The Selecter live at Sedel 1991

Pauline Black & Neol Davis reformed The Selecter in 1991. It is The Ska Connection inviting The Selecter to Sedel Club on Monday, fourth of November 1991.

That story began before that event. It was when Vesna & I founded The Ska Connection to manage Ska concerts in Luzern. We started with some DJ nights, where I was turning the plates on the tables, while she was running the drinks over the tables. One night started 7 PM and ended at 7 AM. That was our kind of being crazy. Then we heard of a Laurel Aitken concert at Café Mokka in Thun. It was a Friday night and we planned to ask Laurel Aitken to come to Luzern.

At that time, I was with my bicycle but I had to work too long, that’s why I took my bicycle into the train and arrived in Thun shortly before the show. Vesna and her friends have been there already. But they had no chance to talk to Laurel. Then I talked to Vin the manager for Laurel Aitken. Vin gave me his card and said, I shall call. After the show I drove home with my bicycle. All through the night. I took the longer route along the Thunersee to Interlaken and then over Brunig down to Luzern (102 km). I arrived in my home in the wee hours of the morning. At that time I was working in a record store. And yes, it was open on Saturday. Of course, I was running all day through the store. Crazy enough.

A few days later I called up Vin in Leicester, England. That call was from a telephone cabin. And it Vin asked me, if I want The Original Selecter. And the only date he had, was a bloody Monday. The next day I went to Sedel, where Martin (Sony Moped) Gössi was the housekeeper and asked him, what he’s thinking about that idea to bring The Selecter to Sedel. He immediately stop with his work and smiled at me. Yes, we’re gonna do that. Monday? What the f… The Selecter is in the house, they won’t be alone! Let’s go for it.

A few days later, there was a package with some 20-50 real big posters. I had no money and no technical possibilities, but to paint the date and place onto one by one. Each was unique. I have none left and even no picture of it.

I remember well, that the Leslie Amp took four people to lift it up the stairs to the club floor at Sedel. Heavy.

That wasn’t the playlist of that show. But Noel took only four Pauline tracks to the list. He’s the composer of all the hits. And of course they played them all. I remember well, I asked Noel why he’s not writing James Bond on that list. He said, that this brings trouble. I love the James Bond the killer.

Luckily it wasn’t a normal Monday, but I can’t remember why. But The Sedel club was full. It was phantastic.

Vesna & I did one concert as The Ska Connection before (look Mad Lighters 1991). But that was completely different. René had his flat at Friedenstrasse 5 in the center of Luzern. That flat was amazing. There is a guestbook of that flat and time. Just on the other side of the road, there was a hotel. Hotel Kolping had great conditions and I booked the group into this hotel (it wasn’t the right kind of style, but it was so close). In the flat we had some helping hands with cooking and a bag of herbs. The band had the diner up there.

When I went up the hill to Sedel, Pauline was happy to see the country side. And she was impressed, to play for cows. Yes, just outside Sedel, there were cows, there are still cows.

I remember a scene, where Pauline shot an apple to the driver, because of something stupid. I’m still very impressed of this lady. What a great person. A few years later, I was at a Selecter concert at Rote Fabrik in Zurich, there were three nazi-skinheads. And everybody was pissed of these tall guys. But nobody did anything. Pauline on stage registered that and stopped the show to talk to them. She said: “I won’t continue until you’re out. You make the rest uncomfortable, leave by now. We are 300 you are just three.” They were quickly out and gone. That is one little move of the great Pauline Black. Too tough. I love you. Oh.

I have no pictures of the show. No recording. No nothing. Almost no memory. My DJing? No idea. Always great to listen to The Selecter.

This is from that time. 1991 in Coventry. I guess that sounds almost as it sounded in Sedel.

The next morning, I went to the breakfast room at Hotel Kolping. Pauline and I talked quite a while. She said to me, that I look like her boyfriend. Oh, it was almost too much for me.

The news was not a big thing, but it was in the newspaper. He (ha = hangartner?) wrote, that the sound still is up-to-date. The program is around their hit tunes and Pauline is dancing and singing with the condition of an aerobic instructor. With the great cover version of James Bond the full Sedel went crazy until the end.

A day I’ll always remember.

Other Ska and Roots Connection productions.