Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s

Subject: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 05:44 PM

I remember The Troubador Earls Court, the Greyhound, Fulham Palace Road,The Black Bull Barnet, The Barge Kingston on Thames, and many many more. I used to run The Coach and Horse Kew Green in 1968/69 and was known then { and now } as Jock Mackenzie. Anybody around from those good old days?.

Jock

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 05:50 PM

Never got down as far as Kew. My regulars were Unity Theatre, Cecil Sharpe House and The Partisan in Soho. (And the Troub - but only in the audience.) Oh yes, and Ballads and Blues in Soho Square (Ewan McColl, Peggy Seeger and Jack Elliott)

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Lanfranc
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 06:39 PM

Alex Norton and I took over Tuesday nights at the Troub from Paul McNeil in 1970, and ran them for a couple of years thereafter.

Other clubs I remember affectionately include the Marquis of Clanricard in Paddington, the Orange Tree in Friern Barnet, the ? in Putney, Bunjies, Les Cousins, and, of course, the Greyhound and the Black Bull.

Memory is fading fast, but, hey, what do they say - "If you can remember the 60s, you weren't getting the best of the opportunities then available!"

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Gareth
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 07:00 PM

Eh ! remember the singers club somewhere off the Grays in Rd., Ewan McCall and Peggy Seager regular ! 1970's early !

Or am I just getting old !

Gareth

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Dave Wynn
Date: 06 Jul 01 - 08:06 PM

I used to get the tube from Wembly to Harrow and wealdstone..and visit the Herga club in the mid 70's...is it still going..?

Spot.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Ralphie
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 01:24 AM

Spot...
As far as I know Herga is still there...don't know about the Morris side though...(mind you...LOL!)
The Clan, yes (originally the BBC folk club?)
Dingles.....The Fox in Islington, followed by the Empress of Russia (Home to Bob Davenport and Flowers) Aaaah memories!!
Ralphie

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Terry K
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 02:11 AM

and the Sugawn Kitchen in the Balls Pond Road - Davenport got there too (where is he now?).

Cheers, Terry

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: mooman
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 03:35 AM

There was also the Dungeon Folk Club at Tower Bridge. I often used to go there as a there in the late 60's as a teenager (only as a listener at that time) with my cousin.

mooman

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: pavane
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 03:36 AM

I went to the Herga several times in 1971, when living in Harrow. Saw the Herga Morris Men, Huw Rippon, The Dransfields amongst others. But mostly I went to clubs in Ilford/Romford/Essex area, 1965 to 1971. The Green Gate in Ilford (Now a MacDonalds), Collier row, Kings Head in Hornchurch, The Bull at Blackmore, Brentwood, Warley. Then I moved to Wales

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 05:56 AM

Herga is still going strong

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST,jayohjo
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 11:01 AM

As is Bob Davenport, still making very very good music indeed, some with the Flowers. Jayohjo XXX

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Tedham Porterhouse
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 11:15 AM

I spent a week in London, circa 1973, hanging out at folk club called Smale's Pace with guys like Stan Rogers and Willie P. Bennett.

Of course, that was London, Ontario, Canada.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST,Frogmore
Date: 07 Jul 01 - 01:11 PM

In 1976 I was living in Earl's Court (Kangaroo Canyon) and when I was not quite drunk I would play open mic at The Troubadour, but there was no mic. I remember an Albanian fellow who played electric guitar with a slide on EACH hand and a battery-powered amp swinging between his legs. I liked it.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Ralphie
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 01:20 AM

Frogmore.....What did you like...? the two slides or the swinging amp?!! Ralphie

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 06:07 AM

Yep remember them all, never got to Herga although a guy called Mark Smith used to come to The Coach and Horses who was I believe a regular there, as he came from up that way. I too used to go to the Troubador in the days when Martin Winsor and Red Sullivan used to run it. I spent a couple of days last month with my old mate Johnny Silvo and he tells me that they are starting the Troub sessions again apparently being run by a guy who ran it before. I also used to go the all night sessions at Les Cousins on Fridays when Noel Murphy ran them. The "faces" that turned up and did floor spots were amazing Alexis Korner?. Spider John Koerner, Paul Simon, Long John Baldry, etc. Two of the guys involved with Bunjies in the 70s Theo Johnson and Roger Evans are now "gorn before" like the baby wot got lost down the plugole.

