COVENTRY Music Museum curator Pete Chambers BEM writes for the Observer
Dirty Stop Outs
THERE is to be a very special book signing and Sounding Off interview with Ruth Cherrington and her Dirty Stop Outs Guide to 1970’s Coventry at the Coventry Music Museum on Saturday, December 23 at 1pm.
This was an amazing publication when it was first released, but this is the updated edition packed with new interviews, amazing new photos and much more.
It’s packed with nostalgia and would make the perfect Christmas gift.
Whizzy
As I write, Coventry rapper Whizzy stands at number eight with “Last Christmas” on the iTunes top Hip Hop/Rap 100, along with the likes of Nicki Minaj, Eminem and The Sugarhill Gang.
Amazing stuff, but throughout his career Whizzy has always known how to pull out the stops and make things happen.
The song is based on the Wham classic of the same name, using the chorus for full effect (as it’s a cover you won’t be subjected to Whamageddon).
Whizzy said: ”On iTunes Store, I got to number 11 on there and mate, it feels amazing.
“I didn’t expect it a second year in a row but this year it’s doing so much better that’s why I got a remix done with John Bernard and I got another remix with a big London artist out next week Kairo Keyz.
“This year has been crazy and ended the best way.
“I’m just trying to raise as much money as I can for Ego Arts and National Autistic Society, just gotta keep pushing it on iTunes and get people to buy it”.
Let Me Tell You About Sally Brown’s
Sally Brown’s (named after the Laurel Aitken Ska classic of the same name) is a new 350-capacity music venue set to open in Birmingham next year.
It will open its doors in Stirchley, a suburb in the southwest of the city, on March 1 with a grand opening that will feature the Reggae/Rocksteady legend Dave Barker.
It uses the site of a defunct venue called The Roadhouse, which closed in September 2017.
The retro-themed venue will also have an upstairs cafe, an ‘absolute sun trap’ garden with seating as well as rehearsal and creative space for artists.
It is owned by Steven Davis, who fronts a ska band and has a particular passion for reggae and retro music. We at the 2-Tone Village hope to be good West Midlands neighbours in the world of Ska and Reggae.
Many will know Steve had previously launched the venue in Bradford after relocating there but said he felt it was in the wrong place and Birmingham would have been a better home for it.
“So many people said ‘You’ve got to open in Birmingham’ and so we are,” he said.
“We feel fantastic about it, we put our first social media posts out yesterday and there have been so many comments.
“We just want to create a big space that isn’t going to be packed to the rafters but with plenty of space for people to come and sit down.”
