James Stevenson - The Punk Clubs Of London Tour

As time flies by, at what seems like an ever increasing rate, I thought I'd take a look back at where I played in 1977/78 when punk was the new phenomena! I originally did this as an exclusive for The International Swingers PledgeMusic campaign, but now here it is in the public domain. Sorry about the wind messing up the audio here and there.......hope you enjoy it. And thanks for shooting it Dylan White!

[@psychobillyjim9962]

I grew up in the Canadian early punk scene so it's really cool to see what was going on across the pond & sad that it's all gone and were still here and old as fuck. punk is still alive and well in our memories.

[@tonyjohn1395]

Covent Garden was a weird place in those days. A run down neglected area less than 10 minutes walk from Leicester Square. It's another world now.

[@Getyabootsoffskinny]

Great to watch. That was our time.so glad I was born in 1961

[@justinellis8864]

The Club meant to much to me that I came back the following night to see the UK Subs. Brilliant. Thanks again for your truly great video. Justin

[@mikesilva5085]

Great mini documentary- London was on fire back then . It sleeps soundly now .

[@kevinadamson3505]

Still got live at the roxy lp, still absolute raw punk rock at its finest

[@hands-free63]

This was so cool! I actually cried of happiness listening to you.. i could picture the scene and how timeless everyone was during that era! So cool.... so fun... so real life....

[@karenriggs4560]

I went to the Vortex club in August 1977 with my friend Viv. We were 15 years old,so exciting times.Punk.rock groups we saw were X Ray spex,actually saw Sid Vicous walk past us in a daze. Someone asked us later to hand out flyers for the club, never forget that summer!!!

[@miketyler4536]

James, that was the coolest tour and I learned so much! The Punk scene really is what started it all! Had no idea you were in so many bands. Can’t wait next time you’re back in Salt Lake City to hear more of your stories! It was cool to meet you and MP and would love to take you all to dinner next time. Cheers, Mike

[@llullchristian]

Great video, it took me back to 1977

[@nevilleyoung3706]

I accidentally discovered this, but this is great James. I used to play Table Tennis with your brother David before he got ill. He told me the accident was your fault because you distracted him. He also told me lots of stories about you. He was very proud of you and your achievements. The best story he told me was about your Dad when you gave him your first record. When you saw him next you asked him if he liked the record and he told you that it was great and the singer sounded just like Paul Robeson. When you got him to play it to you, you discovered that the singer did indeed sound like Paul Robeson, but the record player was set to 16 rpm. When you played it to him at the correct speed he said he didn't like it! Geez you look like him!

[@jamesonguitars1322]

LOL - thanks mate. Yeah my brother's illness has really destroyed me. He wasn't just my brother he was my best friend too. It was actually a 12 inch single though that should have been played at 45 rpm that he played at 33 rpm. My dad said he loved it "it has this deep red indian quality" Brilliant.

[@jamesonguitars1322]

Yeah that was funny. It was actually a 12" single by GLJ that was meant to be played at 45rpm but my dad played it at 33rpm. "I think you're really on to something here James" he said. God bless him.

[@Alansioux]

That was superb..i've walked past those places a few times without knowing..excellent.

[@tonyknaggs1871]

my mate chris gray used to go to gigs all over london, get up on stage before the main bands came on and just ask if any drummers or guitarists were in the audience ....there always was and he'd get them to do a punk version of two little boys....everyone used to join in ....well one night we went to see slaughter and the dogs one at the marquee and after he done his impromtu punk one song set we were at the bar and this guy came over and asked chris if he wanted to support his band later that month..... he was chris cross from ultravox and chris just looked at chris and said no thanks mate, i'm going to watch chelsea (the band) ... loved that place....aaaaaah

[@VincentRE79]

James thanks for posting this. Just shows how much London is changing these days, thankfully we still have the 100 Club.

[@stucullum8356]

Thanks for that James. I often think of coming back to UK for memory lane tour, but can see from Google Street view that so much has changed that like you I'd be upset. Good time to be alive. Just watched a gem an documentary which features red cow in Hammersmith. Oh the memories. I wonder is Roundhouse still there..

