Birmingham's Music Scenes

[Lichfield Dean]

Forgot Scruffy Murphy's!!! How could I??!?

[sidcow]

2 minutes ago, Lichfield Dean said:

Forgot Scruffy Murphy's!!! How could I??!?

I think you will find that is actually The Pen and Wig was also the place where I became the master of The Silver Shadow. 

[Xela]

Tap and Spile

Great karaoke venue and used to the be the last pub open at night. Was it a 6am licence? Not been in since the change of management so not sure if its still the same. 

I've belted out November Rain and Sweet Child o' Mine a few times in there!  

[sidcow]

4 minutes ago, Xela said:

Tap and Spile

Great karaoke venue and used to the be the last pub open at night. Was it a 6am licence? Not been in since the change of management so not sure if its still the same. 

I've belted out November Rain and Sweet Child o' Mine a few times in there!  

Yeah, I've been known to rock the Mic there.  Wouldn't sing any of that shit though. 

[Xela]

1 minute ago, sidcow said:

Yeah, I've been known to rock the Mic there.  Wouldn't sing any of that shit though. 

Listen, i'm sure you do a great "I'm Too Sexy" and "Deeply Dippy", but my air guitar on Guns n Roses is what makes it special! 

[mjmooney]

 

[Marka Ragnos]

Any of you ever have any experiences with James Cargill or the late Trish Keenan of Broadcast? 

[mjmooney]

 

[Xela]

Another historic venue was the Rum Rummer club on Broad Street. Where Duran Duran were formed. Nick Rhodes worked as a DJ there and John Taylor was a bouncer! Was at the forefront of the New Wave scene in the UK. Boy George was a regular there when he lived in Walsall in his late teenage years. 

They used to have practice rooms there and Rhodes said once, when Duran were in one room, Dexys Midnight Runners were in a room one side of them, and UB40 on the other side. 

 

 

[sidcow]

14 minutes ago, Xela said:

Another historic venue was the Rum Rummer club on Broad Street. Where Duran Duran were formed. Nick Rhodes worked as a DJ there and John Taylor was a bouncer! Was at the forefront of the New Wave scene in the UK. Boy George was a regular there when he lived in Walsall in his late teenage years. 

They used to have practice rooms there and Rhodes said once, when Duran were in one room, Dexys Midnight Runners were in a room one side of them, and UB40 on the other side. 

 

 

And The Beat filmed the video for Mirror in The Bathroom in....... ..... The bathroom 

 

 

 

[bickster]

There's this sort of stupid urban legend about who the first three punks in Birmingham were. First was Robert Lloyd (I'll come back to him in a later post though The Nightingales have already been mentioned briefly), second was Boy George (as mentioned by Xela above) and third was an oddball by the name of Lawrence (Hayward but he never used his surname)

Lawrence formed his first band Felt in 1979 and they lasted all the way through the 80s until they split at the end of the decade. They kind up invented Jangle Pop way before that scene became a thing. Their first album, Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty is a relatively short thing but its almost perfect and this is the first of it's 6 tracks.

Spoiler

 

They were quite the darlings of the music press for that decade and I guess their biggest "hit" came with Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins guesting on vocals on Primitive Painter from their 4th album Ignite the Seven Canons and album Lawrence wasn't ever happy with, it was produced by Fraser's fellow Cocteau Twin and husband Robin Guthrie. It's typical LAwrence to be like that, the album was perfect but he dicked about with it and rereleased a second version.

Spoiler

 

The band eventually split after ten years having released ten albums and ten singles. Lawrence has claimed this was always the plan (he's lying!)

Next band on the Lawrence trail was Denim, a complete change of direction, Denim were influenced by Bubblegum Pop and Glam Rock, they released two albums proper. But again commercial success eluded Lawrance and they eventually split but here's one Mike will agree with. I'm against the 80s from the first Denim album

Spoiler

 

So again Lawrence moves on to his now still current project Go-Cart Mozart, though he has recently just changed the name to Go-Kart Estate. It really is a continuation of Denim but was originally just a side project of Denim. There are lots of Birmingham references throughout and he's much more humourous these days (intentional or not), This one is called Mickie Made the Most but it also references Gary Shaw and the Villa

Spoiler

 

Lawrence also co-wrote this with Shampoo. Blisters and Bruises

Spoiler

 

Birmingham's (via Water Orton) finest musical oddball. He should have had more success than he's had

He's convinced he'll have a Number One album at some point. he deserves it.

