Category Archives: Features

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Features, Music, The Arts

Dirt Royal tell Mick Robinson about their Great Expectations

I’ve been a big fan of this Brighton band since they started a few years ago, and we’ve done some superb gigs together at The Prince Albert, Hotel Pelirocco, two landmark gigs at the Concorde and the 100 Club in London supporting punk legends Sham 69. They also played the new band stage at Rebellion and have toured Germany.

You have just released your second album, Great Expectations. How long did it take to record, where did you record it and what’s your connection with Germany?

Char – We recorded the album in Horsham at Ignite studios it was very cold, we did nine songs there then we did three songs at Russell Church’s Sea Side Studios. The tracks were mastered at Gatehouse studios. We didn’t have time to record a song called Outsiders which is shame because it’s a rip off another song I really love.

Leon – We had plenty of time Char, me and Loz just decided it was out. Did you not get the memo?

Char – We work with Time for Action records that are based in Germany – it’s just a shame we can’t tour and get out to Germany, they treat us really well out there.

What is the main inspiration behind your songwriting?

Char – On this album lyrically I was inspired by a lot of the uncertainty and repetitiveness you start to notice in the people around you once you get  past 25. I feel compared to the first album it’s a lot more pessimistic. But I’ve been told we sound a lot more vulnerable at parts.

Leon – I think with this album I wanted it to sound bigger than the rest, but when it came to the writing I wanted it to be as honest and raw as possible. The first album we wrote songs based around characters mostly with some self-reflection, but this time I wanted it to feel personal and more relatable.

When & how did the band form?

Char – I met Loz in a bar called PR6 he was playing Blink with his mate Harry. Then I met Leon at the Jurys Out open mic night – he was wearing a Libertines T shirt.

Leon – No comment. I prefer to keep this shrouded in mystery 

Who’s your biggest influence & why?

Char – The Clash of course. So many reasons but for now I’ll say because they are the best band that there ever was.

Leon – Well this is a big one, what does one look for in ones influences? Raw talent, musical prowess, cutting truthful lyrics? I dunno. I like a catchy tune, I’m well into Polka at the minute – it’s the next punk take it from me.

You met Mick Jones (from the Clash) when he was in Brighton in 2015, what did he say? 

Char – He said ‘Nice set boys. You’ll be hearing from my lawyers’. He was beyond cool and had a lot of time for creepy fans like me.

Leon – He didn’t speak to me. I saw Matt Cardle at Westfield once. That was pretty cool.

What’s been your favourite gig you’ve played so far?

Char – That’s really hard. Playing Concorde 2 with Sham was amazing. Our first gig in Germany was incredible, but all the gigs we played at 12 Bar in Soho hold a special place in my heart. I miss that place, but right now I’d be happy to play a gig at a bus stop.

Leon – I do love the Concorde 2 gigs, but we’ve done some great gigs at the Albert over the years, they can be very sweaty and lively. It was also the first stage we ever graced so it has a special place among the many venues we’ve played.

Where do you see live music going, post lockdown?

Char – Going to be a big hit I think which is bad because it wasn’t getting much support before, maybe people will want to go out more after being caged for a year.

Leon – I think there’s a lot of DIY stuff coming out now so I’m hoping the decline of the stadium show will give space for small grass roots venues to make a comeback. Instead of going to see old bastards headline the Brighton Centre, maybe people will watch a new band down the street.

What’s your fave film?

1.Star Wars (empire)

2.Toy Story

3.Rocky 1

4.Clockwork Orange

5.Batman 1989

6.The Fly

7.Drop Dead Fred

8.One Flew Over The Cuckoo Nest

9.On The Beat

10.Overboard

How are you keeping busy in the lockdown?

Char – Writing a lot and Leon has taught me how to record demos at home, so we’re just trying to get all the ideas down ready for when we can practice again. Got a lot of new songs between us, over 20.

Leon – I’ve been reading them books.

Any other contemporary bands you like, especially in Brighton ?

