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Ola Super Peeeeple !!!! New videos of The Bolshoi performing live in front of a studio audience in Argentina just surfaced on YouTube (I'm the one on the left with the big sparkly blue suit). A big thanks to Matias Luzbel for sending links my way: (and here's a video of me outside the studio after the show)  This picture was taken inside a giant plastic bubble covering an outdoor pool at Brooke Farm Studios, England, where we recorded Lindy's Party. It was hot as hell that day and we were sweating like pigs. A few days earlier, or later, we were all playing around in the pool after a night down at the local pub and I went under the water and nearly drowned.
Here's some names to go with the faces above. Nick Chown, Jan Kalicki, Trevor Tanner and, last but not least, Paul Clark The Washington Redskins shirt Trevor's wearing was bought that one day when we went down into Bury St. Edmonds on a little shopping trip. It was a really nice hot day and I think we had ham sandwiches and some beer before heading back to the studio. Me and the guy who owned the studio, John Eden (Status Quo's producer) had a black pudding eating competition one night, eating it raw from the plastic packaging. He used to make the BEST bacon sandwiches ever after our drinking sessions down the local pub, using some kind of spicy sauce which I forget the name of.  Here's an email from Robus in Poland:
Robus Janowo: HI PAUL! I dont want to disturb you, but when it is possible write me e-mail. I wuld like to know more about your past (The Bolshoi). Exactly: what happened to the band? Me: We decided to split the band after trying to get off the Beggars label and onto a more mainstream label and failing. If we'd stayed on Beggars we could have continued for a while longer but our sound was changing fast and we felt like we needed to be on a Major and do the pop star thing more. No popularity among young people? There was popularity among young people when we were young people as well in the 80's. Maybe today's crop of young people who are discovering music from that era will come across our music and dig it but I doubt there will be any kind of resurgence, it takes a lot of money and effort to make those type of situations occur, they don't just happen. Saying about Poland The Bolshoi was really popular in 80's. Yep, we played a nice big concrete stadium in Katowici, like a smaller version of Seattle's old Kingdome, towards the back end of the bands career. It was a really big deal actually, with Polish Army guys lined up all around in case the fans spontaneously went insane or something I guess. We even had to walk down between two lines of them to get into the backstage area. Very funny that was. A similar thing once happened in Brazil, albeit on a much less daunting personal protection type scale, when a promoter hired a bunch of goons to form a human chain between the back door of a venue we played and our tour bus. After we finished getting shit faced backstage we had to walk down this human aisle even though there wasn't a soul anywhere in sight. At one point I pretended to squeeze through to get out into the deserted parking lot but was forced back in. Absolutely ridiculous. I dont remember when i met The Bolshoi. Long time ago. If you don't remember then I don't stand a chance. I remember most places and events from back then but memories of people have gone out of focus. One particular memory is the time we stopped for something to eat, buy cigarettes, beer or whatever right on the outskirts of South Warsaw and the bus left without me. I'd wandered off to take a look around and walked out onto the street just in time to see the bus way off in the distance going across a bridge. I didn't even bother waving, just turned around and went back inside to a little deserted bar I'd noticed just off the lobby area. About half an hour later someone showed up and led me to the bus. Everyone thought it was really funny but I just felt kind of sad. It had been nice just to be in Warsaw having a drink and a cigarette with nothing to do. 2 years ago i started looking for CD of The Bolshoi. Finally I have bought. "The best..." It is very important for me. When Beggars said they were thinking of putting out a compilation we thought that was cool. I actually designed the cover which was originally a lot darker and more sinister looking, but Roger at Beggars changed it by adding color. We never made any money from it, in fact I never made any money from being in The Bolshoi the entire time I was with the band, other than a salary, but that's cool also because I did it because I loved doing it. I also got more out of the whole experience than money could ever have bought - love and the chance to get the fuck out of England. Still i need every song of The Bolshoi. It's not easy to find more than 3 albums you have made. I'm hoping a recent deal between indie labels and Apple will get the music online for download. I meen singles and new songs prepared by Trevor. Singles and other stuff show up almost all the time on eBay, I even saw a 12" selling for around $70 not too long ago. As for Trevor he's playing with a band out in Florida or wherever doing celtic folk music type stuff last I heard. Nice to hear his voice again, and those lyrics of his. Tell me do you keep contact whit the rest of your teem? I am in contact with Pete McCarthy and Nicki D'Souza, our ex-management, and occasionally with Trevor. As for Jan we emailed a few years ago, and Nick I haven't been in in direct contact with since I moved to the USA in 91. Was Kalicki polish? No, but his Mother and/or Father were I think. At last I am asking how are you? I'm great, and actually celebrating my 41st birthday today. And I must say I look awesome for my age. Are things going well? Exceptionally well, and thank you for asking. Paul Clark June 2003 - Seattle Here's an email from Jorge in Argentina: Hello Paul, First of all my english is not very good so I request your patience. It is rare for me to write to my idol of youth. I discover The Bolshoi when they came to Argentina in 1987, I was 14 years old and your music was recorded in my by always... I'd like to know if you remembers