In January 1968, The Small Faces toured Australia with The Who and Paul Jones, a trip infamous for hostility from the press, police, and authorities. Plagued by scandals regarding long hair, alleged drug use, and rowdy behavior, the bands were described by media as "scruffy urchins". Steve Marriott and Keith Moon notably smashed a hotel room, and the tour included a forced ejection from a flight.
PA systems in Austrailia were ancient and inadequate. groups played on a revolving stage but the weight of the equipment broke the mechanism and the view was obscured for two-thirds of the audience. The Who and Small Faces were accused of using foul language on stage and the press demanded a police investigation. In Brisbane, The Who requested a 1000-watt sound system and received a 100-watt system; in Sydney, the rotating stage got stuck mid-concert and The Small Faces were pelted with coins by disgruntled punters,
Steve threatened members of the audience to “clip some bleedin’ ears if it don’t stop.“ Pete Townshend managed to spear one of The Small Faces’ Marshall amps with his guitar in Sydney, damaging a speaker and causing temporary friction between the two bands.
PA systems in Austrailia were ancient and inadequate. groups played on a revolving stage but the weight of the equipment broke the mechanism and the view was obscured for two-thirds of the audience. The Who and Small Faces were accused of using foul language on stage and the press demanded a police investigation. In Brisbane, The Who requested a 1000-watt sound system and received a 100-watt system; in Sydney, the rotating stage got stuck mid-concert and The Small Faces were pelted with coins by disgruntled punters,
Steve threatened members of the audience to “clip some bleedin’ ears if it don’t stop.“ Pete Townshend managed to spear one of The Small Faces’ Marshall amps with his guitar in Sydney, damaging a speaker and causing temporary friction between the two bands.
