Well Folks, this month I can definitely give you something unique for this Column; a Review from Britain ! In the summer I had to return to the UK for three weeks on business, which meant I took the opportunity to do some rockin’ in my home country, in between the work I had to do here. It had been a very long time since my last UK visit, so it was a great chance to check out the scene here and to observe any changes since I used to live here.
On 15th July I went to Poplar in East London for the “Swing East” all-dayer event. The date itself presented a personal challenge. The 15th was the day of the football World Cup final. Needless to say if England had made it to the final, this is one dancer who would’ve kept his dancing shoes on the shelf that day. But the opportunity of some hot rockin’, instead of just watching the French stuff the Croatians, was too tempting to miss.
And a great choice it turned out to be. Three quality bands were on the bill for the day, plus the event itself was a Freebie. The three in question were the Revolutionaires, the Jive Romeros and Sugar Ray’s Orchestra. My favourite was the Jive Romeros. This is probably because out of the three they were the most rock’n’roll oriented in their style. In particular, they performed some quality Bill Haley and the Comets’ numbers. It was a thoroughly uplifting concert, great live music and dancing, along with a friendly crowd.
My next event was not quite as wonderful, albeit not all bad. Given that I had no wheels (i.e. a car) because of my limited time in London, in order to get in some dancing I went to a swing dance event the following week. It was the Boogaloo club in Highgate. I got in some good dancing, although in an ideal world I would have preferred some good old rock’n’rock music. But like I said, I got in some good dancing and it was nice to inter-act with different dancers and share different styles, which the swing dancers appreciated.
My next event was not quite as wonderful, albeit not all bad. Given that I had no wheels (i.e. a car) because of my limited time in London, in order to get in some dancing I went to a swing dance event the following week. It was the Boogaloo club in Highgate. I got in some good dancing, although in an ideal world I would have preferred some good old rock’n’rock music. But like I said, I got in some good dancing and it was nice to inter-act with different dancers and share different styles, which the swing dancers appreciated.
The two outstanding features of the culture and history of the Ace Café are rock’n’roll and motor cycles. The venue does have a history pre-dating rock’n’roll however. It was founded in 1938 as a café for motorists on the then newly built North Circular Road and became a particular favourite for motorcyclists. In 1940, at the height of the Blitz, it was destroyed by German bombers. After the War it was re-built and it was in the 1950s that it really took off as a legendary venue for motor cyclists and as an iconic venue for rock’n’roll music; rock’n’roll being the music which had already been adopted by the bikers.
In the 1960s, the decline in popularity of rock’n’roll, combined with the growth of the car market relative to motor cycles, led to the closure of the Café. But in the 1990s some dedicated enthusiasts of both rock’n’roll and motor cycles resurrected the great place and I’m delighted to say it’s still going strong. And its great culture remains the same i.e. rock’n’roll and motor cycles.
On 18th July, the day of my visit, one of the special events taking place was the Mk1 Consul-Zephyr-Zodiac cars tenth anniversary meeting. Wow, there were some great machines on display. You cannot beat those classic cars. Plus of course being the Ace Café there were plenty of superb Harley Davidsons, BSAs, etc., to admire in the car park. And the atmosphere at the Ace was typically Biker i.e. rough and ready and friendly. For me it was a really uplifting experience, especially given how long it had been since my last visit, due to my living and working abroad. Long Live the Ace !
One event I was really hoping to experience during my UK stay was going to see my favourite UK band, Furious, the Teddy Boys from Liverpool. However Andy Halligan, the group’s guitarist who’s a friend, advised me they had no London gigs planned until September, by which time I’d be back rockin’ in Moscow. Next time, Andy ! And for those of you in London on 8th September, Furious are performing at the Ace Café itself: Check it out !
And here’s a few general observations about Britain generally, from an ex-pat who’s been working abroad in Russia for 12 years. First of all, given the limited time I was there and the fact I had a lot of business to do, these observations are only about London where I was based, as I did not have the time to travel much outside the capital.
Londoners generally seemed to be more polite and friendly than twelve years ago, which was nice. But I do sympathise with Londoners and their public transport. It cannot compare with the Moscow system. For example, the Moscow Metro (underground) is truly a wonder of the World. Tourists from around the World organise day trips travelling the Moscow metro, to savour the architecture and the experience – beat that, London Underground !
Things generally are more expensive in London. For example, I found that eating out can be pricey. Unless you are eating regularly in a J.J. Moons’ pub, generally nothing is cheap, even a cup of tea and toast ! But service is usually given with courtesy and helpfulness. The composition of the population is very cosmopolitan and diverse: It was twelve years ago, but this development is much more marked now. The culture in the capital is even more “politically correct” than it used to be, which I’m not sure is a good thing: It tends to restrict our great British sense of humour. But London is my home town and I will always love it, despite its imperfections.
So dear old London, my native city, you still score fairly high in my assessment. But will I return there to live ? No way, Baby ! Moscow Rocks !
Next month will be the concluding article in the series about “Women in Rock’n’Roll” which I have been running in this column. Another big star from the world of Russian rock’n’roll will write about her experiences as a woman. Plus in the pipeline are articles on psychobilly, Russian rock’n’roll heroes, Elvis and much much more. Stay tuned !
Richard Hume
Moscow