The Pirates "Lonesome Train" 1977

[@Rai-Bulgaria]

The Pirates--proof it was a straight line from rockabilly to punk.

[@TheAandEband]

I saw them opening, frequently, for psychobilly acts in the early 80's. My parents enthused about them when they opened for Chuck Berry in London circa 1979. I was a big fan. Mates at school dissed them for being old (in their 40's). I'm 56 now, still laying down bass for my punk band. This lot were the originators, and finest, of British R&R at its best

[@bokehintheussr5033]

Right on. There was only 20 years between Rockabilly and punk. 20 years is nothing. Guys that started playing skiffle and rockabilly in their teens were only in their 30s by the time punk happened. It's exactly the same music. It just went underground during the whole psychedelic-progressive thing, then went mainstream again when the drugs wore off.

[@rogerdodger6025]

Absolutely!

[@Dovahkiin0117]

@@bokehintheussr5033acting like fellas like these weren’t jacked up on coke plenty 😂

[@bm7760]

That bass player is doing an epic job.

[@plumbthumbs9584]

absolute monster.

[@robertbaker5156]

Definitely!!!🤘🤘🤘

[@tyreburster]

Johnny Spence.

[@moreheff]

Awesome. Saw them supporting The Stray Cats at the old Lyceum when the Cats first hit the UK. Pirates blew the lid off the place and left an impression on me forever.

[@VintageSG]

Now that's a pairing of bands! Did you have *any* energy left after The Pirates?

[@moreheff]

@@VintageSG I was too blown away by how good the Pirates were for anything the Cats did to impress me too much!!

[@pinkponyofprey1965]

Punkabilly Elvis! :D Never heard of 'em but it's sounds great!

[@chmmm2565]

Hearing this for the first time. Man this is kick azz rock n roll. Oh yeah!!!!!!!

[@thelastperfectman4139]

Mick Green is a monster. Such vicious tone, feel, and energy.

[@EricSkilling]

That second solo. Holy ****!

[@ころころころ-o1r]

この演奏がいいね。アルバムに収録されているバージョンよりもアップテンポだし、ギターもはっきり聞こえる。

[@felixandres170]

si es moda de los años 60s

[@BacBac-g5e]

That's how Rock and Roll should be. Playing in small places and the public dancing at 3 foot before the band. Not in big stadiums.

[@alex-E7WHU]

Dingwalls was a brilliant venue. I vaguely remember seeing the pink fairies there.

[@andyhalstead3949]

Proper band. Same as Dr feelgood.

[@colinhall9512]

Totally agree!

[@Wygruce]

Absolutely spot on. I've been telling everybody I know that for a while.

[@RonTimmonsM1]

No computers, real and raw. Very nice.

[@j8709]

Mick Green - what an awesome guitarist - the best!!! I've watched this over and over and am always mesmerized. He pulls all the tricks out of the bag here at speed. No one else plays or sounds like him. The drummer and bassist are amazing too. Tight as fuck. This is pure rock n roll!!

[@adeblair]

Dr Feelgood

[@jonmarsden1366]

@@adeblair Wilko was heavily influenced by Mick Green.

[@nathandodge665]

Dick Dale was better and invented that style

[@BrianCarnevaleB26]

So Raw!

[@cjnav7832]

​@@nathandodge665 And he would be one happy dick

[@ivancarling]

My band opened for Johnny Kidd and the Pirates in the mid sixties with THIS Pirates lineup. They blew me away at the time. Fast forward to the seventies and I was once again playing opening act for them, minus Johnny Kidd of course. Mick Green was a HUGE influence on so many of us at the time and without him there would never have been a Wilko Johnson as we know him today. Both great players but Mick was the master in this genre.

[@tonycassell9271]

a rare genius with a brilliant rhythm section and front man

[@bonkeydollocks1879]

What band were you in?

[@doubleotwentyone]

Mick Green was indeed a huge influence on many, including me.

[@WesW3187]

bonkey dollocks Apparently Ivan Carling was in a few groups back in the day. I googled it.

[@ThePiecesofMind]

We supported them as well on 21st June 1965 in South Wales. www.thepiecesofmind.com/gallery

[@eugenepohjola258]

Howdy. Mick Green is on fire. His guitar sounds wonderfully dirty. Regards.

[@barrieglenn8353]

Saw them in the 60’s with Johnny Kid,Mick Green was phenomenal, just a Tele and Vox Ac 30 no pedals , best Tele sound ever.

