My London soul experience…

[hullsoulie]

I moved to London in 89 as a young man in my early 20s. Rather than believing the streets were paved with gold I was running AWAY from something, which I will keep to myself.

Anyway, to business! Missing my soul ‘fix’ I took myself to central London to try the 100 club, which even in those pre-Internet days had a rep as a hotbed of rare soul.

I knew only a handful of people in the capital city, and certainly nobody on the soul scene so took myself up Oxford st early and was first in the queue. I had my cassette Walkman on and the lad stood on the door asked me what track I was listening to, I told him it was Betty Turner & the Chevelles - ‘The winds kept laughing’ to which he replied ‘coincidence that’s one of our lass’s favourites’

I got downstairs and after an hour or so concluded it wasn’t anything like the Northern venues I’d been used to (Clifton Hall, Bradford Queens Hall etc). The music was ‘different’, instead of traditional soulie dress and hairstyles it was mainly sharply dressed mods, nobody let on with nods or an ‘ok mate?’ and I just thought ‘not for me’, left and got a black cab back to Isleworth….yeah, costly.

Please before anybody feels they should leap to the defence of 100 club I am 100% aware that my knee jerk reaction was perhaps one of the most stupid things I’ve ever done! And one that deprived me of hearing much great music played by terrific DJs over the years….but there you go

More to the point is that in Echoes I saw another soul night advertised, at the Water Rats n Grays Inn rd, Kings Cross. I took myself along there and met the organisers, Chris Dale, Dave Edwards and Chris’s partner Joeli.

That became my go to for soul in the capital and even now 30+ years later I have not forgotten the friendliness to a Northern waif all those years ago, they had some fine nights at that venue, attracting gents of f the calibre of Mark Bicknell and Roger Banks down to spin some rare sounds, and I still treasure my membership card from those days.

Apologies for the verbose nature of this post - brevity has never been a bedfellow of mine, I really wished to post in case either of the 3 people I’ve mentioned are still on the go and read soul source……I hope they are still on the scene and in good fettle, they made a very positive impression on this (at the time) young soulie

And for all those connected to the 100 club, I fully understand and accept mea culpa in not persevering, I denied myself hearing some different sounds played by the likes of Alan Handscombe, Irish Greg, Mr Croasdell himself and Mr Dobson - as Cher sang ‘if I could turn back time….’

[Gaz T]

I used to go to Kings Cross on a Sunday

played records there a few times  , I’m on this  attached flyer on march 28th 

I imagine this was 1991 or 1992

great memories 

Chris is a nice bloke , so is Alan H , in fact all that crowd were great 

it was a great end to weekend

you deffo should have given the 100 club a few more try’s  

 

 

 

Edited Saturday at 18:43 by Gaz T

[hullsoulie]

I know that better than anyone mate!

[Gaz T]

3 minutes ago, hullsoulie said:

I know that better than anyone mate!

Chris, Alan, Dave E are all still about 

and have always been , playing records and doing events 

I left London in the late 90s and moved back to Wales to be a record collecting hermit , which is what suits me.

[hullsoulie]

I’m glad to hear they are still on the go mate, I only saw them once outside London and that’s when Stafford tried a revival nighter or two at the Colosseum (same renamed site as Top of the World if memory serves me well?)

all the best and thank you for taking the time to respond 

[Woodbutcher]

Sounds to me like you need to stop feeling remorse and get back down to the best basement bash out there and try again , next niter is on February 1st ... 

[hullsoulie]

As I’m back up in God’s country (Yawksher) and a non driver that’s unlikely mate, I rely on the largesse of others and paying my share of the petrol!

I haven’t done bad mind, last 18 months I’ve done Stables in Wolvo, Keele, Kings Hall, Nuneaton, Hanley & Swinton

[Woodbutcher]

3 minutes ago, hullsoulie said:

As I’m back up in God’s country (Yawksher) and a non driver that’s unlikely mate, I rely on the largesse of others and paying my share of the petrol!

I haven’t done bad mind, last 18 months I’ve done Stables in Wolvo, Keele, Kings Hall, Nuneaton, Hanley & Swinton

There was once a chap called Stephenson who in 1814 designed a thing called a locomotive ... 

[Roburt]

SORRY, but I just couldn't stop myself ... 

pics at the bottom: the 60's Hull crowd @ the Mojo, Hull lads @ the Wheel & Hull lads recently 

Edited yesterday at 11:59 by Roburt

[hullsoulie]

I saw that smudge of the Hull fellas at the Wheel and one of them at same location 40-50 years later - lovely memories.

[Simsy]

What a great post and interesting read.

i met Hull Soulie Steve Woomble down the 100 Club some years back. My first visit there was 85/86. Being from the South we considered Peterborough and Loughborough up North lol.

We went to the 100 Club for the music. To dance and to look at records and buy those we could afford. Socialising and meeting people wasn’t really a priority. Mostly due to shyness. It wasn’t really until the Dome in Tufnell Park and the launch of Soul Source that one could finally put a name to a face and realise what a decent bunch of souls we were and still are.

[hullsoulie]

Lovely fella is Stevie Woomble - although haven’t been in his company since he moved from the Christian side of the Pennines to Preston with the lovely Wendy 

[George Hughes]

Re; the Sunday Shaker poster I assume that Gary Spencer is the guy who has theCrazy Beat shop in Upminster ?

