Bad News Tour Live

A big thank you to MJ Simpson for sending me his original photos he took from the Bad News Nottingham Concert on the 28th October 1987. A great, if blurry snippet from the show. Sadly Mike doesn’t remember an awful lot from the concert but does remember the record shop being absolutely packed earlier that day before the performance.

One specific memory he has from the signing, is that Rik said to him and the girl next to him in the crowd (a complete stranger), something like “How are you two?” Mike replied:

“Oh, we’re not together. Although being in this crowd is the biggest sexual thrill I’ve had for some time.” and he laughed at that.

I made Rik Mayall laugh!!!

Beyond that, He can’t recall much. And sadly it looks like his signed record sleeve left him when he got rid of 99% of his vinyl. But thankfully he did manage to keep hold of these great photos from the concert and signing at the record shop along with the tour programme.

The Bad News Tour Programme

On the 16th August 1986, Bad News played at The Monsters of Rock Festival, Castle Donington and then later in 1987 continued to tour around the UK at various venues:

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Thanks to Nigel Planer for uploading an audio bootleg of Bad News live at the Hammersmith Odeon, 5th November 1987 Bad News are Vim Fuego, vocals and lead guitar (Ade Edmondson); Den Dennis, rhythm guitar (Nigel Planer); Colin Grigson, bass (Rik Mayall); and Spider “Eight-Legs” Webb, drums (Peter Richardson).

Set List:

• 00:00 – Intro: The Bad News Pledge
• 02:35 – The Rock ‘n’ Roll Creations
• 07:18 – Bad News
• 13:25 – Drink Till I Die
• 16:48 – Masturbike
• 18:56 – Bohemian Rhapsody
• 25:39 – Vampire Spunk Merchants From Hell
• 27:56 – Hey Hey Bad News
• 35:40 – I’m Going To Scream So Hard I’m Going To Scream My Bollocks Off
• 37:03 – Hey Mr Bassman
• 38:36 – Bitch Hell Mother
• 41:11 – Life with Brian
• 44:07 – Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin cover)
• 47:37 – Warriors Of Ghengis Khan
• 50:06 – My Generation (The Who cover) Cashing in on Christmas (Mimed, recorded as the song’s video) [removed for copyright]
• 57:00 – Twist and Shout (The Top Notes cover) (with Brian May)
• 58:24 – Guitar Duel (Vim versus Den, with Brian May)
• 1:02:22 – Hey Hey Bad News (with Brian May)
• 1:06:58 – Mama Weer All Crazee Now (Slade cover) (with Brian May)

1987

• 28th – 30th August – The Reading Festival
• 17th October – University of East Anglia
• 18th October – Margate Winter Gardens
• 19th October – Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall
• 21st October – Leister Polytechnic
• 22nd October – Loughborough University
• 23rd October – Victoria Hall Henley
• 24th October – Edinburgh Playhouse
• 25th October – Newcastle City Hall
• 26th October – Manchester Apollo
• 27th October – Sheffield City Hall
• 28th October – Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
• 29th October – Bradford St Georges Hall
• 30th October – Poole Arts Centre
• 31st October – St Austell Cornwall Coliseum
• 1st November – Birmingham Hippodrome
• 2nd November – Portsmouth Guildhall
• 3rd November – Cardiff St David’s Hall
• 4th November – Colston Hall Bristol
• 5th November – Hammersmith Odeon
• 9th November – Hammersmith Odeon

Here’s some brilliant footage from their performance at The Monsters of Rock Festival in 1986

Did you see Bad News at any of these venues? Or know of any other venues they played at. Get in touch if you have a great story to share.

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