The Brickies Music Club – Ashley Cross
by Mike on Jun.19, 2009, under History
In the late 80′s and early 90′s, a converted skittle alley in the back of The Bricklayers Arms became home to one of the areas most vibrant music scenes. Some of the UK’s best talent performed in a tiny room that could just barely hold 90 people in the middle of Parkstone.
Jazz, Folk, Blues and Rock bands all crammed onto the tiny stage to play to a smoky room packed with an appreciative audience. The Rolling Drunks, The Producers, Hugh Lloyd-Langton, Ringo Chubb and the Screaming Toiletfish from Mars, Pronghorn, Circa, Silent Attack, Manitou, The Agency, Lady Winwood’s Maggot, Q.E.D., Crosscut Saw, Mission Impossible, Blind Lemon Davis, Poze. Just a few of the names I remember.
I had just arrived back home after leaving university with no job, no commitments, no propspects and no cash when I turned up one night – the locals were an eclectic and friendly group, and before long I found myself with a new bunch of friends, and more than a few free pints in exchange for a bit of glass clearing.
It wasn’t too long before I was in a band, I joined Richard Scott and Dave Eley in The Strange, as the singer and bassist. It is no small regret to me that we have no recordings of that time, and only one or two photos of the original line-up exist.
Time pressures, personal tension and money problems eventually led to the break-up of the original line-up – although all of us went on to other projects and continued to occasionally play together, except Bob, our drummer who switched to saxophone and keyboards shortly afterwards!
The Strange never officially disbanded, and over the years many different musicians and friends have drifted in and out what has become a long standing experimental collective.
One of the other Brickies regular bands was Manitou, who showed signs of getting some real success, with plaudits from the Classic Rock Society and a tour of Japan under their belts.
I was approached by Harry on the departure of Sean Carter to see if I could “learn the set in a hurry” to meet some gig commitments, and before too long I was in the band.
My association with Manitou unfortunately lasted longer than the Brickies Music Club. With the death of the landlord, Kevin, and new management coming in, soon afterward the pub lost it’s music license and the scene that had grown up there gradually dispersed to other locals and venues.
If you have any memories of the Brickies Music Club, either during Geoff or Kevin’s tenure, please share them, I would love to hear other peoples recollections!
June 19th, 2009 on 9:37 pm
Don’t forget the Love Bubbles, I’ve still got a live tape of them playing at the brickies somewhere. Nothing by the Strange though.
June 19th, 2009 on 10:28 pm
remember the 45′s stuck everywhere, pop-pickers!
I got a barmaid job at the Brickies so that I :-
a) got to see the bands without paying entrance
b) got drunk on free drinks from blokes
c) had more space to dance
d) got PAID so could buy a voddie or two at aftershow partaays in Bournemouth… those were the days!
June 17th, 2010 on 3:52 pm
I was that drummer, and I have to say those where some of the best days of my life.The Brickies to me was my home,If I was’nt playing in a variaty of different bands,I would be there watching others,and there was some greats!Mike and the others, Richard & Dave, still remain good friends,they turned up at my 60th birthday bash, I still can’t believe that happened what a night, Cheers guy’s I would gladly do another gig with you lot again Bob Hibbit (Pissed)!!!
June 17th, 2010 on 4:25 pm
Has this been sent or what This is all new to me,I’ve only just got a laptop, next week I’m getting BBC 2 hic!!!!
June 17th, 2010 on 4:31 pm
That’s only if my Katel record selecter sells on Ebay!!!!
Fuck I love all this,Great fun,We stuck the records on the wall by the way!!!!
January 15th, 2011 on 9:29 pm
It was a brilliant time. Re-decorating the music room with Daves Q magazine pictures and the old singles was inspired. The quality of the local musicians was exceptional, well above average for the time.
It’s almost criminal that the venue didn’t last any longer, especially as now there are very few of the others left, Mr Smiths has gone, Bacchus, gone, The Central, gone. It would be interesting to collect any live recordings from the time as I’m sure when cleaned up and digitized (Mr Kneller?) a compilation would have an eager audience of ageing ex-brickites!
January 15th, 2011 on 10:21 pm
Absolutely Rich, I would love to get some recordings and post ‘em here. Anyone got any?…
November 17th, 2011 on 10:49 pm
Hi guy’s playing tennor sax now, making a bomb busking on the streets,better than gig money, any of you guy’s wanna join me, or start another band before I die of drinking, Hic !!!