Congratulations To Steve (K.I.W) Ellis

Local resident DJ at The Fishbowl in Brighton, Balearic Assassins Of Love original member and Mr Keeping It Wheel himself, Mr Steve Ellis today completed the very first Brighton Marathon in a very impressive 3hrs 52mins and 19seconds.

To boot, Steve has so far raised over a thousand pounds for his chosen charity after a grueling pre marathon training regime which today saw him complete the run alongside 12,000 other participants that descended on the city.

Steve who gave up alcohol whilst training hopefully is enjoying a long over due pint or three with wife Kathy tonight.

Well done mate, excellent stuff.

The Resident Ghost At The Globe?

N

Now, funny things do happen, unexplained occurrences that have no immediate logical explanation or conclusive solution.

One such event happened yesterday between 5-6.30pm in the basement of The Globe on Middle Street in Brighton.

I say one such event when in fact four events occurred over the space of an hour and a half on Bank Holiday Saturday 3rd April 2010 down in the basement just to the left of the gents toilets to be precise.

Having arrived early to enable the speedy decoration of the venue before the pub got too packed, it was nice to discover the place with barely anyone in it either upstairs or downstairs in the basement where the party was going to kick off a few hours later that evening.

Quickly setting about removing the furniture to create space for later on I carried out the perfected routine of moving the Winchester chairs to the side in front of the male toilets before getting to grips with hanging the drapes just in front of the bar.

When setting up for a party in the basement you always expect people to come down the stairs from time to time to use the toilets but on this particular afternoon the pub was thinning out with only a few late afternoon drinkers remaining in the upstairs bar.

Having just finished the initial set up I went back around to the male toilets to arrange that particular space to be greeted with the sight of the table that I had moved there and the chair both haphazardly blocking the door of the male toilets.

As this was the first occurrence I thought none the more and moved them both back before setting about carrying on with decorating the other aspect of the room which meant turning my back on the area around the toilets.

After putting the finishing touches to the first part of dressing the room I once again walked towards the male toilets to have a look at how things were progressing, this time from another perspective and guess what? the table and chair had both moved again but this time all the flyers that are put out for people had been spread unevenly across the floor as if someone had swiped them off the table.

At this stage I definitely thought that someone was taking the proverbials and decided that keeping an eye out for the culprit as much as possible whilst setting up would be a good idea.

If you've read up to this point I must add that the space down in the basement isn't the biggest, it's accessible via a small staircase from the upstairs bar with the main body of the room to the right and the toilets being directly in front of the final step as you walk down.

There's room for around 100 people at a push and being the only person in there it's fairly easy to sense and also see who's in the room when standing in the middle as I was when all this began happening.

As I said there were four occurrences and over the remaining thirty minutes before 6.30pm a further two incidents exactly replicating each other happened with less and less people being in the venue with nobody to my mind coming down the stairs, myself for the main part keeping both focused on dressing the venue and watching for people coming downstairs.

All these odd activities finished at 6.30pm when having asked a couple who found their way downstairs about all of this I was made aware of an old bricked up fire place behind all the flyers, chairs and single wooden table.

Additionally, it was also interesting to learn that the basement of The Globe is one of the many venues in Brighton that once formed a network of tunnels under the city used by smugglers a very long time ago and that this particular tunnel may of run opposite from where the fire place once was.

Anyway, the party went on, it was a big success and maybe whoever and whatever the perpetrator was enjoyed our soiree in the end.

If anyone reading this can shed some light on the history of the venue please get in touch as this was all very strange but none the less intriguing at the same time.

Brighton Ocean Rooms Up For Auction

"Nights such as Our Friends Electric and Suicide Saloon which were in house promotions that began when the 24 hour licensing laws came in to play will be fondly remembered for supporting forward thinking and quality music"

On the 5th of March legendary Brighton venue The Ocean Rooms comes under the hammer, asking price three quarters of a million pounds sterling.

So what do you get for your dollar?

Well, there's three separate dance floors each with a bar (basement, middle floor and top floor-the best one out of all three) plus a whole load of Brighton musical history thrown in for free.

The venue has had it's detractors over the last few years, more than ever so after the mass clubbing bubble popped in Brighton.

None the less The Ocean Rooms continued to push some great music all be it up to around twelve to eighteen months ago when the increased randomness of the programming of it's nights started to become more apparent.

Notably nights such as Our Friends Electric and Suicide Saloon which were in house promotions that began when the 24 hour licensing laws came in to play will be fondly remembered for supporting forward thinking and quality music within the clubs walls.

Bookings of the likes of Greg Wilson, Carl Craig, Booka Shade, Derrick May, DIY and Giles Peterson reflect this when at the time mainstream tastes were shifting dramatically in other directions across the city.

