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Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Kevin Sheils Date: 06 Jan 10 - 03:38 AM Waddon Pete and MCP have given the meaning of wayzgoose (sorry about the missing y MCP! sticky keboard.....) I'll just add that the club continued the tradition by having a Wayzgoose Wayzgoose every August where regulars went on a bus trip to various places, I recall Henley and Marlow, for a days singing and dancing (and drinking). |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: davyr Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:34 AM "I remeber the melting pot very well. I went most weeks when it moved to Blackhorse road. My mate Pat and I would most often do a couple of songs or more there each week. There were two brothers that ran it. Steven? and ? I rather liked their political affiliations" Erik, when I used to go to the Melting Pot in Streatham in the early 70s, it was run by a bloke called Chris Potts, who belonged to the Young Communists. When did it move away, do you know? It was still in Streatham during the 3 Day Week in 1974, as I remember being there during a candlelit session in the middle of a power cut. Was the guitarist you remember Simon Prager? He certainly played at the Melting Pot with Steve Rye on more than one ocaasion. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:42 AM I heard Prager & Rye at Catford (Rising Sun) too. Brilliant. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Will Fly Date: 06 Jan 10 - 04:53 AM GUEST,eric the viking; my thoughts exactly! Perhaps there were times when all of us with those memories were in the same pub/club on the same night at the same time. My pre-Cousins Allniter boozer of choice was the "Pillars of Hercules" in Greek Street. Sawdust on the floor, Younger's Scotch Bitter on draught, and Jansch and Renbourn very often getting pissed at a table on the raised bit at the back of the pub. Then over the road towards closing time to hit the Allniter. Al Stewart serving the coffee behind the bar, Alexis Korner and Duffy Power hobnobbing with Mox the harmonica player and offering little pastille boxes around. Karl Dallas in cowboy hat and beard chatting here and there. Then, later on, bodies lying around in and on sleeping bags, drowsily listening to Davy Graham do an extended ramble around some blues or other. And was it around 4 in the morning when the kind lady rounded us all up and took us off to sleep at the Crypt until public transport was available? |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Singing Referee Date: 06 Jan 10 - 05:32 AM Kevin, I remember the Hop Poles in Enfield. It moved there in about 1966 from the Kings Head in Enfield market square, which sadly I believe is now empty. That was just a few weeks after my first visit there. It was run as I recall by a couple called Russ and Pam. I became a resident there after a while and attended regularly until the early 70's when I drifted away from folk music. Saw all the big names of the time there, and as we used to get a small payment (yes really!) for the residency, I often took my payment in the form of the artists's latest album. Got a lot of my collection that way, including Ralph McTell and the Dransfields. I remember a couple of other local places, though I was a bit parochial in those days. Ventured occasionally into Wood Green to the Starting Gate, and remember seeing Ralph McTell at the Fishmonger's Arms. Used to get into London occasionally, and in addition to other places already mentioned, used to visit an upstairs room in a pub on Cambridge Circus. I think it was called the Scot's Hoose. Jansch and Renbourn were sort of residents as I remember. Steve Last |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Mick Pearce (MCP) Date: 06 Jan 10 - 07:25 AM Just as an aside I'd mention that Colin Harper's biography of Bert Jansch, Dazzling Stranger, as well as detailing Jansch's career has a lot of information on the London folk scene in the 60s (before I got there in late 69). For me it was interesting to read about the scene leading up to my time there. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Kevin Sheils Date: 06 Jan 10 - 01:16 PM Singing Ref Yes the name Pam is familiar from Enfield, if I was "guest" MCing then it was often back for a late session to their house/flat. And, as you say, I recall a small fee for resident/mc'ing. Can't recall anyone in particular on the nights I was there as they were often the usual names seen elsewhere but I do recall MCing Hunter Musket, probably because UI hadn't seen them anywhere before that. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 06 Jan 10 - 01:27 PM Scot's Hoose was run, when I went there, by Bruce Dunnett. Now when you mention the politics of club organisers, they didn't come much more political than him. Has anybody mentioned the Swan and Sugar Loaf in Croydon. Steve Benbow was involved with that one I seem to remember. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Eric the Viking Date: 06 Jan 10 - 06:03 PM John....wasn't Bruce also a debt collector or balif? He used to run the Phoenix folk club in Oxford Square before it moved (1968/69?) He once gave me free tickets to the Dubliners at the Royal Albert Hall as I had worked for him selling spare tickets for the gig. If you knew Bruce did you know Trevor Warr/Wharr ? And or Brian Flax?
