...Places of Southend Punk Significance...
Woodlands
Punk Rock
Woodlands Youth Club crew circa '78 - Photo includes Richard Seager, Pip, Alf, Phil, Sharon, Stevie B, Paul, Vince and Ralph
The Vermin live at Woodlands Youth Club late '77
The Vermin live at Woodlands Youth Club late '77
The Vermin live at Woodlands Youth Club late '77
The Vermin live at Woodlands Youth Club late '77
Punk Rock
The Machines live at Woodlands - 11.01.78 - Review From Strange Stories #4Woodlands Youth Club in Basildon was attached to Woodlands School, and in 1977 and 1978 hosted some great local bands and was one of the few venues allowing punk bands to play. Run by manger Norman with help from Ricky Wheatley, there was a Friday Night Disco (admission 30p) and sometimes a Wednesday night one. A list of bands playing there is quite amazing: The Machines, The Heat, Deeno's Marvels, Solid Waste, Grinder, The Vandals, The Opposition, Norman and The Worms, Hymie Blows it, Mik Bostik, The Spurts, The Vinyl Degenerates and more.

Speaking to Mark Saunders and Tony Marshall (aka The Germans) about it in 2008, Tony said "I do remember that in 1977 and '78, it was pretty active. It used to host a Friday-night disco and somehow, the manager (Norman) would support live bands by giving them a set". Mark remembered a couple of interesting bands:"I remember Solid Waste, who played a few times and I thought (wrongly) were destined for fame, and Norman and the Worms, featuring, as I recall, one Vince Clark". When asked if The Germans played there though, Tony said: "The Germans were booked in the early days, but we pulled out because - a. we were genuinely scared of being lynched by an audience unused to such an avant-garde (dreadful) show, and b. we learned that we weren't going to get paid anyway".

With the punk scene ever evolving other venues absorbed the nascent punk bands, finding bases later on at Shrimpers, Crocs etc, but Woodlands, much like Focus Youth Centre in Central Southend, was an essential crucible, allowing bands to play their first tentative gigs, and just as importantly, giving local punks somewhere to go and hang out.
Punk Rock

 

 

Home | Miscellaneous Index | Places Index