Synopsis
Celebrating Rock’s 60th Birthday, from the formation of the Rolling Stones and the heyday of the British Invasion to the spawning of the Reading Festival, this book explores the music history of the London clubs that were the engine rooms for British rock n roll. Many of the now legendary British rock bands honed their skills and developed their stage acts performing on the London club circuit at venues such as The Ealing Club, The Crawdaddy Club, The Marquee, The 100 Club, The Half Moon, the Ricky Tick, The Bull’s Head and the infamous Eel Pie Island Hotel. We revisit the days when Eric Clapton was God and Rock ruled the world. Play it Loud!
Why is 2022 ‘Rock’s Diamond Year’?
On March 17th 1962, Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies started the EALING BLUES CLUB. The first UK gig devoted to ‘electric blues music’. Musicologists agree that this event was the catalyst that would define British Rock music. The Ealing Blues Club sparked a musical revolution that grew further at Twickenham’s Eel Pie Island and Richmond’s Crawdaddy Club, 3 venues that were vital in the careers of: The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds / Eric Clapton, The Who, Cream and many more.
Elsewhere in 1962 there were rumblings of a cultural shift with The Beatles, Dusty Springfield, The Animals, Marshall Amplification and many others setting the tone for what became the UK’s most significant cultural export… Rock & Pop Music.
www.rocksdiamondyear.com
CONTENTS
Introduction by Ralph Brookfield
The Ealing Club by Alistair Young
An Adolescence in Music by Robert Hokum
The Eel Pie Island Club/Eel Pie Club, Twickenham by Gina Way
The Crawdaddy Club, Richmond by David Sinclair
Ignition – Giorgio Gomelsky by Cheryl Robson
The Bull’s Head, Barnes by Pete Feenstra
The Ricky Tick Club, Windsor by Pete Clack
The Half Moon Club, Putney by Patrick Humphries
The Marquee Club, Soho by Charlotte Banks
The 100 Club, Soho by Richard Luck “…gives insight into the Big Bang of rock music and why it was centered around southwest London suburbs in the 60s. Highly recommended.” – Mark Dezzani, DJ, Radio Caroline
About the Authors
Ralph Brookfield trained as a molecular physicist worked as a copy editor, software engineer, freelance writer, ran a software business, and was a director of technology in the digital television industry. Since 2012 he has pursued his muse as a tutor, writer, and amateur musician. He is a founder member of the Hanwell ukulele group in West London and organises music events regularly. In 2021 his book On The Trail of Americana Music was also published by Aurora Metro/Supernova.
Charlotte studied PPE at Oxford and is currently training for an NCTJ with News Associates. She is a freelance music journalist who has written for Nightshift and Oxfordshire Music Scene, and is currently writing for South West Londoner.
Pete grew up in Oxfordshire, playing in bands and visiting clubs. He worked on research in Physics and Chemistry at the University of Oxford. He has written for both motor club and youth magazines, and now writes for Blues In Britain, also The Dub, a roots reggae magazine. He lives on the edge of the Cotswolds with his wife Pauline, has two grown up children, and is still writing songs and performing in bands.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