Char – Teenage Waitress I’m all over at the moment, The Lathums, Bite The Buffalo, and I’m loving the new Strokes album. And my mate I was in a band with at school recently showed me Cloud Nothings.

Leon – I’ve been getting into the new post punk thing, bands like Squids, Sports Club and Yak, there’s also some cool stuff coming out of Australia like the Chats and Viagra Boys

And what are your plans for 2021?

Char -Get the new songs together and ready to record. But also we were planning to record a new single so we will be getting that together ASAP I would like to get that out this year, all depends on when we can get back in a practice room together again.

Leon – Shake my tail feather, I just wanna go dancing.

If you could play anywhere in the world where would it be?

Char – New York!

Leon – San Francisco all the way.

Any advice for a band starting out right now?

Char – Write, rehearse, gig, record.

Leon – Don’t do it, get a trade or learn how to code or something.

Where can we buy the album?

Char – The physical copies of the album have sold out, but it’s still up on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and a load of other streaming sites I’ve never heard of. Actually, we did a few Dirt Royal bundles with the album, t-shirts and previous singles and stuff. There might be one or two still available at www.pipandpine.com…. quick go now

Features, Peter Batten

Cor blimey, guv, strike a light

Me old China Peter Batten goes off searching for the East End he knew

Brick lane

My father’s family came from the Isle of Dogs, more politely known as Millwall. This is the area of London portrayed in the TV Soap, EastEnders. Several of my relatives were involved in amateur or professional boxing, a sport rarely mentioned in the BBC’s Albert Square.

That omission leads me to a question I am often asked, “How true to the East End is the BBC Soap. I should certainly be able to answer that question. I grew up in a house which looked out on a very substantial street market.

On the other side of the road there were market stalls and behind them a row of shops. Just at the end of the row was a pub called, The Queen Victoria. As in the soap my grandmother would meet her cronies there most evenings. Just before closing time she would toddle home clutching her nightcap, a small jug of brown ale. On our corner, two houses away, was a fish and chip shop. I can almost recapture the smell as I write these words…

Just a few yards away the market became denser, with stalls on both sides of the road and many different shops. One feature I recall immediately, which EastEnders does not recreate, is the lighting. In 1938 our road had been electrified, so the stalls had been linked to electric lighting.

One of my earliest memories (I was born in 1933) is of the warm attractive glow, in winter months, around the stalls early in the morning and again in the evening. Activity began at about 6am, when some stalls had to be brought out – lots of noise – and ended after 6pm.

There is just one problem with my description. When my mother and father married (they met in Greenwich Park) they lived in my grandmother’s flat in Southwark Park Road in Bermondsey, south of the river.

It suited my father because he worked at the Surrey Commercial Docks in Rotherhithe, just over a mile away. This is the road which I have been describing. It is certainly not in the East End.

The Street Market which I have begun to describe is typical of many throughout those inner London suburbs which grew up post 1850. They were active from Monday to Saturday. Then on Sunday huge special markets took over, like the amazing Petticoat Lane near Liverpool Street Station or the one I often visited just off the Walworth Road. One of their special attractions was the sale of animals, which took up one or two side streets.

My memories of our market are based on the years 1938-1958. I think they make an interesting contrast with the market which has been created for EastEnders, but I do not intend that as a criticism of the soap. Each of the smaller local markets had a character of its own, but they all offered a diversity of goods and characters which EastEnders cannot hope to recreate. Our market was known as “The Blue Anchor” after the pub which was at the heart of the market area.

It was older than the Queen Vic, a late Victorian pub, and an even younger pub, the Colleen Bawn. As a nosey child this name always irritated me. What did it mean? Only in the 1970s did I discover that it was the title of a very successful Victorian play by the Irish playwright Dion Boucicault.

We had a small fleapit cinema, the Rialto, a small Woolworth’s, a bank, and a Co-op supermarket, built on part of the road which had been destroyed by bombs. The variety of the stalls and shops was amazing, with all kinds of goods, groceries and foodstuffs on sale. Immediately opposite our house was a greengrocer’s stall, so it was very easy to nip across if we needed some extra veg for a meal.

