Rock Goddess - Heavy Pettin'

Since this gig I’ve been doing a lot of reminiscing, nostalgia makes a big part of our lives now with so many years of listening to and following the bands there is much to talk about, as you might imagine.

I first heard Heavy Pettin’ back in 83 when my then guitar teacher suggested I borrow Lettin’ Loose from his vinyl collection, he had already introduced me to many of the greats and this one sat firmly with them, back then I sadly didn’t get to see them so it was a relief in 2017 when the band decided to reform for a show at the Winterstorm festival. Obviously, all went well with that show as here we are in 2019 with a new album in the recording stages and much activity on the live circuit.

I was already inside this great venue for soundcheck and was lucky enough to hear a full-on take on ‘Love Times Love’, I knew by this we were in for a treat.
So with no intro tape as Hamie got the attention of the sound desk the lights dimmed and we are in business.

Opening with new track ‘Back to You’, my initial reaction is that I can’t believe just how heavy the live version of HP in 2019 actually is, melodic but very much metal edged and quite an assault on the lugholes.

As Steve[Hamie]Hayman twirls his mike stand with original guitarist Gordon Bonnar to his right throwing every conceivable shape in the book with his flying V, left we have Jez Parry on Bass and the supercharged Dave Aitken on Guitar and up top at the back Mick Ivory hitting those tubs as hard as humanly possible.

The set is largely taken from the first two albums with a smattering of new material but an hour and five minutes fly by and we go from one singalong to another, the aforementioned ‘Love Times Love’, ‘Rock Me’, and ‘Shout it Out’ are set highlights before the band play ‘Sole Survivor’ from the Rock Ain’t Dead album, it never occurred to me before but this song is truly epic and sprawling live and it’s more subtle moments build with the dynamics to bring the song to a suitably epic conclusion. ‘Rock Ain’t Dead’ brings with it a mass singalong, seeming more relevant now than when it came out in 1985. HP wind up the set with In and ‘Out of Love’ and ‘Throw a Party’.

The band certainly appear to have the impetuous behind them to allow them to be a force again, it’s hard to believe there were over 25 years of inactivity before the 2017 show as what I see before me is a band looking mighty hungry for a future, with the new album looming they might just get what they wished for.

On to Rock Goddess, formed in 1977 by sisters Jodie and Julie Turner who still front up the band today along with Jenny Lane on Bass who replaced Tracey Lamb in 2018, I first caught the band playing at HRH in November and after so many years on my radar I finally got to see them live.

Again no proper intro but we did get a little syncopated dancing from Jenny and Jodie before the music receded and we were bombarded by ‘Satisfied Then Crucified’ from their self-titled 83 debut, Jodie’s voice on fine form and with a stare that could knock you dead to the floor we are off. Jodie isn’t one to mince her words and references a number of songs on the setlist being reflectant on her angry past, no doubt involving relationships.

Of the 16 songs on offer tonight all the highlights come from the first two albums and also most recently released ‘This Time’, ‘To Be Betrayed’, ‘Hell Hath No Fury’ and ‘Hold Me Down’ all sound great but the same has to be said for ‘Flying’, ‘More Than Rock n Roll’ and ‘Crawling To Space’.

Before you know it they wrap up the set with ‘Heavy Metal Rock n Roll’, much singing in the room which Jodie encourages and was a spent force as they leave the stage for a moment.

With barely enough time to recharge n grab a beer they are back for a deserved encore. ‘Back To You’ is an early 80’s classic and is received by the enthusiastic crowd but no Rock Goddess performance would be complete without ‘My Angel’ and that’s what we get, the song giving us the groove to send us off dancing into the night.

I think the best way to sum up the night is with an old HP song.

‘Rock Ain’t Dead
Rock’s Alive’