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Anne Lister Date: 07 Jan 10 - 03:42 AM A few memories on this thread ... Rising Sun in Catford was my first folk club when I moved to London in 1974 - I had digs in Lewisham, so it was fairly easy to get there. Bonnie and I teamed up with some others to share a house after that. The Enterprise - ah, yes - and the Florence ....We used the Enterprise for a launch party for the Anonyma album "Burnt Feathers" in 1986 and it was already heading up market then. Someone mentioned the Sols Arms - that came later, in the 80s, and was a good venue. But Dingles (at the Adams Arms) was another favourite haunt. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,Brian Sweeny Date: 07 Jan 10 - 11:47 AM I haven't read all your entries but I'm sure you've discussed Ewan Mc Coll's club.Was it at The Prospect of Whitby ?.It was in North London.Ewan was a rather grumpy individual but June Seeger(his wife) was charming.A good- cop-bad- cop combination.Ewan was a Folk Fundamentalist,but what a songwriter. I remember one night when The Mc Peakes played there as being particularly memorable.I was my first experience of this wonderful but largely forgotten family. The Troubadour was a favourite (I lived in Earls Court).Shirley Collins,Alex Campbell,Lou Killen. Not strictly Folk clubs were the Irish pubs that had traditional music sessions.I was a regular at The White Hart,Fulham Broadway on Sunday mornings. Keep up the good work. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,eric the viking Date: 07 Jan 10 - 01:28 PM The prospect of Whitby had folk on there in the late 60's. Saturdays often had an Hawian or similar band with a lot of slide guitar playing. Always a superb atmosphere. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Edthefolkie Date: 07 Jan 10 - 03:10 PM I passed the thread on to one of my old flatmates who used to go on these expeditions with me. He reminded me that while we were listening entranced to Sandy Denny at Merlins, Richard Thompson stood right behind us and did a typically unimprovable acoustic guitar accompaniment. Now THAT was a class evening! Then there was the time that Karl Dallas got Alan Stivell to do a floor spot with his Celtic harp..... |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,Brian Sweeny Date: 08 Jan 10 - 12:25 PM Further to my email of 7/1/10, I think my memory is letting me down re Ewan McColls venue.I believe The Pinder of Wakefield was the pub (not The Prospect of Whitby as I said).However I think he did have two different locations during the 60s. Can anyone help? |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: The Borchester Echo Date: 08 Jan 10 - 12:32 PM Ewan MacColl's Singers' Club was at the Pindar of Wakefield in Gray's Inn Road but also at innumerable other hostelries throughout Holborn/King's Cross/Clerkenwell through the 60s and 70s. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Kevin Sheils Date: 08 Jan 10 - 01:13 PM The venue I recall most for the Singers club was the Union Tavern, Lloyd Baker Street but as Diane says there were many. Although I never went whilst it was at "The Bull and Mouth" in Clerkenwell somehow the name seemed to have a certain resonance ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: The Borchester Echo Date: 08 Jan 10 - 01:27 PM I remember the Union Tavern best too, especially the occasional after- hours lock-ins whenever Luke Kelly was in town. Until the Critics disbanded in the early 70s, the annual Festival Of Fools was held along the street at New Merlins Cave in January. The later club (mentioned below) was fantastic and hosted the first UK gig by Dabriel & Marie Yacoub before the formation of Malicorne. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: The Borchester Echo Date: 08 Jan 10 - 01:29 PM I remember the Union Tavern best too, especially the occasional after- hours lock-ins whenever Luke Kelly was in town. Until the Critics disbanded in the early 70s, the annual Festival Of Fools was held along the street at New Merlins Cave in January. The later club (mentioned below) was fantastic and hosted the first UK gig by Dabriel & Marie Yacoub before the formation of Malicorne. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: The Borchester Echo Date: 08 Jan 10 - 01:30 PM In fact, the Yacoubs were so good I said it twice. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 08 Jan 10 - 02:53 PM Was it an echo? |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,magb Date: 08 Jan 10 - 09:06 PM Fascinating stuff. I spent most of the late 60s/70s in Fulham Broadway's(best irish trad scene ever - but I may be a little biased!) White Hart/King's Head/Hibernian Club, with very occasional forays to folky venues. Monday was Half Moon Putney folk night. I remember the Nag's Head Folk Club on York Road Battersea (not only adjacent to glucose & candle factories, but Gordon's gin too. such a fragrant area to grow up in!)) - only went a few times..think I saw Jeremy Taylor there. Jonah (john jones) was MC, and Jug Band & Tony O'Leary in support. Also went to Fighting Cocks in Kingston, run by (now) friend Sue Houston(Knevett then)..this was my first experience of a really strong trad English singing club. The brothers & I ran a saturday lunchtime session at Riverside Studios foyer, approx.'76-'79. Not a folk club, but we were resident band and always had a guest performer. We had a great run there with so many wonderful guests. Does anyone remember this? Maggie Boyle |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 08 Jan 10 - 09:43 PM I played in the Riverside Foyer a few times, though I can't remember the specific circumstances, whether it was Maggie's sesh or not. But I do remember Maggie well! Also the mighty Brendan Mulkere - anybody know how he's doing these days? He used to live not far from the above-mentioned Engineer. In fact, that's where I first met him: not in the club, but downstairs in the main pub. I was walking through with my harp, and this enthusiastic madman stopped me and wouldn't let me out the door until I played him something. So I sat down on the floor and gave him a blast of some Irish tune or other, and we were firm friends ever after. A gas guy. I also played my first and only game of darts in the Engineer, Under The Influence. Don't ask. