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The Saga of the Superyob - Chris and Marco Attempt to Bury the Axe
A Discussion with Chris Foreman and Marco Pirroni
The Superyob Guitar. The provenance. The story: Chrissy Boy contends Marco Pirroni (Adam Ant's co-conspirator, one of the finest axemen of the 80's) saw Chris use the guitar in the "Shut Up" video and wanted the axe for his collection based upon its Madness video fame. This has been the story for many years, although the chronology of ownership has been the subject of much debate since the early days of the Madness Online Community. At least once a year this question pops up, and at least once a year we get Chris' take on the saga (that the guitar went from guitar shop to Chris to Marco).
In October of 2007 I exchanged a few emails with Marco Pirroni, the topic at hand being the "chain of evidence" for the Superyob of Yore and Legend. Even coming from Chrissy Boy's lips/fingers, there are still Doubting Thomas' amongst.
Here at last, firsthand from Marco himself, is Marco's side of the story.
The first thing I asked Marco is how he came to be in possession of the Superyob:
3 October, 2007, 6.19 PM
MARCO SAYS:
"whats chrissey boy bin saying then?
the story is that the Ants were doing about a million nights at birmingham odeon or somewhere in 81,i went out for a walk and just saw superyob in a shop window,i went in and said "how much for superyob?" they said you cant afford it mate and were total dicks and took the piss,i said I promise I can afford it,they said 500 quid and I said done and you have been! I sent a roadie to pick it up and i still got it at home in a silver flight case with big silver stars on it,its plays and sounds shit but never mind...
m x"
I then asked him if he purchased the Superyob because he saw Chris use it in the video. Again, this is the point of contention that's come up repeatedly when discussion on the Madness forums has turned to the Superyob:
MARCO SAYS:
"no i bought superyob coz I saw Dave Hill on TOTP with it when i was at school,NOT coz I saw Chris with it! altho Chris will claim that he is my guitar hero! tell him i said hello send my love "
Does that set any debate to rest? Or are there still muddy areas that need sopping up? Get out the mop, for Chris has a bit more to say on the subject.
After sending along Marco's emails to Chris, I was provided with yet another debating board from Chrissy Boy in relation to the Superyob, and that has to do with nailing down the tour dates for Adam & the Ants for 1981. Chris is still of the impression that Marco picked up the Superyob after the "Shut Up" video. Here's what Chris had to offer:
3 October, 2007, 7.25 PM
CHRIS SAYS:
"OK you can maybe help me here. We released "Shut Up' in Sept 1981 So we probably did the video a few weeks before. I looked up Adam and the Ants tours + Birmingham Odeon and they played there in [March I think] 81...So what happened? Is there 2 "Super Yob" guitars? My story was that I saw a guitar shaped like a gun in a shop [possibly in the Midlands] and asked for someone to hire it for the "Shut Up" video. So I was a bit pissed off when the "Super Yob" guitar turned up instead. Someone had got it from a guitar shop. If it had been lent courtesy of Marco then I would have known for sure. I was told after that, that Marco saw the "Shut Up" video and wanted the guitar so it seems I was misinformed. However Dave "Super Yob" Hill [Slade] is a brilliant guitarist and I'm surprised it plays like s*it. Maybe he just used it for TV or something. You need to find out the Adam and the Ants tour dates for 81-82. Marco may have the wrong year. Although we were [both bands] at the height of our fame around then so he may have played the Birmingham Odeon in the spring and fall [hey look!-I used American terms!] of 81'. [...] I think he should give the guitar back to good old Dave Hill really. It's a bit sad that he had to sell it."
Perhaps historical gig scheduling is what's needed to settle the score, as Chris suggests. It is fun having both sides of the story now... even if they are at loggerheads contradiction yet. Does the saga continue? More than likely. The leaves are changing color again and soon frozen water will begin falling from the sky (so much for Global Warming... someone got it wrong... someone got it very very wrong) and with it comes the Annual "What's Up With The Superyob" Inquiry on Madness Central. So the story goes (on and on and on and on and...) of the most infamous guitar in the Legend of Madness.
Interview by Steve Bringe
3 October 2007
© 2007 Madness Central. All Rights Reserved.
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