@DruidsPlace did you once make up a spotify list of music from Forest Hill?
Particularly noteworthy was Forest Hill by the Keston Cobblers Club.
I certainly did. Here’s the link - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6oepM0RSlvF19y2uq97qeg?si=b7b37d3ab4b24bea
At least one of the Cobblers lived (or still lives) in the area. As do quiz regulars Thee Alcoholics who did SE23.
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The Foresters Arms (formerly the All Inn One) hosts an informal accoustic bluegrass evening on the first Monday of every month.
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Here’s the list of artists in the playlist with Forest Hill connections:
A-ha
ANM
The Action
The Alan Bown Set
Big Audio Dynamite
Jim Connell (performed by Billy Bragg in the playlist)
The Bonzo Dog Band
Carter, Lewis & The Southerners
Chewbeats
The Clash
Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
Crazy Cousinz; Calista
The Creation
Desmond Dekker
Dire Straits
Disco Zombies
Dizzee Rascal
Ezra Collective
Fil Eisler
Flux of Pink Indians
The Forest Hillbillies
Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse
The Graham Bond Organisation
Halls
The Hollies
Jackie Trent
Japan
Jax Jones
John Lee Hooker
Keston Cobblers Club
King Krule
The Kinks
The Men They Couldn’t Hang
Millie Small
The Moody Blues
Nou Enle
The Only Ones
Pretenders
Public Service Broadcasting
The Rolling Stones
SAHRA
Saint Jude
Siouxsie and the Banshees
Spike Milligan
Split Enz
Status Quo
Thee Alcoholics
The Vibrators
The Who
The Yardbirds
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Interesting - is there a list of whatever their connection is, anywhere?
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Also Test Department born out of Clyde terrace.
What were the Billy Bragg/Flux/Clash connections ? some of my fave artists.
Didn’t know that - thought they were from New Cross? More than happy to put them on the list though - everyone should have more Test Dept in their life
Flux bassist Derek Birkett lived in Westbourne Drive in the 1980s and set up the One Little Indian label (in next door SE26) - now One Little Independent, home of The Sugarcubes and Björk. Joe Strummer moved into Chrissie Hynde’s room in Don Letts’ (B.A.D.) house in Westwood Park when she moved out.
The Red Flag was written by Jim Connell of Stondon Park - used Billy Bragg’s version on the playlist as it has the original tune.
I lived in Noel terrace with Paul and Graham from test dept, the birth of td was initially formed in forest hill, they moved to nettleton road later on,also Mouse the bassist for psychic TV also lived in Noel terrace.
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I have updated the list to reference this fact and disassociate Billy Bragg from Forest Hill.
That’s a great couple of additions - thank you!
Do you have a link to the Spotify playlist? I couldn’t find it when I searched
You should find it here Spotify
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Thanks for this - the article here (which I’d somehow missed) says there are further details of the connections on the page - but unless I’m being dumb (highly likely), I couldn’t see any further details. I’d love to know what all the connections are, no matter how esoteric!
Ah, thanks. I WAS being (partially) stupid - it rendered on my phone as if it’s just a list of musicians, but I see now I’m also able to scroll to the right.
A few other connections that have emerged since I posted about this on Fab Forest Hill and shared with some friends:
One of the brothers from Morcheeba lives in Honor Oak.
Gabrielle reportedly lives/lived in Honor Oak.
Jay Z and Beyoncé supposedly recorded something here which I’ve not confirmed but they were definitely seen in From The Forest in the early 2010s
Tom Misch (guitarist and producer) and Yussef Dayes (drummer) are reportedly from FH. The latter grew up on Walter’s Way
Electronic musician Luke Vibert lived above the Chinese on HOP(!)
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I had a conversation some years ago with Danny Wilson (Danny & The Champions of the World, owner of the Union Music Store in Lewes) about the time he lived in HOP. I had completely forgotten this