1980 PART I

1980



JANUARY

4th
Rehearsals for the Seventeen Seconds studio recording at Robert's parents house: A FOREST, SEVENTEEN SECONDS, PLAY FOR TODAY, M, IN YOUR HOUSE, ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TRAIN, AT NIGHT. All instrumental versions.

11th
More rehearsals at Robert's parents house: SECRETS, THE FINAL SOUND, Untitled (A REFLECTION).

13th-20th
Morgan Studios - London, England

SEVENTEEN SECONDS

A REFLECTION
PLAY FOR TODAY
SECRETS
IN YOUR HOUSE
THREE
THE FINAL SOUND
A FOREST
ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TRAIN
M
AT NIGHT
SEVENTEEN SECONDS

11 songs were recorded with Mike Hedges as producer. The band actually lived and slept in the studio because of the limited time that was booked. The budget was very tight indeed as proved by the recording of the FINAL SOUND (meant to be a long instrumental piece but the tape reached the end). Once the backing tracks were recorded, the band browsed through pages and pages of lyrics to sort out which ones would fit the music. AT NIGHT was largely inspired by a short Kafka novel with the same title.

FEBRUARY

4th-10th
Morgan Studios - London, England

Another week in the same studio, but mixing the album this time. Most of the songs were actually mixed on the second to last day and A FOREST (most produced track) took a large part of the final day.

MARCH

10th
Maida Vale Studios - London, England

John Peel Sessions

The band recorded A FOREST, SEVENTEEN SECONDS, PLAY FOR TODAY, M for the radio show. A good session with Robert Smith's voice pretty low on the mix to give the music all its dimension.


14th
Nogent sur Marne, Eurock Festival
A festival held in Paris' suburb. Robert dedicated AT NIGHT to Mary.

APRIL

5th

A FOREST/ANOTHER JOURNEY BY TRAIN single is released. A video for the song was filmed (along with PLAY FOR TODAY on the same day).

A FOREST - VIDEO
PLAY FOR TODAY - VIDEO

10th
Short American Tour started (just the East Coast).

15th
Hurrah's - New York

20th
Allston, Underground Club

FIRE IN CAIRO - VIDEO
SECRETS - VIDEO
IN YOUR HOUSE - VIDEO
GRINDING HALT - VIDEO
SUBWAY SONG/ACCURACY - VIDEOS
KILLING AN ARAB - VIDEO

Last night of the tour and a few hours from Robert's birthday. The show was filmed by local art students.

24th
Top of the Pops: A FOREST

A FOREST - VIDEO


25th
Beginning of the UK Tour (16 dates). The SEVENTEEN SECONDS album was also released.

MAY


11th
London, Rainbow Theatre

Final date in the UK. The beginning of the show was a bit weird with an approximate version of A REFLECTION - probably not rehearsed enough to this point. It could also be the first time he band tried it live (SETLIST).

13th
The next five following weeks were spent touring in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany and Scotland. The live set became slightly different. The group also started to play THREE with different lyrics whenever they did the song.

23rd
Paradiso - Amsterdam, Netherlands

24th
Stokvishal - Arnhem, Holland

28th
Kant Kino - Berlin, Germany

29th
Marthalle - Hamburg, Germany

31st
Herford, Scala
A classic great night on stage. The most interesting part was THREE, played in the encores, dedicated to Simon for his 20th birthday. The party atmosphere brought the band to perform four encores total.

1981 PART I

JANUARY

More rehearsals and work on the new songs.

7th
John Peel Session (Langham studio 1)
Songs recorded for the radio program: The Holy Hour, Primary, All Cats Are Grey, Forever. Still no definitive lyrics for the first two songs. Primary was still different musically (bass line and tune) compared with how it would turn out on the following month. Forever was an improvised attempt based on the chords from Three. That classic "song" would often close the shows for years and years.

FEBRUARY

2nd-11th
Morgan Studios, London

Recording sessions for the Faith album started but it became a difficult process; the band was "thrown out in favor of more important people" to the Red Bus studios and then to the Roundhouse, the Trident and finally Abbey Road studios. The lack of continous work in the same place resulted in the recording taking longer than expectted: about a month.

Around the same time, Ric Gallup (Simon's brother) was asked to make a film, Carnage Visors, to replace support bands on the upcoming tour.

Pictures:
http://www.impressionofsounds.com/carnage.htm

MARCH

16th
Point Studios
Robert and Simon recorded the soundtrack to Carnage Visors whicle Lol took care of a drum machine.

27th
Primary/Descent single released. The cover was drawn by Porl and Andy Vella founding their association under the name "Parched Art". A video was also make for Primary along with one for Other Voices on the same day.

Primary-Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w2npLcteyk&feature=PlayList&p=60E8290ED6533DB8
Other Voices - Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIvdicEo7II&feature=PlayList&p=60E8290ED6533DB8

APRIL

11th
The Faith album release. The misty cover depicts Bolton Abbey (North Yourkshire) where Robert Smith used to play as a child.

http://www.impressionofsounds.com/cure-faith.html

18th
UK Picture Tour (31 shows). The Funeral Party & The Drowning Man sounded pretty unrehearsed on the beginning of this tour, certainly difficult songs to perform without being in the mood - especially with Robert getting a cold after a week on the road. The guitar solos were extended on songs like A Forest or M, giving more atmosphere to the songs. A few songs had improvised lyrics when the tour started: In Your House, Play For Today, The Holy Hour, Seventeen Seconds...

