1960's London Mod / Soul Clubs

[Roburt]

A way of getting an idea of how the London club scene changed between (say) 1960, 1964 and 1968 is to look at Rik Gunnell's career ….

He started out running jazz clubs and got involved with the Flamingo in it's later jazz times, he then took the club into it's R&B phase (with the likes of Georgie Fame & others). He took on the management of Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band (which led indirectly to the Ram Jam Club in Brixton), the Bag O'Nails followed next for him. But by 68, music tastes had evolved with blues rock groups coming to the fore. He dropped some R&B acts and got others to change their musical style. He took on bands such as Chicken Shack and Glass Menagerie (a Lancs psych pop outfit). But he was losing his influence (becoming a follower rather than a leader), so he sold his management company to Robert Stigwood and moved to New York ...

Edited April 9, 2019 by Roburt

[Sceneman]

when i heard some of the 45s played at the scene its was mind blowing when i first heard screaming jay hawkins doing Spell . and another was cookie and the cup cakes doing ..got you on my mind .guy stevens really had some hot records at the time and remember we were all brain washed by the BBC tripe on the air waves ..such as gert and daisy ..who i dont mind now but then it was tripe at the time  .

a 17 year old was very impressed by guy stevens record selection but who was his mentor ?at that time ?

[Sceneman]

https://www.messynessychic.com/2014/08/21/the-tiny-island-on-the-thames-that-once-held-the-rolling-stones-david-bowie-and-the-uks-largest-hippie-commune/

[Roburt]

A plea from a R&B fan back in 1963 … 

[Dimples]

5 hours ago, Roburt said:

A plea from a R&B fan back in 1963 … 

Very interesting! Do you know where this got published?

[Sceneman]

guy stevens had his entire record collection stolen when he was in prison some years later ..must have been a bummer....

never went to the scene on mondays as too tired from the weekend..and crawdaddy on sundays with the yardbirds blazing away ..they were the best of all .with such a stellar lineup..

Edited April 18, 2019 by sceneman

[Roburt]

On ‎16‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 14:39, dimples said:

Very interesting! Do you know where this got published?

In Record Mirror.

[Dimples]

When did The Scene Club start running? Late 63. But exact date? Anyone?

[Roburt]

13 hours ago, dimples said:

When did The Scene Club start running? Late 63. But exact date? Anyone?

Way before late 63 … it was already open for biz in June 63 but I can't put an actual date to the opening night for the club ……...

[Sceneman]

i joined about 3 months after it  opened you had to be nominated by other members as its was hard to get in at first ..i had some mates who were members who joined me up..there was always queues to get in on saturdays and you needed to get there early to get in as it was popular ..i have 2 members cards before it went out of fashion 63 to end of 65 ..

at first i didnt want to spend the cash as it was a guinea to join and a guinea to get in on sats. but i soon realised it was a good deal due to the numerous bands in 1 night plus the latest sounds .i was hooked ..the amphetamines came a bit later

[Rick Cooper]

Last Saturday Radio 2 had a program about London clubs around Soho in the 1960s by Carl Leighton-Pope with some music played in the clubs. It doesn't go into great detail but might be worth a listen.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0004rtz

 

[Sceneman]

guy did play some modern at the time 45s like the righteous bros youve lost that loving feeling which sounded perfect on the scene club sound system..plus lots of other 45s which had just been released

[Roburt]

Pete Stringfellow got involved with the guys who produced the book 'DIRTY STOPOUTS GUIDE TO 1960's SHEFFIELD'. He provided info & stuff about the Mojo Club.

After the book did well (alongside all the other DIRTY STOPOUT GUIDE books), he floated the idea of someone collaborating with him on a similar book on the London club scene in the 60's (he was a regular in many down there when he was running the dancefloor on RSG) … OF COURSE, Pete being Pete, just wanted to share all his memories & old club related stuff & wanted A N Other to do the donkey-work. I'd lost touch with him by then (he was spending most of his time with his latest young wife in Majorca), so didn't get in touch. He passed away not long after, so an opportunity lost me thinks.