[Keamus]

That’s Gary Dennis not Spencer?

Edited 2 hours ago by Keamus

[George Hughes]

Thanks for that . Memory's going .

[Smartzie]

On 18/01/2025 at 18:12, hullsoulie said:

I moved to London in 89 as a young man in my early 20s. Rather than believing the streets were paved with gold I was running AWAY from something, which I will keep to myself.

Anyway, to business! Missing my soul ‘fix’ I took myself to central London to try the 100 club, which even in those pre-Internet days had a rep as a hotbed of rare soul.

I knew only a handful of people in the capital city, and certainly nobody on the soul scene so took myself up Oxford st early and was first in the queue. I had my cassette Walkman on and the lad stood on the door asked me what track I was listening to, I told him it was Betty Turner & the Chevelles - ‘The winds kept laughing’ to which he replied ‘coincidence that’s one of our lass’s favourites’

I got downstairs and after an hour or so concluded it wasn’t anything like the Northern venues I’d been used to (Clifton Hall, Bradford Queens Hall etc). The music was ‘different’, instead of traditional soulie dress and hairstyles it was mainly sharply dressed mods, nobody let on with nods or an ‘ok mate?’ and I just thought ‘not for me’, left and got a black cab back to Isleworth….yeah, costly.

Please before anybody feels they should leap to the defence of 100 club I am 100% aware that my knee jerk reaction was perhaps one of the most stupid things I’ve ever done! And one that deprived me of hearing much great music played by terrific DJs over the years….but there you go

More to the point is that in Echoes I saw another soul night advertised, at the Water Rats n Grays Inn rd, Kings Cross. I took myself along there and met the organisers, Chris Dale, Dave Edwards and Chris’s partner Joeli.

That became my go to for soul in the capital and even now 30+ years later I have not forgotten the friendliness to a Northern waif all those years ago, they had some fine nights at that venue, attracting gents of f the calibre of Mark Bicknell and Roger Banks down to spin some rare sounds, and I still treasure my membership card from those days.

Apologies for the verbose nature of this post - brevity has never been a bedfellow of mine, I really wished to post in case either of the 3 people I’ve mentioned are still on the go and read soul source……I hope they are still on the scene and in good fettle, they made a very positive impression on this (at the time) young soulie

And for all those connected to the 100 club, I fully understand and accept mea culpa in not persevering, I denied myself hearing some different sounds played by the likes of Alan Handscombe, Irish Greg, Mr Croasdell himself and Mr Dobson - as Cher sang ‘if I could turn back time….’

 

On 18/01/2025 at 18:12, hullsoulie said:

I moved to London in 89 as a young man in my early 20s. Rather than believing the streets were paved with gold I was running AWAY from something, which I will keep to myself.

Anyway, to business! Missing my soul ‘fix’ I took myself to central London to try the 100 club, which even in those pre-Internet days had a rep as a hotbed of rare soul.

I knew only a handful of people in the capital city, and certainly nobody on the soul scene so took myself up Oxford st early and was first in the queue. I had my cassette Walkman on and the lad stood on the door asked me what track I was listening to, I told him it was Betty Turner & the Chevelles - ‘The winds kept laughing’ to which he replied ‘coincidence that’s one of our lass’s favourites’

I got downstairs and after an hour or so concluded it wasn’t anything like the Northern venues I’d been used to (Clifton Hall, Bradford Queens Hall etc). The music was ‘different’, instead of traditional soulie dress and hairstyles it was mainly sharply dressed mods, nobody let on with nods or an ‘ok mate?’ and I just thought ‘not for me’, left and got a black cab back to Isleworth….yeah, costly.

Please before anybody feels they should leap to the defence of 100 club I am 100% aware that my knee jerk reaction was perhaps one of the most stupid things I’ve ever done! And one that deprived me of hearing much great music played by terrific DJs over the years….but there you go

More to the point is that in Echoes I saw another soul night advertised, at the Water Rats n Grays Inn rd, Kings Cross. I took myself along there and met the organisers, Chris Dale, Dave Edwards and Chris’s partner Joeli.

That became my go to for soul in the capital and even now 30+ years later I have not forgotten the friendliness to a Northern waif all those years ago, they had some fine nights at that venue, attracting gents of f the calibre of Mark Bicknell and Roger Banks down to spin some rare sounds, and I still treasure my membership card from those days.

Apologies for the verbose nature of this post - brevity has never been a bedfellow of mine, I really wished to post in case either of the 3 people I’ve mentioned are still on the go and read soul source……I hope they are still on the scene and in good fettle, they made a very positive impression on this (at the time) young soulie

And for all those connected to the 100 club, I fully understand and accept mea culpa in not persevering, I denied myself hearing some different sounds played by the likes of Alan Handscombe, Irish Greg, Mr Croasdell himself and Mr Dobson - as Cher sang ‘if I could turn back time….’

 

[Smartzie]

At least you knew about it. Dozy me, full of the joys of Art at St Martins, totally missed the opportunity and I was in the West End for 4 years 1990-94. I'll get to 100 club one day. 

Anyway, thanks for a great post.

Really enjoyed it.