This clip of National Health performing for Spanish TV, filmed in Barcelona in late April 1979, recently came to our attention thanks to fan Ricardo Jauregui, and it is an incredible document of Phil Miller, John Greaves, Pip Pyle and the recently returned Alan Gowen performing at the peak of their collective powers – at least until a missed Minimoog cue somewhat derails the performance of “Squarer For Maud”, which is cut long before the end anyway. What we do have is a superb rendition of Phil’s signature “Dreams Wide Awake”, preceded by the usual opening tandem of Alan’s “TNTFX” followed by John’s (and Peter Blegvad’s) “Silence”. The sound on the video as originally uploaded to YouTube has been greatly enhanced by the wizardry of Morning Ears Remasters, so it’s his version we are posting here, with thanks to him. Despite it being a fun watch and a great tune nonetheless, we feel this far surpasses what was the only NH video available until now, their performance of “The Collapso” on the Old Grey Whistle Test, and is of course made extra special by being the only known footage of Alan Gowen in existence. Lastly, we are posting this only a couple of days after the sad celebration of it being 20 years since Pip’s untimely passing, so 18 minutes of previously unseen video of him playing with some of his best friends is hard to beat as a tribute to our favourite, much-missed chief Rotter
The music is:
TNTFX / Silence
Dreams Wide Awake
Squarer for Maude (aborted).
National Health lineup:
Alan Gowen: keyboards
Phil Miller: guitar
John Greaves: Bass guitar and voice
Pip Pyle: drums
A true jewel, many thanks!
Yes, yes! Thanks for this gem! What great great music. (I also saw them at the Modern Theatre on November 5, 1979.).
Really great to see this long clip. I saw them in Boston at the Modern Theater, about the same time. Very little of Alan Gowen on film. Phil’s facial improv somewhat restrained here…