The Nips - Marquee Source: NME Date: November 10, 1979 Author: Gary Crowley Copywrite: © NME 1979 The Marquee, London About half of London's teenage population seemed to descend on Wardour Street to see the Woking mods play a 'secret' gig under the banner of John's Boys. Tickets sold out fast, so hordes of Jam fans were sent packing home. The lucky ones who managed to squeeze into the Marquee sauna were ready to lap up the best show in town. First on were The Jam's buddies, The Nips led by the near legendary Shane O'Hooligan. After a count-in, they were tearing through a set of love songs with a difference - definitely not the sort you'd hear Simon Bates spinning to his housewives. Shane projects a vindictive jealous character, the kind of 'romantic' who must surely be hard on his girlfriends. For instance, the chorus to 'Vengeance' is "I'm gonna hit him, I'm gonna kill him, I'm gonna really make him pay for what he's doing", and that's probably about a geezer who just spoke to his bird. With Blonde Douglas playing a lethal guitar, a young kid doing a great drummer's job and the delicious Shane on bass, The Nips line-up seems stable for a while at least, and they should attempt gigs more often. Straight, I can't see Shane gracing the centre-spread of My Guy, but his voice should come under the scrutiny of musical connoisseurs, and it's put to ample use on their current single the rocking 'Gabrielle'. The Nipponese invasion could well start at home, so be ready. ...