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Message |
BaggyDave
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Monday, 24 January, 2005 - 01:29 pm: | |
Scroll down for a musical history - well at least until 1990
Rekindling my earlier thread on “what ever happened to???” I met up with one of our local musos on Sunday who I hope can supplement this thread. He has a books on local musical connections, one produced by Lewisham Council around 15 years ago – high time for a reprint.
Surprising to say we are musical paupers compared to the likes of Deptford – Bicycle Thieves, Stone Idol, Brotherly Brothers, The Coffee Set, The Combine, Dire Straits, Fabulous Poodles (included Bobby Valentino), Felix the Cat, Flying Pickets, Holly and the Italians (I’m going to tell that girl to shut up), Jools Holland/Squeeze, Mark Perry (alternative TV and punk fanzine Sniffin Glue, the Realists, The Rejects, loads of venues (now mainly departed)including the Crystal Palace Tavern and record labels and
shops.
OK so I haven’t heard of half of these but now onto SE23. Not so numerous but still some gems.
Ah Ha, resident in Forest Hill whilst touring in the 80s. A blue plaque please!
Brockley Boogie Band
Kate Bush, moved to Wickham Rd Brockley in 1977, reputably wrote Wuthering Heights here
Cut the Wire – melodic rock band
Desmond Decker
The Fits – high energy rock and roll
The Forest Hillbillies, enjoyable mix of high powered C&W, jazz, blues and ska.
Winston Groovy, Brockley, UB40 covered his Please don’t make me cry
John Seldom Glummer, ex Lewisham West MP, apparently quoted Dylan at a bemused Conservative party conference
Japan, David Sylvian went to Catford Boys School and they rehearsed at Ellsinore Road in Forest Hill
Jive instructors, this busy Brockleyy based 9 piece band described at the hottest, hippest, jivinest ... you get the drift....
M (Pop music), Robin Scott lived in Brockley
Spike Milligan – I’m Walking Backwards for Christmas, grew up in Riseldine Rd, FH
Morris Minor and the Austin Seven – Brockley - think they were once MM and the majors, and were on Top of the Pops
The Nervous System (60s Pop band) – FH
The Only Ones (absolute classic - Another Girl Another Planet) – FH
Mica Paris – Brockley
Jeff Banks, hubby of Sandie Shaw, school in Brockley
Anne Shoton - popular variety singer, Arrivederci Darling 1955
Jackie Trent – The golden voice of FH, No 1 in ‘65 with 'where are you now (My Love'
Status Quo
And almost finally two famous venues. The Glenlyn, 15 Perry Vale (now the large function room?) had bands in the 60s including the Rolling Stones, Animals, Yardbirds, Birds, Kinks, Clapton etc
Rivoli Ballroom – scene for Elton John - they Call it the Blues, Nick Kershaw – Nobody Knows, Tracy Ullman – Move over Darling, Bananarama,- Nathan Jones, Beautiful South – I’ll sail this ship alone, Tina Turner private Dancer.
Won’t mention all the other Lewisham connections except a couple of faves, Crass (anarcho punk) from Bellingham and A Flux of Pink Indians (great name) from Sydenham. Oh and following one of Newman’s many jibes, Val Doonican of course lived in St Johns in the 60s
Not one mention of which side of the tracks they came from. Anecdotes and reminisces please. Where are they know and an update for 1990 – 2005 wouldn’t go amiss. |
Newman
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Monday, 24 January, 2005 - 02:10 pm: | |
Dave, I should mention that I know the following thanks to my parents and that I am not a child of the 60s...Other bands that played at the Glenlyn include the Big Three, the Undertakers (my mum went out with the lead singer, apparently), The Who (when they were known as the Detours - a regular fixture at the place, playing on an almost weekly basis) and the Hollies. |
ToffeeJim
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Monday, 24 January, 2005 - 02:59 pm: | |
The Only Ones from Forest Hill? It seems we might have fanship in common here. A stonking piece of research BaggieDave. You oldies certainly put the rest of us to shame with your use of hte net as a research tool. |
BaggyDave
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Monday, 24 January, 2005 - 05:44 pm: | |
The Who did in deed play in the area, sorry I missed this out but if I inclluded all the links the thread would be three times longer - Tom Jones, Hawkwind, John Cale, Chuck Berry, Cliff Richard.... The book says that the Detours (featuring Peter Townsend) were a support - naughty Lewisham Council for getting that wrong.
