The Soft Boys - Live At The Portland Arms UK 1983 CLANG 1 VG+ cassette

THE SOFT BOYS - LIVE AT THE PORTLAND ARMS

The inaugural release on Robyn Hitchcock’s own boutique CLANG imprint, this cassette-only artifact is the definitive "for fans only" document of the band’s most eccentric period. Recorded at the Portland Arms, Cambridge, on November 1, 1978, the tape captures a night where the band famously "unplugged" long before it was fashionable. Rather than the electric, feedback-drenched assault their fans expected, the Soft Boys delivered a largely acoustic, harmony-driven set that leaned heavily into their love of 1950s rock 'n' roll and obscure vocal pop.

CLANG 1 is cherished not just for its rarity, but for its whimsical atmosphere—Hitchcock’s surreal stage banter is in top form, and the stripped-back arrangements highlight the group’s formidable vocal chemistry. The tracklist is a goldmine of rarities, including the only recorded performance of "The Duke of Squeeze" and unique, skeletal versions of "Sandra's Having Her Brain Out" and "Give Me A Spanner, Ralph." For the Soft Boys completist, this cassette represents the band at their most intimate and unpretentious, capturing a hometown gig that felt more like a private party than a traditional rock show.

1983 UK import/release by Midnight Music, catalog # CLANG 1.  Cassette release of The Soft Boys live show at Portland Arms on Nov 1, 1978.

See photos for condition; guaranteed to play VG+ or better.