Right behind him was a German bakery called Griesbach. A little further away was a German pork butcher offering some delicious specialities. Sadly, that closed in 1940.

Among the more unusual offerings was Sarsparella, a red cordial sold by the glass from a barrel. As in Ben Jonson’s Elizabethan play, “Volpone” there was usually someone offering some miracle cure for all ailments. Sometimes there would be a crockery stall where you were encouraged to make an offer for plates or a tea service, An allegedly ex-boxer stood with a set of scales offering to tell your weight. Someone called Prince Monoloulou might come by offering to sell you betting tips.

Which reminds me of something else. There is no illegal betting in EastEnders. In my childhood it was going on all around me. “Runners” as they were called were quietly taking bets and handling money in every pub and every factory. Our elderly neighbour, Mr Westcar, found a handy way to add to his pension by running a small “Book”, as it was called. Just in case the police came calling, my mother explained to me, all his betting slips were pinned to the underside of his large kitchen table.

OK EastEnders, so there’s no illegal betting these days. But what happened to our jellied eels??  

Andrew Polmear, Eating In, Features, Uncategorized

A passion for appassimento

We’re still in lockdown. It’s cold. There’s snow on the ground. Let’s go to southern Italy and talk about wine.

About two years ago, I was introduced by a friend to a wine, currently available at Waitrose for under £10 (sometimes well under £10), that has become one of our favourite weekday wines. It’s made by a firm called Terre di Faiano which is based in Chianti but they have vineyards in Southern Italy and Sicily.

The grape is Primitivo, the same grape as Zinfadel in the USA, and it’s from Puglia. It’s extraordinarily full-bodied, creamy smooth, and unlike almost any other Italian wine I’ve tasted.

For two years I’ve puzzled over how this wine comes to be so good and only discovered the answer when Waitrose put another wine on the shelf alongside it. This is also by Terre di Faiano but the grape is Nero d’Avola and it’s from Sicily. And the giveaway is that on the label it mentions appassimento. The penny dropped. Perhaps the Primitivo is made the same way, I wondered, and a look at Waitrose’ website shows that it is.

What is appassimento? It means ‘dried up’ or ‘tired out’. The basic principles of winemaking are pretty standard: once ripe, the grapes are pressed, the juice is put into some sort of container and left to ferment, then bottled, sometimes after spending some months or years in oak casks. But if the wine is made by the appassimento method the grapes are left to dry before starting the whole process. They used to be left out in the sun on a bed of straw, which is why it’s called in English ‘straw wine’. The purpose is to increase the sugar content of the grapes and reduce the water content. The resulting wines are more alcoholic or sweet or both, a deeper red and packed with flavour.

They’ve been making wine like this since the Ancient World. Hesiod (he’s the one who was roughly contemporary with Homer but less grand, more personal) described it in around 700 BCE and it’s been used in Sicily and Puglia for centuries. But the most famous wine to use it is in northern Italy, just north of Verona, where the local wines tend to be thin and bitter. Amarone della Valpolicella is made this way. It gives a red wine of extraordinary power, nearer to a port than to an ordinary Valpolicella, which can be thin and bitter. Just to complete the northern Italian story, they even keep the lees left after draining off the fermented Amarone and pour ordinary Valpolicella wine on top. There follows a second fermentation and you get another beefy wine that’s called Ripasso (‘re-passed’ in English) though less full-bodied, and much cheaper, than Amarone. Finally, the winemakers may deliberately leave enough sugar unfermented to make it sweet. It’s called Recioto and the Italians drink it at the end of the meal.

I’ve had other wines from Puglia made by the appassimento method and I’ve found them too much. The heaviness is overdone, the flavours too ‘jammy’. The Terre di Faiano from Sicily is a bit that way, to my taste, although it gets great customer reviews. It’s made with the Nero d’Avola grape which has no trouble making dark, robust wine without the need to dry the grapes. But somehow, with the Primitivo from Puglia the winemakers seem to have hit the spot. I plan to get a good supply in before this article goes to press!

Features, The Arts

Fancy a night out at The Dome?

