Where were you in the latter half of the 70s? New Rose by the Damned was the first single released by an English punk band, Monty Pythons Flying Circus became as big an influence on TV comedy than The Beatles had on music and before the end of the decade audiences were exposed to their surreal comedy film ‘The Life of Brian’. Sadly, millions mourned across the world as 1977 claimed the life of Elvis Presley.
However, here in South Shields also in 77, boxing’s Heavyweight champion of the world Muhammad Ali visited the town to have his wedding blessed at Laygate Mosque. And legendary punk band Angelic Upstarts formed and within a few year appeared on Top of the Pops and toured the USA. Before making it they gigged at the Bolingbroke Hall in the town. Another crew who played in that hall were The Borestiffers.
Who were The Borestiffers? The Borestiffers featured an early Wavis O’Shave he of later musical fame and appearances on live TV music show The Tube, other members included Heedfuzz, Braddy, Teddy Anteater and John ‘Fig Roll’ Davies who would rarely turn up. February this year was the 50th anniversary of that notorious gig played in front of several rival gangs of the town.
A surreal non-musical skiff-lish group playing empty suitcases, sooty guitars, bullworkers and even a kitchen sink, The Borestiffers in total recorded two cassette albums, played four gigs in South Shields, three at Bolingbroke in 76 and one at The People’s Palace in 77. But it was the initial gig that ended in a riot that remains in folklore memory.
I hear you had some trouble during your Bolingbroke rehearsal?
WAVIS: Two of hardest men in the town used to work out in the gym there and when they heard us making such a racket they turned up to see what was happening. All of the band went deadly silent and I had to explain. When they asked how much we charged admission I told them, a slice of bread, hard boiled egg or a stick of celery.
HEEDFUZZ: They wanted to sit in on the rehearsal of the first piece of our noise. Once we finished, they silently returned to the gym.
Who and how many turned up – any local ‘celebs’ of the town?
WAVIS: There was a fair turn out from about four different rival town gangs – Whiteleas, Biddick Hall, the Nook and Westoe.
BIG PHIL: There were about twenty members of the Whiteleas Estate Aggro Boys – most of them didn’t have a clue what to expect. I knew it was going to be nuts but the idea of trouble wasn’t in my mind, we were a well-known gang of lads who stood together in times of trouble.
HEEDFUZZ: About 50 or so attendees from various parts of the town. Turf warfare was a common practice during the 70s.
What songs were on the set list?
WAVIS: Most I recall were from the first Borestiffers cassette album ‘Black Shoes and Mongooses’ like Rubber Song where we dropped the stylus onto the rubber turntable and chanted ‘Rubber song’. Three different songs about shoes, one making it to my ‘Anna Ford’s Bum’ album, also Josepheener Tursepheeners with accompanied customised absurd dance.
HEEDFUZZ: We also did The Seven Puppets of Corbett – spoofing the Queen hit, and it was about The Sooty Show. Intro music was the Can Can followed by a loud recording of an outside back yard toilet flushing where we entered the stage, wandered round like lost souls, and then re-entered again.
Can you remember how you were dressed?
WAVIS: I had a Subbuteo floodlight strapped on my head and played a Sooty guitar.
HEEDFUZZ: I had a top hat with a child’s pink telephone attached around the rim with elastic bands, and a tailcoat.
BIG PHIL: The gig itself was so surreal many of the lads just couldn’t cope with what they had witnessed – the weird outfits, the fact that the group couldn’t play. I was in heaven.
On the night was there a compere?
WAVIS; Nope, we had no one to spare but I doubt anyone would offer if we did, but we did have member of the Sunderland Hells Angels on the door as a bouncer who in later life featured on various TV shows as Martial arts instructor. His jacket was padded out with multiple parts of a lathe.
HEEDFUZZ: Spike Milligan would have been superb but he had earlier wrote to Wavis declining an invite to manage us thinking we were musical.
Why did you choose to play Bolingbroke Hall?
WAVIS: I had to tell the owners that we wanted it for a poetry recital otherwise I doubt they’d have given it us. Eight quid it cost. I thought it was the perfect size venue for an expected sizeable gathering and if there were any trouble which I’d predicted, they’d be plenty of space for people to fight! It inspired the Angelic Upstarts to book the place.
HEEDFUZZ: It was a suitable size and ideally situated in the centre of town ideal for public transport.
BIG PHIL: At the end it all erupted, and the place got trashed in unison by all the gangs there. On the way home everyone was laughing in bewilderment. We knew we had witnessed something out of the ordinary but most couldn’t grasp what! I was a bit upset about the mini riot but over the moon that I had witnessed so much absurdity in such a short space of time.
HEEDFUZZ: On the way to the show I met a kid who was going and he opened his wallet to prove he had a ticket as well as a slice of bread in there asking if it was really needed. I told him it was a charity gig for the Marine Park wildlife.
Alikivi April 2026
ALIKIVI UK : NORTH EAST MUSIC & CULTURE 