[@fujifilm5127]

What was Johnny Kidd like?? I'm 22 and INFURIATED that there's no footage of him & this line up of the pirates. Did you also see Screamin' lord such with Jimmy page??? This era of English proto-punk music is kinda my hyper fixation.

[@barrieglenn8353]

@ I did get to see Screaming Lord Such and The Savages,he was doing a kind of Alice Cooper, long before Alice Cooper was. When saw them they were introduced, the curtain went up to reveal nobody on stage, the band came through from the back of the crowd dressed like Fred Flintstone hitting the audience with rubber fake clubs. Such would light fires ( contained fires) on stage come running on stage dressed as a fireman, with a bucket of shredded paper wich he threw on the audience, did this two or three times till the audience got used to it then the last bucket had water in it. What a show they put on. No idea who the guitar player was, but he always had great musicians, and you could tell they never knew what he was going to do next.

[@MotherOther]

My new favorite version

[@FredmChoice]

These Lads are at the top of their game

[@adspur]

Never heard of The Pirates.I’m digging it.Thanks!!

[@jahminski831]

Johnny Kidd and the Pirates.

[@jimmeltonbradley1497]

We opened for The Pirates in some college in East London back in 1977. Generation X we're on the bill too. The Pirates were astonishing.

[@cassandrajoiner9933]

What band were you in? Were you any good?

[@firsteerr]

i went to the hope and anchor in 1981 with my pals band and you could STILL smell mick greens ball sweat !!!

[@MrBarrynicholas]

Borrowed my amp at a gig in North London, back in the sixties. It never sounded like that when I played through it.

[@shadoogie61]

Grew up with this music, Went to school with Micks nephew who played guitar just like him and I played drums. Mick was the greatest guitarist the UK has ever produced, The Master of The Telecaster and a really nice bloke!!

[@musicaldun1]

This video keeps running thru my 'options', and I keep watching it. Great raw, rockin' & rollin' fun.

[@shiny72]

Yep, same here!

[@neilevans3808]

Mick Green, a guitarists guitarist. A genuinely lovely soul and staunch family man.

[@simonprodhan5050]

the pirates are the utter proof that punk rock was nothing new, its 1977 and everyone is obsessed with the pistols, clash etc but these blew them all away, absolutely brilliant raw rock n roll, they put most so called punk bands to shame

[@marcosgonzalez6610]

Sucks

[@oliviermotteau]

1977 was UK punk time. Punk started quite before, between Detroit, Akron and NYC, back in the early 70's. And this cover from The Pirats of the 1956 Johnny Burnett song is not "punk" per say, but it has the energy of Rock n Roll, and that's ageless... Punk helped re-energize rock, and that's a lot...

[@kicks77]

The Cramps sounded the same

[@El_Gormo]

@@oliviermotteau The UK already had a burgeoning punk subculture before the Pistols. They just put a face on it.

[@davew5167]

@marcosgonzalez6610 Anyone with even a basic understanding of the history of rock n roll gets the importance of this song to defining a new unhinged sound. The Pirates version here is sensational.

[@perrydear]

Lost for words! Really how good is this!!!

[@alfching2499]

Never underrated he has the Word Legend in front of his name,I see him with Johnny Kidds Pirates in the very early 60s at Leyton Baths,they were regulars there Mick and them were brilliant then.

[@keijovainikainen7591]

Lonesome train - my absolute favorite!

[@kathjordan2497]

Wow mick green , what a guitarist.

[@PureMadMetal]

So tasty and up there with our brit icons, and still kicks ass decades later, LP is on my hall of fame

[@lancewillard]

This guitar solo is in the top 10 of the greatest 15 seconds ever of rock n roll. Ever. It starts at 1:21 and just gets better for the entire 15 secs, but the sound he makes his guitar make at 1:31 is distilled 99% pure rock n roll. Ever.

[@jacobblumin4260]

I agree! That solo is pure talent and a joy to listen to. Very few people can make a guitar sound like that. Reminds me of Stevie Ray Vaughn--both Stevie and Mick are guitar gods. Mick and the Pirates are a sad reminder that sometimes superior talents, even with hard work, do not break into the really big time. I never heard of this group until a couple of months ago.

