Pete Watt and Kevin Jones turn back the musical clock to explore a cultural change that began right here in Twickenham.
October was first declared ‘Black History Month’ in the UK in 1987. Driven by the then GLC it has had a controversial history, not least because many question why Black history is only being given attention for one month. Others rail against ‘woke’ and question the prominence given to Black culture each October.
Black culture is evidentially woven into the very DNA of UK popular music. But this hasn’t always been fully recognised and celebrated. At the very least, Black History Month creates dedicated space to tell the stories that should be told. To give visibility to the impact of Black musicians on UK culture. Locally, it could be the launchpad for conversations about the diversity of Twickenham’s cultural scene.
Eel Pie Island
When the Eel Pie Island Jazz Club officially opened in August 1956, it presented a set by Ken Colyer’s Jazzmen. The Club (known as ‘Eelpiland’) recognised the needs of the new social strata known as ‘teenagers’ in the UK. They liked jazz and they liked to dance. The jazz they liked was Trad Jazz, or more particularly, New Orleans Jazz. As a young man, Colyer had joined the Merchant Navy and travelled to New Orleans where he was able to watch his jazz heroes (Black musicians of course) and ultimately perform with them.
Colyer also embraced ‘Skiffle’, a form of country blues, again emanating from Black Americans. The name derived from ‘rent parties’ or ‘skiffles’ held in northern US cities where southern workers had settled, to help families who were needing collective aid in order to pay the rent.
Attendees would provide their own entertainment using low-fi instruments such as acoustic guitars or banjos, kazoos, jugs and washboards, all of which subsequently characterised ‘British Skiffle’. Eelpiland actively promoted both Trad Jazz and skiffle. It was performed by White UK musicians, albeit recognising their Black American origins. The Beatles themselves started as a skiffle outfit called The Quarrymen, and any number of rock musicians from the ’60s will claim they cut their teeth on precisely that art form.
A cultural shift was underway…
Eelpiland Performers
Johnny Silvo was probably the first black artist to appear at the Eelpiland in 1961 as the vocalist with Mike Peters’ Florida Jazz Band. By 1963, he was a big draw on the fledgling R&B scene, again popularising a black American musical style and influencing, future global superstars, The Rolling Stones et al.
From 1964, a plethora of venerable blues artists played starting with harmonica maestro Little Walter. Howlin’ Wolf appeared the same year followed by Buddy Guy, Champion Jack Dupree, Memphis Slim, Jimmy Witherspoon, John Lee Hooker and Jesse Fuller. As a one-man-band, Fuller commanded a fee of £100 and broke the house attendance record, previously held by The Stones. John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, complete with Eric Clapton, were paid only £45 a week or two later!
Alongside these blues legends, a number of ‘Soul/R&B’ artists appeared like Geno Washington, with his Ram Jam Band (and he’s still doing it today!); Jimmy James & The Vagabonds; Herbie Goins & The Nightimers; Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays; The Coloured Raisins; and Freddy Mack & The Mack Sound.
Future reggae superstar Jimmy Cliff appeared in 1966, initially being marketed as a soul singer by his record label, while Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede played a number of dates in 1967, some years before the front man discovered Kung Fu Fighting.
Marsha Hunt featured in Alexis Korner’s ‘Free At Last’ outfit, two years before hitting the charts with I Walk On Gilded Splinters, and The Foundations – often cited as one of the UK’s first multi-racial groups (alongside The Equals) – were paid a derisory £10 as a support act only five months before they hit Number 1 in the charts with Baby, Now That I’ve Found You. All the above acts appearing on Eel Pie Island are verified by the existence of contracts, flyers or posters but personal testimonies have also quoted Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, Son House, and even Little Stevie Wonder!
Celebrating Black Musicians
Together, these artists inspired a cultural change that echoed around the world and still resonates today. It originated here in Twickenham and is celebrated at Eel Pie Island Museum but surely we should do more. The impact of Black musicians on our town and culture is a story seldom told. The impact was immense and maybe we should do more to recognise that. Maybe that could be a musical trail running between the Green, the Station and the Riverside featuring statues and Hollywood-style pavement stars. If you have any comments and contributions about this, please get in touch with me at kevin@eelpierecords.com
For more on the musical history of Eel Pie Island, and the artists that played at the Hotel’s club, Eelpiland, as well as its later incarnation as Colonel Barefoot’s Rock Garden, visit the wonderful Eel Pie Island Museum. The Museum is open Thursday to Sunday, 12:00–18:00 at 1-3 Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 3AB.
eelpiemuseum.co.uk
Phil Penman and Kevin Jones
are the owners of Eel Pie Records.