Funk To Punk
The link in question:
http://www.bristolarchiverecords.com/people/people_Tim_Williams.html
I recently came across your site while surfing the net for 70s nostalgia,in doing so i read the article by Tim Williams on punk/funk people clothes and places in Newport (Gwent)and Bristol.
Tim really got it nailed on the head,i remember the Bristol boy and girls coming to both Rudi’s,and the monday night Stowaway (Alan jones run,dave bumford and Brian Lewis dj-ing)this was the Paradise soul night with a reverential amount of jazz funk disco & reggae,normally with a band to follow,most of the UKs top reggae and jazz funk/funk outfits cut their teeth there,from Steel Pulse to Hi Tension,and the Pretenders if my memory serves me correctly.
What i have been meaning to get around to is, we ventured over to the Princes court in Park St (i believe),as we had it on good authority from a group of Bristol girls we had got close to in Newport, that we could expect to hear the same tuneage there as we were used to in Newport,and like Rudi’s it was upstairs. One of the girls vivian……? from St Paul’s ,who wore that night a Johnson male shiny grey peg retro 50s suit complete with shirt and tie, (a bead of sweat or liquid was enough to leave a mark, i know because i had one) had the most amazing long cleopatra ish cut with her fringe down to just over her eye lids,so when she spoke she would always have to raise her head to see or when talking.(dead cool or at lest what passed for cool in 78).
Her friend who i believe was an on off friend to Alan Jones,and did some local modeling adorned the wall in a life size black and white photo at the Princes Court.
If this rings a bell with anyone an update as to how they are doing now would be appreciated or if they have gone on to better things.
in closing iand when i have more time i will respond to Tims excellent piece,and give an update on how and what some of those names he mentioned are up to now, and some others he didn’t but should still know,together with some Bristol night out stories.
regards
ian.
