The Buzz Club, organized / promoted by Jo Bartlett and Danny Hagan, lasted 7 years, mainly out of The West End Centre, Aldershot, but it started on 17 November 1985 at The Agincourt, Camberley with That Petrol Emotion supported by The Mighty Lemon Drops. This was followed by The Blow Monkeys, also at The Agincourt, with the promoters’ own band Go! Service and Zaz Turned Blue, named after a song from the 1983 Was (Not Was) album ‘Born to Laugh at Tornadoes’, supporting on 1 December. A few months later the headliners were in the charts with ‘Digging Your Scene‘.
By early December ’85, The West End Centre had become the club’s home, with the first gig there being The June Brides on 7 December, again with Go! Service in support. The next gig, with Terry & Gerry and Inspector Tuppence & The Sexy Firemen moved to The Princes Hall, Aldershot as the heavy snow on the roof of The West End Centre on 16 February ’86 was deemed unsafe. The next month (15 March) the Skiff Skats were booked and The Buzz Club was back at The West End Centre. After a local band night, featuring Screaming Hearts, Inspector Tuppence and the Sexy Firemen, New Tennessee Waltz, and Zaz Turned Blue; The June Brides were back supported by The Dessert Wolves on 24 May. A Certain Ratio played on 14 June then The Pale Fountain in September. The next month Andy White (as seen on Whistle Test) was booked with support by New Tennessee Waltz and local band The Bridge. On 15 November ’86, Steel Bill and the Buffalos, supported by West One, FRA, and Second Balcony Jump, headlined a local band night. They were joined by The Jeremiahs.
Then ’87 opened with The Brilliant Corners on Saturday 10 January, with Bluetrain (promoters new band) and Second Balcony Jump in support. 7 February bought Mighty Mighty to The West End Centre supported by The Jeremiahs and The Bridge. Primal Scream made their first visit to The Buzz Club, supported by Passmore Sisters and North Of Cornwallis, on the 5 December.
McCarthy, supported by The Dead Beats and The Aurbisons appeared on 9 January ’88. The Raw Herbs backed out of their 5 March ’88 appearance at Buzz (moving to a June date) and Bluetrain filled their spot. A couple of Brighton bands: Blow Up and 14 Iced Bears come up to Aldershot for the 2 April Buzz. As re-scheduled The Raw Herbs appeared on 4 June supported by Rodney Allen and Poke It With A Stick. On 18 June there was a farewell Buzz Club, as Bluetrain along with the club promoters and band members, Bartlett and Hagan, were off to the states. Along with Bluetrain, The Jeremiahs, Sugar Mountain, Crimplene Explosion, The Aubersons, and The Splendids took to the stage.
After a short hiatus, for Blue Train’s US sojourn, The Buzz Club returned. On 11 March ’89, Madchester came to Aldershot in the form of The Stone Roses, who had just wrapped up recording, mostly at Battery Studios, London, their debut LP with producer John Leckie. They were ably supported by Jive Turkey and Reading based The Colour Mary. The following month, on 15 April, Morrisey’s ‘favorite band’, Bradford came to Aldershot. Farnborough’s Mega City Four, supported by Senseless Things and The Eclairs, at The Buzz Club on 24 June that year. International Resque’s ‘Butlins or Bust’ tour visited the Buzz Club on 9 September 1989. Then, almost two years after their first appearance, on 21 October ’89, Primal Scream were back with The Ruby Tuesdays and Something Pretty Beautiful in support. Now, If you were a little brassic and couldn’t afford the entry fee into the main Buzz Club you could hang in The West End Centre’s bar and catch recently released band videos and some bands doing acoustic sets on the Jim Jiminee “stage”.
