Author
David Nolan
First published 2001 Milo Books 29 May 2001
Republished 2006
Independent Music Press
Paperback 208 pages
ISBN:9780954970499
RRP £12.99
On June 4, 1976, four young men took the stage of a
tiny upstairs hall in Manchester for a gig that, quite
literally, changed the world. In front of a handful of
people they played one of the most important live sets
of all time. Alongside Woodstock and Live Aid, the Sex
Pistols performance at the Lesser Free Trade Hall has
been named by critics as one of the most pivotal
performances in music history … not necessarily
because of the quality of the music - but because of
the effect the music had on the audience.
The crowd were mesmerized by the power and
possibilities of punk - and it inspired them to create
their own music that would shape the sound of rock
music for decades to come. Members of Joy Division and
New Order, the Smiths, the Fall and Buzzcocks were
there that night as well as Tony Wilson, a key player
in the story of Factory records, the Hacienda,
Madchester and beyond. This was truly a gig that
changed the world.
The truth behind that gig - plus the Pistols repeat
performance six weeks later and their first ever TV
appearance - has been shrouded in mystery for thirty
years. Until now, everyone's been happy to print the
legend. For the first time, here's the truth.
Featuring previously unpublished photos, interviews
with key players and audience members, I Swear I Was
There brings pop culture to life thirty years after
the Summer of Punk. |