[@rebeccah.4983]

Love your enthusiasm & knowledge -- hope you write your book someday.

[@sleepcity]

Fantastic. Thanks for this, James.

[@classicartfoundation639]

Really interesting mate, loved this, I played at the Brentford Red Lion many times back in the day, good times, and loved the Intrepid Fox, was a great Heavy Metal pub too, sickening all these great, extinct venues, its funny I used to walk home from the Marquee to Forest Hill! The days of youth...

[@justinellis8864]

Thank you so much for making this video. It's been so fascinating to see the sights and feel the vibe and your anecdotes along the way made it so much better than someone else doing it who wouldn't have had the experiences that you had. I've always been really gutted to have missed 1976/77 punk scene ( I was only 7). so I'm having to make up for it now by seeing as many bands as i can before they all disband. Went to the 100 Club for the first time on Sat 11 Jan 2020 to see 'The Boys'

[@melandolfi22]

Love this, James! Thanks so much for shooting this.

[@LittleMissIssues]

OH my GOD!!! Rock Garden is an APPLE store now??? Oh how sad! I hung out there a LOT in the mid 80s!!! I miss the 80s in London!!!! xo

[@2jamsound298]

great tour James, managed to visit most of these clubs at the right time. Coming over at weekends from Belgium it always was a real treat.

[@DoogeMeister]

Lot of great memories there James. It's a mystery why only Moon is mentioned on the Marquee sign but you are right that it should say 5,000 Rock Celebs played there. I can't think of how many bands I saw in that place from 1977 until when it closed and moved house. I only ever manged to get to the Vortex twice (one of those times was for a London Weekend TV show that was being filmed during the daytime and they had a couple of bands on - the only one I remember is Sore Throat!).

[@koont666]

Spot on I lived in Hammersmith 4 miles 💯👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@ROWZED22]

Brilliant insight into historical punk

[@EastLondonMillwall]

Brought back great memories, thank you

[@philipTOMPSETT]

Fantastic and really appreciated. I’m still reliving the past with what’s left of some of the old groups popping up around Brighton or the most excellent Con Club in Lewes. No one seems to mind me recording these days either. Used to get some real problems if I got spotted in the 70/80’s. Thanks again for posting this.

[@LittleMissIssues]

NNNnooooooooooo!!!! the MARQUEE IS GONE TOO!!?!?!?!! Ok, I might actually shed tears now......Damn, I wish I could time travel!!! I have some AMAZING photographs I took of all the bands I saw there! SO MANY!!! LOVE AND ROCKETS!!! I been to the SHIP!!

[@John_Sharrock]

Great memories.I was at a few Chelsea gigs in the Marquee...Greatest times of my life.Thanks for the memories,,

[@MrGiorgioud]

Brilliant video! Thanks. Fascinating trek down a punk rock Memory Lane...

[@buck4199]

You mentioned The Red Lion in Brentford! So amazed! My band played there and a technician guy from Richmond College did the sound "Live on video, vinyl and sound". Allan Goffe may have been his name. There was a plaque on the wall saying "best live music 1965" or something.

[@HuggyBear2000]

Thank you for taking us along. Sad how they destroy history so easily.

[@paull.6026]

Great little tour. Cool to hear the stories also. I sought out a few locations when I visited London. The old Sex shop on Kings Road and Lydons old apartment where they took the early PiL pictures on the roof in Gunter Grove as well. So much music history all over the place there. The 100 Club, certain pubs, random landmarks, etc. Love walking around there. So much to see.

[@drasticplasticaustin]

Great little film, shame that so many venues have bit the dust. I did a solo gig at the Rock Garden and was completely unaware that serious violence between some Arsenal and West Ham supporters was breaking at a pub a few doors away which I found out about later.

[@thomasjordan7627]

What a fantastic tour. Thank you so much!