Rgds Jock

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 07:14 AM

I used to go to the phoenix at the back of Oxford circus, The melting pot in Black horse road? (souf of the Thames) Les cousins, the troubador, That place in putney, the dungeon like Moonman, you must have been there at the same time richard, bunji's can't remember any more-was there a place in the kings road? or that is something else? Cafe de's artistes I think. The bunch of grapes had sessions I remember and there was a good session at a place in hackney I just about recall.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 09:10 AM

The one in Putney was The Half Moon which used to be run in my time by a whole gang, Royd Rivers,Cliff Aungier & Lisa Turner among others. Joanne and Dave Kelly used to play there often and Eclection. Who remembers them?, Dorris Henderson and Trevor Lucas among others, Pentangle- Bert Jansch, John Renbourne, Jacqui McShee?, and Danny Thomson. Gawd listen to me go on poor old soul that I am, "He lives in the past you know!,it's his age" I also put an enquiry on some web page looking for Derek Serjeant and Hazel King who used to run the Assembly room club in Surbiton but nobody got back.The Dungeon was run by Cliff Aungier, and Ian Grant who was the producer of Country meets folk used to go, I remember Ron Geesin writing a special piece of music to play there. I think it involved piano, of course and a pot lid. Always an innovator that Ron.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Micca
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 10:00 AM

Giok, I used to frequent Les Cousins on Friday night for Murphs all nighters!!! so we might recognise each other?? have a look in the members pics pages..

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: JudeL
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 10:48 AM

Late 70's early 80's there used to be a singaround club on Tottenham Court Road, mostly at the New Inn but then the pub changed landlord and for a few months it kept moving. At one point it met in a local working mens club. There was some mad scots guy called Alistair that used to play the fiddle like it was part of him, that used to make a living busking. My ex & I lost contact with the club when it moved once too often when we couldn't go for a while.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 11:02 AM

Can't say I recognise you from the photo Micca, perhaps if you came out from behind the hedge. [ only joking ] Yes dear old Murph he lives down in the west country now used to see him occasinally at his ex wife Heather's place but it's been a couple of years now.

Rgds Jock

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 11:12 AM

I remember playing at the Troubadour, and being a trifle nervous. It's history was a bit intimidating. I decided to stick to strictly Canadian material which was probably a good idea.

One memory that REALLY sticks in my mind was watching several fellows heading to a nearby club that was obviously NOT featuring folk music. They were all dressed in black leather from head to toe, complete with motorcycle helmets. A bit striking, but what really caught my attention was that they had all emerged from a BUS! I was young and naieve in those days, and for a split second thought "did ALL their Harleys break down at once"?

Rick

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 11:50 AM

Yep Rick those fellows were going to the pub almost next door called The Coleherne, there was also a club just around the corner,[should that be bend?] that had lots of guys with motorsickles that had broken down. John

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Lanfranc
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:33 PM

Ah - the Coleherne! The Troub didn't sell ciggies, so one was forced (?) to run the gauntlet of the black leather band or cadge your smokes for the night!

The Cafe des Aristes didn't last long as a folk venue. There was the Fiesta (aka the Fiasco) somewhere in Fulham Road, where, for the price of a round of sarnies you could drink and play until the small hours. It was there that one night I sat in (!) with Stephane Grapelli, Diz Disley and sundry others in the "Hot Club de Londres Big Band" - I was only there to make up the numbers.

There also used to be an Irish club based on the King's Stores pub off Middlesex Street, damned if I can remember the name though. Hampstead had a couple of folk clubs, and Chalk Farm Road lurks somewhere in my unconsciousness. Redd and Martin ran a club in Tottenham Court Road called the "Poles Apart" that was twinned with another in NZ.

Enough nostalgia for now - 40 years is far too long ago for one as young as me to remember.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 12:45 PM

The club at Chalk Farm was called The Enterprise and was fronted by Terry Gould. I saw Maddy Prior clog dance there and also had an argument with Jimmy MacGregor cos he was being derogatory about the Scots in front of an English audience, nothing violent you understand a friendly discussion over a couple of beers. I was talking to Johnny Silvo about Disley recently and he reckons that he must be in his 70s now, frightening thought.