Fleet based The Vinegar Blossom‘s second gig saw them supporting The Charlatans at The Buzz Club on 13 January ’90. On 16 April ’90, After The Dream and This Witness supported The Deep Season. Two months later, on 15 June, Flowered Up were to be supported by The Vinegar Blossom and Here Comes Jordan. Flowered Up cancelled and Eusebio stepped in to headline at The Buzz Club. Later in the year, on 17 November ’90, Five Thirty swung by the Buzz Club as part of their Air-Conditioned Nightmare tour, which was released on 5 November…
On 16 February 1991 the Buzz Club saw the Manic Street Preachers headline, supported by Phobia and The Hysterics. Ben Corbett, of Phobia, recalls Manic’s Ritchey Edwards asking if there was a coffee machine backstage. Jumping to 7 June ’91 and the Buzz Club hosted Levitation supported by The Spinning Jennies, and Fabtoo. From the 12 to 15 June ’91, The West End Centre hosted The Buzz Club’s MidSummer Madness qualifying rounds, for the final on 22 June. Four qualifying rounds of the best local bands saw: Hung Inverted, Big Wednesday, My Blue Heaven, Not Just A Pretty Face, and Something Religious competed on 12 June; Frayed Edge, Palmaviolet, Sliver, Who Moved The Ground?, Big Sun, and The Cesspit Rebels on 13 June; Red In Bed, Close Quarters, 33AD, Giant Arc, and Lou Sends on 14 June; and Scorpio Rising, Peachrazor, and Trousershock BC on 15 June. Who made it to and won the final on 22 June is currently lost to the mists of time. The Dylans, who were touring their Stephen Street-produced self-titled debut album, supported by Some Have Fins and Gyroscope, took to the West End Centre’s stage on 19 October ’91. A couple of months after they recorded their one and only Peel Session, Midway Still headlined the Buzz Club on 30 November ’91, with Milk and Apple Creation in support.
A local band night at The Buzz Club saw Flavour, Slug, Phobia, The Rachel Papers and The Vinegar Blossom take to the stage on 4 January ’92.Local band night on 1 February ’92 saw The Ha Ha Men headline, with support from The River Thieves, Pretty Green and Peachrazor. The cousin of Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, Rob and his band mates in Catherine Wheel played the Buzz Club on 14 March ’92, with support provided by Godmachine and The Werefrogs. Another local band night on 9 May ’92 saw The Deep Season supported by Flavour, Giant Arc, and Pomeroy. Adorable, having just released ‘I’l Be Your Saint’ gigged at The Buzz Club on 18 July ’92, when they were supported by local band Mayflower 20. Later in the year, and two days prior to the release of their a second single “Metal Mickey”, which reached number 17 in the charts, Suede headlined the club on 12 September 1992, with support from Arcade and Submarine. The last Buzz Club listing for ’92, that we have found, puts Trousershock BC, Slug, Sunriser and Who Moved The Ground? at the club on 21 November.
On 30 January ’93 the Buzz Club had Poise and Flavour supporting Cornershop. The next month the club hosted Godmachine on 27 February ’93, supported by Medicine and Rosa Mota, shortly after their single “Home” peaked at No. 65 in the UK Singles Chart in January. On 12 June ’93 Kinky Machine took to the Buzz Club stage, supported by Elastica. Elastica were back on 2 October ’93; the Buzz Club had booked The Afghan Whigs, who reneged and were replaced by San Francisco-based power pop band, The Loud Family. Support on the night was supposed to be provided by Jacob’s Mouse and Poise. While Poise did appear, Jacob’s Mouse also went back on their promises and were replaced by Elastica. The final Buzz Club ran later that year, on 4 December ’93, and Barlett and Hagan’s Poise opened for Shed Seven and headliners Dodgy; just as their band Go! Service, along with Zaz Turned Blue, had opened for The Blow Monkeys, seven years earlier, at The Agincourt, Camberley on 1 December ’85.
Ed – There will be more to come…
Further Reading:
Indie Through The looking Glass – Jo Bartlett’s own post, with fantastic pictures and recordings
Highways, islands, and Magic Moments, The Jo Bartlett Interview – Malcolm Wyatt’s feature/interview with Jo Bartlett for WriteWyattUK
Gallery:
Our Soundscene 