[trekka]

9 hours ago, Xela said:

Tap and Spile

Great karaoke venue and used to the be the last pub open at night. Was it a 6am licence? Not been in since the change of management so not sure if its still the same. 

I've belted out November Rain and Sweet Child o' Mine a few times in there!  

I haven't been to the Tap & Spile in years.  That place was (still is?) great.  I remember the manager walking around giving out free pizza slices to everyone . 

[danceoftheshamen]

On 26/08/2022 at 20:30, Marka Ragnos said:

Birmingham's Music Scenes past and present.  Who are some of your favorites, past and present?

As an outsider looking in, to me Birmingham seems uncommonly blessed with an incredible music history. I'm just obsessed with certain parts of it I know. I don't know why exactly. The whole two-tone thing is the best. Just can't get enough. 

There are so many names I've heard of and love (Dave Wakeling is a favorite of mine), but many are surprises to me. 

 The more obscure the better, even if they're unsigned or pub covers bands and DJs, etc. -- I don't care.  Feel free to expand it out to West Midlands. If you have links to videos, I'd like to see.  

The late Tony DeVit is my third cousin, actually. Sadly died before I met him. 

 

Hiya Mark, we maybe need to have a chat at some point as I grew up with Tony and still DJ in clubs to this day. I have many stories to tell and am still in contact now with his Brother Andy. Will PM you if you like?

[danceoftheshamen]

My first ever venture into Brum was when as a young lad of about 15, me & a guy called Stephan. He actually was the guy who started Tony De Vit off DJ'ing in the 70's when they used to do mobile discos etc. On that very first time we had gone to support Tony playing a gig at a venue called Romeo & Juliets. Stephan used to put in extra sound systems at Tony's request if he needed one. I remember he always used to use Shermann Audio speakers due to their punchy bass! Anyhow I remember they were worried I wouldn't get in due to my age lol! (Somehow I did, I think down to Stephans persuasive abilities more than anything) It was my first ever venture into Brum, although I was DJ'ing from the age of 12 at parties & in my local Youth Club. Very soon I was picked up as a roadie by a local DJ called Mark Hickman who eventually after I had lost contact with him, went on to become quite well known on the Brum Soul scene apparently, although that was a bit before my time in Brum so I am unaware of which venues he played. But by watching & speaking with Tony and getting a few tips I soon learned how to beat mix and would warm up for Mark at his gigs in clubs from around 1979 onwards. I was not allowed to leave the DJ console however due to being underage. I remember playing at such venues as the Stone Manor hotel in Chaddesley Corbett near Kidderminster, which Is where Tony was actually from incidentally (Kidderminster not Chaddesley).

Not long after we took some sound equiptment into the Nightingale too. I had no clue it was a gay venue lol! I remember as a 15/16 year old lad on the way in the guys asking stephan "who's the blonde?" (I had blonde hair at the time) and I got a right ribbing as they could see I had no clue as to what they were on about lol! Anyhow we very often went to different venues to support or take in extra sound equiptment for Tony. Birmingham, Bridgnorth, Kidderminster the list went on & on. I got to know his Brother Andy really well too & we became good friends and went clubbing all over in the early to late 80's. 

Someone mentioned Tony De Vit's track "Burning up" which charted at the time. I was actually in his recording studio in the custard factory with Simon Parkes, Tony & Stephan when he had the demo video arrive from the recording studio. We all watched it together and were wetting ourselves and taking the p*** out of Tony as he pranced about in some ridiculous French onion mans Black & White striped outfit with a black Beret on as I remember lol! 

I have Dj'd at loads of venues over the years since those days. Crunch, West End Bar, Tin Tins, Steering Wheel, Risa on Broad street and even a Miss Moneypennys tour back in the day. More recently I expanded and ended up playing all over the UK & out in Ibiza until earlier this year when I played at the Our House Rave promoted by Rue Jay (Also a big Villa fan btw)

Of course Tony passed away some 20 years ago now but his mark on the Brum & indeed World dance scene remains.

