Sounds

Coming soon: The Scene Club Ham Yard, London 1963-66 album

Guy Stevens
Guy Stevens
Note that I independently write and research everything in this article. But it may contain affiliate links.

It’s not out for a while, but we’ve had some details of The Scene Club Ham Yard, London 1963-66 album passed over to us.

The album, subtitled ‘The Original Sound of Northern Soul, Popcorn and R&B’, is part of a series of albums, one released per month, based on cult UK soul clubs from the past 50 years, with trackless said to have been selected from historic playlists and individual personal recollections. The Scene is the first of the series, mixing old favourites with tracks said to be new to CD.

Special advisor on this release is Norman Jopling, who has written this in relation to the club:

The Scene wasn’t big: it was seedy, dark, and full of darker corners; Guy (Stevens) operated from an enclosed booth on one side of the entrance, and the stage was on the other. There was a bar which didn’t serve alcohol, a dance floor, and not much else. The atmosphere was almost always good, easy-going. It was low-key, relaxed, modest and completely unpretentious, the focus was on the music so there was no blatant hip, no ostentatious cool, everyone was digging the same thing and that was all that mattered. You didn’t have to dress up or dress down but you could if you felt like it. The Scene Club was red hot, the hottest little club in London…and in 1963 London was the centre of the world – even if the rest of the world didn’t know it quite yet.

The album is down for release in September via Snapper Records and Charly. Nothing relating to price is listed as yet, we’ll let you know when it’s up for pre-order. Tracklisting (which might be subject to change) below:

1. Betty Everett – I’ve Got A Claim On You (One-Derful! 806)
2. Jeanette “Baby” Washington – Let Love Go By (ABC 10223)
3. Roscoe Shelton – Question (Sims 217)
4. Don Gardner & Dee Dee Ford – I Need Your Lovin’ (Fire 508)
5. Alvin Robinson – Let The Good Times Roll (Blue Cat 113)
6. Ike And Tina Turner – A Fool In Love (Sue 730)
7. Cookie & His Cupcakes – Mathilda (Khoury’s 703)
8. Jimmy Reed – Ain’t That Loving You Baby (Vee-Jay 161)
9. Wilbert Harrison – Let’s Stick Together (Fury 1063)
10. Dixie Cups – Iko Iko (Red Bird 024)
11. Don Covay & The Goodtimers – See About Me (Columbia 42058)
12. Alvin Cash & The Registers – Alvin’s Boo-Ga-Loo (Mar-V-Lus 6014)
13. Paul Kelly – The Upset (Lloyd)
14. Billy Preston – Billy’s Bag (Vee-Jay 651)
15. Jerry Butler – Just For You (Vee-Jay 707)
16. Gerri Hall – Who Can I Run To (Hot Line 905)
17. Fascinations – Girls Are Out To Get You (Mayfield 7714)
18. Gene Chandler – A Song Called Soul (Constellation 124)
19. Chris Kenner – Land Of 1,000 Dances (Instant 3252)
20. The Upsetters – Jay Walking (Fire 1029)
21. The Five Du-Tones – Shake A Tail Feather (One-Derful! 2082)
22. Lazy Lester – I’m A Lover Not A Fighter (Excello 2143)
23. The Daylighters – Oh Mom (Teach Me How To Uncle Willie) (Tip Top 2008) 24. Bobby Day – Rock-in Robin (Class 2062)
25. Little Hank – Mister Bang Bang Man (SS7 2566)
26. Derrick & Patsy – Housewive’s Choice (Treasure Isle)
27. Sonny Knight – Confidential (Vita 137)
28. Bessie Banks – Go Now (Tiger 102)

The image above is, of course, Guy Stevens, DJ at the Scene Club, which is courtesy of the Manchester Soul site, which also hosts a brief article about the man.

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4 Comments

  1. Looking forward to this.Chers for flagging up.

  2.  yea cheers from me too, always interested in anything going on about the old days up west, there’s a few tracks i had never heard of before, thanks for posting the info

  3. I used to go to the Scene back in the day. This album looks interesting, but of course I can’t remember all the records I heard there. The Scene closed early in 1966, and Little Hank’s Mr Bang Bang Man was issued later, it used to get plays at Bluesville, Manor House. Also don’t recall Go Now by Bessie Banks being played. Perhaps others who went there may remember.

  4. well ? when is it being released ?

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