The
UFO Club was a famous but shortlived
UK undergroundThe UK underground was a countercultural movement in the United Kingdom linked to the underground culture in the United States and associated with the hippie phenomenon. Its primary focus was around Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill in London...
club in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
during the 1960s, venue of performances by many of the top bands of the day.
The UFO Club (pronounced yoof-oh) was founded by
John HopkinsJohn "Hoppy" Hopkins is a British photographer, journalist, researcher and political activist, who was a highly influential figure in the UK underground movement in London in the late 1960s.-Life:...
(usually known as "Hoppy") and
Joe BoydJoe Boyd is an American record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company. Boyd was instrumental in launching the careers of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
in an Irish dancehall called the "Blarney Club" in the basement of 31
Tottenham Court RoadTottenham Court Road is a street in Central London, England, running from St Giles' Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
, under
Berkeley Cinema and opposite the
Dominion TheatreThe Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles' Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
. It opened on December 23 1966.
The
UFO Club was a famous but shortlived
UK undergroundThe UK underground was a countercultural movement in the United Kingdom linked to the underground culture in the United States and associated with the hippie phenomenon. Its primary focus was around Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill in London...
club in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
during the 1960s, venue of performances by many of the top bands of the day.
History
The UFO Club (pronounced yoof-oh) was founded by
John HopkinsJohn "Hoppy" Hopkins is a British photographer, journalist, researcher and political activist, who was a highly influential figure in the UK underground movement in London in the late 1960s.-Life:...
(usually known as "Hoppy") and
Joe BoydJoe Boyd is an American record producer and former owner of the Witchseason production company. Boyd was instrumental in launching the careers of Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, and The Incredible String Band.-Career:...
in an Irish dancehall called the "Blarney Club" in the basement of 31
Tottenham Court RoadTottenham Court Road is a street in Central London, England, running from St Giles' Circus north to Euston Road, near the border of the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden, a distance of about three-quarters of a mile...
, under
Berkeley Cinema and opposite the
Dominion TheatreThe Dominion Theatre is a West End theatre on Tottenham Court Road close to St Giles' Circus and Centre Point Tower, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:...
. It opened on December 23 1966. Initially the club was advertised as "UFO Presents Night Tripper". This had been because Boyd and Hopkins could not decide on "UFO" or "Night Tripper" as a name for their club. Eventually they settled on "UFO".
The original arrangement with the Blarney Club was for the last two Fridays of December. Boyd and Hopkins had started the club because they were in need of cash, and they were unsure as to how large a crowd they would attract. But, as Boyd later wrote, "freaks came out of the woodwork from all over the city and we made a profit." .
Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
were booked for the first two Fridays, and then re-engaged as the club carried on into 1967 after its initial success. Initial events combined live music with light shows, avant garde films and slide shows, dance troupes and even "spot the
fuzzA police service is a public force empowered to enforce the law and provide security through the legitimized use of force.The term is most commonly associated with police services of a state that are authorized to exercise the police power of that state within a defined legal or territorial area of...
" competitions as attention from plain clothes police units increased.
Pink FloydPink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
's tenure at UFO was short run. As their fame grew they were able to play bigger venues for higher fees. Boyd protested that their increasing fame was largely due to the success of UFO, but the band's management wanted to move on and an agreement was made for just three more Floyd performances at UFO, at an increased fee.
Hopkins and Boyd had to cast around for a new "house band" for UFO. They settled on
Soft MachineSoft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the so-called "Canterbury scene," and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre....
but also started booking other acts who were attracted by the club's reputation. Amongst them were The Incredible String Band,
Arthur BrownArthur Brown is an English rock and roll singer best known for his flamboyant, theatrical style and significant influence on Alice Cooper, Kiss and Bruce Dickinson, and for his number one hit in the UK Singles Chart and Canada, "Fire" in 1968.-History:Brown attended the University of London and...
,
TomorrowTomorrow were a 1960s psychedelic rock band. Despite critical acclaim and support from DJ John Peel who featured them on his "Perfumed Garden" radio show, the band was not a great success in commercial terms. They were among the first psychedelic bands in England along with Pink Floyd and Soft...
, and
Procol HarumProcol Harum are a British rock band, formed in the 1960s, who contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock...
, who played there when "
A Whiter Shade of Pale"A Whiter Shade of Pale" is the debut song by the British band Procol Harum, released 12 May 1967. The single reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on 8 June 1967, and stayed there for six weeks.-Song profile:...
" was No 1 in the charts.
An advertisement featuring the
Flammarion woodcutThe Flammarion woodcut is an anonymous wood engraving , so named because its first documented appearance is in Camille Flammarion's 1888 book L'atmosphère: météorologie populaire ....
in the Feb 13–26 issue of
The International TimesInternational Times was an underground paper founded in London in 1966. Editors included John Hopkins, David Mairowitz, Pete Stansill, Barry Miles, Jim Haynes and playwright Tom McGrath...
for "
UfOria! Festival of Love 10.30 till dawn" [sic] announced "feb.10 —
the bonzo dog doodah bandThe Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band are a band created by a group of British art-school denizens of the 1960s...
• flix–
daliSalvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, 1st Marquis of Púbol was a Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres....
–
bunuelLuis Buñuel Portolés was a Spanish-born filmmaker who acquired Mexican citizenship and worked in Mexico, France, and also in his native Spain and the United States...
• ginger johnson african drums" as well as "feb 17 —
soft machineSoft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the so-called "Canterbury scene," and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre....