[@edwardhyde4861]

@@jacobblumin4260 Mick was acknowledged by so many famous names in the business as a divine influence, he was indeed a god

[@PeterRich-x6p]

​@@jacobblumin4260de

[@reuireuiop0]

Yeah , perhaps Tarantino can still come up with a scenario that can handle this kinda guitar fire 🔥

[@danielbayer278]

These guys were/are so underrated, especially here in the States. I found their "Out of their skulls" album in a pawn shop of all places. What's funny is years later I lived near the guy who wrote the liner notes for it. He had met the Pirates and said they were great guys.

[@oliverwashburn2860]

Never heard of this band, came here cos of all the references in comments from Dr. Feelgood videos. U can see where Wilko Johnson got his chops.

[@pimmfox]

Do you have a copy of the liner notes? Or any lyrics for the songs they did on the B side such as Gibson Martin Fender? thanks, PF

[@davew5167]

How good is this? Epic rock n roll.

[@ciatangallaghe2485]

Never known before of Mr green. He's class. Proper mean guitarists, no bollocks just playing.

[@jezzdannfz5544]

The young man in the black raincoat, is what Elvis Presley always wanted to be in his other life and take the flight playing the electric guitar....Regards

[@marcoman2219]

La putin de rythmique de ouf 😮 , le guitariste vient d,une autre planète. Mick Green est un Alien. RIP 😢 .

[@pennywyatt1487]

Sounds like 5 or 6 geezers on stage but there's 3. Astonishing. First saw them supporting Eddie and the Hot Rods at the Roundhouse in 1976, when I was 17 and got see them about 10 times over the years, the last time being April 2005 at the Half Moon Putney. Incredible performance , 32 year old Mick Green totally in control with Johnny and Frank on board. I'm proud to have been one of the blokes down the front at their gigs. Emotional and Powerful stuff.

[@delmedeiros3570]

Parabéns, vc viu duas merdas.

[@barrieglenn8353]

@@pennywyatt1487 I saw them at Reading Olympia, no PA Johnny Kid plugged his mic into Mick Greenes AC 30 and off they went, who would do that these days, but that was The best concert I have ever seen

[@hydorah]

It's telling to see how much these fellas put into a performance! 100% drenched in sweat but undiminished in intensity

[@paulsouth4794]

Amphetamines.

[@hydorah]

@@paulsouth4794 Not unlikely

[@infinitejest441]

Cocaine’s a helluva drug 😂

[@soulbrother5435]

The Pirates really embraced punk rock here. Sad nobody remembers this side of them, only two 60s hits

[@cassandrajoiner9933]

Hey I'm doing my research! Theres' two of us now!

[@matthewhiggins2699]

The literal definition of a sweaty gig. Fantastic!

[@mozdickson]

Legit. Dr Feelgood quality and feels.

[@hoksane]

This is real rock trio...maybe the best ever...I saw them live in 1977...hot stuff...second time when I saw them too,was 2000 centyry,they was old men,but still kicking...Mick Green was really guitar hero...

[@hannukuusela7480]

Yes indeed, I saw too them live in 1977. In Finland

[@ElimGarakSpoonHead]

Hendrix experience would like a word with you.

[@thevoodoo57]

Love the idea that bands like this still played 50's tunes, and done them very VERY WELL!

[@christopherdoran-wd8jl]

Proud to have seen this band live. Advice. You have got to be confident to think that you are going to be able to follow them. They have blown many headliners away and righteously so. 😮 😅

[@monkeysbum999]

I did a gig with them in 1978 when Mick,s amp failed and they stood there with their piratey thunderstorm noises going off ,unable to start. Mick said have you got an amp, disregarded my vox ac30 and opted for the basspayer,s hh transistor 100watt.I remember he just plugged in ,used one hand movement to roll all available knobs to maximum and just laid into the first intro at blistering volume .This was at the rock garden and the acoustics made this small concrete space only amplify this effect.

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Pulsating and superb drumming from Frank Farley. This driving rhythm is not easy to play at this kind of tempo!

[@mrr2880]

can only describe Mick Greens playing here as ferocious! quite unlike anyone else... the guitar breathes a sigh of relief at the end..

[@alanthorne3921]

I won a dozen hard rock/ punk albums in about 1980.One of them was the Pirates (Black cover)and I never got to play it because some lowlife lifted it at a party.Many years later I got a compilation Pirates CD and loved it to death until that grew legs!!!

[@trevorsmith9261]

One of the first, and best gigs I ever went to The Pirates at Nottingham Boat Club in 77. Awesome live band.

