Sound of the Suburbs – Fleet Country Club 1981 – 4

Mike King, Nicky Murton, Adam Huthert and Tony Duckworth.

Adam Huthert:  It started out as ‘Bowie’ night, I remember the flyers being passed out at The Thatch one weekend before the first night. Must’ve been early ‘82. It was Wednesday night and became known as “Alternative” night. A great mix of indie, Factory, psychobilly, electronic, and no wave all squarely aimed at the dance floor. 1 of the girls that started it was manager of Our Price in market square Basingstoke. Same time I was attending QMC. I think her name was Janice. I did a short stint spinning some nights and the Basingstoke Goths sat on the dance floor in protest of me playing Cabaret Voltaire and SPK, good times. Hofmeister was the lager of choice, sometimes spiked with black current. I still have a Heineken beer towel that I liberated from there back in those days.

Early ’82 – Adam Watson, Mike King and Adam Huthert.

Tony Duckworth: I don’t think it was Janice. It began with a J though. I remember driving from Basingstoke to Fleet and back with a car full. People usually asked me to drive as I was the only non-drinker. Jane?

Adam Huthert: You had a car Tony??!? I remember walking from Cove down an incredibly dark Fleet Road some weeks.

Tony Duckworth: Well it was my Mum’s car. One night I crashed in to the wall of Fleet Country Club. Told her it had been driven in to while parked in the car park

Adam Huthert: Do you remember Claire and Sandra (?). A couple of Amazingstoke goths. I saw Claire circa 86 bar tending at Gossips on Dean Street. I remember drinks at The Great Western with them. Del Thompson probably remembers them. We certainly did enjoy “doing” our hair.

Nick Murton: Ads has pretty much summed it up, we used to bunk the train there n walk home. May well have worn a sailors hat !! Loved that weekly doo, great music, great people … happy days

‘Early ’82 – Nick, Paul, Lewis and Adam.

Dave Driscoll

1979-80 Alternative Night was Monday nights Lots of punky stuff Goth…. Biggest dance floor hits were “No GDM” by GINA X PERFORMANCE & “The Bunker” THE BOLLOCK BROTHERS (same tune) & “The Passenger” by THE IGG… By the start of 1981 I think moved to Wednesdays getting more funky ACR 23 SKIDOO HIGSONS MINISTRY MOUTH RIP RIG & PANIC…..

Adam Huthert : Don’t remember the Monday nights Dave, but spot on about Gina X, The Bollock Brothers and Iggy’s “The Passenger“.

Also remember Simple Minds “Celebrate” and “I Travel” in the mix.

Emma Elliot: I remember Simple Minds too.

Tricia and George summer 1983

Marie-Lou and Aidan.

And that tune that went “alive and kicking at the country club”! I’m got the 7” somewhere.

Adrian Creek: It was simply called alternative night and we all used to go their religiously on a Wednesday. You never got to hear that kind of music at clubs before. I remember Iggy and Bowie’s Queen Bitch and discovered my love for Bauhaus as well as my first long term girlfriend 💕. The girl who was the DJ I paid to play the tunes at my 21st birthday in March 1984. From memory it lasted a couple of years before being dropped.

Polo Mawdesley: Dave Harffey was a key player always full of life & laughter if not playing always on the dancefloor x from here we grew in Curiosity and confidence going to bracknell to see the higgsons ect then venturing up to Camden electric ballroom then the wag YMCA warehouse parties shoom future spectrem trip x phew what a trip but really all started at fleet country club so many like minded cool dudes & dudettes & we’ve all remained friends & still love music with all our hearts x crazy in a small area like ours so much creative energy all in one spot x blessed indeed.

Above: This is me on stage with The Service at Fleet Country Club when I was 17. My own memories later, are of hearing Lloyd Cole ‘Perfect Skin’, New Order ‘Blue Monday’, Orange Juice ‘Blue Boy’ and of generally feeling really chuffed to be there. This would be 1984.

Adam Huthurt: Hey Jo, here’s one of me from ‘84. Typical indie wardrobe from the era. Tan wind sheeter, Levi’s denim shirt under Erin Knit sweater, bleached Levi’s, Hush Puppies and fisherman socks.

These photos were sent to me by Polo –

On a Sunday at the lake behind Fleet Country Club :

Nick Murton

Polo: fleet country days x day out round the the Isle of Wight funk Cruise sean moorey sporting a Japan wedge x

Round each others’ places getting ready or afterwards –

Above – Polo with his tin of lager.

Adam Watson: That’s how I remember you hombre.

Nick Murton: That’s my fooking cap!

Tom Tomlinson: It’s like I haven’t aged a bit!

Polo: Tom and dee tomlinson ready for a rocker rebel night out x our house we shared with Nick Murton x now that was a house 😂❤️ x

Polo: Me ,& Del Kyme loving that marine hat kymey always ahead of the game x proper dude x massive influence

Del, Polo and Kev.

Above – Nick at the back and Del middle front.

Above: Kev’s brother Sean in the middle.

Polo: Jo flattop 1st girl to have Ken hickey flat top see was ace x

Polo, Del and Kev.

Kevin and Dee

Polo, Kev and Del.

Kevin Moorey who was later the drummer in my band Bluetrain

Polo: saturday morning looking cool as ever just getting into learning some funky beats x inspirational x check out kevs geoto blaster always a head of the game x love you kev 💕

Polo: Dee looking stunning check that hair x Tom Tomlinson x you scored big bro x she’s sill as gorgeous to this day x love you dee xxx

Quite possibly the best photo in the world! Dee carries on ironing while Del reveals (nearly) all.