“We had a small tour after Swoon came out which took us to Belgium where we played a crazy festival among a bunch of punks who shouted things like: ‘We love Bob Dylan, we do not like you’.” Paddy McAloon, interviewed by “Emma Welles”, 1985.
“We also supported the Psychedelic Furs at a festival in Belgium. The audience was Neanderthal. These guys were 1977. They were still spitting! I said ‘You Belgians are as boring as everybody says”. They just went furious” Paddy McAloon, interviewed RAM, July 1985
“On pourrait prendre ces déclarations pour prétentieuses si on ne connaissait pas Paddy, un charmant garçon, adorable et plein d’humour. Ceux qui furent à son premier concert belge à Lier et à Deinze en 84 (avec Front 242, Psychedelic Furs et Sisters of Mercy à la même affiche!) comprendront mieux une telle réaction. Prefab Sprout a failli se faire lyncher:
“C’était dégoûtant. En montant sur scène, pour calmer le public, j’ai dit que Wendy fêtait son vingt et unième anniversaire, mais ça ne les a pas empêchés de lui envoyer des canettes à la figure. J’ai été révolté par le public belge. On a été traités comme des animaux par des animaux.” Thierry Coljon, Le Soir
A set of photographs from this concert are available at Phillipe Carly’s “New Wave Photo’s” site.
I was at this wonderful Lier Belgium gig, and and had the great fortune to meet with Paddy (& group) backstage afterwards. We had a mutual friend from the north east whose name escapes me now, who worked for LD Mountain. The one part of the conversation I recall now was about him using eye-liner to wind up the crowd! Fond memory – great guy, and just lovely haunting music.