•
mark boyleMark Boyle was an artist born in Glasgow and known for his work in the cultural UK Underground of the 1960s around the Traverse Theatre, and exhibiting since 1985 with Joan Hills and their children Sebastian and Georgia as the Boyle Family.The World Series works meticulously re-created randomly...
projections • movies • food • erogenius 3 + 4".
Hapshash and the Coloured CoatHapshash and the Coloured Coat were a British graphics team in the 1960s, consisting of Michael English and Nigel Waymouth. They produced psychedelic posters, and also made music.-Work:...
, consisting of Michael English and Nigel Waymouth, designed psychedelic posters to advertise events.
The UFO Club’s success was its downfall — being too small to accommodate the increasing number of visitors. The crunch came in June 1967, when Hopkins was imprisoned for drug offences. Police pressure on the club increased in the following weeks, and the
landlordLandlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
s revoked the lease. The club moved into
The RoundhouseThe Roundhouse is a former engine shed now used as an arts and concert venue in Chalk Farm, London. Built in 1846, it ceased to be used as an engine shed by 1867, and underwent various uses before being abandoned just before the Second World War...
for a few months but, despite the building being almost derelict, the rent was exorbitant. If a big name such as
Jeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He was one of the three noted guitarists — the others being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page — to have played with The Yardbirds...
was playing, UFO broke even, but the club usually lost money. In October 1967 the UFO Club at the Roundhouse folded.
UFO Club billings
- Dec 23/30: Freakout under Berkeley Cinema; Warhol movies; Pink Floyd sounds; Anger movies; Heating warm; IT god
- Jan 13: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
; Marilyn Monroe movie; The Sun Trolley; Technicolor strobe; Fiveacre slides; Karate
- Jan 20: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
; Anger movie
- Jan 27: AMM
AMM are an important British free improvisation group, founded in London, England in 1965.AMM have never been well-known to the general public, but have been, in their own way, influential...
Music; Pink Floyd; Five Acre Light; Flight of the Aerogenius Chpt 1; International Times; IT Girl Beauty Contest
- Feb 3: Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the so-called "Canterbury scene," and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre....
; Brown's Poetry; Flight of the Aerogenius Chpt 2; Bruce Connor Movies
- Feb 10: Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band; Ginger Johnson; Bank Dick WC Fields
- Feb 17: Soft Machine; Indian Music; Disney Cartoons; Mark Boyle Feature Movie
- Feb 24: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
; Brothers Grimm
- Mar 3: Soft Machine
- Mar 10: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
- Mar 17: St Patrick's day off
- Mar 24: Soft Machine
Soft Machine were an English rock band from Canterbury, named after the book The Soft Machine by William S. Burroughs. They were one of the central bands in the so-called "Canterbury scene," and helped pioneer the progressive rock genre....
- Mar 31: Crazy World of Arthur Brown; Pink Alberts; 'spot the fuzz contest'
- Apr 7: Soft Machine
- Apr 14: Arthur Brown; Social Deviants; Special: the fuzz
- Apr 21: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
- Apr 28: Tomorrow; The Purple Gang
- (Apr 29/30: 14-Hour Technicolor Dream at the Alexandra Palace)
- May 5: Soft Machine; Arthur Brown
- May 12: Graham Bond Organisation; Procol Harum
- May 19: Tomorrow; Arthur Brown; The People Show
- May 26: The Move
The Move were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s from Birmingham, England, and were among the most popular British bands to not find any success in the US....
- Jun 2: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
- Jun 9: Procol Harum
Procol Harum are a British rock band, formed in the 1960s, who contributed to the development of progressive rock, and by extension, symphonic rock...
; The Smoke
- Jun 16: Crazy World of Arthur Brown; Soft Machine; The People Blues Band 4.30am
- Jun 23: Liverpool Love Festival
- Jun 30: Tomorrow; The Knack
- Jul 7: Denny Laine; Pretty Things
- Jul 14: Arthur Brown; Alexis Korner; Victor Brox
- Jul 21: Tomorrow; Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band
- Jul 28: Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band who, in the late 1960s, earned recognition for their psychedelic and space rock music, and in the 1970s, as they evolved, for their progressive rock music. Pink Floyd's work is marked by philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album cover art,...
; CIA v UFO; Fairport Convention
- Aug 4: Eric Burdon; Family
- Aug 11: Tomorrow
- Aug 18: Arthur Brown; Incredible String Band
The Incredible String Band were a psychedelic folk band formed in Scotland in 1965. The band built a considerable following, especially within British counter-culture before splitting up in 1974...
- Sep 1/2: UFO Festival: Pink Floyd; Soft Machine; The Move; Arthur Brown; Tomorrow; Denny Laine
- Sep 8: Eric Burdon & The New Animals; Aynsley Dunbar
- Sep 15: Soft Machine; Family
- Sep 22: Dantalion's Chariot w Zoot Money & His Light Show; The Social Deviants; The Exploding Galaxy
- Sep 29: Jeff Beck; Ten Years After; Mark Boyle's New Sensual Laboratory; Contessa Veronica
External links
Further reading
- Boyd, Joe, White Bicycles - Making Music in the 1960s, Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail is a British independent publishing firm founded in 1986 by Pete Ayrton. It is notable for its translated works, particularly European crime fiction, and is the British publisher of Elfriede Jelinek and Lionel Shriver...
. 2007. ISBN 978-1-85242-489-3
- Miles, Barry: In the Sixties. (London 2002)
- Green, Jonathon: Days in the Life: Voices from the English Underground, 1961-71 (London 1998)