[@maldwynjones719]

these guys are smoking - saw them back in the late 70's - what a trio, each of them a master on their instrument.

[@czgibson]

Now that's the way I like my dirty rock and roll. That is how it's done.

[@the78rpmsaviour61]

Such great memories of seeing this band a lot in the late 70's early 80's

[@johnhall2570]

The Pirates by far the best three piece ! Blowing many a big name off stage !

[@ruthyarrow]

Original Motörhead are wonderfully dynamic . Rory Gallagher ‘s trio also excellent . Mick Green ‘s playing is stunning here , real drive .

[@garymattischannel6207]

Man I really enjoyed that !

[@The.Last.Guitar.Hero.]

Mick Green legend

[@karritolvanen741]

He was a great man, friendly man, good old Rocker who just jumped on stage and start playing/singing (with band of cource) old´n´new Pirates songs...That kind of Mick i´ve learn to know...and i´m youngster.... -68 born Teddyboy since -77

[@raymondlang]

In the late 70s, they were the best live band I had ever seen..Mick Green the complete rock guitarist.

[@stevebowness9435]

Mick Green Wilko Johnson's hero and inspiration 🙌 👏

[@raymondlang]

@@stevebowness9435 Yes! Seen Wilko many times over the past 10 years.

[@stevebowness9435]

@@raymondlang I saw the Pirates at Reading Festival in 1978 and at Erics club in Liverpool late 78, I would say that the Reading set was their greatest ever performance they were simply Magnificent!! Them and the original Dr Feelgood were unmatchable

[@raymondlang]

@@stevebowness9435 You lucky man! Only saw tham around 1978 at our local Sports Centre, here in my little village of Harworth near Doncaster. Never forget it.

[@stevebowness9435]

@@raymondlang Raymond if you go on KZbin and Google The Pirates at Reading Festival, two or three of their songs will come on, then you'll see how they worked the crowd info a frenzy!Blistering stuff.

[@mattilinan]

this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen

[@TomahawkKid56]

Went to see these twice back in 77/78. The best live band around at the time by a country mile. Mick Green total legend.

[@perrydear]

Wow! This is amazing...!!!

[@NaCreagachaDubha]

Brilliant!

[@ТехноДом-я1у]

Здорово 👍 наикрутейшие рокеры суперская группа рок 🎸 навсегда

[@calnonhardy4002]

Love that relentless driving beat. That's Rock & Roll!!!!!!!

[@allenellsworth5799]

Calnon Hardy I can see where Metal gets it from.

[@Howage1]

Love the sound he makes on that Tele, great tone, these boys rock that's for sure.

[@paulstevens9127]

Great driving version of the old Johnny Burnette Trio classic!

[@asser100]

This is just awesome! Pure music and raw talent!

[@muksukhai2010]

Great song, love the way Mick Green plays the guitar

[@UberLummox]

God...Dalm. That guitar solo @1:58 CUTS...DEEEP!!! Right into my soul. Holy machine gun nest, Batman!

[@sergeybogdanovich7019]

Super, this is so cool, wow. Nice and good ❤️🙏🎼🎶🎵🎸🎤🥁✌️🍀👌

[@keijovainikainen7591]

Trio - who needs more?!

[@Foofang65]

Love these guys…

[@monicawalery9396]

Pub Rock forever!

[@stiffyupperlip1851]

Monica Walery.Let`s quit that pub,Ok? It`s ROCK.

[@krisscanlon4051]

Monica I'm witcha!

[@cjnav7832]

Geez, I've been living under a rock I've never heard of these guys ( start throwing stones now) This was awesome!

[@tinytanks]

can guarantee lemmy was hanging out at these shows whenever he could.

[@miraclemike2]

In history of my hometown, Lahti (the business city), Finland, a punch of Pirates' fans formed up a real badass street gang hanging out at a burger stand. Big guys with a rockabilly hairdo and black leather jackets with the skull and guitars logo.

[@skinheadyouth66]

Hey first listen this is great

[@tattyshoesshigure5731]

Amazing! .....how can you not love this?!

[@ccmkoho]

Some great bass lines

[@hodrien1]

So much energy. Wish I had been there. Wilko picked a great role mode in Mick Green

[@robertcubinelli4961]

Best UK band ever....the Pirates (pity Johnny Kidd had to leave us so early:()

[@sundendaniel]

These dudes are the bomb 🔥

[@benzuckerman]

AWESOME! What a great drummer!

