Eel Pie Island on iplayer

[AndyP]

Lovely endearing programme on BBC iplayer ‘Rock n Roll Island’ about the Eel Pie Island Jazz R&B Club. Veers off course on a few occasions but great story of a pioneering venue.

@arthurheckstallsmith DH-S gets a nice mention.

[CliveB]

Thanks for the heads up - I watched it last night - a fun programme full of ageing rockers!

[Tonym]

Thanks from me too Andy, I shall enjoy watching this tonight. A regular haunt for me in my yoof.

[Mike-B]

I watched it when it went out on the friday night.
Yes those were the days, amazing place for people & what would be come history & rock/blues folklore, not that we realised it at the time.
Truth be told tho’, it was a dirty run down smelly old wreck of a place - not that we were bothered.
I also used to go to the nearby ‘Crawdaddy Club’ at the Station Hotel in Richmond, keeping a eye on who’s on at Ell Pie.

[arthurheckstallsmith]

Thanks, Andy. Wish I could watch it myself but I live in Spain and the VPNs that used to work apparently do not any more, as far as I know… Correct me if you’ve heard otherwise, please. I had heard of it but was never (knowingly, at least) at Eel Pie myself. Cheers all, Arthur

[Tonym]

I watched it last night. A real nostalgia trip, but it brought back many happy memories, not just of Eel Pie, but the music scene in general round Twickenham and Richmond in the early to mid-sixties. It all seems so long ago now.

I also used to go along to the Crawdaddy, saw the Stones there a few times when they were the house band.

I

[Gazza]

Great program, thanks for the heads up. Those were great days, we were very lucky, there were so many great bands.

[AndyP]

It solved the mystery as to why Clapton was jamming with Hawkwind recently. I thought it might be the connection with Ginger in the drum seat for Hawkwind on the Levitation album but seems the link had its roots back to the days of Eel Pie.

[Gazza]

Andy, it did seem odd when he sat in with them…now revealed.

[TOBYJUG]

My parents came from the Richmond area, and I remember them telling me about the Eel pie island.
They went in the really early days. I’m sure I caught a glimpse of them in the footage dressed up in his teddy boy garb and her in bangs and pointy sunglasses.