big national pro-choice demonstration there against government plans to attack women’s rights to abortion.
Amsterdam punks, do you recognize yourself in this photo?
Subway Sect-Lou’s poster. 1978 England
This poster is about the 1978 tour in Britain of two bands: Subway Sect, one of the earliest English punk bands. And the Lou’s. These three French, one Dutch women, were one of the first European continent punk bands. And the first all-women band in any rock genre in France.
The prize of this poster was estimated in 2013 to be 600 – 800 €.
Subway Sect and Lous ticket. Chelmsford
This ticket was sold for £5.99.
According to Vic Godard, Subway Sect singer, the two bands went along well. He fondly recalled how both he and ‘the blonde girl in the Lou’s’ (meaning guitarist Raphaelle Devins) loved French poet Charles Baudelaire.
From a Vic Godard interview:
“You know that design tycoon Sir Terence Conran?” Vic asks, “He used to live down here, his son was one of The Clash’s roadies, so we used to crash out in his house. It was one of these huge houses down here and it was at a walking distance from where we rehearsed in Camden. We used to walk down there and try to get money out of Bernie Rhodes! Unsuccessfully…” “Subway Sect’s aim seems to have always been trying to get money out of Bernie Rhodes…” I interrupt. “Oh yes!” Vic confirms, “And Bernie made crash any band that he got over up to London in Terence Conran’s flat. At one point he was managing an all-female French band called The Lous, who took their name after Lou Reed.
Vic is wrong on that. The band name Lou’s is an abbreviation of French ‘loubardes’, motorcycle gang girls.
We went on tour with them in 1978, I don’t know how Bernie got involved with this French girl band, but we did a tour called ‘The Great Unknown Tour’ with them all around Britain, after The Clash started getting quite big. Well, Bernie made them all sleep in there, they were all crashing on the floor. Also half of The Clash was sleeping there.
Raphaelle Devins later went to the Netherlands, joining Cheap ‘n’ Nasty as saxophone player.
The Lou’s from NME January 1979
This picture from British music weekly New Musical Express, January 1979, is by graphic designer Loulou Picasso of French art collective Bazooka.
It depicts the all-women punk band the Lou’s. Three band members French, drummer Sacha/Saskia/Syama from Leiden in the Netherlands. On the picture from left to right: Sacha, guitarist Raphaelle Devins, Pamela Popo vocals/guitar, Tollim Toto bass.
Back in Leiden in 1981, Sacha founded the Miami Beach Girls. Raphaelle joined Cheap ‘n’ Nasty as saxophonist. The two bands played together, eg, in Paradiso in Amsterdam in August 1981.
Nick Cave’s Birthday Party and Cheap ‘n’ Nasty poster
This 1981 poster announced a concert by Nick Cave’s The Birthday Party and Cheap ‘n’ Nasty in Oktopus in Amsterdam.
As Nick Cave and his bandmates did not turn up, the concert as announced did not go ahead.
I have rediscovered this poster after forty years (thanks Michael!).
I have forgotten whether we alone played, or that the whole gig was cancelled.
Joan Jett at party, photo by Donna Santisi
These two photos by Donna Santisi from the USA show Joan Jett, of the Runaways, later the Blackhearts, at a party without make-up on.
Joan Jett at party in the USA, photo by Donna Santisi
Adele Bertei of The Bloods at Toys, the Hague
Here Adele Bertei, 40 years ago singer of the Bloods from the USA, put photos of her. These photos were made in 1981/82 in The Hague by Annelies, band photographer of Cheap ‘n’ Nasty and the Miami Beach Girls. For decades, these photos had just been negatives because of lack of money. Maarten of Cheap ‘n’ Nasty scanned them recently. I sent them to Adele.
Cheap ‘n’ Nasty and Zounds in Drieluik, Zaandam
This Drieluik, Zaandam concert poster has the name Cheap ‘n’ Nasty spelt slightly wrong.
Drieluik Zaandam 22 November 1980
Now, all three photos by Dirk Boet from 22 November 1980, concert of Cheap ‘n’ Nasty as part of the tour with Zounds. In the Drieluik venue in Zaandam. Now, all three photos in the same blog post.
On the upper photo: Cheap ‘n’ Nasty male half of lead vocals Herman, with on the right, (part of) Marijke Bottema. She was guitarist of Zaandam punk bands Hema’s and Fish Without Bicycles.
Drieluik Zaandam 22 November 1980, vocals, bass and drums of Cheap ‘n’ Nasty
This photo shows Herman again, with, partly, on the right, Terry, bass/vocals. Behind the drum kit, Maarten.
Drieluik Zaandam November 1980
Again, Herman.
Safety Pin #12 from Sheffield, England
Safety Pin is a zine about punk, past and present, from Sheffield, England.
The latest issue, #12, comes with an EP with songs by three bands from Britain: Loaded 44, Hi Fi Spitfires and The Last Gang. They are side projects of UK Subs guitarist Steve Straughan. Interviewed in this issue. Also, the Subhumans. And, eg, Ruts DC.
On the last pages. an article on 1976-1982 Dutch punk with photos on Cheap ‘n’ Nasty and other early Dutch punk bands.
Cheap ‘n’ Nasty 26 October 1980 at Amsterdam punk festival
Drieluik Zaandam 22 November 1980
This photo by Dirk Boet is from 22 November 1980, concert of Cheap ‘n’ Nasty as part of the tour with Zounds. In the Drieluik venue in Zaandam.
Cheap ‘n’ Nasty male half of lead vocals Herman, with on the right, (part of) Marijke Bottema. She was guitarist of Zaandam punk bands Biologisch Dynamisch Trioo Brandnetel and Hema’s and Fish Without Bicycles.
Cheap 'n' Nasty 