The Kashmir Klub
Encyclopedia
The Kashmir Klub was a unique, non profit making, live music
club housed in the basement of a Restaurant and Bar called "Fabrizio" at the "Baker and Oven" at No 6 Nottingham Place, central London
, England
. It was open from 1997 to 2003.
The club was started in November 1997 by musician Tony Moore
to provide a different approach to discovering, developing and promoting the best signed and unsigned artist
s available, and to create a "fertile, creative and spontaneous" atmosphere. The name was inspired by the Led Zeppelin
track "Kashmir". Moore loved the track and also the band. He said "It seemed to me that Led Zeppelin covered nearly every genre of music in their time, from Rock to Acoustic. So I thought "The Kashmir Klub" would be perfect."
There was no money involved. No one paid an entrance fee, no artists were paid for their performance, or had to pay to play, and the organisers were not paid a wage for doing it.
The equipment was first class and the sound was almost Hi-Fi in quality. The equipment in the club was sponsored and given by commercial companies. These included Allen and Heath (mixing desk) - Celestion
(speakers
) - LA Audio (signal processing
) - Focusrite - Mad Manufacturing (lighting) - Yamaha
(digital
grand piano and Stage Custom drum kit) - Line 6 (Flextone combo) - Sennheiser
(microphones) MC2 (power amps
) and others.
The audience were part of the show. Everyone was made to feel welcome and involved. There was also a strict "No talking during the music" policy which, unlike most venues, was completely successful.
in 2000 as "the coolest club in town."
On Tuesday, January 25, 2000 The Kashmir Klub, in conjunction with BMI
, also began a monthly webcast
showcase of BMI writers and artists live from London.
By maintaining a reputation for quality in all things and making sure the sound was always excellent, the club often had famous artists ‘drop in’ and play unannounced. These included Sheryl Crow
, Belinda Carlisle
, Kiki Dee
, Jona Lewie
, Ron Sexsmith
, Nik Kershaw
, Barry Mason
(author of Delilah) Jerry Jeff Walker
(writer of Mr Bojangles
), Jim Lauderdale
, Skip Ewing
(one of the top Nashville
song writers), Annabel Lamb
, Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo
(writer of Falling Into You for Celine Dion
), Chris Difford
(writer and singer from Squeeze), Nick Heyward
, Greg Jones (USA), Muse
, Chip Taylor
(writer of Wild Thing
), Reg Presley
(of The Troggs
and author of love is all around
), Marcella Detroit
, Mick Fleetwood
, Patti Layne
and others.
, south London. In 2004 other members of the Kashmir team opened 4 Sticks Live at The Cobden Members Club, a private club in west London
.
Live Music
Live Music is a reggaeton company owned by DJ Giann.-Artists:* Jowell & Randy* Tony Lenta* Watussi* De La Ghetto* Guelo Star* Galante "El Emperador"-Producers:*DJ Blass*Dexter*Mr. Greenz*DJ Giann*Los Hitmen*Dirty Joe*ALX...
club housed in the basement of a Restaurant and Bar called "Fabrizio" at the "Baker and Oven" at No 6 Nottingham Place, central London
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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was open from 1997 to 2003.
The club was started in November 1997 by musician Tony Moore
Tony Moore (musician)
Tony Moore is an English singer/songwriter, musician, radio presenter and music promoter. He was also one of the early members of Iron Maiden...
to provide a different approach to discovering, developing and promoting the best signed and unsigned artist
Unsigned artist
The term "unsigned artist" or "independent artist" is used in the music industry as a marketing technique.-History and current scene:Many unsigned artists used to sell their music and music-related merchandise without the financial support of a record label, while often seeking a recording contract...
s available, and to create a "fertile, creative and spontaneous" atmosphere. The name was inspired by the Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
track "Kashmir". Moore loved the track and also the band. He said "It seemed to me that Led Zeppelin covered nearly every genre of music in their time, from Rock to Acoustic. So I thought "The Kashmir Klub" would be perfect."
Concept
The principles involved were simple but radically different from anything that had been done before.There was no money involved. No one paid an entrance fee, no artists were paid for their performance, or had to pay to play, and the organisers were not paid a wage for doing it.
