Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

[uswe]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YuhSiMi</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Anybody remember the Frontline on Sandringham Road? </div></div>

Unfortunately, never experienced that one. Too many of my mother's broadhat Church brigade friends live around there, couldn't risk being seen going in or coming out! </div></div>



There's a DVD doing the rounds, of a video thats was made in around 1983 when the &quot;Line&quot; was in full swing. All the &quot;Big Man&quot; and alot of familiar faces are on it, including Dennis Brown, even my big brother crops up . Lots of little incidences, like a man tumping down a policeman. Then people proceed to use his hat as a football, man being taken away by the police by his hand and foot and put in the police van. So many of the people in the video are either dead, cracked out or fallen off, its about 3 hours long, an interesting watch.

[uswe]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So Derek, as a south London man..yuh memba Saxon? </div></div>

Of course.
Musclehead used to go to my school; I know his cousins the Colliards very well.
And Dennis Rowe. </div></div>

Saxon's a pioneer sound they set alot of trends. Phillip Levi's &quot;mi god mi king&quot; was No1 in Jamaica. Do you know of D Rowe's community radio station, www.genesisradio.co.uk?

[Derek]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">So Derek, as a south London man..yuh memba Saxon? </div></div>

Of course.
Musclehead used to go to my school; I know his cousins the Colliards very well.
And Dennis Rowe. </div></div>

Saxon's a pioneer sound they set alot of trends. Phillip Levi's &quot;mi god mi king&quot; was No1 in Jamaica. Do you know of D Rowe's community radio station, www.genesisradio.co.uk? </div></div>

To be honest, I didn't know Dennis has a radio station.
I haven't seen him for about 10 years!

I wouldn't call Saxon a pioneer sound either. Saxon was fine for school kids and other yoots.

[uswe]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

So Derek, as a south London man..yuh memba Saxon? </div></div>

Of course.
Musclehead used to go to my school; I know his cousins the Colliards very well.
And Dennis Rowe. </div></div>

Saxon's a pioneer sound they set alot of trends. Phillip Levi's &quot;mi god mi king&quot; was No1 in Jamaica. Do you know of D Rowe's community radio station, www.genesisradio.co.uk? </div></div>

To be honest, I didn't know Dennis has a radio station.
I haven't seen him for about 10 years!

I wouldn't call Saxon a pioneer sound either. Saxon was fine for school kids and other yoots.

Come on now Sausage Man, Saxon shook up the game, granted they did tend to have a younger following but
they did make other sounds have to step up their game. I wasn't a Saxon fan but give credit where its due.

Derek, I bet you were a Shaka man?

[Wahalla]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

I usta frequent Nations.... Did security tehre a few times... A friend of mine ran the door...another was one of the DJ's.. So got in free.. I usta run into Micheal Watson there.. he wa a calm bloke.. I recall once a month before the Benn fight Ben came in with alot of fanfare and noise,, I was drinking with Micheal.. he was on juice.. He just smiled...

Bob the ownerer even though it was packed they would turn on the heat to get people buy jink...Bob the owner is now living in Jamaica.. I think he tried to open a club in kingston.... He married a Cuban lady so goes over there a few times a year... There is even now an all nations club in Perth Australia.... A Jamaican lady married an ozzie and started teh club...

on the way back south we would get stopped by the police on Broadgate every time... I coulnt even pull a Jamaican british ooman at nations...

There was that club over at 9 Elms, and another over at shore ditch....Tghe lime light started in Crystal Palace... There was a Place in Peckham a nice wine bar places might have been mngles and it lost its liecence....

i would go to them if I got security work..ok door man....But to be honest i got ripped off by a number of guys so it was better to work for rock venues, raves and Stringfellow....

Speakking of Doors.. fanzo banjo the boxer worked doors at nations some thimes, his son is the physist in that group that won Britan has Talent....

[uswe]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

Yes Wallie, Michael Watson was a cool guy, I was a boxing fanatic. When Michael suffered brain damage and nearly died after as a result of his loss to Chris Eubank, I lost interest in boxing for a long time.

Nations is another former club thats now an upmarket apartment building. Forgot the name of the club in Shoreditch, its closed too, the one in Nine Elms has had a few name changes down the years. A man was murdered there at a Capleton concert in the early 90's, Mingles was in Clapton.

[Derek]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

So Derek, as a south London man..yuh memba Saxon? </div></div>

Of course.
Musclehead used to go to my school; I know his cousins the Colliards very well.
And Dennis Rowe. </div></div>

Saxon's a pioneer sound they set alot of trends. Phillip Levi's &quot;mi god mi king&quot; was No1 in Jamaica. Do you know of D Rowe's community radio station, www.genesisradio.co.uk? </div></div>

To be honest, I didn't know Dennis has a radio station.
I haven't seen him for about 10 years!

I wouldn't call Saxon a pioneer sound either. Saxon was fine for school kids and other yoots.

Come on now Sausage Man, Saxon shook up the game, granted they did tend to have a younger following but
they did make other sounds have to step up their game. I wasn't a Saxon fan but give credit where its due.

