Let me tell you about an incident that happened it ‘81 in Oxford, It was a Tuesday night in August and Duran Duran were playing, We had a tidy little crew at this time but we knew the Brummies would be bringing loads down it’s only a short journey and this was one of the first dates on the tour.
We mobbed up in The Grapes on George Street just opposite the theatre and we had a good forty in their at opening time, a lot of these were youth who’d only just bought their first pair of karate slippers and frilly shirts but there were a few older heads who’d been into Bowie and Roxy Music in the early seventies, let me tell you these boys knew the score, they sat in the corner by the door aloof and silent except when strangers walked in when they would whisper to each other and giggle. Some of these had been drinking pernod and black since half five and the atmosphere was getting rowdy to say the least.
One of our top visages put Boys Keep Swinging on the juke box and the whole pub erupted into a sing along. All except a group of futurists standing by the bar who wanted too here some Gary Numan but couldn’t get to the juke box through our lot. We didn’t really get on with the futurist mob after a dispute over a yachting cap (don’t ask) but tonight as it was a big one hostilities were put aside.
All of a sudden two of our youth who had been throwing shapes outside came in and on the shout of “of our guests have arrived” we all piled out stopping only for a quick look in the mirror behind the bar. Just down the street their coach had stopped and we could see it was full we were about fifty handed by now so it was equal numbers. We positioned ourselves in front of the entrance so they had to walk past us the pub opposite, was now closed as one of ours had knocked some glasses of a table with his cape in the hurry to get out. As they came of the bus someone shouted “leave it out, they’ve got birds with them” we weren’t sure though so that was it, It went off in the street and in the foyer as some of their’s got through us and were followed in.
We were hitting them with every thing we had, snide comments, laughing behind the hands and raised eyebrows, One of ours shouted “Get you” at their main boy and he was straight in with open laughter, mimicking and sarcastic wolf whistling. It went on like this for a good five minutes, until two of our main faces walked down the road towards us, these two had links with the Arsenal lot (Spandau Ballet) and had been at it for years, They had been in court that day in London, charged with shoplifting from Kensington Market, so we didn’t think they’d be out, these two walked up to their main lads and we thought it was going escalate when our lad said he liked the Brummie blokes belt and asked him where he got it.
After that there was an un-easy calm for the rest of the night with no major incidents during the concert except for a squabble in the ladies loos about who’s turn it was to use the mirror. All in all a top night with both firms gaining respect from the other and some useful make up tips exchanged.
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