First NMA Experience

[sparks68uk]

I got a tape from a penpal and there were 3 NMA-songs on it - not sure which 3 but NO REST was on it for sure.
A few months later I went to a Dutch festival called 'Waterpop' where NMA was performing so I was pretty curious.
And .. well, do I need to say more? I think it was 1988 but I am not sure.
It was the 1st time I saw Die Toten Hosen as well, never heard of the band but their gig "kicked ass" so afterwards
I started buying records of them and of course NMA. I have send an email to the organisation of the festival and
asked for the specific year but never got a reply.
Anyway, it's around 21 years ago and till today .. NMA is my favorite band ever. One thing I hate about dying is to
never be able to hear their songs again. (and I am serious!)

Had to add/comment on this. Back in the day this was how you learned "New Music" you were given a pirate copy on tape, loved it n you bought it and more ,loathed it and you binned it off,never went near it again.  My point being the big noise about digital sharing etc ,its how you learn new music ,if you love it you buy it if not ,end of. There will always be n always have been cheapskates that will never purchase music,but true music fans will go on to buy albums and attend gigs.
 As for first exp of NMA ,I was invited to go down to the T&C (Town and Country Club now The Forum) back in the 80's by a mate who was a fan.  Before leaving we spent a couple of hours drinking (Red Stripe n Merrydown snakebites) as you did back then whilst listening to the 2 albums he had. I wanted an idea of what I was going to hear as they were new to me  . On vinyl they were ok ,I was'nt too excited but looking forward to the night out . The live exp tho, by **** it was something else.The live music or is that: The music live ?and the atmosphere was electrifying and with (at the time 50% plus of the crowd wearing wooden soled clogs (young un's check your NMA history)  n stamping out  the beat, making the floor bounce what felt like 6 inches (15cm for you young un's)  it was an almost religious experience,I'd been part of  nothing like it before,the crowd were one ,joined together ,merged together with the band   .Me I was sold from that point on !!!!

[kabe]

first NMA experience:

peterculter library, aberdeenshire, 1985 - no rest, staring out from the lending shelf.  grandmother's footsteps.  dixon's c90 tapes.

[skyman9]

Must have been around 84 on the Tube. I think they played Smalltown England and Christian Militia. Justin introduced one of them by saying "we´ve got a new single out.. this isnt it". I liked the attitude. Was not until 85 that I saw them at Liverpool De Montford Hall.  Nobody from school wanted to go (too busy listening to the Cramps, Meteors) so went on my own. As a 15 year old I wasnt sure which way to go from Lime Street and then I saw Rob getting into a van so I knew i could not be far away (I think he came out of an amusement arcade..) . I was nicely suprised by the physicality of the crowd and the policy of picking you up if you went over.  2 years later I lost a Doc Marten shoe about 10 secs into the gig. Yes I deserved that, who wears DM shoes. Muppet.

[orlando]

In the mid 90s a friend introduced me to this band that had played at the Zillo Festival in Rüsselsheim. The music touched me on a level, that no band had ever done before and never has since. I got immediately hooked and I remember to have a cassette in my car containing T&C on one side and Impurity on the other, which was more or less the only thing that was being played there for quite some time to come.

I saw NMA live for the first time during the Strange Brotherhood tour in Neu-Isenburg in '98 and shortly thereafter in Mainz. The gig in Mainz was the first with my then new girlfriend and now wife. She immediately became as passionate about the band as myself and we have hardly missed a concert in our area since. Sometimes also venturing farther like the 30th birthday concerts in Berlin or the christmas gigs in Cologne and Amsterdam.

[Adrian]

'No Rest', TOTP 1985.

[Leontjev]

Late eighties, I think. There used to be a club in my hometown where dj played mostly alternative bands and that`s how I got familiar with NMA in 1987-1988 and then I bought The Ghost of Cain Lp. I still have it, of course!

[Gary Tompsett]

Great Expectations on John Peel Show I think. Live, it was at Folkestone Lea Cliffs Hall. Touring No Rest. I'm now about 50 gigs later... with undiminished respect and excitement for any gig at any venue.

