Image Above: A youthful looking John Turner of Radio Bristol fame on double bass at the Troubadour Club in the early 1970's
AUGUST 27th 2002: A nationally famous folk club which attracted the cream of British and American talent to the city of Bristol is holding a reunion to mark 30 years since it closed.
The Troubadour started in 1966 and ran for six years closing in 1972.
The list of guests included Ralph McTell, the Strawbs, John Martin, Al Stewart, The Incredible String Band, and Jasper Carrot among many, many others who have gone on to international fame.
'What made the club so special was the quality of the resident musicians,' said reunion organiser Mike West they were instrumental in maintaining the club's reputation..
'Under the Watchful eye of John Turner ( now a Radio Bristol veteran )
'Many of them have agreed to play including Ian Hunt, Keith Christmas, Fred Wedlock, Adrienne, Alan Jones, Ian Anderson, Elliot Jackson, and Kelvin Henderson, and The Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra and the Westlanders are reforming for the concert.
'Zimmer frames must be stacked in orderly fashion'
'Please contact me if you have memories of this club'
Story Updates
2nd January 2005
Hi - its great to know that I'm not the only person left in the UK who still plays & loves Al Stewart's music. I first saw Al play at the Troubadour club in clifton, Bristol around 1966 ( Clifton in the Rain - from Al's first album) through to the heady full electric days in London just prior to his exodus to the US. I know he's playing the Edmonton folk Festival in May 2005 - so might satrt saving the pennies - but how about trying to persude him back here for a UK tour?
Julian Black
Club History
In the late 1960s and early '70s, the contemporary folk scene in Bristol - centred on the Bristol Troubadour Club in Clifton village, the student quarter above the city centre - was the liveliest and most creative outside London.
Singer/guitarist Ian Anderson (then billing himself Ian A. Anderson to avoid confusion with a rock artist of the same name) founded Village Thing Records along with John Turner, the Troubadour's manager and bassist with local surrealist folk/jazz/comedy outfit The Pigsty Hill Light Orchestra and Gef Lucena of local independent label Saydisc.
Working out of offices in Park Street that they shared with local graphics company and rock promoters Plastic Dog, Village Thing Records, subtitled "the alternative folk label", released two dozen albums and a few singles between 1970 and 1973. With immediate strong national press and radio support due to the buoyancy of the local scene, the label initially prospered with its unique and hard-to-pin-down mix of established names and newcomers, original singer/songwriter/guitarists and folk entertainers. It was the contemporary folk scene's complement to the more traditionally-based recordings being simultaneously released by Bill Leader's wonderful Trailer label, and both were manufactured and distributed by the folk 'major' of the day, Transatlantic. It was difficulties imposed by Transatlantic that caused Village Thing's eventual demise in 1974. In their heyday, a typical Village Thing album sold around 2,000, whilst the biggest seller, Fred Wedlock's The Folker shifted 20,000.
Over the years, Village Thing's releases have gained a certain cult status amongst collectors of contemporary folk, songwriter/guitarists and 'psych-folk' of the era, changing hands for high prices. A few of the albums have been re-issued by small collector labels like Scenesof in the USA and Vinyl Japan, and there's a Dave Evans re-issue on Weekend Beatnik but most are out of print.
Posted to the site Guestbook
Ray Willmott Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia.
Comments: I left England for a two year 'trip' between grammar school and Uni, when I was 15 (in 1961). I liked it so much in Australia that I only returned to the UK in 1967 to tell my parents that I intended to live permanently in Australia, and would return there in a year or two. Meanwhile I established the "Troubadour Club" in Waterloo St, Clifton, Bristol.
The club became very well known and the 'birthplace' for many young singers and entertainers. I returned to Australia in 1971, but I would very much like to hear from any one that may have attended, sang at, or remember the good times we had at the Troubadour in Clifton, Bristol.
Regards, Ray Willmott.
Please feel free to add your own comments to the Guestbook or Forum
Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line
This non commercial 'hobby' site, has been evolving and expanding on line since 2001 and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.