[Dimples]

5 hours ago, Roburt said:

Pete Stringfellow got involved with the guys who produced the book 'DIRTY STOPOUTS GUIDE TO 1960's SHEFFIELD'. He provided info & stuff about the Mojo Club.

After the book did well (alongside all the other DIRTY STOPOUT GUIDE books), he floated the idea of someone collaborating with him on a similar book on the London club scene in the 60's (he was a regular in many down there when he was running the dancefloor on RSG) … OF COURSE, Pete being Pete, just wanted to share all his memories & old club related stuff & wanted A N Other to do the donkey-work. I'd lost touch with him by then (he was spending most of his time with his latest young wife in Majorca), so didn't get in touch. He passed away not long after, so an opportunity lost me thinks.

Oh, you should put something together. It really amazes me there's no such thing by now about London Mod Clubs in the 60s.

[Roburt]

The Ricky-Tick organisation ran nights at a number of locations/ towns, but Windsor was their top venue ….

Edited May 15, 2019 by Roburt

[Sceneman]

the ricky tick was an old rambling mansion with paneled walls and roaring fires and sofas ..it was a very large place .. shame it burnt down some years later..recall graham bond on there plus lots of others ..dj had a piano with decks built in 

[Roburt]

Didn't the Ricky-Tick operate out of a few different premises in Windsor down the years, the Star & Garter Pub, the Thames Hotel and a building on Barry Avenue ?   …. their posters just about always featured the face of an anguished black singer ….

When Roy C was on there, he saw the poster & took it that the face was meant to be his … he wasn't at all pleased until told it was just a generic picture.

Edited May 15, 2019 by Roburt

[Roburt]

How the London music scene was evolving by mid 69 … a live concert with a mix of psychedelia, prog rock & soul acts … 

[Roburt]

Not too much on this web page of direct interest to us, but it does feature some great photos of London clubs ...

https://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_9171000/9171130.stm

[Sceneman]

before and after the fire they had numerous ricky tick sites all over the area ..they came and went searching for the magic formula of success ..kids were fickle at the time..

[Roburt]

This place was a mod haunt that played ska & soul in the 60's. It moved on to feature just about 100% reggae by the end of the decade … 

 

Edited May 17, 2019 by Roburt

[Roburt]

In 1969, you could have seen Mary Wells live @ the Flamingo ...

a youtube piece about the club .. 

 

[Roburt]

The Steinways in Ilford & Islington … cor blimey guv … 

[Roburt]

Promoters, get em booked now ….. OHH, SORRY … they were taking those bookings here back in 69 …  

[Sceneman]

some guys started the ham yardies club a few years back but dunno what happened to it .used to meet in a pub up in east london .must be ten years ago

[Dimples]

5 hours ago, sceneman said:

some guys started the ham yardies club a few years back but dunno what happened to it .used to meet in a pub up in east london .must be ten years ago

The Ham Yardies nights sadly ended years ago. Guy Steven's widow attended one of them in London. They even put out two nights in Spain: Barcelona and Madrid. I think they are trying to rearrange something soon but not quite sure.

[Dimples]

This one is on the stairs that led to the Whisky a Go-gó (upstairs to The Flamingo) and outside the place the Flamingo used to be.

Edited May 28, 2019 by dimples

[Dimples]

BEAT CITY CLUB (Oxford Street) as reviewed by Melody Maker in 1964.

