Thursdays at The Gowlett

Amanda Greatorex dusts off her 7” singles and celebrates sixty years of 45rpm pure vinyl

iconic artwork - music not bad either

This year it’s 60 years since RCA manufactured the first 45 rpm 7 inch single, so what better way to celebrate than to rummage through your old treasured vinyl collection, pick out the odd ones, the all time party favourites and the one’s just ‘cause you like the cover and organise your own retro revival with your mates at the Gowlett.

Tucked at the bottom of Gowlett Road, off East Dulwich Road (look for All fired up on the corner), is The Gowlett pub. The busiest night  is Thursdays, when it’s their ‘Lucky 7s’ night, dedicated to the 7” single. On arrival, put your name on the blackboard, wait for your turn and then it’s over to you Mr (or Mrs) DJ. This is your chance for your 15 minutes of fame in the spotlight – yes, 15 mins max, as you are restricted to playing only 3 singles each.

Regular, Alan King, usually kicks off the night. Seeing as he is the chap also responsible for Sunday night at EDT – Dr King’s Jailhouse Rock, he’d be spinning some blasts from the way distant past. I asked him what his choice of three would be: 1. toss between Wild Wild Party or Roll over Beethoven – Charlie Feathers 2. Be bop-a-lula – Gene Vincent 3. Not Fade away – Buddy Holly.

I was there for Cathy’s 40th. Her next door neighbour had come round with a stack of varied tunes. Coolness goes out the window I’m afraid when I saw “I fell in Love with a Starship Trouper” (Sarah Brightman). Even Kim Wilde is taking off her gardening gloves these days and doing the 80’s revival tour, so even though I thought it was cheesy manufactured “new wave” at the time, (light years from Siouxsie Sioux or Blondie), we’ll give Kimmy and “Kids in America” a whirl. (Goes down a storm).

top party tune

Another member of our party arrives with proper tunes. I try to bag “White Lines” and (n n n…) “Nineeteen” for my 3 single set, but he’s a bloke and they are his, so fair play to him for such good choice. A lot of my vinyl from the 80’s are apparently in my mum’s loft or going horribly damp (the covers anyhow) in the far reaches of my dad’s garage. Somewhere is the 12 inch double groove version of M’s “Popmusik” and Grandmaster Flash’s – “The Message”. I’m not disappointed however by what is available for me to play tonight when I spot what surely must be in everyone’s top 10 of party tunes – the fabulous “Groove is in the heart” by Deee Lite.

I rifled through my mate Julie’s records and found some gems. “White Horses”, the Saturday morning TV programme. (sure shows our age!) Then there are the graphically defining iconic images of Grace Jones. (artwork: Jean Paul Goode). Distinctive labels such as Two Tone, and the tacky “Top of The Tops” K-Tel compilations complete with girl in hot-pants and lolly.

Alan chips in again explaining that the night works best when there is a cross section of all ages and tastes. If there’s a lot of the same 80’s indie student types it can all get a bit too much Smiths. Throughout our evening, we heard strains of fantastic blasts from the past - Talking Heads, the Jam, yes The Smiths and the ubiquitous Blue Monday by New Order. Now’s the time to celebrate the single being 60 – before you’re celebrating being 60 and single!