Gallery

This is what life looks like right now. Sometimes we sit at the dining table. Sometimes we sit on the sofa. Sometimes, because we’re wild and crazy guys, we go from the table to the sofa.  

Wouldn’t it be nice to go out somewhere? To do something other than say “What’s on Netflix?” Well… as chance would have it, those nice folk at The Dome are putting on a series of talks with famous people, writers and TV personalities, people like Mel Giedroyc and Stacey Dooley, Joanna Lumley and Julia Quinn, writer of Bridgerton.

OK. It’s a live stream. You’ll still be on the sofa. But if you put your coat on, it’ll feel like you’re going out – and that’s a start.

NameLive DateTicket PriceBook and Ticket Price
Jacqueline WoodsonThu 28 Jan, 6.30pm£10.00£19.00
Nikesh ShuklaWed 3 Feb, 6.30pm£10.00£15.00
Marian KeyesThu 4 Feb, 6.30pm£10.00£20.00
Julia QuinnSun 7 Feb, 6.30pm£10.00£20.00
Stacey DooleyFri 12 Feb, 6.30pm£10.00£17.00
Gyles Brandreth Meets Joanna LumleySun 14 Feb, 3pm£15.00N/A
Raven SmithWed 17 Feb, 6.30pm£10.00£15.00
Kiley Reid (pic above)Fri 26 Feb, 6.30pm  £10.00£15.00
Mel GiedroycTues 30 & Wed 31 Mar, 6.30pm£10.00£22.00

For more information… https://brightondome.org/whats_on/

Mel Giedroyc credit Laurie Fletcher

Brighton Life, Environment, Events, Features, Music, The Arts, Uncategorized

Art in public spaces. What do you think? Here’s your chance to say

Gallery
Morris Singer Art Foundry Ltd|Bruce, Romany Mark; Tay (AIDS Memorial); ; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/tay-aids-memorial-245784

What do you feel when you see a statue to some historical figure you’ve kinda heard of but don’t really know anything about? Do you think… “It’s just there. It’s always been there, so let it be there”? Do you think… “Who is that? I’m going to find out about that right now. Now, where’s my Wikipedia…?” Do you think… “Whoever it is, it means nothing to me. I wish there was something there I could feel something positive about”.

Well… strangely enough now we’ve got a chance to say what we think about public art in our city. We’re not talking about private exhibitions, shows, gigs, festivals, that’s one thing, But what about the art that’s out there in the public spaces. Statues. Outdoor installations. Spaces in parks. How do we, as a city, feel about that stuff? We saw last year, particularly in Bristol, that historic statues can be… problematic. How do we deal with those subjects and feelings? Remember the Mary Wollstonecraft sculpture that was unveiled in London in November?

Brighton’s an arty city, a creative city. It’s one of the reasons we’re here. The public art should reflect that – and now’s a chance to make that happen.

The Brighton based arts charity Lighthouse has launched an online public survey and series of short films under the banner “Let’s Talk Public Art” to encourage us to say what we think about public art in the city.

“Public art can provoke intensely divided public opinion, as we have seen recently with historic statues being removed because of their connections to slavery. These short films feature discussion points such as heritage, inclusion, sustainability and wellbeing so we can delve into how people feel about public art” says Alli Beddoes, Lighthouse CEO & Artistic Director.

https://youtu.be/vOdgSpyqJoM

Films:

Places & Spaces with Matt Adams – Blast Theory and Atif Choudhury – Diversity & Ability An exploration of what and where the spaces and places can be for public art. It should be more than standalone works in the public realm, they should be integral to the ways in which we experience and understand our city.

A Green City with Ami Rae – Onca Gallery and Claire Potter – Claire Potter Design What doers it mean to be green – and can you green the city through public art. Brighton & Hove aims to be carbon neutral by 2030 – how can public art support this?

Wellbeing with Elsa Monteith – Writer & Artist and Emma Frankland – Artist What does public art mean for our sense of identity and belonging? How can it help us connect and care?