The equipment was first class and the sound was almost Hi-Fi in quality. The equipment in the club was sponsored and given by commercial companies. These included Allen and Heath (mixing desk) - Celestion
Celestion
Celestion is a British maker of loudspeakers.-History:The work of what would become Celestion started in Hampton Wick in 1924. Celestion Radio Company and Celestion Limited were formed in 1927, and two years later the company moved across the Thames to Kingston. The company grew rapidly, but was...
(speakers
Loudspeaker
A loudspeaker is an electroacoustic transducer that produces sound in response to an electrical audio signal input. Non-electrical loudspeakers were developed as accessories to telephone systems, but electronic amplification by vacuum tube made loudspeakers more generally useful...
) - LA Audio (signal processing
Signal processing
Signal processing is an area of systems engineering, electrical engineering and applied mathematics that deals with operations on or analysis of signals, in either discrete or continuous time...
) - Focusrite - Mad Manufacturing (lighting) - Yamaha
Yamaha (manufacturer)
is a multinational corporation and conglomerate based in Japan with a wide range of products and services, predominantly musical instruments, electronics, motorcycles and power sports equipment.-History:...
(digital
Digital piano
A digital piano is a modern electronic musical instrument, different from the electronic keyboard, designed to serve primarily as an alternative to a traditional piano, both in the way it feels to play and in the sound produced. It is meant to provide an accurate simulation of a real piano. Some...
grand piano and Stage Custom drum kit) - Line 6 (Flextone combo) - Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG is a private German audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of both consumer and high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephony accessories, and avionics headsets for consumer, professional, and business...
(microphones) MC2 (power amps
Instrument amplifier
An instrument amplifier is an electronic amplifier that converts the often barely audible or purely electronic signal from musical instruments such as an electric guitar, an electric bass, or an electric keyboard into an electronic signal capable of driving a loudspeaker that can be heard by the...
) and others.
The audience were part of the show. Everyone was made to feel welcome and involved. There was also a strict "No talking during the music" policy which, unlike most venues, was completely successful.
Operation
Originally open on Tuesday nights, the Kashmir Klub proved an immediate hit; the club became a regular fixture Tuesday through Friday nights, as well as occasional Monday and Saturday evenings for special events. It quickly became known as London's most innovative live music venue, and was described by The Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
in 2000 as "the coolest club in town."
On Tuesday, January 25, 2000 The Kashmir Klub, in conjunction with BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
, also began a monthly webcast
Webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
showcase of BMI writers and artists live from London.
By maintaining a reputation for quality in all things and making sure the sound was always excellent, the club often had famous artists ‘drop in’ and play unannounced. These included Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle is an American singer who gained worldwide fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, one of the most successful all-female bands and the first such group whose members wrote their own songs and played their own instruments...
, Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee
Kiki Dee is an English singer with a career spanning more than 40 years....
, Jona Lewie
Jona Lewie
Jona Lewie is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Career:Jona Lewie joined his first group, The Johnston City Jazz Band, while still at school in 1963, and by 1968 had become a blues & boogie singer and piano player...
, Ron Sexsmith
Ron Sexsmith
Ronald Eldon "Ron" Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario, currently based in Toronto. He started his own band when he was fourteen years old, and released the first recordings of his own material seven years later, in 1985...
, Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw
Nik Kershaw is an English singer-songwriter. The one time jazz-funk guitarist was a mid-1980s teen idol. His 50 weeks on the UK Singles Chart in 1984 beat all other soloists...
, Barry Mason
Barry Mason
John Barry Mason is an English songwriter, originally from the village of Coppull, near Chorley in Lancashire....
(author of Delilah) Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker
Jerry Jeff Walker is an American country music singer and songwriter. He is probably most famous for writing the song "Mr. Bojangles.-Biography:...
(writer of Mr Bojangles
Bojangles
Bojangles or Mr. Bojangles may refer to:* Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, a famous African-American tap dance and movie performer* "Bojangles of Harlem", a 1936 song form the Fred Astaire movie Swing Time, a tribute to Bill Robinson and other African-american tap dancers* Bojangles, a jazz play by Ben...
), Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale
Jim Lauderdale is a musician & singer-songwriter who performs bluegrass and country music. He has recorded since 1986 and has released nineteen studio albums. Artists who have recorded his material include George Strait and Patty Loveless.-Biography:...
, Skip Ewing
Skip Ewing
Donald Ralph "Skip" Ewing is an American country music singer and songwriter. Active since 1988, Ewing has recorded nine studio albums, and has charted fifteen singles on the Billboard country charts.-Career:...
(one of the top Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
song writers), Annabel Lamb
Annabel Lamb
-Career:Annabel Lamb has released eight albums to date. She had a British Top 30 hit in 1983 with her cover version of The Doors song, Riders on the Storm, her only hit in the UK singles chart. She appeared performing the song on Top of The Pops later that year. Her debut album, Once Bitten,...
, Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo
Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo
Marie Claire D'Ubaldo is an Argentine singer / musician and a prolific songwriter; she has appeared as a guest vocalist on many albums. She had her biggest success with "Falling Into You" which was covered by Celine Dion, who also named her album after the single.-Biography:Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo...
(writer of Falling Into You for Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
), Chris Difford
Chris Difford
Chris Difford is a singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer....
(writer and singer from Squeeze), Nick Heyward
Nick Heyward
Nick Heyward is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the frontman of the early 1980s band Haircut One Hundred, and also had a briefly successful solo career after he left the band in 1983.-Haircut One Hundred:Nick Heyward formed Haircut One Hundred after the...
, Greg Jones (USA), Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, Chip Taylor
Chip Taylor
James Wesley Voight , better known by his stage name as Chip Taylor, is an American songwriter, who is noted for writing the songs "Angel of the Morning" and "Wild Thing." He is the brother of actor Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight...
(writer of Wild Thing
Wild Thing
Wild Thing or Wild Things can refer to:In entertainment:* "Wild Thing" , a 1965 song that was a hit for The Troggs* "Wild Thing" , a 1989 song by rapper Tone Lōc...
), Reg Presley
Reg Presley
Reg Presley is an English singer-songwriter. He is best known as the lead singer with prominent 1960s rock and roll band The Troggs, whose best known hit was "Wild Thing", though their only UK number one single was "With A Girl Like You"...
(of The Troggs
The Troggs
The Troggs are an English rock band from the 1960s that had a number of hits in UK and the US. Their most famous songs include, "Wild Thing", "With a Girl Like You", and "Love Is All Around"...
and author of love is all around
Love Is All Around
"Love Is All Around" is a song composed by Reg Presley and performed by The Troggs. Purportedly inspired by a television transmission of the Joy Strings Salvation Army band, the song was first released as a single in the UK in October 1967, peaking at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart in late November...
), Marcella Detroit
Marcella Detroit
Marcella Detroit is a vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. She was a member of the band Shakespears Sister, along with Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama. Detroit's soprano voice provided lead vocals on their biggest hit, "Stay," which was No...
, Mick Fleetwood
Mick Fleetwood
Michael John Kells "Mick" Fleetwood is a British musician and actor best known for his role as the drummer and namesake of the blues/rock and roll band Fleetwood Mac. His surname, combined with that of John McVie, was the inspiration for the name of the originally Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac...
, Patti Layne
Patti Layne
Patti Layne is a Canadian singer/songwriter/recording artist. Patti Layne had a recording career in France from 1982–1991 and started recording again in 2009. Her first release in 1982, 'Une espèce de Canadienne' written by Didier Barbelivien for her, was a moderate success...
and others.
Closure
The club finally closed on Saturday 17 May 2003, when the building was repossessed for redevelopment. Tony Moore continues to run a similar live music venue at "The Bedford", a pub in BalhamBalham, London
Balham is a neighbourhood of south London, England, and is part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and the London Borough of Lambeth.-History:...
, south London. In 2004 other members of the Kashmir team opened 4 Sticks Live at The Cobden Members Club, a private club in west London
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...
.