[Dimples]

[Dimples]

[Sceneman]

the kingston cellar was actually upstairs over the boat storage so bands had to lug their gear and speakers up some steep stairs ,i have my members card somewhere

[Sceneman]

list of agencies from record mirror of that time .clodagh rogers is there sitting by the phone waiting for your call

[Guest mags919]

Anyone interested in the Ricky-Tick, there is a book out now by John Mansfield. Lots of memories about those early club years and promoters like Rik Gunnell and Giorgio Gomelsky as well as John Mansfield and Philip Hayward. There is more info on our new Facebook page -The Ricky-Tick, and website https://www.rickytick.com/

 

[Sceneman]

the scene club soho was open last friday for a one off special invitation night and i am waiting for photos and videos

[Dimples]

[Sceneman]

150 cops that s a lota cops for 1 club all on overtime payments

when bobbies did a raid they all rushed in blowing on whistles like the keystone cops ,hillarious times

[noolas]

On 22/02/2019 at 12:55, Geoff said:

I've enjoyed this thread, I attended many of the clubs mentioned, happy days. One not mentioned was the St Moritz in Wardour Street, which still exists I've just found out. It wasn't a Mod club, I went there a few times in 1965, can't remember the music at all, simply that I met a girl there that I dated a couple of times. I note that Gaz's Rockin' Blues is on there, anyone been?

There was also a place in Mare Street, Hackney over Burtons I think that I went to a couple of times, can't remember the name though, but the music was okay. 

i remember the ST moritz really suprised to hear its still operating , i never went in it wasn't frequented by the mods back in the day

[Ady Croasdell]

On 18/02/2019 at 18:06, Dimples said:

"HOME OF THE BLUES" Soul magazine and TILES CLUB had some kind of relation between them.

 

Is there an article about the Corsairs in the Home Of The Blues mag? 

[Dimples]

8 hours ago, Ady Croasdell said:

Is there an article about the Corsairs in the Home Of The Blues mag? 

I've just uploaded the little text about The Corsairs on Home of the Blues. Hope you like it.

[Dimples]

The Herald Tribune about The Scene Club (February 12th 1964). Sorry if lettering is not clear enough.

[Dimples]

Here's same Herald Tribune (February 12th 1964) article on PDF which you can easily read. Cheers!

Daily Herald February 12 1964.pdf

[Kesalocasoul]

Here is the Corsairs discography promised at the end of the article above.  It was included in Home of the Blues number 8 (March 1967), the first of the glossy issues.

[Ady Croasdell]

5 hours ago, Kesalocasoul said:

Here is the Corsairs discography promised at the end of the article above.  It was included in Home of the Blues number 8 (March 1967), the first of the glossy issues.

Thanks very much

 

ady 

[noolas]

On 19/04/2019 at 11:24, Dimples said:

When did The Scene Club start running? Late 63. But exact date? Anyone?

march 63 howya doin dimples good to see ya

[noolas]

On 14/02/2019 at 17:18, Dimples said:

THE LAST CHANCE SALOON (19 OXFORD STREET, LONDON)

Doris Troy - What cha gonna do about it?

Temptations - Why you wanna make me blue? 

Maxine Brown - Oh no! Not my baby! 

The Larks - The Jerk

Marvin Gaye - How sweet it is to be loved by you

The Miracles - I gotta dance to keep from crying

Ray Barretto - El Watusi

Betty Everett - Getting mighty crowded

Justine Hines - Rub up push up

Oscar Brown Jr. - The Work Song

 Mary Wells - What's easy for two

Roland Alphonso - Pheonix City

Four Tops - Baby I need your loving

Dixie Cups - Gee baby gee

Miracles - That’s what love is made of

Velveletes - He was really saying something

Donnie Elbert - You can push it or pull it

Derek Martin – Daddy Rollin Stone

Wilbert Harrison - Let’s work together

James Ray - If you gotta make a fool of somebody

Temptations - The girl’s alright with me

Tony Clark – Ain’t love good ain’t love proud

Major Lance - Um um um um um

Temptations - The way you do the things you do

Sugar Pie deSanto - I don’t wanna fuss

Baby Washington – That’s how heartaches are made

Gene Chandler - Nothing can stop me

Temptations - My girl

Supremes - Come see about me

Donnie Elbert - Little piece of leather

Folkes Brothers – Carolina

Anglos - Incense

James Brown - Night train

Ike and Tina Turner - I can’t believe what you say

Beach Boys – Help me Rhonda

Chubby Checker – Everything’s wrong

Contours - First I look at the purse

Chubby Checker - At the discotheque

Ad-Libs - The boy from New York City

Beach Boys – Don’t worry baby

Jimmy Reed - Shame shame shame

Deon Jackson - Love makes the world go round

The High Keys - Que sera, sera

Willie Mabon - Got to have some

Ike and Tina Turner - I think it’s gonna work out fine

Inez and Charlie Foxx - La dee da I love you

Vibrations - My girl sloopy

great compilation from the spins at the "chance"  i practicaly lived there 64\65 good to see you here dimples regards    Dave 

