Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge

Subject: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: GUEST,Jon Wilks
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 06:03 AM

I've been reading a fascinating book written as a collaboration betweeen Rod Warner, Don Partridge and Pat Keene. It's called "Don Partridge & Company". It's about the street musicians/buskers who worked the cinema queues around Soho in the 1960s.

I am currently writing a book about Les Cousins, the folk and blues club, 1965-72, where some of these buskers often turned up.

I wonder if anyone has any memories of these people, or indeed of Cousins itself. There is a huge Cousins thread on Mudcat that has since gone quiet - I'm not sure how many of the participants are still with us - but I'd love to hear from you if you are.

Many thanks,
Jon

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 07:31 AM

i have memories of it , i remember someone used to play boogie piano as you entered , i believe it was derek brimstone.
there was no alcohol allwed but you could get tea and soup. and they had performers all night people like stefan grossman roy harper, maybe donovan,
the girls were better than the ones you met at discos, it was a great place

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 09:27 AM

Wow! That's an interest comment... "the girls were better than the ones you met at discos"!

Can you expand on that?!

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 09:46 AM

they were not flutes

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: Johnny J
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 10:00 AM

I am not aware of "flutes" in this context.

However, discos and nightclubs were never the best places to meet people. Music clubs, even ordinary bars(not the pick up ones) were invariably better.

As we get older, we all eventually realise that the best way to start a relationship is by getting to know people over a period of time. However, we were all young and foolish back then.
;-)

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 10:50 AM

flute is a slang used in ireland it relates to the empty space inside a casing

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 10:51 AM

fickle footlosse fancy free and foolish

Subject: RE: Origins: Soho Buskers: Old Meg & Don Partridge
From: The Sandman
Date: 30 Jul 26 - 10:59 AM

i rember a glorious eccentric called ron geesin whoused to recite mcgonagle and hit an empty kerosene can