From a personal perspective we had an interesting time at the venue when the groove based scene in Brighton was more or less in it's embryonic phase back in 2006.

Thanks go to all the management who at the time started booking those connected, without this many friendships would not of been formed as we see them today inside and outside of Brighton.

When looking back, for many involved, running nights or djing at one could be anything but easy to settle into with low numbers and constant technical difficulties playing their part in scuppering any plans for a night of dance floor nirvana.

However the trouble was all worth it when on the odd occasion the place was rocking to the sounds of great dance music with a packed club full of clued up like minded clubbers out en mass.

It's also important to remember this all happened just three to four years ago around 2006/07 with numbers at the club surpassing 700 people on any given night when Our Friends Electric or Suicide Saloon was being held over all three floors.

Like thousands more, we continue to enjoy friendships and correspond regularly with people we met on Morley Street a few years back and to be honest, at the end of the day that's all that really matters.

No matter what your personal perspective on the venues demise is, there's no getting away from the fact that for the majority of it's existence The Ocean Rooms tried and regularly succeeded at times to bring quality producers and dj's to Brighton as well as holding many a great night out.

We hope that all concerned with the venue come out of this unscathed and get the chance to return to past glories, all be it in a different time and space after March's auction.

As they say " the beat goes on" but this time not on Morley Street it would appear.

Farewell To Brighton Bar Tender-Paul O'Hagan

Soon we're to say a fond farewell to someone who has been a good friend to us for a very long time.

We met Paul around four years ago now when he arrived at one of our old residencies (The Sidewinder) in Kemptown as one of the new bar staff crew that had taken over the management of the venue.

Soon, Paul is going to be giving his pint pulling arm a bit of a break to follow another direction which we're sure he will be as equally as successful at.

Always on hand with a cider or two for the thirsty dj, continually battling the limiter to see how much volume he could get out of the sound system and someone who went that extra mile in ensuring that all djs and bands could go about their business without any hassles, Paul we thank you for being one of the best in the business.

Paul we know you love your dubstep buddy but we'll always be grateful for your support with helping Brighton's groove based scene develop in those early years down The Sidey.

Thanks for all the help with the decor, sound system, sorting out the environmental health issues and for being a fantastic all round barman.

Without you things would of been a whole different story and not half as fun Sir.

Best wishes from us to you!!!

Does The Brighton Disco Boozer Exist?

"Various nights have sprung up recently at the two floored basement venue which indicate a more considered and less random approach that is being adopted by the venue when selecting dj’s and nights to put on"

If anywhere in Brighton was to lay claim as to being the cities closest thing to a disco-centric boozer then The Globe on Middle Street just off the seafront would definitely be up there enjoying early honours in 2010.

However energetic flag waving at present at the thought of enjoying a centralized Brighton hotpot for all things disco related may prove somewhat premature.

Various nights have sprung up recently at the two floored basement venue which indicate a more considered and less random approach that is being adopted by the venue when selecting dj’s and nights to put on.

Subsequently The Globe now has three separate disco themed nights running monthly that use either both floors of the venue itself, the bar or the very cosy 100 capacity basement/bar space downstairs.

Disco Deviant
Disted Twisco
Monthly Basement Parties

Why so?

Well, unlike more well known Brighton dance music spaces, The Globe has developed a greater emphasis on intimacy whilst also leaving the doors firmly open to anyone wishing to experience a more low key vibe but at the same time wishing to have a solid night out of music and socializing in a non club setting.

Brighton boozers have always provided an excellent off piste opportunity to have a great night/day out with places such as The Biscuit Factory, The Fortune Of War, The Three and Ten, The Sidewinder, Ali Cats, The Thomas Kemp, The Gladstone, The Fishbowl and The Hobgoblin all at some stage in their lives seeing many an active night in front of the speakers.

However with some of the above venues now having either changed their direction or having succumbed to the wrath of the in house limiter that unfortunately populates many a local bar in Brighton, we are sadly just left with just a handful of places to choose from in twenty ten.

A friend only today raised an interesting point in that London which is just a 45 minute train journey up country would do well to send a dedicated disco boozer down our way, as such we would also do well to actually acquire one at long last.

The fact maybe is we already have one starting to appear, all be it possibly by accident and not by choice or intention.

However The Globe is still a very long way from for example the capitals omnipresent disco saloon that is commonly know as The Horse and Groom which enjoys a who's who of groove based and disco influenced music as regular highlights week on week.

The Globe also shares it’s disco events with other colourful nights which feature anything from laptop jamming to films shows to live music events, crediting the venue as the cities only dedicated disco boozer at this stage would be inaccurate and also a tad optimistic to say the very least.