Derek, I bet you were a Shaka man?

I suppose Saxon did take the UK DJ-ing to another level...

Yes, I used to follow Jah Neville Powell Shaka, I even bought dubs from him - he knew my dad, met my mum...

[uswe]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

Couldn't leave out the legendary Shaka, his sound could lift the roof of a building Do you remember Java and Jah Tubby?

[Derek]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Couldn't leave out the legendary Shaka, his sound could lift the roof of a building Do you remember Java and Jah Tubby? </div></div>

I remember the names. Tubby was Tottenham I think

[Derek]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">on the way back south we would get stopped by the police on Broadgate every time... </div></div>

We ALWAYS got stopped north of London Bridge!

[uswe]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Couldn't leave out the legendary Shaka, his sound could lift the roof of a building Do you remember Java and Jah Tubby? </div></div>

I remember the names. Tubby was Tottenham I think </div></div>


Tubby's from Clapton, he's a white hippy looking bredda. His sound was one of the best, nuff weight plus clarity.
www.jahtubbys.co.uk

[Derek]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Derek</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Couldn't leave out the legendary Shaka, his sound could lift the roof of a building Do you remember Java and Jah Tubby? </div></div>

I remember the names. Tubby was Tottenham I think </div></div>


Tubby's from Clapton, he's a white hippy looking bredda. His sound was one of the best, nuff weight plus clarity.
www.jahtubbys.co.uk </div></div>

Ah...
I was thinking of King Tubby Hi-Hi.

[UKBlackLady]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uswe</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes Wallie, Michael Watson was a cool guy, I was a boxing fanatic. When Michael suffered brain damage and nearly died after as a result of his loss to Chris Eubank, I lost interest in boxing for a long time.

Nations is another former club thats now an upmarket apartment building. Forgot the name of the club in Shoreditch, its closed too, the one in Nine Elms has had a few name changes down the years. A man was murdered there at a Capleton concert in the early 90's, Mingles was in Clapton. </div></div>

Very, very laid back and humble man Mr Watson was/is.

Do you remember that guy Smiley Culture (Police Officer) that used to always - when I went there anyway - be lean up in the doorway of the middle floor of Nations? He was usually dressed in white or cream. You'd have to practically push him down to get through the door, because he wanted to be &quot;seen&quot;.

The club in Shoreditch was called Nightmoves. The club in Nine Elms was called The Coliseum (sp?) I think...

[Derek]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YuhSiMi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The club in Shoreditch was called Nightmoves.</div></div>

WE used to play there. (Black Harmony/Atra)

[UKShasha]

Re: Four Aces, Phebes and London's Forgotten Reggae Venues

My partying started at the age two. My grandmother was a famous baker in Brixton and whenever she baked for a wedding, of course moi had to be a bridesmaid! Almost every Saturday I had a new dress and shoes. My grandparents loved music, especially my grandmother, but you'd better not be playing any reggae music on Sunday - strictly &quot;Jim Reeves&quot; or gospel music. Her favorite record was &quot;I remember&quot; by Laurel Aiken and my granddad's favorite was &quot;The 10 Commandments&quot; by Prince Buster. They used to &quot;trace&quot; one another with music - hilarious. I guess they never realised that they were the frontrunners of today's soundclash. They had a blue-spot gram, one side had the 45s, 38s, and LP (long playing) records and another section had the drinks. The knick-knacks stood proudly atop the 'gram resting on a highly starched doily.

As I got older, my love of music was nurtured by a father who was a long time sound man. His friends were all sound men, I'm talking about Count Suckle, Sofrano B, Duke Vin, V-Rocket. I became steeped in music, my dad actually took me to my a blues where he was playing. That's where I met my first &quot;serious&quot; boyfriend. Mum certainly wasn't pleased when she found out about it and that put the mockers on further excursions with dad.

Growing up in South London, I remember many memorable party sessions, Railton Road in its demolition stage after the Brixton riots provided the perfect hidey hole for the transient blues parties that were held every night of the week. Thick black rubbish (garbage) bags blocked out the windows - you never knew what time it was, as we stumbled out at the end of the sessions, blinking like frightened owls at the high midday sun. As soon as one site was shut down, two or three would spring up as replacements. The blues provided income for &quot;sufferers&quot; and entrepreneurs alike. You could buy single cigarettes or Champagne, depending on your pocket and taste. But most of all the thing that tied us all together was the love of the music and the chance to hear some good good reggae and soul. Those truly were the days of our lives.

The music of those times took its lead from Jamaica for the main, but later the youths in England created their own sound. This was the birth of Lover's Rock, not to be confused with anything that Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs or Beres Hammond performed, Lover's Rock was the expression of British youth and their answer to what was coming out of Jamaica and also a reflection of their lives as second generation immigrants. There are too many names to mention for fear of missing out some of the key players in the British Lover's Rock genre - so I'll just give a tribute to two of the main proponents who are no longer with us - Jean Adebambo, and Bevan &quot;Bagga&quot; Fagan from the group Matumbi.