Jock

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 02:29 PM

After my first year of residency (a/k/a internship) in 1978, I went to Britain for a 2 week vacation. I saw Stefan Grossman at the Troubadour, and also went to Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger's Singer's Club, which was held at the Bull & Mouth, I don't recall where that was. One of the high points of my life: Ewan said they had room for one more floor singer, so I volunteered. There I was on stage between Ewan and Peggy, playing Peggy's old Martin, singing the first song I'd ever written! Wish I'd had more time to explore the folk scene there.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST,Kernow John
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 05:06 PM

Eric could the Hackney ones have been at Dalston Junction run by Dave Lipscomb or the Pedro at Clapton run by Terry Munday and Myself?
Does anyone remember the club just along from Liverpool St Station. I turned up there one night in 1966 and Murphy mistook me for Martin Peters from the world cup squad. Murph called me up on stage and introduced me, I didn't have the heart to tell him so I took the applause and signed a few autographs before I left.
Giok Murph was up country just recently visiting his daughter I'll tell him you mentioned him on Mudcat. He knows of our existence but says ordinary mail still confuses him let alone new fangled stuff.
KJ

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: The Shambles
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 06:31 PM

Remember Les Cousins?

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Lanfranc
Date: 08 Jul 01 - 06:38 PM

I hang my head in shame - my old sparring partner Dom Bonito was another resident at the Enterprise. How could I have forgotten? He has a tablecloth that all the guests of the period signed.

The Club near Liverpool Street was almost certainly the one at the King's Stores.

Anyone heard anything of Dave Lipscomb in the last thirty years? I'm not sure if this thread is uplifting or depressing!

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 05:10 AM

The Club near Liverpool Street

That would have been Peanuts - very CND based. Tony McCarthy on the chair.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 07:27 AM

Last I saw of him Alistair Scott had moved to Leeds.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST,Vectis at work
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 09:09 AM

The Troubadour, Ewan MacCall's club, Martin in the Fields crypt, Dingles - my first encounter with the Coppers. John had waist length hair then. The Phoebus Wakes at the Rising Sun, Catford. Parsons Pightle in the Purley area. The Swan and Sugarloaf in South Croydon. The Camden Lock club.
We'd all troup down to the Old Bull? in Farningham at the weekend for a run out.
Clive Bennett from the Troub is now a resident at the Seaford Club. Brixton Bert is now in Essex and still singing and playing.
The trouble with those times was the sheer number of clubs. I was never at home in the evenings. I got to a club with my guitar and usually some kind soul would take me home. Oh! Happy, Happy days.
I hope they come back even if I'll be too old to really take full advantage of them.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 01:14 PM

Wow Brixton Bert there is a name to conjure with, and for some reason he brings to mind John Foreman the ballad sheet king I think he called himself. Swan and Sugarloaf wasn't that run by Steve Benbow [in a syrup] Dave Lipscomb used to share a flat in Richmond upon Thames with Johnny Silvo, and when he moved out a guy known as Shaggis, who played with Murph for a while moved in. He transmogrified into Davy Johnson Lead guitarist with Elton John. I'm just an old name dropper really. Must go grubs up. BBS

Jock

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 01:56 PM

Brixton Bill has moved down to the coast now, 7th to 9th September you should find him in good voice (or whatever might be the equivalent term for Bill ...)

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 02:28 PM

Yep John from Kernow I know Jenny, Murphs oldest daughter, took her to play on the swings when she was a nipper smashin girl. Also know Sue and Siobhan so if you see them give them my love. I can imagine Murph being confused by ordinary mail, but show him a golf ball and see how confused he is then, not: I think.

Jock

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Jeanie
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 03:45 PM

Does anyone else, as well as Pavane (07/07/01) and me, remember "The Castle" in Brentwood in the days of Nic Jones, Jeff & Penny Harris and Dave & Toni Arthur? I was one of the unruly crowd who used to sit on the piano in the corner. And what about the Essex Folk Festival 1968 (or 9?) held in a pub garden in Collier Row, with The Strawbs, and where Dave & Toni Arthur sang a spooky song to raise the wind, which it did (no doubt assisted by some members of the audience), so much so that the marquee nearly blew away?

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: bobby's girl
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 07:17 PM

I was taken to the Troubadour when I was on a course at RAF Halton in 1976, by a fellow folkie I met there. I sang there, and was absolutely overawed to think I was singing in the club mentioned in Tom Paxton's song, Leaving London. As a Northerner this was the only contact I had ever had with the Troub, and I still remember it clearly after all these years.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: vectis
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 07:22 PM

Sorry McGrath Brixton was always a Bert and still is. He's singing in Sussex this coming weekend and will be appearing with Travelling Folk at Broadstairs Folk Week in August.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 07:32 PM

Yeah - I was just coming back here to correct that. I know he's Bert, he knows he's Bert. My fingers went walkabout. Maybe they got him mixed up with Barnacle Bill. (Not a wholly unreasonable error...)

