More Venues

The Nashville, The Moonlight...more London music venues we've loved

The loss of some of London's more famous smaller venues has meant that there are fewer places for bands to launch their careers. Two former venues that were particularly important in introducing a range of soon-to-be-famous bands to the London music scene were the Moonlight in West Hampstead and the Nashville on Fulham Palace Road.

The Moonlight was in a room in the basement of The Railway Tavern. It was a ram-packed sweaty pit of a room where many of the punk and post-punk bands played in their early days. I remember being mesmerised by the German industrial dance band, Deutsche Americanische Freundschaft at a gig there and, sadly, getting tickets for but not being able to go to one of the few Joy Division gigs in London.

The Nashville: pub rock relic

The Nashville was a relic of the pub rock scene and was a big, grotty room behind the Greyhound pub. I went to see the Specials there at the start of their career when they were a major buzz in the music press. Because of the clamour for tickets there was a queue around the block and in a moment of super heroism I scaled the wall and tore apart a Perspex window advertising the products of Fuller's breweries and jumped into the venue to see a fantastic gig. The Moonlight briefly became a rat and something or other, but is now the Railway Tavern once more. The Nashville and Greyhound site is now occupied by a generic trendy bar.

London music venues: give me the Moonlight...

Reader Steve Marshall has even earlier memories of the Moonlight. "The Moonlight Club in West End Lane, home to punk rock and reggae nites in the 70s, New Romantics in the 80s and the original home of the 6Ts Soul nites was also known as Kooks Kleek in the 60s and 70s (The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix appeared there)." He also remembers the glory days of the Roundhouse in Chalk Farm: "This was home to, amongst others ie Grand Magic Circus in the early 70s, a French performance group and a kids Saturday morning thing called Moonrock, with live rock bands, inflatables! old movies and much more. They moved to Camden Studios later on in life. They featured Afro Rock from Ginger Johnson and Lord Eric too!"

RIP Eel Pie Island

Neil Harding-Deans laments the loss of Eel Pie Island in Twickentham: "Closed it and knocked it down!!!!! Never saw Stones or Who in early 60s. But did see Free, Black Sabbath, Rory Gallagher, Edgar Broughton Band and many more in 70s..."

Whatever happened to The Venue?

Catherine Wiles would like to know. "Does anyone else remember The Venue in Victoria? Good for discos in the early 80s. I no longer live in London, so can anyone tell me what happened to the Camden Palace? Used to go there on a Weds night in the 80s: it was great. Suspect if it's still there, it's become mainstream now."

We want your venues!

Remember any great London gig-going places of the past? Contact London R.I.P and tell us about them.

We want to hear what you've got to say..

Leave a message for us here.

Messages

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Message:	22/22
Date and time:	10/02/2010 at 22:07:44
Sender:	Jerry

The Nashville as was is now the Three Kings - yes i do remember it being damaged by fire and standing empty for a goo while. I remember the edge of the stage being half rotten, so if you weren't careful you could go through the floorboards!

Message:	21/22
Date and time:	09/01/2010 at 19:20:19
Sender:	Des Buckley

I'm writing this nosh-talgic self obseesed twaddle after seeing 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll' this evening. A wonderful film even if Mr Serkis is almost hyper real, a Pre Raphaelite Ian Dury. Anyhow I've not been or thought about the Greyhound for many a year. I thought the fella with the wizened hand gestures was a posey little twat. It was a Kilburn & the High Roads gig, before the Blockheads. I didn't realise until later that it was one Ian Dury, & the stance may have been at least part of the performance but heavily informed by his polio. I saw a series of bands there in my cheesecloth shirted virginal spotty youth. I remember going there with a mate & the woman ticket collector saying to us, "they have sex in the toilets there." My mate says "thats why we're going there." Sadly no sex there for me during my dwunken fresh eyed outings. A banner (& this may not have been the High Roads) was unfurled at one gig. A touching tribute to onanism, "lets all have a hand shandy..." I sang along gleefully in my beer addled anonymity. I hadn't realised the Greyhound was no more. It was mu introduction to Londons Pub music scene. A crimson clad, multi-wooden beamed multi-storied Tardis. Hippies mingling with edgier rockers as the guitars & drums shook the bejasus outa my giblets. I can still sing "the purple Heather,' after an incongruous set, by a Scottish(? ) band, who gave this folksies ballad a rocky complexion. Sad the greyhound has gone but at least I cant be dissallusioned by a revisit. Nostlgia aint what it used to be. The Ian Dury movie, surprisingly good. I'd recommend at. Slainte..

