Although I first started going to the Bull & Gate in the second half of 1986 I first met Leeson back in late 1985 when he contacted me at Zigzag and I did an interview with The Shout.
Sadly, Zigzag spluttered to a halt just as a) the Goth scene we had supported more than any other publication took off and became huge and b) the Indie scene actually became interesting. I moved on to the Bull & Gate for a lot of my inspiration, having met Job Beast (R.I.P.)
And while THE SHOUT also found regular gigs there they played anywhere and everywhere. Bear in mind that some of the flyers I present here, and the newsletter mailouts may be from the wrong year. You’ll need to unpick those with diligent calendar research.
Weirdly, although I saw The Shout before the all-dayer at Hype I jadn’t taken any photos (which sometimes happened when my camera was out of action).
THE SHOUT - B&G 27.3.89
Click photos open and download them to s=view at full size. Some are small scans, some bigger.
THE SHOUT - B&G April 1989
THE SHOUT - Defiance 27.10.89
Leeson first takes to the stage accompanying the great Mike Painter (aka Spam Very Lynn).
Then THE SHOUT
Glimpsed also while CARTER USM play.
THE SHOUT - Powerhaus 1.11.89
1990
THE SHOUT - B&G 6.4.90
LEESON - B&G 20.8.90
The gig he basically did for me and Chris when no bands turned up and he just happened to be passing. (Eventually two or three people wandered in, for free, from the bar.)
I recognise those ears! Watching The Galley Slaves, October 5th, 1990.
GENIUS FREAK - B&G 22.11.90
(This may be from another gig as Tim (left) is onstage!)
LEESON - B&G 20.12.90
The last night of the brilliant CUBE club.
1991
1992
Panache (my fanzine) - Issue 32
GENIUS FREAK - B&G 1.2.92
LEESON - B&G 13.6.92
1993
MAD DOG - B&G 7.2.93
This is Leeson helping Gave Floyd out with his strange band.
(Those last shots are out of order.)
1994 onwards…
And that is all I have. Apologies if some of the newsletters are out of order, it all got a bit confusing, but I hope this evokes happy memories of the great man.
Enjoy your celestial lock-ins Leeson!