Heritage with Judith Ricketts, Artist and E J Scott, Historian & Curator What is a successful piece of artwork that celebrates heritage in our city? How can public art hold onto the past without erasing it but use it to be informed and carve out a better future for the next generation?

Connectivity & Community with Amartey Golding – Artist and Bobby Brown – Music Producer & Careworker, Hangleton & Knoll A film discussion of the ways commissioning public art can connect to community groups in the city.

There’s an event – online, natch – called Let’s Talk Public Art – Digital Campfire(10am to 12 noon, Fri 5 February) which might be interesting. To join, take part in the survey, watch the films or register for the event visit: lighthouse.org.uk/events/lets-talk-about-public-art

Brighton Life, Events, Features, Music, The Arts

News: The Dome re-opens for business

Do  you remember “going out”? No, me neither. Still, the Dome is re-opening its doors for a series of seasonal events, including a production of A Christmas Carol narrated by Killing Eve and Succession actor Harriet Walter.

Live stream events also continue, with best-selling children’s author Michael Morpurgo bringing the festive spirit into people’s homes with an afternoon of Christmas storytelling.Other events feature names such as Dawn French, Benamin Zephaniah and Liza Tarbuck. 

Christmas Listings

Brighton Dome, Church Street, Brighton BN1 1UE

Ticket bookings:

W: brightondome.org

T: 01273 709709 open Tue-Fri, 10am-2pm

Ticket Office counter open Tue-Fri, 10am-2pm from Tue 8 Dec

A Night in with Alex Wheatle and Benjamin Zephaniah (livestream)

Friday 11 December, 6.30pm

£10 / £23 including copies of Cane Warriors and Windrush Child

On sale now

A Christmas Carol with Harriet Walter and Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra

Saturday 12 Dec, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Age 12+

Tickets from £15-20 in household or bubble groups of 3 or 4 as cabaret tables, rear stalls and circle seats.

Family ticket offers for groups of 3 and 4 with under 18s.

£20 single tickets rear stalls and circle.

70 min performance, no interval

Members and Friends of BPO on sale Thurs 3 Dec at 10am

General on sale Fri 4 Dec at 10am

A Night in with Dawn French (livestream)

Sunday 13 Dec, 6.30pm

£10 / £25 including a copy of Because of You

On sale now

Christmas Storytelling with Michael Morpurgo (livestream)

Sunday 20 Dec, 3pm

£10 / £20 including a copy of Boy Giant / £45 book bundle

On sale now

Sussex Sings Christmas livestream from Brighton Dome

Wednesday 23 Dec, 6pm

£10

Book here: bfc.org.uk/sussexsingschristmas

Brighton Life, Events, Features, Music, The Arts, Uncategorized

Brighton Goes Gospel

Megan Wenham and Harriet Dunlop talk to Louise Channon about BGG and being a community hero

As the Christmas season fast approaches it is obvious none of us will have the usual festivities and traditions we look forward to all year long, as COVID and lockdowns seem to be a never ending cycle of new rules and restrictions.

All is not lost though, as we caught up with Louise Cannon, the Creative Director and Producer of Brighton Goes Gospel to talk about their “the all sing and dancing” 20th anniversary. 

Earlier this year the choir embarked on their biggest challenge yet through recording a new song and creating their own documentary to highlight the best times over the years, all within the challenges of lockdown to ensure they can still spread light this Christmas.

“The idea of the documentary is to cover 20 years of our journey. It will cover footage from previous shows, photographs, artwork, interviews, and the people who have been a part of our journey. We just want to spread a bit more joy, especially this year where it is a lot more needed. We are just doing what we normally do just on a much wider scale.”

The documentary called “More Than Just Singing” also covers today’s matters too and in their own way they will be paying tribute to Black Lives Matter and the NHS.

“Gospel means good news and some people really need that right now. The beauty of gospel music is that it does cover a broad spectrum and people can make it whatever they need it to be for them.

“Even though we are a gospel choir we are not all religious, we are welcome to all religions and non-religious people. The reason we come together is love of gospel music and is all for different reasons.”

