Roger Freeman has kindly sent me a link to a webpage detailing Pigbag’s 1983 appearance on the German TV show “Rockpalast”.

The page says the show was filmed at the Markthalle in Hamburg on 19th February 1983, which would have meant a short jaunt to Germany while the band were touring the UK.

The web page has a number of small still images taken form the TV show, a few of which I’ve included here. There’s also a setlist and a line-up.

The page is at http://rockpalastarchiv.de/concert/pigbag.html and it’s part of a site listing all the bands who appeared on the TV show.

Roger has also sent me a link to a scan of a ticket for the RockPalast gig.

News from Pigbag’s Facebook page:

“Exciting News – our new album is now mixed and finished and is to be released next spring on Sugarshack Records.”

Pigbag have confirmed more gigs to follow on from their Newcastle gig this weekend.

First up, they’ll be playing at the Half Moon in Putney, London on Friday 25th January 2013.

Also they will be playing at the Hare & Hounds in Kings Heath, Birmingham on Saturday 16th February 2013. Tickets are available here.

The band line-up has also changed over the past couple of years. Sven Atterton (pictured above) is the bass player and has been with the band since the Mostly Jazz festival in July 2011, John Sam (drums) has played at the Bristol and Amsterdam gigs.

On the forthcoming album, Max O’Donnell (guitar) and Karme Caruso (keys) join the band and also played the recent gig in Newcastle. Also at the Newcastle gig, Oliver Nelkin stood in for Annie Whitehead on trombone.

Chris from Pigbag has recently posted on Facebook to say that the band have finished recording and mixing a new album:

Have finally finished mixing of the new Pigbag album – 9 killer new tracks covering funk, afro beat and general space disco crazyness – record labels please form an orderly queue……

The band are also booked to play a gig at Hoochie Coochie in Newcastle Sat Dec 8th, with an as-yet unannounced new line up. Tickets are available for £10+booking fee.

They’re trying to line up a gig in Shoreditch

Angela Jaeger has kindly passed on a photo of four members of Pigbag taken backstage somewhere in Germany in 1983.

From left to right- Kofi Adu, Angela Jaeger, James Johnstone, Simon Underwood.

Ollie Moore has posted a rough mix of a new Pigbag track on SoundCloud, recorded in February 2010.

The track is called “Smooth Break” and you can listen to it here.

Brian Nevill has posted another Pigbag video to YouTube.
This time it’s the band miming to “Listen Listen Little Man” from their second album, “Lend An Ear” on MTV in December 1982.

The band members in the clip are:
Oscar Verden (keys), Ollie Moore (baritone), Chris Lee (trumpet), Simon Underwood (violin), James Johnstone (bass), Brian Nevill (drums) & Angela Jaeger (playing congas in this film).

Once again, many thanks to Brian and his archive for providing this blast from the past.

Happy New Year to all Pigbag band members and fans out there!

Brian Nevill has been busy again, adding two more videos of Pigbag playing live on German TV to his YouTube channel.

First up is a clip from September 1982 of the band playing “Weak At The Knees” from their (at that point, unreleased) second album “Lend an Ear”.

Next up is a clip from “Bio’s Bahnhof” of the band playing “Papa’s..” live. Filmed in Cologne on October 25th 1982.

Great stuff and thanks again to Brian for sourcing those.

The video for Pigbag’s fourth single, “The Big Bean”, has been uploaded to YouTube by former band-member Brian Nevill.

Another one that didn’t see much screen time at the time of release.

Many thanks to Brian for digging these out!

Brian Nevill has uploaded Pigbag’s video for their third single, “Getting Up”, to YouTube.
I’d never seen it before, it may never have been shown on TV at all.

Directed by Mick Calvert. Assistant director and master of ceremonies Julian Firth. Shot over 20th/21st February 1982 in Cheltenham.

Brian says he’ll be uploading the video for “The Big Bean” next, another that I’ve not seen.