What The Horse and Groom and others like them have successfully achieved is to bridge an important gap left behind by today’s hybrid club scene that has developed out of increased numbers of djs/promoters wishing to put on nights whilst almost simultaneously numbers attending haven’t matched what has been offered up across the general dance music scene in relation to footfall.

It also helps that the slightly older clientele places like these attract still probably enjoy that intimacy brought on by their early clubbing/party experiences, all be it with alcohol being the drug of choice and not what is now consumed as a substitute.

The developing situation is that in any one destination anything can be presented musically thus lending the location to be known for it’s various one off nights above what historically should be it's most important asset, the music.

To fully appreciate this fact you have to look back in time before dance music became the commodity it did.

The 80's were awash with venues that played dance music, many not needing to rely on a name of a night or brand to attract the music fan.

Call it economics, call it the nature of the way music is consumed in a live environment, call it what you will, the fact remains that places like The Horse and Groom have become associated with a particular style and musical dynamic which are championed in a specific location, always a sign of a good party, any disco bells ringing at this point?

If your reading this, pick a music space you’re familiar with (past or present) then take a look at the music it offers up.

Think Levan (Paradise Garage) Wilson (Legend) Unabombers (Electric Chair) Russ Dewsbury (Jazz Place) Horsemeat (The Eagle) Phonic Hoop (Enignma) Eccles (B's) for starters, a varied bunch that share a specific common factor, consistent nights in one location that ran for years.

The jury is currently out regarding whether to claim our very own Globe as our cities very first dedicated disco boozer, however for the time being it certainly looks like all eyes and ears are pointing their way in 2010.

Also check The Fishbowl each weekend for something similar and just as rewarding, a little more eclectic dance music wise but still firmly in the groove based/black influenced dance music camp.

Check

Sumsuch
Martin Lodge
Daddy Marcus
Rob Fahey
Steve KIW
Barry and Gareth
and more

Mines a pint of Speckled Hen please landlord.

Meet Brighton's First Ever Soul Choir

"As our soulful brothers and sisters push the feel good experience alongside Brighton's ever present disco community as we head into 2010, somehow you can't help feeling that good times are back on the musical agenda again"

It was once said by the Spanish playwright Cervantes "He who sings frightens away his woes”

This theory still rings true today as Brighton sees it’s very own community soul choir – Souled Out.

Anyone who has joined a choir will know the feeling of elation experienced after singing in harmony with others. Your troubles are forgotten and you have a greater sense of wellbeing, but a recent study shows there are physical benefits too.

It’s an aerobic activity that improves the efficiency of your cardiovascular system and encourages you to take more oxygen into your body, leading to increased alertness. Singing also exercises major muscle groups in the upper body and all these things are linked to stress reduction, longevity and better overall health.

Add to the mix the joy of singing soul music (which in itself is meant to uplift the soul) and you have the perfect way to de-stress and exercise, without even contacting the NHS helpline!

Born from a seed of thought (“Is Brighton ready for a soul choir”) Souled Out is Brighton’s first community soul choir, founded by Neil Masey.

You’ve heard of soul music right? But what exactly is it? Well, its roots are in gospel and rhythm and blues and there are a number of things that define soul music.

Catchy rhythms, handclaps and groove based music are an important feature of soul music.

Other characteristics are a call and response between the soloist and the chorus, and an especially tense vocal sound.

Souled Out specialises in teaching soul music from the 1960s onwards by artists such as Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire and Donny Hathaway to a diverse group of people.

The roots of the choir are firmly set in Brighton as Neil Masey points out. “Our choir, of almost 80, is made of up people from all corners of the adult community, some have experience of choirs but most have no experience at all”.

Neil continues, “A number of people think ‘I’d love to join but I really can’t sing’, but the truth is we can all sing, it’s about the beauty of the collective sound and the harmonies, not necessarily the individual”

Souled Out meets every Tuesday at St Luke’s Church, Queens Park Terrace at two workshops; 6.45pm and 8.30pm. Renowned music director David Lavale from London’s iGospel group leads the choir accompanied by a keyboardist and they are currently rehearsing for their Christmas concert at The Old Market on Friday Dec 4th.

As Neil puts it “it’s going to be a big night; a polished and professional choir accompanied by a funky live band with DJ’s supporting us and an after party.

Great to see our soulful brothers and sisters pushing the feel good experience alongside Brighton's ever present disco community as we head into 2010, somehow you can't help feeling that good times are back on the musical agenda again.

