Taking a quick dip today into Magazine’s second album – 1979’s Secondhand Daylight – thanks to a guitar lesson from John McGeoch disciple Adrian from Anyone Can Play Guitar. He took a deep dive into “Rhythm Of Cruelty”, the only single released from the album, which reminded me what a great tune it was and has sent me back to the record, which for whatever reason happens to be the Magazine album I listen to the least.

We’ve also got a 1980 appearance on Spanish music television programme Aplauso where they performed both “Cruelty” and “Shot By Both Sides”. Keyboardist Dave Formula has recollections of the trip to Barcelona to record the appearance:

Never seen it before but I know exactly where it is – etched into my memory. It’s a Spanish tv show we did in Barcelona. We must have done at least a dozen takes. The crew were all over the shop. Kept getting the wrong camera angles, bumping into us, tech problems in the control room – incompetence beyond belief. But somehow because they were relaxed and very nice to us, it was sort of good fun. We got a little bit silly that night, ending up with some stunning local transvestites pursuing us through the back streets off the Ramblas…….

Dave Formula, Magazine
Magazine – Rhythm of Cruelty/Shot by Both Sides (Aplauso 1980) (Remastered) @ YouTube

And finally, Adrian’s ACPG lesson – it’s a shockingly easy tune to play, especially compared to how complex and hand-twisting some of McGeoch’s Siouxsie & The Banshees tunes were.