Miniscule of Sound
Encyclopedia
The Miniscule of Sound opened in Hackney, London
as the world's smallest nightclub
in August 1998, in the changing booth of a disused outdoor swimming pool (Hackney Lido, in London Fields), as a parody of Ministry of Sound
. The music policy allows anything that "ain't too warped or scratched" to be played, and although entrance is free, the doormen may eject anyone at any time.
It entered Guinness World Records
in 2000. It was filmed for the Guinness World Records website inclusion at Chats Palace Arts Centre in sunny Homerton near its original birthplace.
Currently in its third version, the nightclub has a maximum capacity of 14 people (including DJ) in an area of 4 feet (1.2 metre) by 8 feet (2.4 m), with a dance floor of 2 square metres. It has travelled the world, being a regular presence at summer music and arts festivals, and in its time has refused many a supposed superstar DJ - most notably asking Fatboy Slim
for a demo tape before considering offering him a slot. Ninja Tune
DJs have also been asked to prove their credentials before being allowed to take the decks, notably at their tenth birthday celebrations in London, at which "The 'scule" was performed.
In Australia the rebuilt club was "accidentally" thrown away after its appearance at a festival in Melbourne
. In Beijing
the nightclub was built from scratch, allegedly in a converted horse trailer, with a capacity of 8 people. The record capacity is 26, though not all of them could touch the floor at the same time.
As a theatre sideshow/comedy act the audience first have to negotiate their way past the bouncers, who, like their real life counterparts, control proceedings and issue arbitrary decisions on who might or might not be allowed entry or offered preferential treatment. Bags and coats can be left in the cloakroom though failure to show a correct ticket on exit may mean a significant delay in return of property. A complimentary bar is sometimes run depending on the licensing regulations of the host event.
Representatives of the Ministry of Sound approached the Miniscule of Sound in 2001 and applied pressure to force the club to destroy its blatantly plagiarist logo and rename itself, to avoid being mistaken for the superclub. However, a press campaign orchestrated by Guff PR and supported by DJ Magazine, combined with a more tolerant attitude by the actual owners of the Ministry of Sound, resulted in the abandonment of their heavy-handed cease-and-desist order. The parties agreed that the Miniscule of Sound could continue to ply its trade as long as disclaimers on future publicity material clearly identified the tiny nightclub as not being associated with the superclub. Henceforth all publicity has included the text, "We're not big, we're not clever, and we're not the Ministry of Sound".
Now in its eleventh year of operation, the Miniscule continues to globe trot and play various festivals around the world, when it's not being stored in the back of a van parked in a service station on the M25.
The owners have a long standing dream to play in Japan, Siberia, and Timbuktu, and although weddings, birthdays and bat mitzvahs have all so far been catered for, they are still awaiting a good funeral.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as the world's smallest nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
in August 1998, in the changing booth of a disused outdoor swimming pool (Hackney Lido, in London Fields), as a parody of Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound
Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and...
. The music policy allows anything that "ain't too warped or scratched" to be played, and although entrance is free, the doormen may eject anyone at any time.
It entered Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
in 2000. It was filmed for the Guinness World Records website inclusion at Chats Palace Arts Centre in sunny Homerton near its original birthplace.
Currently in its third version, the nightclub has a maximum capacity of 14 people (including DJ) in an area of 4 feet (1.2 metre) by 8 feet (2.4 m), with a dance floor of 2 square metres. It has travelled the world, being a regular presence at summer music and arts festivals, and in its time has refused many a supposed superstar DJ - most notably asking Fatboy Slim
Fatboy Slim
Norman Quentin Cook better known by his former stage name Fatboy Slim, is a British DJ, electronic dance music musician, and record producer. He is a pioneer of the big beat genre that achieved mainstream popularity in the 1990s...
for a demo tape before considering offering him a slot. Ninja Tune
Ninja Tune
Ninja Tune is a London-based independent record label started by DJs Matt Black and Jonathan More, better known as Coldcut and managed by Peter Quicke. The label has a strong leaning towards mostly Electronic Music...
DJs have also been asked to prove their credentials before being allowed to take the decks, notably at their tenth birthday celebrations in London, at which "The 'scule" was performed.
In Australia the rebuilt club was "accidentally" thrown away after its appearance at a festival in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. In Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
the nightclub was built from scratch, allegedly in a converted horse trailer, with a capacity of 8 people. The record capacity is 26, though not all of them could touch the floor at the same time.
As a theatre sideshow/comedy act the audience first have to negotiate their way past the bouncers, who, like their real life counterparts, control proceedings and issue arbitrary decisions on who might or might not be allowed entry or offered preferential treatment. Bags and coats can be left in the cloakroom though failure to show a correct ticket on exit may mean a significant delay in return of property. A complimentary bar is sometimes run depending on the licensing regulations of the host event.
Representatives of the Ministry of Sound approached the Miniscule of Sound in 2001 and applied pressure to force the club to destroy its blatantly plagiarist logo and rename itself, to avoid being mistaken for the superclub. However, a press campaign orchestrated by Guff PR and supported by DJ Magazine, combined with a more tolerant attitude by the actual owners of the Ministry of Sound, resulted in the abandonment of their heavy-handed cease-and-desist order. The parties agreed that the Miniscule of Sound could continue to ply its trade as long as disclaimers on future publicity material clearly identified the tiny nightclub as not being associated with the superclub. Henceforth all publicity has included the text, "We're not big, we're not clever, and we're not the Ministry of Sound".
Now in its eleventh year of operation, the Miniscule continues to globe trot and play various festivals around the world, when it's not being stored in the back of a van parked in a service station on the M25.
The owners have a long standing dream to play in Japan, Siberia, and Timbuktu, and although weddings, birthdays and bat mitzvahs have all so far been catered for, they are still awaiting a good funeral.