Boy is Brighton ready for a soul choir”!

www.souledoutbrighton.com

Neil Masey 07734 349476

The Summer Of Pub In Brighton

"A solid soundtrack of dance music both new and classic ranging from disco to deep house, funk to boogie, cosmic to acid classics all mixed up with a balearic attitude and sensibility meeting favor with new devotees as well as seasoned campaigners"

Lets put things into perspective before beginning this one, the summer(s) of love are a distant memory and there has always been a great British tradition of using the boozer as a location for a somewhat less regimented party experience outside of clubland in this country, so no re-inventing of the wheel this time round.

However, in recent times down our way at least, the great British all-dayer down the local has taken a bit of a pasting as earlier fans of this party experience have either given up and settled into a life of Saturdays watching footie, Sunday roasts or just not having the faith, energy or inclination anymore to get off the sofa and get stuck in.

Somewhat depressing unless you happen to be one of those that have actually put two fingers up to giving up or are new to the whole experience and have once again found that once elusive beast (in Brighton at least) the all dayer down the local.

So what goes on then, well having gained first hand experience over the past five weeks this May one things for sure, the revelry is fueled by some important elements, many not found down the local night spot or the new kid on the block "the after party"

Alcohol is the drug of choice, not horse tranquillizer (more about this in a minute)

A solid soundtrack of dance music both new and classic ranging from disco to deep house, funk to boogie, cosmic to acid classics all mixed up with a balearic attitude and sensibility meeting favor with new devotees as well as seasoned campaigners.

A couple members of the Mum and Dad House crew are always in attendance for the earlier hours before the raving kicks in after the kids are sent to bed and the parents are let loose next to the speakers.

Finally the locations are completely non club related which means no preconceptions other than that of knowing a good time is on the cards for both young and those that used to be the right side of twenty, oh and finally the sun coming out/setting is always a plus if you ever are fortunate enough to be outside as well as indoors.

Other sightings have included record producers bringing their latest 7's and 12's along for sale out back and that old festival favorite the pet dog always making an appearance (try taking Rover into a club, ain't going to happen)

So a level playing field, all welcome including junior raver and pooch, young and older heads side by side for a day of music, drinking and getting your swerve on, but wait a minute, drinking all day sounds like a recipe for disaster, not here though and here's the best thing about the all dayer.

You would think drinking all day as apposed to bumping up the K all night would lead to some fairly fierce altercations as those now making an unfortunate comeback in somewhat darker places, however NO and here's why.

As stated, these events aren't just for the younger crowd, the older heads love to get stuck in too , it's a prefect split age wise, no ageism here.

Many older heads having experienced the first wave of dance music in this country continue to bring a sense of community, respect for both others and the music as well as an understanding of the culture that has lived and breathed way before anyone went and made a fortune out of the industry in this country.

This encourages everyone to feel at home, at ease and most importantly open to new sights, sounds and feelings that only the all dayer can completely cover in any one twelve hour session.

All dayers will carry on, fancy free and foot loose for years to come, it's been a major part of Go Bang's commitment to the scene that refuses to take a bow and curl up in front of the television set when there's still so much fun to have and with so many clued up, friendly and genuinely warm people supporting them and the music that gets played.

I'll leave you with a quote from two twenty year old mates who stumbled across a recent all dayer that was well past the 8 hour stage when they were returning from something very different.

" We're so disappointed from where we've come from, the girls look like they've all been airbrushed and the men look like they've all been down the gym all week, no body was dancing, it wasn't like the old days like two years ago"

Two years ago, more like something out of a city center night club in the early 80's, not always a good thing when looking for the rave!!!

Underground Dance Music Clubs In Brighton

Inside Out at Al Duomo's Restaurant

Situated right next to The Pavilion Gardens in Brighton on the last Friday of every month you'll find the only regular Friday dance music night that operates completely out of the commercial infrastructure that dictates much of Brighton's club landscape.

Inside Out has been a staple part of Brighton's underground dance scene for well over 12 months now, offering a two floored party experience at Al Duomo's Restaurant for a pan European crowd of both tech and disco followers.

Downstairs the sound of driving house influenced techno holds court with guests including Evil Eddie Richards, Nathan Coles (June 19th) Kelvin K and Rocky (Xpress 2) all featuring alongside the residents over the last year or so.

However upstairs is where it's at on the groove based front with regular visits from Brighton's disco, balearic and boogie fraternity representing the growing network of dj's supporting the movement in town.

Not to be outdone, the outside space also gets a look in throughout the summer months as Inside Out regularly warm things up with an outdoor session before each party including visuals projected over the surrounding buildings alongside guest djs each session.

One of the nights most redeeming features happens to be the fact that both the management and door staff whittle out big groups of lads that happen to fall on the venue by chance, understandably this creates a really cool atmosphere for people to feel settled and chilled out in, something the more mainstream venues in Brighton now find very hard to do.

