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a still from "rocklands - live in new cross" filmed by digital sneakers at pop of the tops. | ||||
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Pop Of The Tops was usually busy with artists, artistes and nutters. There are so many places to rehearse and record around here and over 100 galleries in Deptford alone. Its that kinda area. People arrived with CDs to leave behind the bar for gigs, swap with other bands, sell or ask the DJ to play. Folks were encouraged to have a go behind the decks - Pop Of The Tops DJs include Unemployable Welsh Scum, Dirty Sounds, Pyrrha Girls, John Earls, Blenda, The Cut Throats, DJ Kleenex, Vamp-n-Diva and all the bands that got up and had a go. Between them, this rock n roll family have been spreading the vibe around at the hottest clubs and gigs. When Paradise lost it’s entertainment license in July 004, they became a travelling circus of anti-scene that livened up any venue it called in at. Although only a minority of established music media/industry made it to the Paradise Bar (The Fly did a live review of Ludes, The Guardian of Art Brut), the venue earned the reputation as “the CBGBs of SE14”. Loads of excited and therefore exciting new writers, photographers, djs, artists, film makers etc did come and join the many musicians that drank together there. The place was full of them, drinking, dancing, playing games, talking, exchanging contacts and ideas and gracing the tiny light up stage to play some of the most legendary seminal gigs of the 21st century. Highly ambitious, pro-active bands got into the hyperactive promotion of the club by Rocklands, C:B, Dirty Sounds, Zen, The Fairies Band and friends. New zines/websites, labels, clubs and events started to spring up and by Autumn 003 the anti scene was well and truly born. In August and September 003 it proved that Real Is The New Cool. It was art, not music, that first understood where this was all coming rom. Alex Proud of Proud Galleries (West End and Camden) took enough interest for a meeting, then a gang of uncynical music fanatic regulars got together for meetings in Paradise. (including Bromide from Scratchy Records home of early releases by The Rocks, Nathan from Eden Collective (DJ, promoter, music/art events - early ones were at Paradise Bar), Nicci Minxx (Mind Trafik, Rocklands Promotions and a flat mate of one of Do Me Bad Things. Between her and Corporatioin:Blend they came to play for one of the classic Pop Of The Tops nights. Ian from Must Destroy was there and they found themselves with a record label deal not long after), Kana “Go Go” Onuma (photographer, designer , MTB art director and occasional DJ), Stonkmoss (Unemployable Welsh Scum DJs/Zed One studios), Arlene Star (Goldsmiths student/charity fund raiser), Digital Sneakers (musicians/film/video makers/band management), Ms F (writer, DJ, musician, Circus Records), Denis Fernando (National Assembly Against Racism), Alberto (musician), Dickie "Beast" Hammond (musicians, sound engineer, legend), James (Arc Sound Studios is just along the road), Rick & Daniel of Twinstar Revolution (label, art, webzine, promoter) - Rick Twinstar is responsible for those great Special Needs covers, and also tour managed the Evil Rocks tour), Joe Violet (Angular Records, The Violets), Paul Madden (Joyzine, photographer, Joystock organiser) plus various members of Twisted Charm, Art Brut, Corporation Blend, Ten Benson, Bloc Party, The Crowd, The Fairies Band - and a bar!). They made collective magic - exchanged ideas, contacts, played their cds and videos, talked about their favourite bands and just made friends with, and helped, each other. Music Tourist Board was born and anybody can be part of it. Original Club Pages : * What Goes On? info for people coming along * | ||
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Pia & Chris help out in the box office... Vamp n Diva brought their unique motown punk DJ set to the dance floor... | |||||||
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what goes on? music! loosely rock*n*roll but all kinds of bands play - it is pop of the tops after all. if you like Phoenix Nights, imagine them putting on pop acts... |  | ||||||
* Real surreal life on Planet Water * great music (recommended / tipped live bands, guest DJs) * cheap drinks * friendly rock'n'roll party * free gifts * everybody in the room is a pop star (that's you!) * self promote your band * come to go wild on the dance floor or sit and read a music magazine if you like (free copies of The Fly to take away) * meet fellow music fanatics and musicians * affordable escapism * come and DJ or compere * bring videos to show on the screen * give stuff away * Share The Joy * Arrive early for free entry (or it's cheap in £3 from October, anyway) * practise random kindness and senseless acts of beauty * have a good time all of the time. | |||||||
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SHARE THE JOY BOX? YOU WOT? (bring a plastic bag - help yourself to free stuff - badges, stickers, t-shirts, postcards, cds etc and the occasional lucky dip) some star prizes turn up including so far... Blink 182 whoopee cushions, Raging Speedhorn lighters, Manic Street Preachers promos/rarities, Oasis t-shirts/footballs, Kylie Minogue autographed promo pix, Hell Is For Heroes sweatbands, rare/signed Mansun goodies, Beta Band jewellery, Stereophonics, Whie Light Motorcade, Radiohead , Liberty X jumpig frogs!!! etc - with a huge thank you to the kind music industry promotion and marketing people donating gifts to music fans for recycling in Rocklands - where they are greatly appreciated. If you have anything you'd like collected and recycled or promoted, click here and get in touch! cheers: Eileen Cecere at BBC Radio 6 Music, Lisa at Traffic Marketing, Hall Or Nothing Independent Publicity/Hall Or Nothing Management, Shari at Black Velvet Magazine, Mandy at Parlophone, Nicola at IPC, Charlotte at XFM, Regal Recordings, Karen Millard and Tony W at EMI, V2 posse... | ||
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