[@leemoozinandthemaddogs]

Mick Green, one of the best but too often underrated :/ A unique style, very inventive and full of energy, which has influenced many guitarists. And a very humble musician, who passed away too soon.

[@MikeBlitzMag]

We sang the Pirates' praises loudly and extensively in Blitz Magazine back in the day. They got the job done far, far better than most, as is evidenced in abundance here.

[@keijovainikainen7591]

Our first gig in 1990 was inspired by The Pirates! Still huge fan! Best trio with energy!

[@davidmar43]

What an incredible band! So much energy in their performance.

[@ianithompson4239]

Saw them at Wakefield Tech sometime in the early 70's insane energy levels and boy could they ROCK!

[@mistag3860]

Legend has it that the train is still lonesome, other trains have friends, some have family but not the lonesome train 😒

[@billygoatgruff2554]

The Runaway Train perhaps…?

[@taylorbond6071]

It’s because he’s on the Lonesome track not many other trains there

[@mistag3860]

@@taylorbond6071 I'm beginning to question how a train can feel lonely, not having a brain and all that. We do like to animate unanimated objects. Thomas was a train, and HE wasnt lonely, although the other engines did pick on him. He also had a fat controller, so best we cancel that sort of fat-shaming un-inclusivity. Ima gunna pretend that the train is lonely, just to rock along with the song, its ok.

[@billygoatgruff2554]

@@mistag3860 The Marrakesh Express became lonely once Crosby, Stills and Nash split up. Hope that helps. 🤓

[@alex-E7WHU]

​@@billygoatgruff2554yeah true but the Trans Europe Express is still chuffing along all the way from kraftwerk town.

[@daniellepollastri327]

Thanks for posting this gem. It's just as electric as I remember it when I saw them live in the 70's.

[@capybara8868]

Stonkingly brilliant.

[@jm252]

I would give my right arm,left arm, both legs and throw in a kidney to be able to play a Telecaster like Mick Green,,,, R.I.P..........back end of 2024 still missed!

[@billbellart]

Wow that takes me back, I'd forgotten what they looked like. They played our end of year gig at my school in Stafford in 1976/77, one of them got electrocuted on stage and that was the end of the gig!

[@4825sardis]

This is the first time I even heard of this band "The Pirates"-ROCK N ROLL to the MAX. These guys are F**** great!!! I love the way they take this old 50's stuff and just rock it right up man.This is 1977?? What happened to them ?? Where are they now?? Next stop-Wikepedia-lol. Fuckin wild ,man.

[@raphaelurech9981]

Frank Srobotnjak I

[@hobbymanx9200]

Sick shit it’s a banger The guitar player is killing it 💯

[@hedger4181]

There's no one who can ever play a guitar like Mick Green can - so indulge yourself knowing it can never be equalled!

[@nickprocter3568]

Rock In Perpetuity Mick Green, the thinking man's guitar hero...

[@stevebowness9435]

Wilko's Idol

[@garyshepherd9226]

Saw them live several times - always fierce rock - and great.

[@katmandew2152]

Great music man . Keep the faith family

[@TheMyndsurfer]

Taken from the most AWESOME ALBUM OF ALL TIME!! 'Out Of Their Skulls'. If you can find a copy, do yourself a favour! Mick Green, THE GREATEST!!

[@rollinrecordsuk]

I've watched this more than a few times. One of the best things ever!

[@alasdairgeorge8568]

I absolutely loved this band. Saw them at Dingwalls, the Hope & Anchor and (I think) the Cartoon in Croydon in the 70s & 80s. Mick Green was an absolute guitar hero to me, along with his protege Wilko Johnson. Last saw them at the Half Moon in Putney - on my anniversary in November 2008 (the wife wasn't so impressed!). I finally managed to buy a 1970s Telecaster Custom like Mick's - if only I could play it a fraction as well as he could...

[@ivancarling]

FWIW When I gigged with them in the sixties Mick was using a Les Paul Junior and that was if anything even more blistering than the later Telecaster deluxe!

[@chrisst8922]

@@ivancarling '72 Telecaster Custom not a Deluxe

[@alex-E7WHU]

AHH Dingwalls..... What a smashing venue that was.

[@4825sardis]

I regret looking in Wikepedia-they have had so many lineup changes.They actually began in the 50's and just kept going with various musicians coming and going. They still fuckin rock. Thank god for KZbin.