Remember Les Cousins, in London's Soho?

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: Micca
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 08:34 PM

Eric , what did you do at Paddington? Lab Tech??? contact me by private message, if you like, Art, I am in London. Les Cousins... I can smell it now.... and Bunjies, and they used to hold folk evenings and all-nighters in Ken Colyers jazz club in Little Newport St.

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 01:34 PM

Just a thought... Who are you all? yeh I know on the mudcat, but I mean really? I was in and out of those places all the time, most evenings were spent up that area and most weekends too. I lived in West Norwood so it was easy and you could even wlk it home if nescessary. Eric Lackford.(Went to Kingsdale school Dulwich, Paddington technical college, and then on to Yorkshire in 1972.

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 01:29 PM

Oh great, a thread about my lost youth. Les Cousins and don't forget Bungies but what about les Macabre? Anyone remember that? Oh glorious times. Anyone remeber the Pheonix folk club at the back of Piccadilly/Leicester square? Spent many a night around that area. Oh yes and the Soho beer keller which sold Lowenbrow in the 60's before most people even realised that the were foreign beers. How about the Purple pussy cat? And Cafe' des Artistes? I've just got homesick for London- 1st time in 30 years!!! Any one remember the "Meltin pot" folk club in Blackhorse road? Let's go down memory lane........... Cheers. Nostalgia rules. Eric

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: GUEST,art
Date: 27 Apr 00 - 10:55 AM

yeah i remember les cousins

the owmers ran the soho grill above the club,they fell on hard times during the war in Cyprus,i think they lost nearly everything because of it.

Andy(?) the organiser of the club then went into the wet fish business but i think that came a cropper too.He married a girl from my locale and still lives in greek st, i was in touch about 18 months ago when a mutual friend died.

shambles can you send me an email addy i'm at [e-mail]

micca what part of the country are you in?

anyone have an email address for any of the people who got their start at les cousins?

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: Micca
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 07:02 PM

Yeah, I remember it well, I learned a lot about music and singing there, I threw Paul Simon out one night at the request of the organiser (for singing badly and being boring). Noel Murphy after the pubs shut on a Friday, and about 2 all the rock and rollers and R&B guys from the Marquee and Flamingo coming to hear acoustic blues.. Great days.. Jansch, Renbourne, Jackson Frank...Al Stewart, Davy Graham, Cliff Aungier, Roy Harper, Sandy Denny,.A horrible place raised up by the music to pure magic.Shamb. The BBC did a program about it a few years ago, I dont think it was " Folk off Two" but it was quite long, I may have some on tape....

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: The Shambles
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 06:32 PM

The Troubadour is still going, is it not? Do you know exactly when Cousin's close it's doors?

I remember an awful faux pas, when I saw someone behind the counter and asked her for a coffee. Only to find out that she was on her way to the stage, as she was the main guest.

Subject: RE: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: Lanfranc
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 05:20 PM

Yes, I too was there. Preferred the Troubadour though - the seats were just as hard, the music was often as good, if not better, and the coffee was drinkable!

Subject: Remember Les Cousin's, in London's Soho?
From: The Shambles
Date: 26 Apr 00 - 03:05 PM

Does anyone out there remember the 'all-nighters', the 'orrible' coffee, the hard wooden seats and the music?