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,magb Date: 09 Jan 10 - 06:58 AM Yes, Bonnie, you were one of our wonderful guests! I think it was before I gave up being a 'margaret'. Last I heard, Brendan was fine, and still teaching away in Hammersmith Irish Centre. Catch you soon on fb. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,Brian Sweeny Date: 09 Jan 10 - 04:23 PM So good to look back to 1960's Fulham Broadway,Magb.Even though I'm Irish the White Hart was my entree into Irish tradional music.Sunday mornings-Raymond Roland,Roger Sherlock,Liam Farrell,Paddy Taylor(occasionally).Paul Brady was often part of the crowd but I never heard him sing there.Likewise,I believe,Christy Moore. The White Hart musicians released an lp in the 70s.They called themselves Le Ceile. Then we had the Kings Head -John Mannion,John Bowe and, on fiddle,John O'Shea who was, perhaps surprisingly,a policeman!. As we're discussing Fulham,does anyone remember the name or pub venue of a folk club in Lillie Road?.Was Theo Johnston involved with it? Yes,Magb,I remember The Nags Head in York.Wasn't it Sunday nights? |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 09 Jan 10 - 04:30 PM Gosh Theo Johnson, now you're back in my era. Theo was a draughtsman, and he worked for Greenwood Airvac in St Margaret's near Twickenham. he ran a club called The Barge at kingston upon Thames, and he also did a stint at Binjies. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,Brian Sweeny Date: 10 Jan 10 - 11:46 AM Senior moment!My email of 7/1--Peggy Seeger was ,of course,Ewan MacColl's wife,not June Seeger as I said.Peggy now lives in the US. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: balladeer Date: 10 Jan 10 - 08:53 PM Does anyone here remember Joanne Hindley-Smith, who regularly played many clubs up and down the island while living in London from June 1964 to December 1965? She was a solo act from Canada and guested regularly at the Troubadour, singing plaintive ballads and trading wise cracks with the immortal Redd Sullivan. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: magb Date: 12 Jan 10 - 10:57 AM Le Cheile (well,the majority of) has reformed, Brian, following release of the 70s albums on CD. First album in over 30 years is just out! Take a step back ......http://www.myspace.com/thelecheile |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,Brian Sweeny Date: 13 Jan 10 - 12:24 PM Magb,thank you for your information re Le Cheile.I've rung Celtic Note here in Dublin,but they don't have it in stock.Where are they playing? What's the lineup?Thanks again. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Bonnie Shaljean Date: 13 Jan 10 - 12:26 PM Was Danny Meehan in Le Cheile? Or am I getting something mixed up? I'd be glad to know the lineup too - |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: magb Date: 13 Jan 10 - 07:50 PM The wonderful Raymond Roland(box) & PJ Crotty(flute) are very sadly no longer with us. They are very ably replaced in the reformed Le Cheile by Andy Martyn & Paul Gallagher. 4 original members remain, who all now sing as well as play(the 1974 line-up was purely instrumental, though the 77 album featured Tom Madden on vocals). anyway, the other four are....Liam Farrell (banjo) John Roe (piano) Kevin Boyle (guitar/banjo) & Danny Meehan(fiddle....and extraordinary vocals). I can't do the blue clicky thing Bonnie, but do visit the myspace in my last message for a listen. I have just written to Kev to ask where the CD is available/where they are playing etc. so more later. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: magb Date: 14 Jan 10 - 06:54 AM Re Le Cheile .....new website www.lecheile.eu shows couple of gigs - more in pipeline. cd distribution nearly finalised, and you can email to purchase via website. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 14 Jan 10 - 07:38 AM Le Cheile site clicky |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 14 Jan 10 - 08:32 AM Oh and yes, I do remember Joanne Hindley-Smith. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 14 Jan 10 - 08:38 AM This looks like her now. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Herga Kitty Date: 14 Jan 10 - 02:46 PM I've started another thread about the decision by Young's brewery to keep the Half Moon Putney as a live music venue -ok, it wasn't a folk club but there were people performing folk music! Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,flush Date: 14 Jan 10 - 03:37 PM Does anyone remember the tram shed in woolich? |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 14 Jan 10 - 03:57 PM I remember it, but not for folk music. