MikeHammer 5:00 Wed Sep 27
Memories of 1980s in West End
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An odd one from me but one of my staff (only 30) just got back from a stag weekend in Poland and the discussions in the office turned to night life in the West End in the 1980s.
It seems like another world ... and clearly is 30 years ago - but as someone who worked from age 16 in 1980 in the West End who else remembers:
- The rise of kissagrams. You could be out in a respectable pub having drinks when a fit or fat bird or even granny completely strips off after singing to some bloke at his birthday / leaving-do. An odd experience!
- Wet T-Shirt competitions. You see this stuff on 18-30 holidays etc but a strange experience to go to a club in say Charing X Rd only to see normal office workers (albeit young, fit ones - usually !) going on stage and doing this! I once was out with my office when at least 5 of the girls in the office volunteered to do this! Can't imagine this happening now as it will be all over social media and HR would sack them!! I Oddly nobody said anything on Monday morning - a bit like the day after a Christmas party when the stationery cupboard was a popular place to visit.
Anyway - anyone too young to remember the 1980s - ask your dad !
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
Swiss.
2:15 Fri Sep 29
Re: Memories of 1980s in West End
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who MARRS ? Yeah Dorrell is a bore.To be honest I was more of a mate with his best friend Chris Clunn a photograher . Did a lot of stuff for The Face mag.
IOU was massively ahead of it's time though.
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BRANDED
2:12 Fri Sep 29
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They just got back together. Or at least have done some new work. Or old work reworked.
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Northern Sold
2:09 Fri Sep 29
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Highest pitched voice ever heard that bloke out of Freeze.... almost on par with Janet kay singing Silly Games
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BRANDED
2:07 Fri Sep 29
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He is a boring too though
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Swiss.
1:42 Fri Sep 29
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In the height of me clubbing days I used to hang out with the journo Dave Dorrell (Pump up the volume fame). We'd always drink in the Swan Russell square. I remember some of the Bananarama girls used to hang out there.
I remember him playing IOU by Southern Freeeze and him saying how electro dance music was going to be so massive. Yeah sure I thought....
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Billremfrey
1:29 Fri Sep 29
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The Sundown, Charing Cross Road. Although, thinking about it, might have been the late Seventies.
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BRANDED
1:19 Fri Sep 29
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Frequently twice
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BRANDED
1:18 Fri Sep 29
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Spice of life had Jazz upstairs and an occasional DJ.
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BRANDED
1:18 Fri Sep 29
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Spice of life had Jazz upstairs and an occasional DJ.
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Swiss.
12:30 Fri Sep 29
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Bungo - I bought my Washburn bass guitar from Denmark Street in 78.
Was that comic book shop as well something "stary eyed"
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Bungo
12:24 Fri Sep 29
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Swiss. 12:12 Fri Sep 29
I just remember it always being phenomenally late. I don't think we started playing until after midnight? Used to get home as dawn was breaking usually...
Also remember when Denmark Street was THE place to go for guitars, amps etc. I think it's on it's last legs now?
I bought my first amp (second hand,1979 Marshall MV 50 watt head - worth a bit now - if I still had it) from Macari's in Charing Cross Road. Saved up for a year for it.
Brilliant!
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Cheezey Bell-End
12:17 Fri Sep 29
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I used to go to a sport bookshop called Sports Pages near Cambridge Circus. I briefly worked in an office looking down into it.. I often spent lunch time in their reading the fanzines.
Now a restaurant unfortunately.
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Swiss.
12:12 Fri Sep 29
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Bungo - yeah remember The St Moritz. Bit too goth for me.
There was this excellent Kebab shop in Wardour St. Turkish, The Golden something. Real Lamb Doner. Not to fatty. Not this minced up crap we get now.
Not in the West End but The Chelsea Potter was always buzzing on a Saturday afternoon
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Swiss.
11:47 Fri Sep 29
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Brahms & Lizt Covent Garden - Jesus that takes me back.
Spice Of Life Pub -Shaftesbury Avenue the place to start off then..Greek St ; Le Beetroot, The Wag club and later in the 80s Cafe De Paris.
Great days. Always ended up waking up at some bird's place in South London for some reason? Strange as I'm a NE Londoner.
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Briano
10:33 Thu Sep 28
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Brahms & Lizt Covent Garden was buzzing on a Friday night
Lyceum in the Strand ' best disco in town' with Robbie Vincent
Blitz, got in twice in the early days,
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Syd Puddefoot
9:23 Thu Sep 28
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Wards Irish House anyone?
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Bungo
9:03 Thu Sep 28
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I played in the St Moritz in Wardour Street quite a few times back then.
You were pretty much guaranteed to bump into Lemmy at some point.
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Hammer and Pickle
8:31 Thu Sep 28
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What the fuck are you on about, Zero?
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SurfaceAgentX2Zero
8:30 Thu Sep 28
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Hammer and Pickle 7:48 Thu Sep 28
'Why's that then Zero?'
Because you post about your epic times in Hoxton on a thread about the West end and also think Hoxton N1 is in the East End.
That's even without all the cringy shit about dropping acid at house parties.
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HairyHammer
8:13 Thu Sep 28
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All I remember is droves of punks and big blonde Mohican haircuts and a heavy smell of musk everywhere.
That was Soho 82-86
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Hammer and Pickle
7:48 Thu Sep 28
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Why's that then Zero?
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