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Neal became an instant success. As well as a one-night-a-week slot
he took over the coveted Sunday night residency which became the
most popular night of the week, with 500 plus attendees and
lock-outs becoming common place.
>>"All across the land
every rockin' band was blowin' up a storm..."
With its word-of-mouth reputation spreading, "London's Only Heavy
Rock Disco" began taking place five times a week, and "The Wagon"
was soon pulling a denim-clad crowd from all over London, drawn to
the sounds of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Rush and Thin Lizzy. Neal
Kay's Heavy Metal Soundhouse became the only alternative to the punk
and new wave venues popular at the time, and The Wagon began to
stage gigs by newer, allegedly younger hard rock bands -Samson,
Angelwitch, Praying Mantis, Nutz and, er, Saxon (though experts on
ancient civilisations report that Saxon's singer Biff Byford was
prehistoric even then).
Iron Maiden, a band who were gaining a name for themselves playing
to pubs in the East End, sent Neal a four-track demo to play, at a
venue which was fast becoming the place for up-and-coming bands
recorded output to be heard since largely being ignored by radio.
While Neal resembled a 60's remnant, he had his finger on the pulse
of heavy metal. Fiercely championed by Neal and the regulars, Iron
Maiden even titled their debut EP, The Soundhouse Tapes. This now
legendary rare EP's cover features pictures taken while on stage at
The Bandwagon preserving another Soundhouse legacy.
>>"And the
guitar man got famous..."
"I suppose the most important thing was the demo tape was being
played at the Soundhouse by Neal Kay, because that was the thing
that started people getting interested in the band. We did a
four-track demo and then we gave it to Neal Kay and he started
playing it at his Soundhouse and people started voting for it as
their favourite tracks or whatever, and we started getting into
these Sounds charts which were compiled by requests there, and stuff
like that. So that's really what got the ball rolling , we all had a
bit of a buzz about us, so that really was the first break... It was
with Neal Kay" - Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) |
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History
The Soundhouse Story - Part 1>>
>>Let There Be Rock
As AC/DC once - almost - sang, In the beginning, back in 1975... a
walrus-moustached, long-haired DJ brought his collection of rock
records to the backroom of the Prince Of Wales pub in Kingsbury, and
the Soundhouse was born.
Known as The Bandwagon, a disco-cum-night club attached to a less
than exotic drinking establishment on the outskirts of North West
London, the club opened in the early '70s. But it wasn't until the
mid-70s when, already dipping into the rock scene with a resident
Sunday Night band Bethnal, who mixed their own material alongside
Led Zeppelin and Who covers, resident DJs started throwing in the
odd Deep Purple number as well as Rose Royce and The Fatback Band
tunes during the regular disco nights. In 1975 realising - cue deep
voice - "The Power Of Rock", DJs John, Paul and Steve decided to
stage an experimental evening of music. And as a banner adorning the
back bar of the Bandwagon announced "London's only Heavy Rock Disco"
was born.
Although the Bandwagon's interior was designed to resemble that of a
wild west town, complete with barrels as makeshift tables, a mock-up
saloon bar and even a cantina, it wasn't until Neal Kay rode into
town that the real story started.
>>"Man Didn't
Know about a rock 'n' Roll show.."
Although the club had been staging rock nights before Neal's
arrival, with the best of intentions it lacked any presentation or
real foresight. One evening in 1975 DJ Steve Bubb put out a plea to
anyone wanting to spin a few discs to apply... to the stage. In The
Bandwagon that night was a West End DJ known as Neal Kay who offered
his services. With his larger than life personality, passionate
knowledge of the current rock scene (gained from working on the
Berlin nightclub scene) and huge moustache, what better choice! |
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