User:Q.spot9/sandbox

CLUB KITTEN (KC)

In the mid 90's Joao moved to the UK from Portugal. He soon got a job at his University bar in Aldgate East as a DJ. The owner offered him the venue but he did not know anyone in town yet. That same week during a night out, he met Michael (after getting off with his flat mate Sarah aka Billy) who had a big circle of friends so he suggested they did a club together. Michael loved the idea of doing a club in a lax security super cheap East London bar as there were no other clubs for miles so there would be no random people through the door. They also decided to do it on a Tuesday night as it is the night of the week people with 9-5 jobs are least likely to attend and they could get the venue for free.

Billy and Jessica thought of the name_ (The logo was meant to be a Calvin Klein piss take that was so popular at the time)

It attempted to describe the anti fashion attitude of people who eventually went there.

Sitron was immediately invited to help by Michael who was his best friend as he was already an infamous socialite so he was to become the central figure of the hedonistic attitude that characterized a sexually ambiguous full of teenage energy youth that came to crowd the dance floor.

Stuart during that time had just been kicked out of a massive house he lived with his hilariously kitsch 'Romo' band Plastic Fantastic after they bombed and got dropped by their record company and was living on Michael and Sitron's (and Billys) sofa. He was present when they were brainstorming ideas and after explaining he had promoted clubs before he offered to help with the admin.

Because it was off the beaten track you had to make an effort to get there, and it was almost impossible to discover it. (In the mid 90's there was no scene in East London people only went there for cheap curries and the fabric shops or a good kicking)

People were encouraged to dress up, be individual and misbehave. There was a great amount of substance and alcohol abuse, and the clubs highly sensual and sexual nature attracted marginal artistic people from the music, gay and fashion scenes.

People who came included a lot of the kids from Smashing, Club Skinny and Pop Stars

Opening night Gig was performed by Minty with Mathew Glamour dressed entirely in cling film, while the second night was CJ Gray's Dizzy Q Viper, which gave the club its clubbing and rock n roll foundations...

Liz, Chair Ryan and Bear (from P.C.)-Rob, Mona, Robert and Danny Dogfood (Kitsch Bitch)-Link Leisure and Trixy (Burger)-Jules (Lick the Pole, Cherry 2000)-David Cabaret-David Bethal-Dave Pop-Crispin and friends (Daisy Chainsaw[Chainsaw], Dizzy q Viper, Queen Adreana(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Adreena), The Dogbones)-Justin and Sarah (Cosmetique)-Desmans (The whole band)-Matthew Glamorre (Minty, Smashing,Harder Faster Louder)-Brian Molko and friends (Placebo)-Gail Mosley-Charlie, Molly etc (Fighting Cocks)-Candy Box (Pony Club)-Miss Jones-Little Richard-Curly Chris-Matt Fisher-OJO (the whole band)-Hi-Fi (Club skinny) -Rose Poulsen-Claire Rabbit-The Medieval Babes (and Dorothy)/Miranda Sex Garden/Naked Goat-Racheal Stamp(the whole band)-Robert-Mark Keds-Dirty Harry and friends-Katie Smallbone-Marlon (with shades and goods...) and friends-Tina Spiller-Marcus-Keith-Joseph and Gail-Manat and Stacey-Amanda Roots, Helen, Bridget, Angie (Fluffy)-Steady, Vicky and Charlie(Sweetie)-Seba and friends(The new school of pretension)-Xav-Randy Spaniel, Kitty, Frog and Wolf(Phobia 4000)-Miam-Alix and friends(Arcacia)-Arthur Larger-Richard Tory-Fi and Sarah-Anna and Nick-Adam- Nisha, Harriet, Alex and Phillipa(Etoile)-Mark and Susan with ante rage (Charles of London)-

The club started to be frequented by fashion designers and stylists that would “borrow” ideas. There was a band on every night and an opening act. Both were paid and given booz even if it was their first ever gig occasionally infuriating Stewart. The band was chosen on merit and the opening act could be some performance art or another band picked for entertainment so sometimes the opening band was picked for being terrible enough to be hilarious (Sitron’s and Michael’s own band included in that category...)

Music came from Joao who played anything rock n roll enough to fill the dance floor Stewart who played anything obscure enough to clear it and Richard who was mainly a crowd pleaser (and again was paid by the others for the first time when Stewart was on holiday). Michael Djed occasionally, as did anyone that could be asked to bring some good records. Mixing skills were optional. (Especially in HQ’s the music stopped when you even opened the fire exit, which was frequent enough…) There were loads of live performances from many of the people above amongst others. They played whatever took their fancy.

Club Kitten got thrown out eventually after destruction and fun was had by all_ Notably the last night Sitron decided to go back in to the closet and stole Joao’s girlfriend Liz. In a jealous fit Joao punched him and they were both thrown out during which time an ambulance had to be called for Michael who had collapsed next to the stage.

At a time of House/D'nBase/Dance Mod/Britpop/Indie Goth/Rock it tried to play music irrespective of genre, but with an agenda_ It was not a place like other clubs in London at the time_

It provided a space for young (and old) people to freak_

>>> Everyone tried to outdo each other, damage was done.

