The ’16 and Savaged’ tour
Michael Des Barres (vocals) / Robbie Blunt ( guitar) / Rod “Rook” Davies (guitar, percussion, vocals) / Nigel Harrison (bass) / Pete Thompson (drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals)
This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime gigs that was too good to miss. Fronted by the outrageous Michael Des Barres (who had started out as an actor – ‘To Sir, With Love’ and later ‘McGuyver‘ on US TV), Silverhead boogied their way to great success at the Penthouse. Playing outright rock and roll I remember that we punters were getting on down from the outset. As ever, Des Barres was down to his bare chest very quickly and haranguing the audience with his savvern drawl. I would surmise that they played tracks from the current ‘16 and Savaged‘ with its provocative cover artwork that you wouldn’t get away with these days, as well as material from their eponymous 1972 ‘Silverhead‘ album. My good friend, Steve Toal, recalls “featuring lead singer Michael Des Barres who went on to play in The Power Station with ex-Duran Duran members (ok, that’s not a brilliant thought, but Silverhead were way ahead of their time.)” In fact, Des Barres would first marry “Miss Pamela” (Pamela Ann Miller), the famous Frank Zappa groupie, protégée and member of the GTO’s (Girls Together Outrageously), and then set up new band Detective long before joining rock superstar Robert Palmer in the Power Station “supergroup” line-up. Bassist Harrison would go on to join American punk band Blondie just in time for them to hit the big time – he played on all of their mega-hit albums and singles.
Setlist: unknown, but earlier in the year (19th January) at the Tokyo Nakano Sunplaza they played: James Dean; Sold Me Down the River; Only You; Hello New York; 16 and Savaged; Roll Over Beethoven but I would guess that they played more in our set which should also have been rather longer.
An advert from Melody Maker, 8th June 1974 (above)
Gigs'n'Stuff 