Louise’s hard work has not gone unnoticed, and she has been presented with the “Make A Difference Heroes Award” in recognition of all her work. “It’s quite humbling to receive an award as a thank you from the community and from my peers.” The awards are dedicated to celebrating unsung heroes from across the local area, organised by BBC Radio Sussex. 

The Brighton Goes Gospel choir have also been working hard on recording their own version of “With A Little Help From My Friends”.

“We have created joy in a pandemic and still fighting to spread love and this is what the song is about.”

Recording the song during a pandemic definitely had its challenges as you could imagine. As a choir of vast age range, getting people to record their parts of the songs was difficult. “What we did was set up support groups on Facebook live so we can explain to people what we needed them to do. At times we have gone to their house, filmed for them or used our devices if they did not have a smartphone.

“The brave thing about the choir is they are normally together with 120-140 people and singing in a group, but asking people to sing a solo is the scariest thing ever and the wonderful thing is a lot of people stepped out of their comfort zone and nobody bowed out.”

The track will have guest features from renowned gospel artists including; Michelle John, Ken Burton, Paul Lee, Annette Bowen, Nathaniel Morrison, Sharlene Hector, Vula Malinga, Ladonna Harley- Peters and many more. “It’s been about five months in the making, we chose the track back in January and it is a COVID anthem for me.”

https://www.bggchoir.org.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/brightongoesgospel

Brighton Life, Eating In, Eating Out, Features, Gull About Town

Gull About Town

Gallery

Our new regular feature looking into what’s new in food and drink

SWOOPING INTO Jubilee Square, the Gull has sniffed the air and discovered a little Singapore-style hawker experience at the back of The Chilli Pickle. Those clever Sperrings, Alun and Dawn who brought their off-road family adventures in India to Brighton 11 years ago, have always loved a shrimp krupuk with plum sauce and black pepper lamb ribs and trialled Hawkerman as a pop-up to make the most of their space in the restaurant. And they’ve done it well; West Hillers will remember their Chilli Pickle pop up at the Polygon on Seven Dials in 2017. And despite an October launch ahead of an inevitable lockdown, this little toe dip in the rough waters of hospitality has gone down swimmingly with the local as Brighton’s spice lovers took advantage of the double take-away option from Jubilee Square’s Asian one-stop shop. 

THE GULL LOVES nothing better than rummaging around in the bins of West Hill on a Friday night and has been tucking into some rather exotic flavours from the newly arrived Dishoom, the Irani-Bombay experience so beloved by our London cousins. It’s only available via Deliveroo so far, but the menu is as top notch and includes plenty for vegans and vegetarians such as the Pau Bhaji, much-loved Mattar Paneer, Jackfruit Biryani, samosas and bowls of chole. It even delivers drinks – Bombay sodas, Limca and Thums Up alongside Dishoom’s Mango Lassi.  And the Gull is happy to report all the packaging is made from reclaimed and renewable sugar cane pulp packaging and carbon-neutral PLA (a smart compostable bioplastic made from plants), are recyclable once rinsed or compostable. And each take away is matched with the donation of a meal through Akshaya Patra, a charity in India which offers free school meals to hungry children. 

https://delivery.dishoom.com.

RIDING THE THERMALS towards Shoreham Port, the Gull has got wind of a new kitchen opening next summer. The Port Kitchen will be next to the lock gates at the award-winning Lady Bee Enterprise Centre and plans to serve visitors as they pass through the locks, as well as the Port’s thriving business community and tourists visiting the area. It seems that the council has a plan to make this hitherto industrial space into an iconic food destination with proper coffee, fresh food and, take it from a bird, unparalleled views across the harbour. 

Editorial, Features, The Arts

The great Eddie Thompson

Gallery

Peter Batten pays tribute to one of the great British jazz pianists

One wet Friday evening in November 1961 I was about to leave my place of work, the Stevenage College of Further Education. As I came to the main entrance I met a bachelor colleague. Like me he was new to the College; we had both arrived in September.

“What are you doing this evening?” he asked. I explained that I was going to a jazz club run by one of my new neighbours. 

“May I join you?” he asked.