I have loads more stories and I remember, as a clubber, venues such as Boogies, Millionaires, Power House, Edwards No.8 & even Zig Zags the old punk/gothic club in Digbeth which is where I first met Twiggy, the well known Birmingham club host who still works the doors today! 

So I guess in some small way I have witnessed & played a part in the Birmingham club / dance scene.

Edited August 28, 2022 by danceoftheshamen

[Marka Ragnos]

10 hours ago, danceoftheshamen said:

Hiya Mark, we maybe need to have a chat at some point as I grew up with Tony and still DJ in clubs to this day. I have many stories to tell and am still in contact now with his Brother Andy. Will PM you if you like?

Absolutely. We have the same great-great grandfather Charles A. DeVit — an immigrant to the Midlands from Alsace. I will PM you! 

[Xela]

Filmed in a Brum pub

 

[sidcow]

7 minutes ago, Xela said:

Filmed in a Brum pub

 

Haha. Not just ANY pub. The Lamp Tavern. Legendary. 

[AVFC_Hitz]

11 hours ago, sidcow said:

Haha. Not just ANY pub. The Lamp Tavern. Legendary. 

I basically grew up in that pub. Did a stand up gig in the back room. 

Eddie is an absolute crotchety, grumpy legend. 

[Risso]

On 28/08/2022 at 01:00, bickster said:

There's this sort of stupid urban legend about who the first three punks in Birmingham were. First was Robert Lloyd (I'll come back to him in a later post though The Nightingales have already been mentioned briefly), second was Boy George (as mentioned by Xela above) and third was an oddball by the name of Lawrence (Hayward but he never used his surname)

Lawrence formed his first band Felt in 1979 and they lasted all the way through the 80s until they split at the end of the decade. They kind up invented Jangle Pop way before that scene became a thing. Their first album, Crumbling the Antiseptic Beauty is a relatively short thing but its almost perfect and this is the first of it's 6 tracks.

  Hide contents

 

They were quite the darlings of the music press for that decade and I guess their biggest "hit" came with Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins guesting on vocals on Primitive Painter from their 4th album Ignite the Seven Canons and album Lawrence wasn't ever happy with, it was produced by Fraser's fellow Cocteau Twin and husband Robin Guthrie. It's typical LAwrence to be like that, the album was perfect but he dicked about with it and rereleased a second version.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

The band eventually split after ten years having released ten albums and ten singles. Lawrence has claimed this was always the plan (he's lying!)

Next band on the Lawrence trail was Denim, a complete change of direction, Denim were influenced by Bubblegum Pop and Glam Rock, they released two albums proper. But again commercial success eluded Lawrance and they eventually split but here's one Mike will agree with. I'm against the 80s from the first Denim album

  Reveal hidden contents

 

So again Lawrence moves on to his now still current project Go-Cart Mozart, though he has recently just changed the name to Go-Kart Estate. It really is a continuation of Denim but was originally just a side project of Denim. There are lots of Birmingham references throughout and he's much more humourous these days (intentional or not), This one is called Mickie Made the Most but it also references Gary Shaw and the Villa

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Lawrence also co-wrote this with Shampoo. Blisters and Bruises

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Birmingham's (via Water Orton) finest musical oddball. He should have had more success than he's had

He's convinced he'll have a Number One album at some point. he deserves it.

Top post that Bicks, I bloody love Felt (you're probably not surprised to hear).

[Morley_crosses_to_Withe]

On 28/08/2022 at 08:10, danceoftheshamen said:

Hiya Mark, we maybe need to have a chat at some point as I grew up with Tony and still DJ in clubs to this day. I have many stories to tell and am still in contact now with his Brother Andy. Will PM you if you like?

Did you ever meet Fergie? It was De Vit who tutored him and help kickstart his career. 

I remember being out in Wobble and a good friend of mine at the time (we’ve lost contact over the years) brought over someone he knew to introduce them. The person in question was Fergie. If I remember correctly, he was still just playing warm up sets in one or two places at the time. 

I followed his career for a while, but eventually became out of touch as I got older and more detached from the scene in general. It was this April that I suddenly became reminded of him. I was strolling along the Vegas strip and saw Fergie’s face and name up in lights to promote his residency at Hakkasan nightclub. What a career he ended up having.