Where was the Ramjam Club (390 Brixton Rd)?

[johnniebutterfl]

Fair enough Guv
I'm just really pleased you're doing something on it
It was a fantastically important institution and so good to see it get its dues
please just ask if there's anything i can do to help

 

[lang rabbie]

Should have posted this weeks ago, but t'other new thread reminded me.

After a brief field trip, I confirmed that there is a blanked off double door with a wide black granite surround to the right of the window frontage of Lambeth Social Services (392-394) but part of the same block (i.e. there is a party wall separating it from the UCKG church at 386-388)

 

[Moira Coleman]

ps it would be great if it could be given its proper title The Ramjam Club, rather than the mispelt Ram Jam Club, pedant that I am.

btw Otis Redding played his 1st UK gig there & i know someone who was a friend of 'Judge Dread', the doorman and who played several gigs there

Also Ike and Tina Turner

 

[soupdragon]

Also Ike and Tina Turner

I could cry.

 

[CH1]

... the original fridge (which was fab) was above where the gas showroom used to be...

That is the one. The expert on this is "Barry" who used to sell ladies shoes in the Reliance Arcade - opposite Ralph's Gift Box.
He was trying to get a Brixton Market tour together - and I went on a trial one. He very generously stood me a coffee at SW9 afterwards.
Barry is another person who is in conflict with the Brixton Society. The BS charge £3 for their tour, Barry wanted £10 I believe, but he is linked to some organisation which does "Jack the Ripper " tours and Soho tours - all for foreign tourists I guess. Don't know if Barry's Brixton Walk is still on.
As a militant but non-attending member of the Church of England, the most fascinating part of Barry's tour was actually several minutes he spent reminiscing outside the Brixton Synagogue (now the Eurolink Centre). Didn't realise they also has Sunday School - too much like work for a Sabbath it seems. Barry had bad vibes about his Sunday School days - it sounded like IF.... without the tits or the sense of humour!
I'll see if I can find him on my email system, in case someone wants to contact him.

 

[lang rabbie]

What a bump after a seven year gap.
Now that Lambeth Social Services have moved out, there surely has to be some prospect of surveying the empty basement of no 390 for vestiges of its previous life.

 

[el-ahrairah]

i thought we established it wasn't in the basement?

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I only ever remember going down the stairs (when it was the Fridge). My memories of the Ramjam club are admittedly very hazy on the access to club details after all these years.

 

[Mitch34]

I think I remember the Ram Jam as being downstairs. I saw the great Nina Simone performing there - on the night the crowd were a bit rowdy until she told them to belt up....and they did!
Also saw Geno Washington several times (awesome) as well as Chris Farlow and a few others that I really can't recall

 

[RoyReed]

I saw Geno there once as well (ditto awesome). I remember it as being upstairs, but it was a long time ago, and it was the only time I went. This poster's from 1966 (I think my visit was later in '67 or maybe even '68 - it was my second ever gig IIRC).



Hendrix played there in October 1966 and again in February 1967. I wish I'd been at one of those.

 

[Jangleballix]

Peter Green (in JM'sBB's) and Jimi Hendrix in Brixton on the same weekend! Yowsah and indeed Yowsah.

 

[ska invita]

Big Time Operator Zoot Money! Had to look that up,,,he's still gigging the London pub circuit

 

[ska invita]

was this it?

 

[ddraig]

wow!

 

[ska invita]

wow!

firing gig eh?! hadnt heard of Junior Walker before

 

[ddraig]

yeah man! wish i had them on my stage today rather than cod diluted versions, good as they were...

 

[blossie33]

firing gig eh?! hadnt heard of Junior Walker before

Junior Walker and the All Stars were ace
They were on the Motown label for a while.

Can't help with info on the Ramjam club as I didn't live in London then but I remember seeing the adverts for the club in the Melody Maker.

eta. For something taken in a club in the 60's -what a good quality film of Jnr Walker.

 

[Rockingsenior]

The Ramjam was upstairs - I almost lived there! Once pass the Cashier (my friend Georgina) and the bouncers (usually amateur wrestlers) it led into the bar and seating area. At age 16 all you could get was soft drinks and the seating areas were banquettes, the lighting was dark, with lots of opportunity to roll the splifs without detection! The stage and dance floor was on a lower level leading from the bar. I remember seeing lots of top bill names of the 60's but none as big at Otis and the Turners. That rings no bells with me. John Mayall, Geno (of course) and Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames - oh happy days!

 

[ddraig]

ace post! welcome

 

[editor]

was this it?

That's a GREAT video.


A post in the user comments says:

90 Brixton Road: hosting major acts such as Cream (Nov 3rd 1966, 28th Jan/3rd June 1966), and the great Jimi Hendrix (2nd October 1966, with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers supporting). In the late 70s, the venue was known as Clouds before being taken over by Andy Czezowski who sunk £20,000 into the run-down premises, renamed it 'The Fridge' and kitted the place out with Swedish fridges. The Fridge relocated to the Brixton Ace on Brixton Hill in 1984.

 

[editor]

The Ramjam was upstairs - I almost lived there! Once pass the Cashier (my friend Georgina) and the bouncers (usually amateur wrestlers) it led into the bar and seating area. At age 16 all you could get was soft drinks and the seating areas were banquettes, the lighting was dark, with lots of opportunity to roll the splifs without detection! The stage and dance floor was on a lower level leading from the bar. I remember seeing lots of top bill names of the 60's but none as big at Otis and the Turners. That rings no bells with me. John Mayall, Geno (of course) and Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames - oh happy days!

Hi. Welcome to the boards. Can you confirm it's the same venue as shown in the video above? I'm going to write a feature for my blog so I want to make sure I get it right!

 

[qpr]

Hi. Welcome to the boards. Can you confirm it's the same venue as shown in the video above? I'm going to write a feature for my blog so I want to make sure I get it right!

that is most definitely the ram jam in the video as i was there that night.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Junior Walker and the All Stars were ace

A mate of mine played keyboards for them when they had a recentish tour (as in the last 20 years)

 

[Mrs Magpie]

...and my mate Les Marsh (brother of drummer Tony Marsh) did the interior of the Fridge and hung all those old fridges up.

 

[Casaubon]

I've been clearing out old stuff, and found a couple of souvenirs from the original Fridge.
First, a flyer from Dec '83. These were A4, and printed on fancy translucent paper.




14 Karat Soul were (are?) an a capella soul/r'n'b/doo wop band who played there quite often - quite corny, schmaltzy even, but it was always a good show.

And an ashtray.



Bloody hell, 30 years ago.........................

 

[DietCokeGirl]

First, a flyer from Dec '83. These were A4, and printed on fancy translucent paper....

That shows the day I was born! That makes me happy.

 

[DietCokeGirl]

Casaubon - I'm actually rather stupidly excited about that flyer, must be my attempts to find a silver lining to the almost-30 cloud...any chance I could scan/somehow get a copy from you??

 

[editor]

I'm going to do a feature on this club shortly. It deserves to be properly remembered!

 

[discokermit]

I saw Geno there once as well .'68

before jimmy's machine and the rocksteady rub?

 

[Casaubon]

Casaubon - I'm actually rather stupidly excited about that flyer, must be my attempts to find a silver lining to the almost-30 cloud...any chance I could scan/somehow get a copy from you??

Of course, no problem.
I scanned it, and had to drastically re-size it to post it here.
If you PM me your address I'll send you a copy of the 'original' scan.
My scanner's reasonable, I think (HP Photosmart C4580), but if you want to take a higher resolution copy I could let you borrow the original.