The next party is on Friday 29th May

Guest Kelvin K and residents down in the basement plus a whole handful of Brighton's groove based spinners upstairs holding it down until 6am.

This is a highly recommended night for anyone into the whole two room party vibe that used to be popular only a few years ago.

Happy hunting, feel free to tell us what you think once you've been

A Very Brighton Tradition?

Banging On The Air Ducts

Just been flicking through some pictures from our festival launch party and spied this one. OK nothing too out of the ordinary, a few people milling about checking some music early on in the evening. However if you check top left you'll see a guy banging on the air ducts down in the basement we used.

As memory serves, there was a lot of this banging on metal to show appreciation of individual tunes, the main culprits being various local record producers, djs and dancers as the night went on.

Would dearly love to know how this originated or even if it's a tradition not from round our way. American house music dancers used to jack their bodies against the walls of clubs back in the day, so maybe this is something similar.

Anyhow, great to see some passion and feeling back in the house again in Brighton.

Kemptown Street Party 2009

Kemptown Street Party on Sunday 31st May 2009
(Kemptown Carnival 2006)

Take a trip 5 minutes outside of Brighton on Sunday 31st May and you'll find The Kemptown Street Party in full swing this year.

After last years decision by local traders and officials to cancel The Kemptown Carnival which was the bigger of the two events, locals decided to stage an impromptu street party at short notice with the backing of the police and council.

As the day/night went off without any problems and everyone enjoyed themselves, it's all happening again.

This year St Georges Road will be closed off from midday till 9.30pm with attractions including Live Bands, Street Theater, Brazilian Capoeira, Circus Acts, Samba and Percussion Bands, Stalls, Face Painting plus the UK's largest Burlesque Show.

We're hosting the dance sound system in the beer garden at The Thomas Kemp who are putting the whole event on this year, joining in will be Tim from theacidhouse.wordpress.com, Steve K.I.W, Neil Lewis from Disco Libero and Paul Budd/Pablo Contraband.

Come along if you're in the area, it's free and happens to be a good day out.

Ethnic Vibes at Brighton Pride

The Calabash Tent

Every year thousands of revellers from across the UK and further afield descend on Brighton for the annual Brighton and Hove Gay Pride event which takes place over two days of the first weekend in August each year.

The main party takes place from midday to early evening on the Saturday of the event when after the precession of floats make journey’s end at Preston Park, thousands of party goers congregate for one mammoth celebration until 8pm before everyone heads off to the after parties in The Village (Kemptown) or somewhere slightly more risque like Black Rock where sound systems keep everyone entertained well into Sunday.

Situated at the front of Preston Park behind the tennis courts as you walk into Pride is The Calabash Tent.

A big red and white marquee that moves to the sound of a different drum beat that welcomes both black and white, gay and straight under its canvas awnings.

The annual Calabash party at Pride dedicates itself to dance music of “ethnic origin” and has been a firm fixture since 2003 when the tent first appeared as a representative for a previously neglected corner of both ethnic music and ethnic LGBT scenes in Brighton.

Not only offering a slightly more diverse musical experience at Pride, Calabash unwittingly serves as a reminder that without the culture that black and especially gay black and ethnic people introduced to the world through disco and earlier strains of house music, the omnipresent sound that many associate Pride with these days may not have grown to be such a prevalent musical aspect of the festival that it is today.

For the resident DJs that play in The Calabash tent and party enthusiasts that congregate each year around them, the history and significant route that ethnic/gay ethnic people have travelled only serves to make the party an event just that slightly more special an occasion to be celebrated and cherished annual at Pride.

Within a cultural context it would be inaccurate to describe Calabash as a solely black or ethnic affair because it isn’t and with the theme of acceptance running through Pride’s manifesto, Calabash easily marries colour, creed and sexual orientation in equal numbers.

As a spectacle you’re met with a sea of smiling faces, a splash of lush colours including red, gold and green.

Palm trees dispersed around the marquee blend with the multi-cultural and mixed race crowd that come to party to the sounds of Soca, Hip Hop, Bhangra, Bashment, Calypso, Reggae, Funk, Disco, Boogie, Ragga, Latin and House.

If Pride was a club night then Calabash would be the back room where all the funky music gets played and great times are shared.

The team behind each years party make a real effort to generate an atmosphere that is sufficiently removed from the hustle and bustle of what’s happening elsewhere at the main event in Preston Park whilst at the same time continuing the vibrant and optimistic vibe that Pride as a festival undoubtedly has down to a tee.

This year (2009) we're delighted to assist in the days festivities as Affy and Ali from Go Bang Brighton are touching down at Calabash from around 5,30 in the evening for a two and a half hour set to finish off the day, a proud moment indeed.