Ahh your mother, met her when I was playing with the Undertakers. Or maybe not, although I did dance with Capt Sensible missis when she was in the Dolly Mixtures supporting Bad Manners. Actually I think she turned me down..... |
Steve
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Monday, 24 January, 2005 - 06:54 pm: | |
I do think you could have credited Mel Wright with this information. His book, Rock Around Lewisham was, certainly up to a year ago, still available at Smith's in Lewisham |
BaggyDave
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 25 January, 2005 - 11:28 am: | |
Yes it is a fascinating book and personally quite a discovery. Apologies if I have not given due respect to the author. Pleased to see that it is still available and that there is interest! Avid readers may also wish to buy another goldmine, Rockin (and around) Croydon by Chris Groom (1960 - 1980) |
Newman
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 25 January, 2005 - 11:45 am: | |
I had a run in with Capt Sensible a few years ago in which he swore at me and said that I worked for a bunch of amateurs - won't bore you with the details but it involved losing a photo of him that he had had taken at Brighton train station. I had to call him and apologise for losing said photo and remember anguishing over whether I should call him Captain, Mr Sensible or by his real name.
Anyway, whilst all this harking back to olden times is all very interesting, wouldn't it be great if se23 had a current music scene to speak of? Well, the NME was banging on about New Cross being the place to be last year, so why not FH? Any new bands from the area out there? |
Newman
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Tuesday, 25 January, 2005 - 04:03 pm: | |
Dave, were the Only Ones actually from FH or just passing through? |
BaggyDave
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Wednesday, 26 January, 2005 - 12:21 pm: | |
Peter Perrett was born in Camberwell but appeared to have lived much of his productive life in Forest Hill. There is a cult following but I think he has hit hard times (both musically and financially) - there are some web sites devoted to the Only Ones/ Perrett but they seem to be out of date. But just found a brilliant site www.lawrenceimpey.com - Lawrence Impey took photos of Peter Perrett including one in his FH flat - wonder if any one recognises it?
One thing is reminiscing about when I recall FH to be a happening area (mid 80s to early 90s) but agreed it would be interesting to hear what is going on now. Perhaps only old fartz are interested (that includes you TJ). The Hobgoblin appears to just have tribute bands, and the New Cross Venue went that way years ago. Sydenham Greyhound died a death musically at a similar time when pub rock went out of fashion.
And even I am getting anoyed by our unfunny impersonator. |
Hilltop General
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Thursday, 27 January, 2005 - 09:18 am: | |
Just had a look and as you have your mouse over the picture, the title comes up - "Waldram Park Road" or was it "Crescent" - mystery partially solved anyway. |
Matt Billy (Unregistered Guest)
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Thursday, 17 February, 2005 - 12:31 pm: | |
Back on thread - I'm told that Ah Ha (Take On Me) used to rehearse in Kirkdale |
BaggieDave (Unregistered Guest)
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Saturday, 19 February, 2005 - 07:45 pm: | |
Away from the Battle of the Somme (the Goodison Road pitch is even worse than our SE London clay soil) yet another fascinating fact (bet your ..... yourself in anticipation.. 25 years ago the original AC/DC front man, Bon Scott, died just over the road following a heavy night, according to the Grauniad ( pedants can't criticise me for not siting the source).
OK so it was East Dulwich, but only just and I can see it from the window as I type. There is a shrine at 67 Overhill Road, similar to Jim Morrison's resting place in Paris, where loyal fans have stratched their names into a metal plate. The article describes the block of flats as being in a bleakly non descript part of London. Cheek. (Will you write to them Adam?)
Reminds me also of the bus stop outside the Goss's house in Peckham (ie the band Bros) where we used to frequent in our masses in the late 80s. Can you get a new thread out of this one Newman?
More facinating facts, no doubt, next week |
Danny (Unregistered Guest)
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Sunday, 20 February, 2005 - 06:11 am: | |
The following song was written in FH. It's fact. gah!
