| First
up What was the music scene like around 75/76 and what
sort of music were you selling going to see ? We get
given the impression that music was full of either
Genesis or pub bands playing R&B on a circuit to
nowhere ? |
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| It was the tail end of what
is now known as Pub Rock. This was a lot broader than
people imagined. It was not just a bunch of stoned
hippies playing country rock, but incorporated Dr Feelgood, Ducks Deluxe a brief lived band called 707 and
of course the Count Bishops, which was where we came in.
At the shop Ted Carroll (one of my business partners) had
found out that the New York dolls first album was
available in France as was one of the Stooges albums + I
think the MC5 Back in the USA. We were buying cut-outs of
the rest of that kind of stuff and the Flamin’
Groovies were very big. The US/NY punk scene had just
kicked off and so The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads
Television et al were playing Dingwalls, the Roundhouse
etc. |
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But
the tuff R&B of Feelgoods and the Bishops was really
what was worth going to see on a regular basis.
Amphetamine sulphate music had returned for the first
time since the ‘60s. There was also a big rock and
roll scene. Some of the kids who came into the shop
called it Graffiti Rock after the movie American
Graffiti. They wore baseball jackets and sneakers and
were tolerated by the teddy boys. Shakin’ Stevens
was around on the scene (indeed the Sex Pistols were due
to play a concert on the same bill as him ...Punk77), but the really authentic band was Crazy Cavan
& the Rhythm Rockers. |
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| We
sold rock and roll and rockabilly, northern soul, blues
RnB – anything with an edge really. The late 70s was
really the beginning of the whole tribal thing in music
in the UK. Not just mods and rockers, but also punks,
hippies, soul boys etc etc and we catered for nearly all
of them. Generally Rock On market stall was a good place
to hang out on a Saturday and pick up on some good music.
Only occasionally did a teddy boy try to set fire to a
punks bum flap and then we would throw him out !!!! |
Rock
On - Camden shop
in background |
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| "The morning
after one of the Ramones gigs @ the Roundhouse they
turned up at the market stall having wandered the streets
all night in search of some ‘action’. London in
1976 was very dull, particularly on a Sunday night.
Anyway Joey was very excited that he was able to pick up
some Sweet singles with different B-sides to the US
issues." Roger Armstrong |
Riff Regan
singer from the band London remembers...".. Picture sleeves and limited
editions became popular and it was fun to hunt them down.
I often used to go down to the Soho market (no longer
there) and search through the record racks. There was
always this other guy doing the same, later I realised he
was Paul Weller. I built up an incredible collection and
then about fifteen years ago, when I was really broke, I
had to sell them. I wish I hadn t" |
Mark P in Sniffin Glue 12 wrote..."I
remember going in to Rock On in Soho Market and seeing
the dopey little Chiswick label. What's this I asked and
he told me it was his label. The geezer I asked was Roger
Armstrong." Speedball..."It
was a great start" |
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