An Oasis In The City Center

The Fishbowl Pub

Situated on East Street, The Fishbowl Pub stands alone amongst an array of high end style bars, boutiques and restaurants just off the seafront in Brighton.

The venue itself has all the ingredients associated with what any down to earth music focused bar would attest to, wooden flooring, comfy leather sofas, wooden tables and chairs plus an array of local club and live music nights on show through the countless flyers that adorn the painted walls over both floors.

Sometimes it's not what you add but what you take away that counts.

The place is also extreemly chilled out which becomes all the more evident when you experience the downstairs unisex toilet policy, basically nobody really cares just as long as the music and vibes are flowing and the party is in full swing, something that the clued up door staff ensure through the door entry policy each weekend.

The clientele ranges from foreign exchange and local students, professionals on weekend downtime, local artists, various musical types as well as bands dropping in for a pint or two before a gig somewhere later in the city, any of this hark back to a better time and place?

The real deal and main attraction however is undoubtedly the musical selection on offer every weekend through the venues strong resident dj base which includes Brighton legend Daddy Marcus, Will "Sumsuch" Marshall from Late Night Lounging Records and one of this countries most prolific crate diggers Steve "Keeping It Wheel" Ellis.

Alongside others that reside over musical proceedings, these three musical stalwarts serve up a wide ranging musical platter taking in all things good in the world of dance music that draws people into this unique city center space every weekend.

Old school Hip Hop sits proudly alongside New York Loft Party Classics, Soulful vibrations of every persuasion, Latin, Bossa, Dance Floor Jazz, Deep House plus the odd Boogie monster here and there all go to make a night out down in the city center something to look forward to once again.

Recently LFO by LFO was dropped next to a much loved Black Cock 12" midway through one particular session, thumbs ups all round and that was just from the bar staff.

Joining the DJ's one can expect to see live percussion (remember that) courtesy of Tim "Bongos" Mercer from time to time as well as guests which have included representatives from London's Push FM who have been drawn away from "The Big Smoke" over the last few months.

Always a belter of a night and one that sets the standard in our sometimes great seaside town.

Grit your teeth and take a chance, it's all good down in the city once again.