Message:	20/22
Date and time:	26/12/2009 at 03:20:53
Sender:	tony

Does anyone remember seeing Rocky Sharpe and the Razors at the Golden Lion on Fulham Broadway.Great rock and Roll covers band really had the place rocking.

Message:	19/22
Date and time:	22/12/2009 at 13:44:41
Sender:	Susan

I worked in the Greyhound for about 6 months in 1987 - Duncan Ferguson and May were the Landlords at the time. May was hilarious - Duncan used to let his dog, Fergie a mad Rottweiller off his lead and he would nearly knock May over as she was pretty bad with MS at that time. It was a mad place to work but I loved it. Nearly everyone was Scottish (me included) but there were a few token locals (Nick Avery) cant remember anyone elses names. The good old days eh.

Message:	18/22
Date and time:	18/12/2009 at 01:06:26
Sender:	Paul

I was a regular at the Nashville Rooms in the late 70s. I saw some terrific gigs there, including The Stranglers, The Police, Split Enz, Burlesque, The Yachts, Cado Belle, Fashion and Rockpile. I was gutted when it was closed and turned into a theme pub. I also remember the Fulham Greyhound very well, as I played a number of support sets there, and, in the mid-80s, became a regular DJ there. One of the finest nights was a private party, hosted by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. I was lucky enough to be the DJ. The place was packed, and stars included Robert Plant, Madness and The Pretenders. Daryl Hall was one of the musical guests. He blew everyone away with a breathtaking version of Wherever I Lay My Hat. Even the bar staff stopped serving to watch! Incredible.

Message:	17/22
Date and time:	06/12/2009 at 02:16:03
Sender:	Rolf

I worked at the Greyhound from 73 � 79 part time then full time, I saw the old pub ( the one with the ten bars) the Vic and the Busman�s  then the new place (it was never quite the same) Had a stint as Duncan�s head barman. Those were the days! What ever happened to Ronnie Hodges? Duncan normally would only start you if you were Scottish!! If there�s anyone who know there whereabouts let me know� it would be appreciated. Remember the Golden Lion on Fulham Broadway. Sean Sullivan. Memories eh!!! jobsorted@hotmail.com

Message:	16/22
Date and time:	22/11/2009 at 22:55:47
Sender:	Tony

We were regulars at The Kensington during the early seventies. A great venue we saw Dr Feelgood there, they had a regular gig every Saturday night for a year or so,also a great Steely Dan cover band of which I cannot remember the name and a band from the Isle of Dogs called The Dogs with one of the best steel guitarists I have seen.

Message:	15/22
Date and time:	22/11/2009 at 22:54:30
Sender:	Jimmy Campbell

Used to frequent midnight court (lyceum ballroom)where regularly saw king crimson, soft machine, groundhogs, uriah heep, marsha hunt and even the stones once. Nashville rooms (corner of north end road) and red cow also in hammersmith. Brilliant atmospheres, brilliant bands. Worrked at the greyhound 71-72 with Duncan Ferguson and May (fellow scotsman)and was bouncer at the all night gig at Kings Cross then back to work in the morning serving beer at the greyhound with a head full of more than caffeine. I'm now in the land of Oz since 79 but would love to hear from any survivors from that period.

Message:	14/22
Date and time:	22/08/2009 at 04:14:46
Sender:	Susan

For what it's worth ,I went to school on Gunterstone Road just off the North End Road in 1971-72 and often went by the Nashville. I started Secondary school in '73 in Fuhlam and took the bus right by the Nashville 5 days a week. I don't recall ever seeing a Greyhound Pub in the front, but I was only 12 at the time. I am sorry to hear that it has become a "trendy pub." How I wish I had seen the bands there in the late 70's/80's. Is this the Nashville that The Jam played at in '77?

Message:	13/22
Date and time:	16/08/2009 at 02:41:58
Sender:	Caroline Read

The Stone Roses played their debut gig at the Moonlight Club in West Hampstead on 23rd October 1984 in support of Pete Townshend's Double O Charity. Also on the bill that night was Mercenary Skank and High Noon.

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