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 January 18 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 January 19 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 January 20 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.

 

[Geeselad]

I moved to london in september 87 myself, just as i was getting into Northern. I'd been a couple of local nights  and the wheel revival nighter at the place mate 7, usually with my brother and his mates. My first nighter solo was in Holborn, something Ion put on and I had a positive experience on meeting a guy ive never seen again who introduced me to sedge Dave Carne and a bunch of people. Kev Moore came into my university and we got talking which also helped. But to be honest I totally agree, 100 club late to mid 80's was full of mods who sneered at anybody who didn't have a well fitting suit on. Alan Hanscome and some of the skins were friendly  but it was tribal, cliquey and intimidating. 

[Gaz T]

2 hours ago, Geeselad said:

I moved to london in september 87 myself, just as i was getting into Northern. I'd been a couple of local nights  and the wheel revival nighter at the place mate 7, usually with my brother and his mates. My first nighter solo was in Holborn, something Ion put on and I had a positive experience on meeting a guy ive never seen again who introduced me to sedge Dave Carne and a bunch of people. Kev Moore came into my university and we got talking which also helped. But to be honest I totally agree, 100 club late to mid 80's was full of mods who sneered at anybody who didn't have a well fitting suit on. Alan Hanscome and some of the skins were friendly  but it was tribal, cliquey and intimidating. 

You should have gone on a few Mod doos bud.

We were worse with each other

I have a different memory 

Mod corner at the 100 club (left of stage as you faced it ) was always a friendly place  IMO

I had been doing all nighters all over the country by 86 / 87  Bradford , keele, etc etc and was more of a  skin I suppose by early 89 when I started going to 100 club 

i was a regular at the 100 club and absolutely loved it,.

loads of mates from up north and wales used to get down 

great memories 

I keep getting asked by my pal Rich to get my arse down again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Geeselad]

13 hours ago, Gaz T said:

You should have gone on a few Mod doos bud.

We were worse with each other

I have a different memory 

Mod corner at the 100 club (left of stage as you faced it ) was always a friendly place  IMO

I had been doing all nighters all over the country by 86 / 87  Bradford , keele, etc etc and was more of a  skin I suppose by early 89 when I started going to 100 club 

i was a regular at the 100 club and absolutely loved it,.

loads of mates from up north and wales used to get down 

great memories 

I keep getting asked by my pal Rich to get my arse down again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did get to drummons once but that was even worse, I had jeans in they weren't going to let me in until Allen Hanscom vouched for me! 

[Gaz T]

7 hours ago, Geeselad said:

I did get to drummons once but that was even worse, I had jeans in they weren't going to let me in until Allen Hanscom vouched for me! 

Drummonds , went there myself 

yes there was a period of “smart dress only” door policy in the 80s on the Mod Scene 

I always put it down to keeping the “casuals’ out of clubs as they were the royal pain of a Mods life in the 80s

until everyone went mellow and laid back towards the end of the decade with the on set of ecstasy 

but that’s another thread

 

 

[Geeselad]

On 20/01/2025 at 11:34, Smartzie said:

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.

 

Wow, I was at St martins doing fashion, 87-90, london clubbing in 1990 could no way get near what was going off in the nortth west at that time,  in terms house music, so  i scarped back up there at the end of my course

[Bunderthollox]

My biggest blag was going to the 40th anniversary 100 club gig rocking up at the door which was ticket  only. 

Putting on (for what reason I can't explain) a bad west country accent as Ady Croasdell came to the door 

"Oive come aal the waay from Somerset, he looked at me through narrowed eyes hmmm and said Okay we can squeeze you in!" Then Oi you've still got to pay! 

And I got the Lawrence and Jaibi record for all punters as well, and met some brilliant people a sterling night that I'll never forget. 

There was also a pub in Camden I think it was the Cardinal pub  upstairs, defo a pub, I just walked into that and it was hopping, sweat pouring down, place was bouncing, wonderdd if it would collapse...had some proper nights down south.