Steve "Keeping It Wheel" Ellis Friday 30th January tracklisting

Quincy Jones :: WHAT'S GOIN ON :: A&M LP: Smackwater Jack
The Staple Singers :: (SITTIN ON) THE DOCK OF THE BAY :: Stax LP: Soul folk in action
The 5th Dimension :: TICKET TO RIDE :: Liberty LP: The magic garden
Margo Thunder :: EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR HEART :: Capitol 7"
Carla Thomas :: I LIKE WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO ME :: Stax 7"
Labelle :: WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU? :: Epic LP: Nightbirds
Love Unlimited Orchestra :: THEME FROM KING KONG PT1 :: 20th Century 7"
New Jersey Kings :: SPINNING WHEEL :: Urban 12" sampler
Commodores :: BRICK HOUSE :: Motown 7"
Tony Camillo's Bazuka :: DYNOMITE PT 1 :: A&M 7"
Undisputed Truth :: ATOMIC FUNK :: Whitfield LP: Smokin'
Rare Earth :: (I KNOW) I'M LOSING YOU :: Rare Earth 7"
The Meters :: LOVE THE ONE YOU'RE WITH :: Sundazed LP: Kickback
Terry Callier :: YOU'RE GONNA MISS YOUR CANDYMAN :: Cadet LP: What color is love
Phil Upchurch :: CROSSTOWN TRAFFIC :: Cadet LP: Upchurch
Herbie Mann :: BITCH :: Atlantic LP: London Underground
Wind :: GROOVIN WITH MR BLOE :: Life 7"
Buddy Rich :: UPTIGHT :: Audition 7"
Snowboy :: FUNKY DJEMBE :: Acid Jazz 12"
War :: THE WORLD IS A GHETTO :: MCA 12"
The Rebirth :: EVIL VIBRATIONS :: Ubiquity 12" sampler
Blood Sweat & Tears :: LUCRETIA McEVIL :: CBS LP: Blood Sweat & Tears Greatest Hits
Freda Payne :: UNHOOKED GENERATION :: Invictus 7"
Gladys Knight & The Pips :: I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE (Randy Watson sympathy for the grapes mix) :: Motown 12"
Betty Wright :: WHERE IS THE LOVE? :: RCA 7"
Muscle Shoals Horns :: HUSTLE TO THE MUSIC :: London 7"
Stone City Band :: F.I.M.A. (FUNK IN MAMA AFRIKA) :: Motown 7"
Woody Herman :: HUSH :: Cadet LP: Light my fire
Shirley Scott & The Soul Saxes :: GET BACK :: Atlantic LP: Shirley Scott & The Soul Saxes
Pat Lundy :: WORK SONG :: Central 12"
Vicki Anderson :: SUPER GOOD :: Famous Flame LP: Message from a soul sister
Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger & The Trinity :: THIS WHEELS ON FIRE :: Marmalade 7"
Shirley Ellis :: THE CLAPPING SONG :: London 7"
Dusty Springfield :: GO AHEAD ON :: Philips 7"
Lulu :: TAKE YOUR MAMA FOR A RIDE :: Chelsea 7"
The Supremes :: I HEAR A SYMPHONY :: Tamla LP: I hear a symphony
Aretha Franklin :: MR DEE JAY :: Atlantic 7"
Dexter Wansell :: LIFE ON MARS :: Philadelphia International LP: Life on Mars
Atmosfear :: DANCING IN OUTER SPACE :: Jamtoday 12"
Jimmy Castor Bunch feat E Man :: HALLUCINATIONS :: Atlantic LP: Butt of course
Rotary Connection :: I AM THE BLACK GOLD OF THE SUN :: Cadet LP: Hey love
Tina Turner :: WHOLE LOTTA LOVE :: Fame LP: Acid Queen
Mark E :: NIGHT SHADOW :: Creative Use 12"
Joubert Singers :: STAND ON THE WORD :: Tirk 12"
Clark Sisters :: YOU BROUGH THE SUNSHINE (Danny Krivit re edit) :: Strut 12"
Gladys Knight and The Pips :: IT'S A BETTER THAN GOOD TIME :: Buddah 12"
The Emotions :: I DON'T WANNA LOSE YOUR LOVE :: CBS 7"
Candi Staton :: I KNOW :: Warner Bros 7"
Rose Royce :: IS IT LOVE YOU'RE AFTER :: Whitfield 7"
Jimmy Ruffin :: TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT :: Polydor 7"
Stevie Wonder :: IF YOU REALLY LOVE ME :: Tamla 7"
Marlena Shaw :: CALIFORNIA SOUL :: Cadet LP: The spice of life
Spanky Wilson :: SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE :: Mothers LP: Doin' it
Dionne Warwick :: WE CAN WORK IT OUT :: Scepter LP: Soulful
Aretha Franklin :: YOU'RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY :: Atlantic 7"
The Voices of East Harlem :: FOR WHAT ITS WORTH :: Elektra LP: Right on be free
Chicago :: I'M A MAN :: CBS 7"
Joe Cocker :: THE LETTER :: Liberation LP: Live in New York
The Who :: MAGIC BUS :: Track LP: Live at Leeds
Fleetwood Mac :: OH WELL :: Reprise 7"
Mott the Hoople :: BASTARD (Mountain of One rework) :: 3rd Mynd 12"
Talking Heads :: SLIPPERY PEOPLE :: Sire LP: Speaking in tongues
Kraftwerk :: TRANS EUROPE EXPRESS :: Capitol 12"
Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five :: THE MESSAGE (acapella) :: Antitode 12"
Mark Rae :: LOBSTER :: Grand Central 12"
Yellow Magic Orchestra :: COMPUTER GAME :: A&M 12"
Afrika Bambaataa and the Soulsonic Force :: PLANET ROCK :: 21 records 12"
Daft Punk :: HARDER BETTER FASTER STRONGER (Neptunes remix) :: Virgin 12"
I:Cube :: DISCO CUBIZM (Daft Punk mix) :: Versatile 12"
Public Image Ltd :: THIS IS NOT A LOVE SONG :: Virgin 12"
Beck :: SEXX LAWS (Wiseguyz remix) :: Geffen 12"
Prince :: CONTROVERSY :: Warner Bros LP: Controversy
Sagat :: FUK DAT :: FFRR 12"
LFO :: LFO :: Warp 12"
Jan Hammer :: MIAMI VICE THEME :: MCA 7"
Incredible Bongo Band :: APACHE :: MGM LP: Bongo rock
Ian Dury and the Blockheads :: SPASTICUS AUTISTICUS :: Polydor LP: Lord Upminster
Hot Chocolate :: INCREDIBLE SKIN SONG :: Rak LP: Hot Chocolate
Eddie Kendricks :: GOIN' UP IN SMOKE :: Motown 7"
Crown Heights Affair :: SAY A PRAYER FOR TWO :: De Lite 7"
Black Cock Records :: NO WAY BACK :: Black Cock 12"
Tamiko Jones :: LET IT FLOW :: Contempo LP: Cloudy
Patti LaBelle :: MUSIC IS MY LIFE :: Epic LP : Best of Patti LaBelle
Paul Horn :: LIVIN IN THE CITY :: Epic LP: Visions
Steve Miller :: FLY LIKE AN EAGLE :: Capitol 7"
Grace Jones :: WILLIAMS BLOOD (Aeroplane remix) :: WALL OF SOUND 12"
Taja Sevelle :: LOVE IS CONTAGIOUS :: Reprise 12"
Talk Talk :: LIFE'S WHAT YOU MAKE IT :: EMI 12"
William Pitt :: CITY LIGHTS :: Sierra 7"
Lou Rawls :: PURE IMAGINATION :: Philadelphia International LP: All things in time
The Temptations :: I WISH IT WOULD RAIN :: Gordy 7"
Neville Brothers :: A CHANGE IS GONNA COME :: A&M 12"
Maxwell :: THIS WOMAN'S WORK :: Sony LP: Now

