Most stockbrokers harbour dreams of becoming Rock stars but not many Rock stars have dreams of becoming stockbrokers. Well, that’s unless you’re Walter Lure. After living in Rock ‘n’ Rolls fast lane with The Heartbreakers and his own band The Waldo’s, Lure left that cataclysmic lifestyle behind for the more sedate world of high finance on Wall Street.
You can take the boy out of Rock ‘n’ Roll but you can never take the Rock ‘n’ Roll out of the boy. Lure still kept his hand in, even when up to his neck in bonds and gilts playing shows wherever he could fit them into his hectic schedule but earlier this year Lure hung up his trader’s suit and brushed down his tiger skin jacket to return to his first love.
As founder member of The Heartbreakers alongside former New York Dolls, Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan, Lure carved his name in Punk folklore as part of the ill-fated Anarchy tour with the Sex Pistols, The Damned and The Clash that crashed following the Pistols infamous appearance on the Bill Grundy Show.
The Heartbreakers sole studio album, L.A.M.F was rammed to the rafters with great songs, hewn from the sleaziest gutter of Punk Rock, a glorious statement of rebellion that was tragically dampened by a muddy mix, an aberration that was fixed on subsequent reissues many years later and now rightly hailed as a solid gold classic.
The Heartbreakers split soon after its release but occasionally reunited for sporadic shows and Lure tinkered with The Waldo’s releasing the frenetic Rent Party, a bold and brash statement that was a natural follow up to L.A.M.F.
Sadly Lure remains the sole survivor of The Hearbreakers, which makes this rare appearance at The Cluny all the more special and fans of the vintage Punk Rocker packed in for the show.
In true Chuck Berry style, Lure had no fixed band, preferring instead to rehearse with local musicians prior to the tour, playing with different bands in different countries. It’s seat of the pants stuff but that just gave it an added edge. Guitarist Jez Miller proved the perfect foil for Lure.
Combining the killer cuts from the Heartbreakers including the riotous Born To Lose and the degenerate duo of Chinese Rocks and Too Much Junkie Business along with The Waldo’s own Cry Baby, a song that The Faces would surely have loved to have in their canon, Lure’s set was short and sweet but packed one almighty punch.
Years working in finance have done nothing to dampen Lure’s caustic wit and he took every opportunity to fire some finely aimed barbs at the band and crowd and took the replies in the spirit of the occasion.
If ever a song was just right to send an already revved up crowd home then they don’t come much better than The Contours Motown classic Do You Love Me? In Lure’s hands it was raw, exciting, frantic, warts ‘n’ all, pure Punk energy. An absolute thrilling Rock’n’Roller coaster ride from start to finish and when most of the crowd ended up on stage at the end that is the sign of one great show.
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