"If you like Pina Coladas
And getting caught in the rain
If you're not into yoga
If you have half a brain
If you'd like making love at midnight
In the dunes on the Cape
Then I'm the love that you've looked for
Write to me and escape." |
Danny (Unregistered Guest)
Joined N/A
| | Posted on Sunday, 20 February, 2005 - 09:42 am: | |
And the ginger one out of Girls Aloud comes from Forest Hill. Hmmmm, Girls Aloud - when I look at them, I think to myself, they're much nicer than my wife. If their new single doesn't go top ten, then I'll eat my marraccas. |
Newman
Joined 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 21 February, 2005 - 11:53 am: | |
Sorry to rain on your parade, but that pina coladas song wasn't written in FH and the ginger one from Girls Aloud is a scouser - or so BaggyDave tells me. Ahem. And what is all this 'gah' nonsense - have you been watching Pirates of the Caribbean alot recently? |
Adam
Joined 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 21 February, 2005 - 02:55 pm: | |
I will write to them for sure, although I could describe se23 as bleak today, but that is due to the weather! snow! hurrah! |
Newman
Joined 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 21 February, 2005 - 04:23 pm: | |
Sorry, Adam, but I'm slightly confused by your last post - are you planning to write to Girls Aloud? If so, could you ask them very nicely if they could stop making records and go back to obscurity? You never know, it might work. |
Adam
Joined 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 21 February, 2005 - 04:52 pm: | |
Newman, Dave asked me to write his letter first, re: 'The article describes the block of flats as being in a bleakly non descript part of London'
I will write to Girls Aloud too Newman, after reading in the Sunday papers yesterday that they haven't made more than 6k from all their songs and are broke, I don't think they will be around for very much longer! Perhaps a give up and bog off to beating up toilet attendents type letter might work? hmmm! (sorry about the pun!) |
Newman
Joined 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 21 February, 2005 - 08:41 pm: | |
I'm sure that Danny will be devastated to hear that, Adam. So, Girls Aloud are broke, eh? Where's the justice? What's the world coming to when a band with lyrics as good as "Daddy told me look into the future. Sit at your computer, be a good girl" struggle to make ends meet? I'm so upset over this that I'm off for a lie down. |
Adam
Joined 02-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 21 February, 2005 - 10:51 pm: | |
make sure you pop the pills too Newman to help aid your recovery!turn your mobile phone to silent too, dont want your girls aloud ring tone waking you up!!!!! |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, 27 April, 2006 - 12:17 pm: | |
Many thanks to Seeformiles for more rock and roll history. See www.davegoodman.co.uk/Dave%20Goodman/Daves%20Book/ 1979/jan_to_dec_1979.htm
So we had Don Letts living here during the punk days, I've seen him a couple of times at gigs, shame I didn't know the SE23 connection as I could have found out more.
And we had Andrew (Drew) Lipscon, whoever he was, who was in a punk band called Front, whoever they were. Perhaps Matt Billy can help. |
Sydh
Joined 01-08-2006
| | Posted on Friday, 04 August, 2006 - 03:45 pm: | |
Hi - Peter Perret definitely lived on Manor Mount, maybe still does. Reason I know is that I went to his flat a couple of times about 15-20 years ago when they needed a few odd jobs done although only met his wife not PP himself so no bragging rights claimed!
Incidentally I remember the Forest Hillbillies very well. Dave, one of the three (?) brothers in the band used to be seen around FH on a unicycle which was fun. I think he was the trombone player. Another excellent FH band from that era (the mid-eighties) was 1000 Miles of Sunshine, King Sunny Ade style Hilife music, very fun and danceable. For a while the FHB brothers lived in a house on Stansted rd around behind Rockbourne - where the builders merchants is now (or maybe was - haven't been there for years). Then they moved to Wickham road into a house that was infamous for many years for huge decadent parties!
The Rub-a-dub club at the Greyhound, which I saw mentioned in one of the threads, was always a good night out. I lived on Vennor Road in Sydenham for a two or three years around 86-88 and was a regular, on a thursday evening I think it was. Always a good crack in the big back room. Last time I went in the place it was unrecognisable - to be honest it was a bit of a run-down dive back then but it didn't seem like it at the time, just another local boozer like all the rest were.
Vic Reeves was the Rub-a-dub compere and had a sort of parody-compere act going, always ending the night with a crooning-style song about being an entertainer or song-and-dance man. He did a few bizarre comedy routines in between introducing the acts too. He always did have a very quirky sense of humour.
I remember seeing John Otway there and some of the 'alternative' stand-ups like Jo Brand, Gerry Sadowitch and Mark Thomas before they went on TV and became too famous to appear in little clubs any more. There was also a guy who was famous for ending his show by dropping his trousers, bending over and letting off a roman candle firework stuck in his bottom - curiously enough he never made the transition to TV! It really was a crazy place at times.