anything of Argentina. I cheer that you're happy and good. Greetings Jorge Hi Jorge, I have many fond memories of Argentina. As you may know we were in Brasil for a few weeks before arriving in Buenos Aires, and a lot happened while we were in that country, but immediately prior to getting on a plane and leaving Brasil we did a show in a place called Porto Allegre and it was there that I realized we were only a few miles from Argentina, a far and distant place I never had any ambitions to ever visit so therefore never thought I ever would visit. The first memories are driving down a really long wide road from the airport in a car driven by the promoters and thinking about how it was only a few years earlier that England was at war with Argentina, so the conversation basically revolved around whether there was any ill feeling towards the English - i.e. will we get killed by people who are still pissed about the war on Islas Malvenas (The Falkland Islands). Needless to say we were reassured by the promoters that everyone was actually really glad that the Junta's ass was kicked and that our presence, and indeed that of the band who was there doing the same venue a week earlier (The Cure) was much appreciated. They went on to talk about how people they knew were taken away in the middle of the night and never heard of again, and that as soon as the war finished and the military Junta was removed from power all this stopped, so we all kind of felt this was all of a sudden kind of like an overseas UK Govt. promotional type thing. An hour or so later we're at an arena with lots of kids hanging around outside. During soundcheck I snuck out for a walk around and found myself getting kind of mobbed so snuck back in. That night we went our for dinner with the promoters and people from WB and had a steak dinner with massive steaks. I was feeling like shit for some reason and went out for a walk. After a bit I went back, ate a few bites of steak and off we went to do the show. It was packed and an absolutely frenzy of excitement was had by all. The day after I woke up in my room at The Hilton, Buenos Aires, walked across the room, opened the curtains and looked out upon what I thought was downtown Madrid. A lush open area right in the middle of the city surrounded by ominous turn-of-the-century buildings. A few moments looking around I started noticing quite a commotion coming from the street below and looked down to see quite a large crowd of people looking up at me. I immediately stepped back from the window feeling kind of scared, claustrophobic, famous and a fraud. I decided to get out and take a look around, seeing as this was most likely the only time I'd ever be in Buenos Aires, so got dressed, had breakfast, read the paper, had a shit and a shave and went down and walked out the front doors. It was a little hairy but no big deal, said thanks a few times, signed a couple of LP's and ran off up the street. It was like going back in time walking around that part of Buenos Aires. Big old buildings with all the original fittings everwhere. I saw a place that looked like a chemist called an Apocrathy and went in to get some aspirin or whatever. It was really dark in there, with tall glass fronted cabinets all around filled with porcelein bottles, old fashioned bathroom and medical apparatus, and all manner of strange things. Anyway I described what was ailing me and was given something that made me feel better. A few hours later we were back in Rio to do a second leg of our South American tour that was booked at short notice, and that was about that. All in all a very enjoyable two days. Just won an eBay auction for a copy of a two record set featuring Books On The Bonfire from someone in Youngstown, Ohio. It's a UK 33rpm 3 sided 12" ep, BEGGARS BANQUET #BEG 170TD, 1986. Side 1: books on the bonfire. Side 2: boss, a funny thing... Side 3: billie jean(live), away(live). I remember we used to slip Take Me To The River in with the Billie Jean cover for some reason, although can't for the life of me remember why we did a Michael Jackson cover in the first place. Used to go down really well anyway and can't wait to hear it. Here's an email from Peter in England: Hello Paul. Hope you don't mind me emailing you as you guys are very difficult in tracking down. You lot basically inspired me and my brother into music.. Full stop. Also liked The Chameleons but you lot just made my jaws drop. Saw you loads of times in the UK. Lancaster Sugarhouse, Manchester Uni.. etc. Even the last gig..If I'm correct at the Underworld in Camden. As you can maybe tell by the direction of gigs I'm a Northerner who moved down to London. Never really got to meet any of you but just came across your email address quite by accident. I notice that a lot of bands like The Chameleons,Pshcsdellic Furs, Gene Loves Jezebel etc are back and seem to be getting the recognition back. Are there any plans for US or even a UK tour..? Sorry, I'm sure you get that all the time, but I am a fan..!! I managed to get a band together in the mid 90's called The Workhouse, mostly instrumental music with occasional vocals. I would like to send you a CD if that's possible. We recorded an album on a Birmingham label this year and in most of the interviews we do I always mention The Bolshoi as the main influence. I have also attached a spec sheet if that's of any interest to you. Our website is www.the-workhouse.net and if you know of any stores over there that might like a bit of British Indie rock would gratefully appreciate it. Anyway, can I just say that I don't send letters or emails like this out. The Bolshoi were a truely outstanding band, I have everything you have done. Even the old Beggers tape I bought for 1.99 with Fly on it..! Video for Happy Boy etc..! I can remember the first time I heard A way and nearly wet my pants. Infact it's the only song that still scares the hell out of me when I play it loud. Keep well Paul and all the very best to you and your family for the New Year..!! Peter. Here are some links to stores selling recordings by The Bolshoi: iTunes Music Store: Bigger Giants - Friends Amazon.com: Away - Best Of The Bolshoi - Lindy's Party MusicStack: Rare Bolshoi vinyl and CD's |