My clubbing heyday was the mid to late 90s. First records were late 70s punk, early teens was Metal gigs, early 20s just interested in the football away days…then my circle of friends altered ever so slightly, my leisure choices also, and clubs became a big part of my weekend
The Mondays had happened a few years earlier (don’t ever tell me the Stone Roses had more influence) and Indie & dance had fused…it wasn’t about cliques, or genres, or styles, or indeed style…just enjoying yourself
Standard attire was a bright orange tee with Johan Cruyff on it…flared suit, open neck shirt, smoking, playing cards (this was Johan, not me, although at the time I did smoke, & played poker…All Horse Players Die Broke - I learnt that lesson way too late). It came with the legend ‘DEALER’ underneath the image. With my battered 2nd hand leather jacket, ripped to fuck, & skinhead I was, as you can imagine, heavily searched every single week. Of course, everything of interest was in my female friends bra
The music was all over the place (the aforementioned Mondays, Chemical Brothers, NWA, Prodigy, Indian Ropeman, Primal Scream, some northern soul, Beastie Boys, shouty beery shit like Oasis, Portishead…my memory is not great, so I’m probably spanning a few years here). Girls didn’t wear overly short skirts and weren’t tango orange with fake tan, they wore adidas trainers and tees. Normal. Cool. The floors were sticky, the ceiling was sweaty. It smelt of cigs and ale. So did I
Every Friday night. Every Friday night was great. I’ld be in the pub Saturday lunchtime for pre match pints (CP Company, 6876 etc instead of the battered leather box jacket) then once a month it was Jungle night - Roni Size, Doc Scott, Kemistry & Storm…all of then played the Boro. ON IT
Steady on a Sunday. Pints and dominoes with the old geezers lunchtime, Sunday Dinner & an early night. Then we waited for Friday…
Not everyone I knew from then is still with us. I’ve lost some good friends along the way. Some great ones. I miss them dearly
I don’t smoke these days (Vape heavily mind you). I rarely drink (although I believe I can still hold my own on the right occasion, but mainly I prefer a clear head…too much label admin to deal with). Obviously, chemicals are long gone, apart from my daily dose of prescribed mood levellers. I no longer own a second hand leather jacket that looks like its seen too many fights
Times change, you move on, other wonderful things happen in your life. I’ld say things are undeniably better now & I’m a happier, better person. But fuck me, I did enjoy it back then
On Friday 24 October we release a cassette by The Miillion. Its got basslines, its got attitude, it veers across various genres. It demands you have a good time & wake up the next day with a headache. It reminds me of 1995 - for all the right reasons
In other news:
The amazing female only compilation is now available to pre order. Tape will see the light of day end of October but, in an action very unlike us, I’ll send you 3 digi tracks if you pre order. And orders by the end of this weekend will be entered into a draw for the tee shown above
All profit to World Central Kitchen & their Hurrican Ida appeal. Its a cracking tape - Bacon Grease, Dim Garden, Evicshen, Chelsea Bridge, Tears O/V, Lutkie, Jo Montgomerie, Mama Matrix, Opal X, and more…absolutely chuffed with it!
We also have had a bunch of deliveries from the US - so are now shipping recent titles from Damien, Deathbed, enmossed, Psychic Liberation & No Rent. You should check it out
Sounds like a very, very similar story to mine! Ended the 90s being a weekly visitor to Voodoo in Liverpool. The best and the messiest times. It all started with the Mondays for me too. Going to see them on the Pills Thrills and Bellyaches tour and being blown away by them and utterly bemused by support act Donovan. I blame the drugs. Thanks for the memories. And the music!
Can't relate a touch too young and way too socially awkward to ever enjoy clubbing. I will share that my first gig (and stagedive, moshpit) was waaaay up north in the infamous stronghold of Big (Crude) Oil known as Fort McMurray--it was Dayglo Abortions at the Nistawayou Friendship Centre. Bonehead wasn't singing--mono, I think-- that afternoon (all ages) but I had my board and my homies and it was pure slice of small town Canada in the 90s in a different way.