[@johnnyconnelly7278]

James, if they were still open who would play there now?.The time they were open music was everything,there was passion,the streets had energy and people bled for music and communicated by word of mouth.Its all gone.

[@gobshyte7349]

that was great to see that.always thought the roxy was a different place on Neal Street!!intrepid fox was a great pub, many happy times there.how about a follow up where you do places like the nashville in west kensington (now "the famous 3 kings" pub and the fulham greyhound on fulham palace road?(now a bar called the southern belle.thanks again

[@Sveinbeard]

Great video. Bring back the old days.

[@Shinguard1]

Cheers James, brought home some very good memories. Nice to see a few of the old haunts still there.

[@paulmckenna9492]

Greeting from Philadelphia, Thanks for the tour ! LoL ...funny last moments of the video Theatre of Hate bass player lived in Stan Stammers lived in Philadephia !

[@jaquimaylott1879]

Thank you for doing this, really enjoyed it. I miss home 💕

[@regfox2000]

Fantastic...Thanks mate..

[@ThePhilpunk]

Thank you for this,used to love all these clubs.makes me sad that they have all gone,think only ones left is 100 club were i saw sioux and sid on drums.And electric ballroom.one my fav was the greyhound pub in croydon,and the star pub,were the damned were there alot .big hug debs xx ps remember being at the vortex club at antz 78 and had big guy next to me turned out it was arnold schwarzenegger.

[@garybuller5656]

We sent a bottle of pills lager, over to Donald Pleasance, in the Intrepid Fox ,back then(he did the advert for it, those who don't know/can't remember)...so many stories from then about punk, all over London...happy days..

[@greatgigs_oz]

What a great tour James! Many thanks for posting... mind boggling to think that all those amazing bands played there and you got to see them all... probably for free! So great that you thought to shoot this. Cheers mate!

[@GarethGriffiths-um1un]

The first gig i went to at the marquee was chelsea in 1978 Very hot but great venue that should never been allowed to shut

[@jamesonguitars1322]

Absolutely

[@colonelwhirly4620]

we left London before the Intrepid Fox shut down couldn't take it anymore ,thanks so much for posting this ,how tragic how tragic , saw the Damned & Motorhead at the marquee before it moved to charing x thanks so much for posting this no matter how depressing it was to watch ,great memories Thank You

[@davehoward22]

I saw gong at the marquee😄

[@tonynesbit9673]

How shite is non London,the fox was great.

[@hopebgood]

@@tonynesbit9673 Fuck! I remember the Intrepid Fox! We got kicked out cos one of my mates got caught skinning up by the manager. Ah......

[@davidrankin516]

Sad to see what's gone. Moronic capitalism 1 Punk rock 0

[@frflinstone]

Actually moronic capitalism 1 the human race 0

[@hannohofmann6456]

Great! A trip into history. A bit blowin in the wind, but still great. Thanks, mate from Hamburg, germany

[@nicocacci4070]

Great Video James i really enjoyed it ! Thanks. ..do some more ? Take care.

[@davehoward22]

Tues/thursdays was punk night at the 100 club...many a day ended up in the drum kit at discharge gigs

[@PankyMeVil]

Many thanks for this video, great memories!!! Cheers

[@StephenCurtis63]

Brilliant. The band i was in ABH we supported Chelsea at the Gossips club in Meard Street 1981. I remember Chelsea had already played at The Marquee before turning up to go on stage (if you call it a stage? lol) at around 1am. Fantastic vibe.

[@nigeltwelvetrees7948]

That was really informative such a pity all those iconic clubs other than the 100 Club have all sadly bitten the dust!! Always wondered where the Vortex was i really miss the Old Fox but it's now moved to Archway nowhere near the same though!! Cheers for posting James!!

[@tankthelord1178]

Good one, I don't think you'd say you used to hang about in Speedo's alot. Good vid.

[@pedrosalvador5285]

Awesome ! a piece of Punk history .

[@peterlamb7849]

Very enjoyable tour through some ancient history.

