Another one off the list. I had been worried in the past few years. Not in an every day fear sense but in an occasional back of the mind nag that if you don’t get round to doing something it’s something you’ll always regret. So, despite my fortunate means and ability to get to most gigs I want to see, the thought was on missing the opportunity to see No Means No. What with them being old b*stards and no evidence of recent activity despite internet searches (brought up a lot on date rape) maybe they’d called it a day. Set to console myself with memories of doing guest (crap) vocals on Blacklisted’s cover of "Two Lips, Two Lungs and One Tongue" out of the blue found them appearing here as part of 3 day UK tour when I happen to be in these parts so happy endings, before I’d even seen them, that confident of satisfaction.

Usual warm welcome in Scotland included meeting the East Stirling FC (officially the worst team ever) hardcore fans and learning that local rivals in rubbishness should be referred to as Stenny-bottom and there being only one team in Falkirk (not Falkirk). They were looking at a £70 taxi ride home after but were still sharing the eager anticipation, as were folks who’d only heard the band in the last year, plus guys who hadn’t even heard them and were just picking up the excited vibe for a Wednesday night and were sure not to be disappointed.

Locals Transmission provided the support for tonight and were a thing of wonder. As in wonder what the hell they were doing there. Was it just that they were bad or that they were bad and supporting No Means No that was so very riling? Simple industrial stuff, lead in by the keyboardist playing John Carpenter’s Halloween (not hard me thinks), it was sloppy, basic, chronic basically. They kinda believed in what they were doing but a whole lot more practise in their garage required. Cover of "You spin me round"… anybody? Maybe I’ve been spoilt by quality industrial (mentioning no names, he he) but like I say, they were not worthy. NMN passed comment in more subtle terms as well.

In no time at all every thing made right by the brothers John and Rob Wright, plus Tom. I can’t remember ever seeing a band look so old, (in their 50’s, not grey but white!) and yet, so full of life. Starting off with "Give me a push" it sounds fantastic, Rob’s writhing bass leads from the front, John’s drums (set sideways on one side of the stage) are intense and complex, Tom’s guitar also intricate without being fussy. "angel and devil" then things really went mad for "It’s catching up" off the Wrong album, one of only a handful of their collection (many on Jello Biafra’s Alternative Tentacles label) that I have but a selection from just about all of them seemed to be played tonight. They have a pretty unique formula, the impact of punk with complexity and inventiveness of jazz, yet at times with a repetitive blues groove that taps into you, and not afraid to spread some of the tunes out into epics like "Machine", carried by the clear vocals that they all share, sometimes spoken, shouted, or sung, conveying feelings of half joke, half threat.

They work the contrast well (pacing themselves!) between stuff like the blistering "dad" and the drawn out "mary". "The victim’s choice", "The Day everything became nothing", "Theresa, give me that knife", clever lyrics on subjects as diverse and twisted, emotional and awry as the music, the way of the world, life and relationships where all’s not necessarily well. Despite promising 12 more ballads there’s one in "I need you" and then they’re onto a winner with the Scots with their interpretation of Ivor Cutler’s "Some bodies". "Mr In-between", the awesome "Rags and bones" having everyone bouncing and shouting along before winding up with "The Graveyard shift"

A genuinely rapturous applause gets them back for two separate encores, the first including "two lips…" with a hilarious bottle nape (not neck) guitar solo and ironically cheesy banter in the break, the second I didn’t even know any of them but didn’t matter in the least, enjoyed every minute, even the endless (and also ironic) drum solo. May they never retire.

Right. Plan next to nail the ghost of missing Nick Cave but that’s another story, hopefully concluded in November.

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