[WazLes]

 Back in the mist of time ,back in the days of Sounds music paper with the gig listings at the back pages. That would be very early 80's, due to reading the music press I am sure NMA were already part of my consciousness, but I had yet to experience the true essence of the NMA live delivery. I would watch The Tube religiously every Friday, what a kickstart to a weekend that program was. That first time actually being drawn in by Slade the Leveller's stare, transmitting through the screen such a passion and energy for the songs. As they banged out those songs they were etched into my soul from that moment, I had no choice in the matter. NMA delivered something I hadn't realised even existed, or for that matter realised I had needed to make things make sense. Many gigs have passed since and that shiver takes hold every time I hear it again , it's just a New Model Army thing and if you don't get it then thats cool, but if you do, then you're the better for it. Thanks for all those years since and don't ever stop.

[Bunny]

Dont think ive replied on this. First introduced to the music in 89 by a co worker playing Vengeance non stop. Cant say I was really into them, but bought T and C, Impurtity and LOHC. Kinda drifted away for a few years but delved back at some time in the 90's and bought album after album.
First live experience was awful.....but not NMA!!! I only went to gigs once in a blue moon and about 8/9 years ago, I read they were playing the O2( old Dome nightclub) in Brum. Great. So off I went with the ex. Got to the venue in we go. The warm up band were shite.....except it wasnt a warm up band. The O2 has several venues in one building and unbeknowingly, we'd been granted entry to a Christian rock band. Once the reality dawned, the bottom dropped out of my world. The lowest point in an impending divorce with the ex.

Anyhoo, the venue offered an apology and tickets to see NMA elsewhere. Went to Leamington Spa a short time later, fantastic gig and I was hooked. Got a lift back from a couple from Stourbridge, who we only met there as Id missed the last train.

Met the current missus in Wisbech the following day. Havent looked back since and met some great people at gigs Ive been to, MR, Shush, JC, Pol and Ruckedout and others I dont know. Its been a blast but gutted I didnt do it earlier!

[ManxPat]

I really couldn't say!!!!

[REC29]

Must have been around 84 on the Tube. I think they played Smalltown England and Christian Militia. Justin introduced one of them by saying "we´ve got a new single out.. this isnt it". I liked the attitude. Was not until 85 that I saw them at Liverpool De Montford Hall.  Nobody from school wanted to go (too busy listening to the Cramps, Meteors) so went on my own. As a 15 year old I wasnt sure which way to go from Lime Street and then I saw Rob getting into a van so I knew i could not be far away (I think he came out of an amusement arcade..) . I was nicely suprised by the physicality of the crowd and the policy of picking you up if you went over.  2 years later I lost a Doc Marten shoe about 10 secs into the gig. Yes I deserved that, who wears DM shoes. Muppet.

I think the Tube was the first time I saw them too. I think Joolz Holland introduced them as the ugliest band in rock.

And I was at that Mountford Hall gig too, but the first time I saw them live was at a GLC bash in Brockwell Park, London in August 84.

[Master Ray]

Must have been around 84 on the Tube. I think they played Smalltown England and Christian Militia. Justin introduced one of them by saying "we´ve got a new single out.. this isnt it". I liked the attitude. Was not until 85 that I saw them at Liverpool De Montford Hall.  Nobody from school wanted to go (too busy listening to the Cramps, Meteors) so went on my own. As a 15 year old I wasnt sure which way to go from Lime Street and then I saw Rob getting into a van so I knew i could not be far away (I think he came out of an amusement arcade..) . I was nicely suprised by the physicality of the crowd and the policy of picking you up if you went over.  2 years later I lost a Doc Marten shoe about 10 secs into the gig. Yes I deserved that, who wears DM shoes. Muppet.

I think the Tube was the first time I saw them too. I think Joolz Holland introduced them as the ugliest band in rock.

And I was at that Mountford Hall gig too, but the first time I saw them live was at a GLC bash in Brockwell Park, London in August 84.

It was Paula Yates who described them as the ugliest band in rock (or whatever).  Yours sincerely, Captain Pedantic.    

[Pol]

Aye that braw burd Paula, she was a looker

[worzel101]

Around '92 I was looking after a mate's caravan in the middle of nowhere.  Box of tapes from Bach to Black Flag.  Among them was a mysterious mix with no label, much of the content fairly blah save a few tracks... one of which I listened to over and over as it fitted the scene so well.  Later found out that the song was 'Purity'.  It was very much a part of this reflective experience, and became a soundtrack for the damp and desolate landscape.  Whenever I need perspective , I go back to that song.  It reminds me that change is one of the most essential things in life.

[mancunian]

I was played a copy of Vengeance in 84. Then bought The Price :-)