[@tonyknaggs1871]

I've got the blue canopy that was over the door at the roxy, we liberated it one night after the club had been shut down by the council....i also used to the rock garden a lot - saw wasted youth there and we used to have great food fights upstairs after going to the beat route with boy george, spandau ballet, robert elms, chris sullican, animal nightlife etc before they were famous.....hey ho

[@tonynesbit9673]

Nice one mate.

[@starbuckita]

fab stories James, thanks for sharing them. Sickening to see the gentrification of present day on these clubs....to say the least, and utterly wrong.

[@jerrycrowe62]

Great video, really interesting. Had the pleasure of playing the 100 club with my band supporting The Boys a couple of years ago. Place just drips with rock n roll history. Also met the old Sex Pistols acolyte, Jordan, who was lovely. Eddie Tenpole also hung out in the dressing room. Weird but great night.

[@tremendouspaulrobinson]

James, nice one....you're one of the good guys. V sad, evil n criminal these venues have gone,,,,xxx

[@its-not-my-cup-of-tea]

Great vid, very interesting, thanks James!

[@markgreet3543]

Saw pistol 5 times on reunion tours I was only little 1970s but punk still rules I'm a huge sex pistol collector but I have many punk bands in my collection love adam and the ants I'm a collector as well seen adam 7 times live going to see him in June in leicester

[@terryburton3518]

Nice one James I saw Chelsea a good few times; got to know Dave a bit and he would put us on the guest list. He was a very cool,nice guy (Gene was very friendly as well (ha ha) ). Good Times

[@philipsymonds4016]

thanx for doing this.

[@vodaploda]

cheers...good trip round a few places I hung out myself..and played the Rock Garden hahaha

[@morticialilas3229]

Why thank you James@Generation x+Chelsea.x I liked listening 2 your tour.Thats why im against gentrification as crown brings in wrecking ball+destroys memories.Thank you 4 being best man@my impromptu legallegalleagal wedding@1980s to Sebastian Bierk@Sebastian Bach@Madame X+Skids. Love Lavina Kymille.x

[@kirstinbeaver3863]

Very interesting Jitters, well done and well cool xxx

[@NeilThompson30]

Brilliant stuff James. My band, the Carpettes, played the Marquee and The Rock Garden many times. We did the Whistle test in March 1980 and did the Rock Garden on the weekend after it was televised - it was RAMMED. Sean, the promoter at the time, took me to his office at the end of the night - 'So the Whistle test didn't do you much good, did it Neil!? - let's get my calculator - now then, that's the door money, less expenses, less V.A.T. - I owe you 50p!' To which i replied 'Sean - you can stick that 50p up your arse' - great times

[@michaelpemberton592]

I remember the carpettes you were a good band.

[@louistracy6964]

Sad. Went past the old Nashville Rooms recently. But if you knew Soho when it was happening, you are lucky.

[@leftygoldblatt55]

Brilliant thank you

[@Capedcrusader79]

That was great mate ,,,realy enjoyed watching that ,,,,you should do a deep involved one ,,,bout the musical instrument shops where who got what etc ,,, And other venues ,,,rainbow ,,,Ham palis ,,,Camden ,,,etc

[@fasthracing]

Thanks for posting!

[@federicoborghesi1949]

James you're the best!

[@robertyboberty7495]

Remember those gigs advertised in music press, I bet the London punk scene was awesome. Fortunately allot of bands played at Doncaster Outlook and Retford Porterhouse on there way to Northern venues so got to see some great bands. Great days. Ps you look good for roughly my age.

[@Rockergirl595]

Very nice the video 😁 i love London

[@lippy123445]

Rock Garden was ace , i worked behind in a photography studio in Cubits Yard in 77

[@frflinstone]

I saw the Jam play a secret gig as John's Boys at the Marquee probably around 78 and as I left a load of skinheads bricked the front of the place ! Happy days !

[@DjFocka]

Thanx for this video James

[@kurtdavis506]

This is great! Thanks!