[Dimples]

[Chapelisland]

The Scene Club was a small club in Ham Yard, 41 Great Windmill Street, Soho. Its R&B nights started in 1963 fronted by Guy Stevens. Stevens was a revolutionary player in UK R&B. At the Scene Club, he played obscure Stax, Chess and Motown records and attracted a growing number of Mods and musicians, including members of The Who, The Small Faces, The Yardbirds, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. Richard Barnes in his book ‘Mods’ states “It was exciting at The Scene there were lots of interesting people. The DJ Guy Stephens, the man with the best R&B collection in the country was playing some of his precious rare records. He had the best records before anyone else. I used to go along with [Pete] Townshend to his flat in Regents Park to hear records that the High Numbers [later The Who] might want to play on stage or record. He had hundreds of albums and piles of singles from unknown and remote small record companies. For a fee he would tape the ones you wanted”. In 1964 Stephens was employed by the Sue record label in the UK. During his tenure there he was responsible for releasing by agreement a string of successful singles on the Sue label, by obscure American artists. The Sue label was owned in the USA by Juggy Murray. Murray terminated the agreement when Stephens started issuing additional releases by other USA independent record companies on the label. Stephens also advised on the UK releases of Pye International who had access to the Chess/Checker recordings. He arranged some of Pyes UK releases re Jimmy James and the Vagabonds-This Heart of Mine.  It was Stevens who brought Chuck Berry to the UK for his first tour after paying his bail to get him out of jail. 5 In 1966 Guy was imprisoned for being caught in possession of drugs, and later when released from prison suffered depression on learning, that his entire record collection had been stolen. Tragically he died in 1981 from a mistaken intake of prescribed drugs and alcohol. A sad and tragic end to a important pioneer of R&B in the UK. London R&B/Mod clubs such as Marquee, Tiles, The Flamingo, Ealing R&B Club and The Ram Jam Club played R&B/Soul music during the early to mid 60s and hosted live UK and US R&B acts.  The Scene Club was the most progressive R&B club in the country but had a short life as it was subjected to drug raids and consequently closed after a few years.

From the book 6 Whitworth Street Manchester, The Bithplace of Northern Soul

[likealaff]

All this amazing info/articles should not go to waste..............how about a "Dirty Stop Out's Guide to 1960,s Soul Clubs "     ??

[Chilli]

On 04/12/2020 at 16:25, likealaff said:

All this amazing info/articles should not go to waste..............how about a "Dirty Stop Out's Guide to 1960,s Soul Clubs "     ??

I agree with your sentiment, however this and more is covered in Paul 'Smiler' Anderson's book 'Mods: The New Religion', where there's a wealth of clippings, membership cards, record scans, etc copied within, plus it's a fantastic read about the 60's Mod/early Soul scene around the country.  Thankfully it's not just London-centric (though obviously there's a lot of focus on London and it's clubs), with scenes and clubs in other parts of the country covered.

If you've not already got it, stick on your Christmas list; you won't be disappointed!! 

[Sceneman]

when the scene club closed it went dark for some time then reopened as the new scene club..i went there once but it was really poor. few people in there and it had been painted cream color over the black and the sound system had been ripped out and replaced with a crumby record player and small speakers

it was now brightly lit up and no ambiance any more ..

by now the area had become dangerous with muggers everywhere and hard core drug addicts so not the sort of place to hang around and  i never went to the new scene again ,i tore up my club card in disgust as it was so bad and guy stephens was no longer on decks and no bands were playing there as far as i know...