goes that irritating bloody advert and then shows a second of the brilliant Mud and Les Gray looking truly charismatic and Rob who only went on to write several massive hits in the 90s...

I loved the 70s thank you very much.

So do I, JK. I'm glad I'm not the only one annoyed by that advert, especially the inclusion of Mud in their ridicule.

People who did not live through the 70s are not aware of it's diverse culture and sense of fun. Lots of ground breaking music and TV, too.

Yeah - let's have a Mud revival.
And throw in a few other gems from Smokey and Sweet and yes, Gary Glitter, too.

We had a terrific music scene then. And we are not ashamed of the quality of our hits.

I'd vote for a MUD revival except for the fact we've lost two members, one of which was front man Les Grey. Two of Sweet are also no longer with us , including their fornt man Brian Connelly.

All helps to diminish my sense of immortality. So many of my childhood heroes have passed away.

Smokie are still going strong with a top ten album in Denmark, although only two original members remain.

Revivals don't need members - just playing/featuring the music.

The great thing about sounds is that they outlive all of us.

There was also the (now) much maligned prog-rock. Re-listening to Yes and Jethro Tull shows what staggeringly inventive music was available then

Good for you Bernie (said the Genesis man) - and let's not forget the end of the era; punk and disco, two terrific examples of the genres of indie rock and dance.

Has there ever been better?

Andy Scott covered the vocals on a few tracks when Brian Connelly was stoned, and had his own Sweet for a few years after the official split. Not sure that many can capture the vocal quality of Les Gray. To us young fans, Les Gray was Mud. The band tried to carry on without him but few were interested. 'Drop everything and Run' wasn't a bad song, but it wasn't Mud. Two Mud tribute bands do exist, but neither quite capture the sound.

Slade also carried on and produced some good stuff, but without Noddy Holder just didn't sound right.

Smokie, on the other hand, are now on their third lead singer and manage to maintain their Smokie sound.

On the subject of Genesis. I was re-watching the 25th anniversary edition of TOTP, and was reminded of how they classed Genesis as a band which emerged during the 80's. I think they were a bit off there.

Ah, a revival of the sound. Sorry, JK, I was thinking you meant a reunion. For me the sound has never died. I wonder if I was the only one in my town who bought Mud's 'Slow Talking Boy'. As much a part of their sound, for me, as 'Tiger Feet'.

Al, have you any idea if MUD2 are still performing? Their website looks a bit neglected. True, they were not the same without Les, but they maintained the spirit of fun. Syd Twynam had been with Les Gray's MUD for 15 years.

I saw you on a Tv debate years ago JK stating how dreadful the 70s were and the music was pants and nothing good came out of it. Noddy Holder corrected you very sternly

"ow' kin yall soi that jonathan wor abilt Led Zeppelin?"

Yes Mike I said that The Piglets were the first punk band.
It was all quite tongue in cheek.

You can see it all online!

Well Mott The Hoople are reforming - with all 5 original members. They existed between 1969 - 2004, so fits the bill exactly. Catch them at the Hammersmith Odeon (HMV Apollo now), on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th October.

Also, from music Week:
Legendary venue returns for 40th anniversary party


Trio of original Aylesbury Friars favourites booked to play the June-held event

The famous Friars Aylesbury venue will live again - albeit briefly - this summer when it stages a range of special events to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Although the venue - it was actually three sites, the last being the Civic Hall in the town - closed 25 years ago, it was legendary on the live circuit, with The Clash, U2, The Ramones, Lou Reed, David Bowie and Mott The Hoople all playing gigs there.

Now David Stopps, director of copyright and related rights for the Music Managers Forum and the former Friars Aylesbury promoter, is staging a one-off concert on June 1 to mark the venue’s first gig on June 2, 1969. He is also planning a raft of other activity to celebrate it.

The first performance came from Mike Cooper and Mandrake Paddle Steamer at the New Friarage Hall, Aylesbury, which hosted the gigs until they moved to the Borough Assembly Hall in 1971. The second week saw The Pretty Things and Wild Willy Barrett.

Stopps, who presented the first Friars gig, has confirmed three of the bands that played Friars in 1969 will return for the night of June 1.

The Groundhogs will open the bill at 7.30pm. Second on, at 8.30pm, will be Edgar Broughton with The Pretty Things, who originally played Friars on June 9 1969, headlining.


“Incredibly after 40 years they are still working. It’s 40 years since we put on the first gig so we’re going to make it as authentic as possible,” says Stopps, who promoted Friars gigs from 1969-1984.

He adds, “The possibility of this concert has been talked about in Buckinghamshire pubs and supermarkets for the past 25 years.”

Tickets will go on sale on April 17 priced £20 each and will be limited to two per person. Stopps is also in the middle of licensing 40 tracks from companies including EMI and Sony for a double album, which will be released around the anniversary. Stopps says some of these tracks will have been recorded at Friars gigs, with the MC5, Dr Feelgood and Mott The Hoople all having live material available.

Additionally, two large hard- backed books, which will retail at £50 each, are being readied for release in June. These will contain many rare photographs from the thousands of Friars gigs and also reproduce every news sheet that Stopps wrote following each gig.

“It’s a very big deal. I mean, artists like Jonathan Richman would come over, play London and Friars, and then fly back to the States. We were also very involved with Bowie, who played three gigs, including in his incarnation as Ziggy Stardust,” says Stopps, who adds Friars had around 87,000 members when it eventually closed in 1984.

“I closed it because by the end we were trading on favours and I was concentrating on management, so it was time to call it a day.”

Stopps also hopes there will be one or two more Friars concerts before the end of 2009 to mark the anniversary.