‘A nice bit of serendipity’: Loudhailer guitarist tunes up for Wasted Youth reunion gig at O’Rileys

PSYCHEDELIC: Jeff Parsons, with back to camera, playing with Loudhailer Electric Company, who are supporting Wasted Youth at O’Riley’s on Saturday. Picture by Sydpix

By Simon Bristow

When Hull band Loudhailer Electric Company support Wasted Youth at O’Rileys on Saturday, it will be a special occasion for Loudhailer guitarist Jeff Parsons.

In the early 1980s, Jeff had been a key part of the Wasted Youth set-up, serving as both their soundman and driver on extensive tours across the UK and Europe, and as he puts it, “enjoying rock and roll hi-jinx”.

It was just one memorable chapter in a musical career that has featured the highs and lows of a rock musician’s life, from working with Hull music legend Mick Ronson to difficult and untimely splits, and losing friends along the way.

REUNION TOUR: Wasted Youth, pictured in their heyday

Having shown an affinity with music since before he could walk - his mum recalled him “jigging about” to Lonnie Donegan in his cradle - Jeff began playing guitar aged 11. But he did not choose the easy route.

Despite being predominantly right-handed, when his dad bought him his first guitar, he found it felt better playing left-handed. Which meant turning it upside down. But unlike the legendary Jimi Hendrix, who also played left-handed, Jeff did not change the strings around to adapt, and continues playing with them the “wrong way up” to this day.

He left Hessle High School in 1969 and by 1975 was playing across the country with Hull new-wavers Dead Fingers Talk. But they realised if they were to get the record deal they coveted they would improve their chances by moving to the capital. “We knew if we were serious we’d have to move to London,” Jeff said.

TRAVEL: Jeff Parsons’ passport photo from 1980, taken so he could go abroad with Wasted Youth in 1980

They made that move in July 1977, a momentous year for British music, and six months later were rewarded, signing to Pye Records, a big and respected label at the time.

Pye decided it would be a good idea to get Mick Ronson to produce their debut album, Storm the Reality Studios, relishing the Hull connection and benefiting from the big name buzz of Ronson, David Bowie’s guitarist, and who with Bowie had co-produced Lou Reed’s landmark album Transformer.

“He was rock royalty and I’d seen him playing in Hull with The Rats,” Jeff said. Asked if he was at all intimidated to be working with one of the guitar greats, Jeff said: “Not at all. He was great, a real calming influence. I think that was down to him being very personable and the down to earth guy he was. He’d just put you at ease.

AS THEY WERE: An early picture of Wasted Youth

“After we’d gone home he would stay in the studio and add little bits, really subtle little bits with guitar or piano. He never mentioned it when we came in the next day. We’d listen and all of a sudden think, ‘Hello, what’s that?’ But we never mentioned it either.”

The sessions even saw Jeff record a guitar track using Ronson’s famous Gibson Les Paul. Jeff said: “He used to bring his guitar into the studio with him and one day when things weren’t going so well he said ‘Have a go with this’. I did but I didn’t get on with it, it just didn’t feel right.”

Storm the Reality Studios was released in June 1978. Jeff said: “It got good reviews but didn’t sell so well. Pye stuck with us and wanted to record a second album.” This time there would be another producer who went on to become a big name - Steve Lillywhite.

MAESTRO: Jeff Parsons playing with one of his former bands, The Area

A single, This Crazy World, was released in early 1979. But in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion, the band split midway through recording the second album, which was finished with only half the members on board. As a result, Lillywhite did not want to be associated with it and it was never released.

By March 1979 it was all over, and Jeff, DFT bassist Andy Linklater, DFT tour manager Pecky Tomlinson and ex-DFT bassist Rocky Norton formed a PA hire and sales company called Killerwatts. Among their clients was a new band from the East End of London, Wasted Youth. Jeff became their main sound engineer and over the next three years travelled the length and breadth of the UK and Europe with them, not only manning the desk but also driving the van.

Jeff became close with the band, especially drummer Andy Scott who sadly passed away before the band’s reunion in 2022. Adventures on the Psychedelic Furs’ Talk Talk Talk tour and in Berlin have passed into folklore.

MOODY: Wasted Youth

Jeff was at the controls when the band supported The Cramps at the Lyceum in December 1980, and at the Rainbow for a hastily-arranged slot on the legendary 1981 CND benefit which The Jam headlined. 

The band’s lifestyle echoed their name and at the end of 1982 they fell apart rather spectacularly. Rocco enjoyed success with Flesh For Lulu and Ken with the Low Gods. The death of bass player Darren Murphy in February 2012 put paid to a full reunion, and the subsequent death of Andy Scott in May 2020 seemed to signal the end. But then, in 2022 the seemingly impossible happened and surviving members Ken (vocals), Rocco (guitar) and Nick (keyboards) came together on the London stage for a rapturously received return.

Sadly, ill-health has prevented Nick from continuing but Ken and Rocco are flying the Wasted Youth Jolly Roger in fine style, having played several gigs in London and, in an echo of 1981, headed out on tour again as guests of the Psychedelic Furs.

‘AN ECLECTIC BLEND OF REBEL ROCK’: Loudhailer Electric Company

Jeff, now 70, has been with Loudhailer for nine years and said the O’Rileys gig with Wasted Youth came about because of a nice turn of fate and followed a phone call from Andy Scott’s girlfriend Elaine.

He said: “Elaine rang and said ‘We’re thinking of doing this tour and wanted to do a gig in Hull. We’re going to be in Glasgow on the 17th of March. Do you think we can play in Hull the next night’?

“It was a nice bit of serendipity. We’d already booked Loudhailer Electric Company for O’Riley’s on March 18. I said, ‘We’ve got a gig, it’s a great venue, why don’t you do it with us’?”

He added: “I can’t wait. As soon as we’ve finished playing I’ll be going back up to do their sound. I’m really looking forward to it.”

• Tickets for Wasted Youth and Loudhailer Electric Company at O’Rileys on Saturday, March 18, cost £12 in advance from Skiddle, or £15 on the door. Doors open at 7pm.