100 Club are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year with a series of events, digital activations – and now, a retrospective photo book in collaboration with Fred Perry and independent London publisher Ditto.
The book will celebrate the legacy of the world-famous venue through stories and archive images from musicians, customers and bar staff. During the club’s 75 years, artists such as Paul McCartney, BB King and Muddy Waters have headed up the space.
The music venue was born in 1942, when founder Robert Feldman launched it as the Feldman Swing Club. Located on Oxford Street, American GIs used to jitterbug at the club during the Second World War, and it later became a space for jazz music in the 50s and 60s.
However, it was in the 70s that the club became an iconic space, and it played a key role in cementing punk as a subculture by hosting the first international punk festival with bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Damned and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Founder of Ditto Press Ben Freeman says, “I believe that live music is vital to British subculture and I’m delighted to be supporting in any way I can. Expect a lot of rare images and stories from everyone from Current 93, Crass and Siouxsie Sioux to Howling Wolf and Muddy Waters.”
“Music brings people together from all walks of life, and I feel very lucky and incredibly proud to say that The 100 Club has played a special part in the development of the British music scene for the last 75 years,” says club owner Jeff Horton. “It might be my name above the door, but this club is owned by everyone who has ever come through the doors, from the acts on stage, the crew and staff to the kids bouncing up and down on the dancefloor. I’m simply the guardian for the next generation.”
100 Club is currently taking submissions for the book. View a selection of images below, which include a fax from Chris Yorke booking Oasis for £250.
-
John Lydon performing with The Sex Pistols at the 100 Club Punk Special (1976) by Barry Plummer
-
Elli Medeiros performing with The Stinky Toys at the 100 Club Punk Special (1976) by Barry Plummer
-
Letter to Roger Horton from Ronnie Scott (1992)
-
Fax from Chris York booking Oasis for the 100 Club (1994)
‘The PA is slightly rustic but it works!! In short of you want full production play somewhere else. If you want atmosphere play the 100 Club.’ -
Fax from Chris York booking Oasis for the 100 Club (1994) ‘The PA is slightly rustic but it works!! In short of you want full production play somewhere else. If you want atmosphere play the 100 Club.’
-
Fax from Chris York booking Oasis for the 100 Club (1994) ‘The PA is slightly rustic but it works!! In short of you want full production play somewhere else. If you want atmosphere play the 100 Club.’
-
Champion Jack Dupree at the 100 Club (Date Unknown)
-
Dancers at the 6Ts Rhythm and Soul All-Nighter, 100 Club (date unknown) by Elaine Constantine
-
Left: Humphrey Lyttelton, Wally Fawkes, Ian Christie, Keith Christie and George Webb at 100 Oxford Street (1949)
Right: Stan Wilcox, Humphrey Lyttelton, Wally Fawkes and Ian Christie at 100 Oxford Street (1949) -
Top right, top left and bottom right: Dancers at 100 Oxford Street (1949)
Bottom left: Chris Barber performing at 100 Oxford Street (1949) -
Stan Wilcox, Humphrey Lyttelton, Wally Fawkes and Ian Christie at 100 Oxford Street (1949)