[@annother3350]

The song 'ghost town' is more appropriate now. Supporting your independent shops and restaurants is a good start. Then Soho wouldn't be flooded with chains

[@michaelpemberton592]

You forgot to mention Gossips in Dean street I saw Chelsea there at least once and maybe more, though it was 1981 and James had left the band by then.

[@jamesonguitars1322]

Yep - definite oversight......

[@protecuk9streetwisetrainin136]

Spent every weekend in the Roxy, bands like Blitz and Sham Sixty nine great times.

[@David62B]

Can't wait for my next visit to the smoke will be deffo calling in speedo !

[@seanclark2085]

I loved the Marquee....

[@vodaploda]

even the Fox gone now...only ever played at the Rock Garden once myself

[@bighill8272]

I saw Sex Gang Children at the Marquee in 1983, they did 3 nights - Sex & Vendetta, it was called - and we saw 2 of them, it was great! Song and Legend! Ah, just a note, this was before the so-called Goth movement started. Actually, Andi Sex Gang was the original goth, so-named by Ian Astbury of The Cult, as he lived in an apartment block called Gothic Manor or something, and he looked (to Ian) like a little gargoyle!

[@michaelroberts5801]

Nice work dude... PND!!!!

[@Horizon344]

Any idea about why the Gen X's LP (KMD) failed to even chart in 1981? I understand it under-performing, but to not even enter the LP chart!? Could the record company have sabotaged it?

[@robbiesaddleton6210]

Think I spotted Greg Davies walking past you on Wardour Street at 9:45 by the old Marquee.

[@davart311]

Everything was in London , nowadays..sad.

[@carte1s]

Brilliant

[@marclayne9261]

Now prayers are announced 5 time s a day......

[@markgreet3543]

Times change punk still there allways ne loved I collect sex pistols items 250 been collecting since 1980s I was to young to be part of the era seen pistols six times live met glen and John loved the punk movement bright articulate and creative you made an empire man. Punk has longevity but we live in a very different world apple stores and phone shops but rebellion and few venues punk stilk there pistols were an amazing dressed band. But I dress an label but love the punk thing but best dressed band were pistols I mean 1980s onward it was designer gear but that's that people still love punk it was a state of mind more than a state of dress I mean we dress different but love the music 🎶

[@TGDrakaRG]

Nice one James! So many memories. Whatever happened to 'The Venue' at Victoria? I spent so much time in the upstairs bar there... Great venue! Love the video.

[@tonyjohn1395]

John Milner The venue in Victoria became a restaurant and then offices as I remember , but I could be wrong. It's now been totally demolished to pave way for some glass monstrosity .

[@TGDrakaRG]

What a bummer! There are hardly any of the great venues still open...

[@jamesonguitars1322]

Yeah - that was an awesome gig too. Became a Tony Romas rib restaurant after. No idea what it is now. Shit sandwich.....

[@THEQueeferSutherland]

I was out there at the time you were filming this...almost went to that Lambrettas gig until I was informed about the way they sound now...ummm, yeah, google that yourself.

[@RTD3]

What about Le Beat Route....The Beat Room?

[@corpuscambridgeseventyseve2942]

LUCKY TO HAVE AN ORIGINAL COPY OF THE BOOK "100 NIGHTS OF THE ROXY" AND ALL IN ONE PIECE !!

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

Back in the late '70s I had a flightcased Ibanez Artist with Chelsea on the case....I wonder who played that

[@jamesonguitars1322]

+Paul McCaffrey That would have been Dave Martin's - here a pic of him with it.... facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3562163409032&set=t.1058340894&type=3&theater

[@PaulMcCaffreyfmac]

jamesonguitars The link isn't opening for me but I thank you for the reply.It was an idle question in many ways as having bought it from Pash's off Portobello Road I sold it many years since to a wine bar manager of my acquaintance, now a publican in Cambridgeshire. Waddya mean "too much information"? Hahahaha....ahem! Thanks again

[@ciaranstanley6705]

I remember the parrot in the intrepid fox