>>> THE SECOND PART_

>>> Gil foolishly invited CKto move to the Water Rats in Greys Inn Road King's Cross_ >>> This was the first step into the establishment_ >>> Previously magazine articles had appeared about CKin Scene magazine (New York) and Japanese style guides_ >>> Now that it resided in an established venue TimeOut, The Big Issue, XFM, NME, Melody Maker, ID and The Face deemed it news worthy_ >>> On Saturday the 13th of September 1997 it opened with Sexton Ming (and Steady)- a transvestite/prodigy set from the great punk poet, and style guru MR Tasty (sexist scum wanking in a string vest)_ >>> On Saturday the 20th it closed_ >>> The landlord had taken exception to the clientele and music_ >>> Police and dogs were called_ >>> There were cheers and jeers from the crowd outside_ >>> The organisers were hurriedly whisked off by Matthew Glamorre to a King's Cross gay club, police in chase_ >>> No charges were pressed by the landlord_ >>> Gil lost the Water Rats as his venue_ >>> Kitten gained a lot of new followers and word of mouth spread_ >>> Kitten did not seem destined to mix in the mainstream_

>>> THE FINAL PART_

>>> Logan invited Michael to bring Kitten to HQ's in Camden,(info was passed to Stuart who was still responsible for the admin paving the way for him stealing everything at the end) >>> Camden seemed the complete opposite to everything Kitten was trying to do_ >>> HQ's had previously been the home of Club Skinny which bloomed for about a year as the first club in the Romo scene_ a scene so based in superficiality and fashion that it has thankfully failed the test of time so much even its creators have forgotten it (lovelly Simon Price excluded) >>> Besides all this Club Skinny had changed people in Camden, for a while_ >>> Club Kitten decided to try and do the same in a more rock n roll base (as opposed the by now totally failed Romo scene_) >>> Club Kitten opened on Tuesday 13th January 1998 >>> >>> Lots of new people started to appear_ >>> Paul Ronnie, Gary, Sam (Q-sling Paul also in Naked Goat)-Riki-Camp Tim-Nick-Alex and Horton (They Came From the Stars)-Justin and friends (Now)-Ranya-Chris Dale (Sacktrick)-Chris (Nubiles)-Sylvia-Lisa-Sadie-Dan and friends (The Servant)-Rocco and Nick Nasty (Flesh for Lulu[For Lulu], Gigantic also Nick is in Naked Goat) -Stella Maris (the whole band)-CheesecakeTruck (the whole band)-Aiden Shaw and Whatever-Toby (Mariachi)-David and friends(Royal Family)-Chicano (the whole band)-Ultraviolet (the whole band)-Yossarian-Rothco-Cybil-Rosie-Steve Lights-Xavier-Leon (Kosmiche)-Mark E Smith (The Fall)-3 Colours Red (mainly Criss but occasionally the whole band)-Loren Lavene and Kenicky

>>> Club Kitten gave a chance to new bands the established venues would not put on in Camden_ >>> It's role changed, the people changed_ >>> Music policy was still anything goes_ >>> From a small community it became a big one_ >>> Stewart by then had fallen for the new craze of the Big Cahoona Burger and started changing his sets to include dance music alienating most people. Billy and Jessica stopped coming_ Moreover being the one that was interacting with Logan and the accounts he started hiding the cash in his girlfriend Tina account. The mainstream press started to write about it and people like Sarah Cox and Emma B started talking about it attracting a different clientele. One night a bunch of Camden meatheads came through the door and 5 min later started a fight with Michael who had to escape through the fire exit and then attacked Nick Marsh and Rocco who were arriving as they were getting kicked out by the bouncers. (Lucky as ever after getting his face kicked in Rocco found £50 on the floor which made everyone happy enough regardless especially his dealer) When they got home Sitron and Michael decided to quit. Stuart took all the cash. Richard to everyone’s surprise backed him. Logan and Stuart then booked bands and played music moving it to the mainstream and cashing in, in the process... Soon enough it was no more…

There have been many attempts to imitate it since and they fall into 2 categories, those who wanted to cash in and those who wanted to recreate the experience. In the second category almost all were done by people that saw its last incarnation and they only focused on imitating the style while they missed out the essence that was based on youth energy, sexuality and creativity and a Carpe Diem attitude. Unfortunately for them a style based on individuality and creativity cannot be imitated so they missed the point, just like the mail order punks miss the -do it yourself and be different- ethos of the style they are so keen to emulate. In the second category a lot of people were successful with the most notable attempt done by Joao himself that essentially opened a club using the same name and similar music, in his home town of Porto, whose similarities to the original ended there. It managed to attract thousands of people and gave him a nice retirement.

Joao is now living in Portugal and is still in Bands with considerable national level success. The Portuguese club kitten is no more. Sitron is now a Hackney dwelling AA attending Singer songwriter poet. Michael lives in North London and is in a band called The Dogbones (with Crispin) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dogbones)) Stuart lives in Brighton he has spent all his loot...