Viva Brighton Underground

Brighton's Underground Music Scene

Beneath the shiny seaside veneer that coats Brighton’s club and mainstream bar spaces there’s an emergence of a different approach to music and social gathering that’s now enjoying somewhat of a renaissance.

Devoid of trend, status and financial procurement a small yet musically obsessed network of Balearic Hippies, Disco Evangelists, House Music Connoisseurs and Bloggers have finally all become aware of one another whilst at the same time finding out that they can easily cohabit alongside each other.

Referring to an earlier post on this page regarding D.I.Y Disco Culture, Brighton’s basements, restaurants and more discreet bar/club spaces are all lending their inherently underground appeal to what is now becoming a small yet gradually expanding series of sites for off piste club nights run by a network of promoters and djs gradually linking up on Brighton’s underground dance scene in a quasi Balearic fashion all be it on a more local scale.

To be able to trace back to when this started we don’t have to look that far. The coincidence of established club nights such as Swim, Tru Thoughts and to some degree The Brighton Jazz Rooms all more or less beginning to witness a downturn in attendance around the exact time the licensing laws changed clearly signals the beginning of the end for what was once a healthy and just as importantly eclectic music scene in Brighton.

Going out over a weekend back in the early naughties meant that away from the slow re branding of the more funky end of popular house one could indulge oneself within a myriad of musical styles such as deep house, nu jazz, broken beat, boogie, disco, tech house, breaks, latin, drum and bass, hip hop and funk courtesy of Rob Louis and Will Quantic at Tru Thoughts, Mex and Carl Faure at Swim and Ross Dewsbury at The Jazz Rooms which until the final session was The UK's longest running club night, probably still holds that title too.

Elsewhere Positive Sound System, Fluid Groove and On The House were providing house and tech heads with a regular dose of traditional yet forward thinking four to the floor music, so as you can see musical diversity was fairly widespread at the time.

Today Positive and On The House remain, the rest have all unfortunately succumbed and here’s where we pick up the story. As this gap in quality nights widened a void naturally was created and as such a continuum or replacement would naturally start to emerge.

Enter what is now the beginning of a new selection of nights and take on underground quality music to fill the gap.

It’s important to state clearly at this point that all the before mentioned djs and club nights were that good many involved have gone on to become internationally renowned either as djs, record label bosses or producers, this is something that the new breed that have filled the divide may or may not achieve but at least the party continues and the spirit remains the same.

Nights such as The Balearic Juke Box’s Come Together, Heavy Disco, The Recess’s 100Below, Late Night Lounging, Schtumm, The Residents Association, Barry Dust on Friday’s at The Globe and Inside Out have sprung up in recent times supplying just as an eclectic but also quality focussed alternative away from the mainstream.

Musically, these nights look to a different direction than say Ibiza/Mixmag and most definitely to some degree to venues that can offer surroundings where people can enjoy the music and social setting that their play lists meet with solid approval by the dancers that attend.

The genre divide is still in place but the focus on quality remains constant weather it be disco, jazz, funk, tech, broken beat, house or all of it thrown togeather under one sweaty roof.

Venues such as the basement at The Globe on Middle Street, Om Bar on Steine Street, The Hope near The Clock Tower, The Bristol Bar in Kemptown, The Fishbowl in the South Laines, The Jazz Rooms on Saturdays and Al Doumo’s Restaurant near The Pavilion Gardens provide the unique yet accessible space important for the development and equally as important enjoyment of this scene to build gradually and without interference.

To sum up, going out is getting good again in Brighton, the music has soul, the people throwing parties and events have a passion and we know where the party's at once again. Times are good even though the economic climate is fairly grim, if that doesn't remind you of a time when we all got on one then probably nothing will.

Comments by Ali