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,flush Date: 14 Jan 10 - 04:32 PM I played there in the 70's as one of the Crofters with Stan Arnold and Richard Digance I think Joe Stead had something to do with it |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 14 Jan 10 - 05:14 PM Gosh, Stan Arnold, he had this daft strapline, something like 'Own hair, own teeth' Sorry flush, I just don't remember it as a folk venue. I also thought it was of a later date than the 60's or 70's, could be old age leading me astray though. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: balladeer Date: 14 Jan 10 - 06:02 PM I've just read through this thread from top to bottom, and I confess I find it a bit sad. For one thing, my dear friends Paul MacNeil, Redd Sullivan, Alex Campbell, Martin Winsor, and Rick Fielding are all gone. For another, though I played many clubs in England and Scotland in 1964 and 65, the only ones I remember by name are The Troubadour, The Enterprise, The Roundhouse - and The Student Prince, Curly Goss' venue in Soho before his New Zealand days. I do remember a lovely evening at St. Pancras Town Hall, where I shared a bill with Paul MacNeil and Tom Paxton, and I could never forget the Sheffield Teacher Training College. I played there often and made lots of friends. There was a nice room in Watford, and an atmospheric pub in St. Alban's - with names I thought I would remember forever .... Does anyone know where Anthea Joseph is now? Anyway, I raised three boys and then returned to performing in 2001, the year this thread began. Soon after the release of my first CD, I stopped calling myself Joanne Hindley-Smith, preferring to use my married name of Crabtree. In 2006, I teamed up with ace picker Paul Mills and we've been raising Cain as Crabtree&Mills ever since. Here is our latest project, videos of two songs I wrote in 2009. (Did I mention I'm married to an American?) I'd be grateful if someone would blue clickify them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyX3NhDoWN4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i-TRnlAkjM Jock, might we have met? Joanne (Hindley-Smith) Crabtree |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Edthefolkie Date: 14 Jan 10 - 06:24 PM Balladeer, sadly Anthea passed away over 10 years ago. See http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-anthea-joseph-1137426.html |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: balladeer Date: 14 Jan 10 - 10:11 PM Thank you for posting the link to Anthea's obituary, Ed. I was one of Anthea's early "waifs and strays", one of the first to parlay meeting her at the Troubadour into sleeping on her floor for a while. I'm sorry she's gone. I hadn't thought of her for many years, but seeing her name higher up in this thread brought everything back, and I found reading her death notice very moving. I had no idea she'd been so successful. She deserved it. R.I.P. to a truly original thinker. Does anyone know what actually killed her? |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,John from Elsie`s Band Date: 15 Jan 10 - 07:41 AM Flush, Your memory serves you well. Joe was the presenter at the Tram Shed, Woolwich. I remember standing in for him on an occasion since I lived on Shooters Hill at the time, just five minutes drive away. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,flush Date: 15 Jan 10 - 11:07 AM John from Elsie's band Thanks for that we used ~Joes recording company SFA for our first album in 1974 keep seeing him about up here in Yorkshire, we played the Shed 3 or 4 times Iain |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: balladeer Date: 15 Jan 10 - 02:26 PM I was born in Yorkshire (Ilkla Moor), emigrated to Canada in 1948, returned to Britain in 64 to sing at clubs and re-kindle family relationships. Now that I'm performing again, I'm wondering if anyone can advise me of clubs I might contact in Yorkshire who are still hiring performers? I've no idea how to proceed. Joanne |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: Herga Kitty Date: 15 Jan 10 - 03:27 PM Balladeer/ Joanne - you could try a PM to Moorley Man or Tyke.... Kitty |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,Flush Date: 15 Jan 10 - 05:14 PM Joanne send me your contact details and I will send you some contact iain@gloverfolk.co.uk |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: John MacKenzie Date: 16 Jan 10 - 10:49 AM Yes Joanne we have met. I ran a folk club at The Coach and Horse, Kew Green in the mid 60's, it may have been there. John aka Jock in those days. |
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Subject: RE: Folk Clubs London 1960s & 70s From: GUEST,guest jim Date: 18 Jan 10 - 05:57 PM well here we ara again up and down the northern line was it the three horseshoes or the enterprise where paul simon sang as geaust in the middel on sundays 63 or 64 yes im 14 or 15 then songs as much as singers touched me then al stewert at marcee wardour street eyes of aouchits never sead i coud spell roy harper mgoonanans blues down the cousins j frank all songs le ducee fairport replacing incredible string band potters bar folk club remember because of the crucificion phill ochs the words being sung in front of whoever sung went up to read them before sandy d went to a club called hole in the wall dont remember were yes ron geeson and jeff nuttall who was my teacher at school darral adams banjo player lots of americans im 15 alex cambell three bulls whetstone childrens disaster meg the cousins wanted to write the songs that touched me supose there were to many that i dont remember |
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