Friars Maxwell Hall -Aylesbury, England

Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=306

26th

Hexagon - Reading, England
Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=313

MAY

2nd

Colston Hall - Bristol, England

Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=319

3rd

Odeon Theatre - Birmingham, England

Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=320

15th

Capitol - Aberdeen, Scotland

Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=330

16th

Odeon - Edinburgh, Scotland

Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=331

Audio - Faith

Audio - Forever

17th

City Hall - Newcastle, EnglandSetlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=332

23rd

Downtown Kampus - Cork, IrelandSetlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=335

Audio - Faith

27th

Limburghal - Genk, BelgiumSetlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=337

29th

Ancienne Belgique - Brussels, BelgiumSetlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=339Photos

JUNE

10th

Uni Mensa Morgenstern - Tubingen, GermanySetlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=348

Photos

11th
Gartenhalle - Karsruhe, Germany
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=349

18th
Philippshalle - Dusseldorf, Germany
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=355

20th
Saalbau - Essen, Germany
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=357
Audio - Faith
Audio - Forever

23rd
Evenenten - terrein bij de Rijnhal - Arnhem, Netherlands
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=360

27th
Park - Rotterdam, Netherlands
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=337

29th
Bodeterrein aan de heliconweg - Leeuwarden, Netherlands
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=337



JULY

4th
Torhout, Festival
That was the first time the band played at this major Belgian festival. There was no encore as they were only allowed to play for 75 minutes. Robert probably hated having to play in such festivals (the bill also included Robert Palmer, Dire Straits...), intoducing Faith as follows: "It's our rock and roll number, so your supposed to clap your hands in the bak, I think. It's off our new album called Slipping Sally Through The Alley. It's called Faith."

Pictures: http://www.impressionofsounds.com/live040781.htm
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=368

5th
Werchter, Festival

Pictures Part I: http://www.impressionofsounds.com/live050781.htm
Pictures Part II: http://www.impressionofsounds.com/1981-TV2.html

Videos - Fire In Cairo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LujqYolMF8Y&feature=PlayList&p=60E8290ED6533DB8
Videos - Play For Today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZu1lBFCyb0
Videos - A Forest
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHgBb3GWhys&feature=PlayList&p=60E8290ED6533DB8

Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=369

23rd
Ritz - New York, USA
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=370

Audio - A Forest
Audio - Faith
Audio - Forever

26th
Perkins Place - Pasadena, USA
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=373

Audio - A Forest
Audio - Faith

27th
The Wiskey A Go-Go - Los Angeles, USA
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=374

Photos


28th
I Beam - San Fransico, USA Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=375Audio - A Forest
Audio - Faith

1980 PART II

1980

JUNE

5th

Bataclan - Paris, France
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=232

Another mythical concert starting with The Final Sound/A Reflection and ending with three encores. On Three, Robert sang "the other feels grown/How much difference with me."

6th
Studio 44 - Petit Quevilly, Paris, France
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=233

Tonight's set included a single encore but Robert insisted on playing Three again. Calling that night's version "I Hate Discos" in feference to the place they were playing at.

9th
Radio Broadcast - Paris, France
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=234
18th
City Hall - Glasgow, Scotland
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=236

20th
George Square Theatre - Edinburgh, Scotland
Photos: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/aff_img.php?pic=dates/photos/edin80/1.jpg
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=238
28th
Stadspark Zomerpop '80 Festival - Veenendaal, Netherlands
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=239

JULY

18th
Berg en Bos Festival - Apeldoorn, Netherlands
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=240
Photos: http://www.impressionofsounds.com/1980-TV3.html

Videos:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp6UJsCCilI&feature=PlayList&p=7AC23D373E535D2A
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=197Tgu8WoLM&feature=PlayList&p=7AC23D373E535D2A
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNPO8Wk2oMY&feature=PlayList&p=7AC23D373E535D2A
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpSWMzouCe8&feature=PlayList&p=7AC23D373E535D2A

AUGUST

9TH
Bondi Lifesaver - Sydney, Australia
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=249
21st
Armadale Hotel - Melbourne, Australia
26th
Prospect Hill Hotel - Melbourne, Australia
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=263


AUGUST-SEPTEMBER

Home Demos

Faith
Doubt
Drowning
The Holy Hour


SEPTEMBER

Morgan Studios

Cold Colours (Primary)
Going Home Time


OCTOBER

3rd
Rock Palast - Stockholm Sweeden
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=269
6th
VUB - Brussels, Belgium
7th
Television: http://www.impressionofsounds.com/1980-TV3.html
9th
Wartburg Music Hall - Wiesbaden, Germany
Setlist:http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=273
10th
Stadthalle - Bremen, Germany
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=274
17th
Jaap Edenhall - Amsterdam, Netherlands
Photos: http://www.impressionofsounds.com/1980-TV5.html
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=281

Videos:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H45X-_xjOcU&feature=PlayList&p=7AC23D373E535D2A
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biFxSwvqwN8&feature=PlayList&p=7AC23D373E535D2A




28th
L'Espace - Rennes, France
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=291

31st
Blue Note - Rodange, Luxembourg
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=293


NOVEMBER

17th
Dominion Theatre - London, England
Setlist: http://www.foreverdrowning.net/setlist.php?date=303