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: vectis
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 07:39 PM

I'll tell him you tryped that when I see him on Friday.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: pavane
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 02:39 AM

Jeanie - Have to admit I missed the Collier Row party - was that Tony Maloney's club? Can't remember the name of the pub. I saw many top names there, including Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, Noel Murphy. The club later moved to the King's Head in Hornchurch.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 09:52 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Jeanie
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 12:18 PM

Pavane ( and anyone else bold enough to admit to Essex connections)Yes, that's right, Tony Maloney ! I didn't realize that the King's Head, Hornchurch club was the Collier Row club in disguise. I used to go to Hornchurch (Sunday nights, wasn't it?) a lot in the early seventies. I don't know how long the Brentwood club kept going - I've an idea it might have folded and that's why everyone started going to Hornchurch. The Blackmore club is still in existence at the Bull on Monday evenings. There were loads of other smaller clubs, long since gone, which you may remember: The Bridge at Upminster, The Old Oak in Romford ? Wasn't it great to be able to see all the top names locally? Who was it, if you remember, who used to act out the song "Long Lankin" with strobe lighting? It always used to petrify me and I had to hide in the loo.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: pavane
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 01:17 PM

I never saw the Long Lankin act, I must admit. I still have a tape of one Hornchurch night, with Dominic, the resident, and Foggy Duo. Tony Maloney ran some monthly concerts in Harold Wood, where I saw Mike Absalom, Stefan Grossman, Alex Campbell, and the Exiles, and probably others. Never went to Upminster, nor Old Oak, maybe they started after I left the area. My sister might know them. I did go to others, but can't remember them at the moment. I do remember a college in Barking or Dagenham, where I saw the Strawbs and Al Stewart, long before his Year of the Cat.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: Jeanie
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 02:25 PM

For Pavane: Dominic ! Yes ! Goodness me, that takes me back. If you are willing and able to do me a copy of your Hornchurch tape, I'd really love to hear it. Must be from around 1970/71? If you are willing to do the tape, could you send me details on the "secret site" or whatever they call it, and I'll send a blank tape and stamped envelope for return. Sorry I can't reciprocate with any old Essex recordings, only myself and other assorted wonders of Falmouth Folk Club from the mid seventies, which is where I fled to from Essex.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: pavane
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 02:49 AM

Jeanie - no probs (as long as I can find it). Not sure exactly when, but about then. Email me at [e-mail], as I sometimes have problems getting into the personal pages (clashing cookies, I think). Did you ever see Tony's group the symbolics? She played the cymbals, and he dropped all the ... oh well, it was an old joke even then. And he used to say that any request for the Rocky Road to Dublin should be made a month in advance, so he could give up smoking. Wonder what happened to all of them. (Kings Head was where I first performed in public)

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 12:58 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 12:33 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST,michael batory
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 05:35 AM

RE: FOLK CLUBS.

The Black Bull in Barnet was good. I played there with the resident bluegrass band The James Boys (originally The Levisa River Boys, until Joe Meek told us that the name was too long). Dennis O'Brien ran the show but he fired us because we asked for a fee and also because when he said one time that he was going to sing a Finnish song I said "well hurry up and finish then" Shock-Horror! Well, I was young and it was a change from "The Lavender Cowboy" I still have the letter.

Nevertheless it was a good club. One day Derroll Adams came in and played a blinding set. Bert Jansch used to drop-in regularly. My memory of him was that he never had his own guitar and always borrowed one. People were almost falling over themselves to let him play theirs. Nomatter which guitar he took, and there were some rough ones, his playing was exquisite.

Val Berry, another regular, was the person who introduced me to "Wild Mountain Thyme". Her version was brilliant.

Then there was Bunjies where Amory (jak) Kane used to be the regular Friday feature.

And the Iron Bridge at Isleworth or was it Greenford? Anyway the resident there at that time was Don Partridge (One man band - "Rosie" - remember?)

The Herga was THE club at the time. Glad to say we played there too.

By the way, does anybody know the whereabouts of Roger Yardie (5-string banjo) or Ray Sharpe (mandolin, fiddle)?

Michael Batory. [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: pavane
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 05:58 AM

My recollection of the Bert Jansch tale from the 1960's is that he never had his own guitar after one got stolen - he always borrowed after that. How true that is, I don't know.

Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 08:16 AM

I saw Bert Jansch at the Phoenix in 1968 (I think) on a visit, before I moved to London. Out of his head, unintellible vocally but marvellous playing, in between falling off the stool. The borrowed guitar story is certainly on sleeve notes of recordings of the time (Live in Glasgow/Young Man's Blues).
RtS (after I moved to London in late 1969 it was jazz clubs I haunted)