The Mint Juleps sang there sometimes - an A Cappella girls band who later went on to record in the States with Micky Hart of the Grateful Dead.
Sunday lunchtimes was live jazz - that's where I met my long-term partner-in-life Tamzin for the first time nearly twenty years ago. Lots of memories!
Regards
Syd |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 04 August, 2006 - 11:23 pm: | |
I used to work with someone whose sister was in the Mint Juleps. |
Seeformiles
Joined 09-04-2005
| | Posted on Monday, 07 August, 2006 - 09:58 am: | |
What's happened to all my old messages about illustrious local punks? |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Monday, 07 August, 2006 - 02:46 pm: | |
Have a Mint Juleps record still in its sleeve, (that's vinyl not mp3 kids). Vic Reeves denies all knowledge of the Rubadub club - shame
How privilaged we were in those days. |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, 02 November, 2006 - 05:44 pm: | |
Went to see the Scissor Sisters at the Academy on Tuesday night (sorry for missing your gig, Mark), despite being one of the oldies it was a good night. The stage act reminded me of the Tubes and their famous White Punks on Dope on the Old Grey Whistle Test. And I got really excited when they showed that they could do more than camp 70’s disco cabaret with a Patti Smith number (I was probably the only one old enough to remember this). Of relevance to this site my dear reader is that the audience, mostly in fancy dress, was like seeing Duran Duran during their very early days (or no doubt Visage for you London-centrics). I’ve had interesting discussions about punk in Forest Hill, and my memories of the indie scene of the mid 80s to early 90s (ps where have you got to Matt (Forest Hill) Billy. Was there a New Romatic scene, or were you all too cool to get dragged into brief fashions. |
Loneranger
Joined 29-10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, 02 November, 2006 - 06:02 pm: | |
Do you mean this OGWT clip?
Brought to you by a former Lewisham councillor.
http://andrewkbrown.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/white -punks-on-dope/#comments |
Fanboy_mark
Joined 08-03-2005
| | Posted on Friday, 03 November, 2006 - 05:30 pm: | |
No problem Dave. To be honest, Scissor Sisters looked like a storming affair. I at no point dressed up the bride of Frankenstein - I see now that I let the side down.
We were on very late anyway. Nice venue though.
If you are interested there are gigs coming up in Greenwich and New Cross before the year is up. Details on our website, which I won't mention. If anyone else in interested you can mail me at my hotmail address which I sure you could deduce from my name. |
Seeformiles
Joined 09-04-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, 07 November, 2006 - 08:26 pm: | |
The Ramones were from Forest Hills in New York!
One good reason for being twinned with it - probably the only good reason but still.... |
Fhssecretary
Joined 12-10-2006
| | Posted on Monday, 13 November, 2006 - 03:30 pm: | |
Article in The Scotsman about the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band starting out in the Bird in Hand:
http://living.scotsman.com/music.cfm?id=1666952006
I am duty bound to bring this to local residents' attention. |
Woody
Joined 31-10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, 25 November, 2006 - 12:19 am: | |
Remember The June Brides? For Better or Worse (fave track Every Converstation), Phil Wilson came from Brockley. |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, 13 June, 2007 - 08:45 pm: | |
The Only Ones played Shepherds Bush Empire on Saturday but no one told me.
I am indebted to younger posters that the White Stripes played just off SE23, but within sniffing distance last night. Perhaps we will get Crofton Park Ripples as well as Dulwich Ripples (we could be the epicentre of a cultural explosion).
Fanboy's ex band played the SE23 show the other day at the Brockly Jack.
And the brilliantly named I Ludicrous play Peckham tomorrow - there is an SE23 connection but I'll have to check that out.
And of course Hornimans is home to probably the best musical instrument collection in the world |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, 13 June, 2007 - 08:46 pm: | |
Oh and the Cosmic Sausages also played the Brockley Maxs festival, again no one alerted me boo hoo |
Baggydave
Joined 19-05-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, 13 June, 2007 - 08:50 pm: | |
Newer readers will get an idea of why some of the posters are no longer found on this site - they continue to post their nonsense elsewhere, I am not allowed to say where but I hope to get a verbal kicking on it as I am sure they still read this site. |
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