Later that evening he gave me a lift and we arrived at the club just as Eddie Thompson was about to play. His dog was already settled comfortably under the grand piano.

Eddie [1925-86] had long been recognised as one of our finest jazz pianists. Born blind, he attended the same school as the great George Shearing. Like some other people with his disability, he turned to piano tuning as his trade. However his talent for jazz soon began to shine through. He performed  solo and with bands in a variety of styles. That evening, although I had heard several of his recordings, I was to hear him in person for the first time. I fell in love with his playing. What I did not know was that his dog was about to retire. A few months later Eddie took a very brave decision to try his luck in the clubs of New York.

He was away for ten years. Although he won great respect in New York, he knew that the experience would enhance his ability to make a living in London. By the time he returned I was working at a new college in South London. He often appeared nearby at a pub called the Leather Bottle in Merton. One of my friends played bass with Eddie at his regular gig at the Playboy Club as well at Merton so I was introduced. At that time I was very fond of a great song by Tadd Dameron called “If You Could See Me Now.” Eddie played it superbly, so it became a regular request from me.

Then I decided to give myself a special treat. The music studio at the Sutton College was equipped with a small Bosendorfer grand piano, one of the world’s finest pianos. I arranged for Eddie to give a solo performance for an audience of about 50 people. He loved the piano. The result was an evening of outstanding jazz. I never heard him play better. And there was a bonus. Eddie had a very sharp wit and a stock of jokes, most of them unsuited for polite company. It was an “Evening with Eddie Thompson” to remember.

As we entered the 1980s he was playing better than ever. Sadly his years were limited. He was diagnosed with emphysema. Within 18 months he declined rapidly, was housebound, confined to bed and died, aged 61. He had been a very heavy smoker.     ]

If you want to know what a great player he was, call up some of his recordings on Youtube. I would particularly recommend “One Morning in May” by his trio with the great Martin Drew on drums.

At 87 years of age I have been shielding at home during Lockdown. That is my excuse for leading you back through my memories of a lovely, gifted man. One special evening comes to mind. It was August and very hot. I went to the Bull’s Head at Barnes, a famous jazz venue, to hear the great American saxophonist Johnny Griffin. To my delight Eddie was at the piano, with Martin Drew on drums. The music was fantastic, the room was packed, the sweat was pouring off us and even seemed to be running down the walls. Through it all I could see Eddie, exactly opposite me at the grand piano, a broad grin on his face, enjoying the chance to accompany such a great musician.

A final story. One of Eddie’s friends had given him a lift home from a gig. Eddie invited him to come in for a coffee. The curtains were drawn, the house was in total darkness and the friend began to collide with the furniture. “Sorry” said Eddie, “I’ll put the light on. I’d forgotten you could see”.

Brighton Life, Editorial, Features, Uncategorized

A Biba-esque emporium

Gallery

An Aladdin’s Cave where Frida Kahlo sits next to beautiful vintage kimonos while Tintin and Buddha look on. Jed Novick goes in search of the Objet D’ials

I want people to feel that they’ve disconnected with the outside world and engaged with the shop when they’ve walked through the door.”

Karin Pratt is putting the finishing touches to Objet D’ials, her new art emporium. She’s at that lovely point – halfway between excited and exhausted, and I just asked her the stupidest question. What are you selling here? It all looks like Aladdin’s Cave here. Look around and… there’s Mexican the window, a row of beautiful Japanese kimonos, a Buddha, a bit of Frida Kahlo, vintage books, art, Tintin, a red velvet sofa… Everywhere your eye lands, there’s something for it to feast on.   

“When people walk in and look around, I want them to feel like they’ve gone on a journey,” says Karin. “I want people to engage with the shop. You know how many shops you walk in and then walk out, as an experience it leaves you empty. I want people to come in here – even if they don’t buy anything – I want them to feel they’ve disconnected with the outside world.”

Pushed for a description, Karin says “I want it to be an all-encompassing Biba-esque experience.” And if you’re going to have an aspiration, that’s not a bad one. 

“You just browse. There’s a café – but only a small percentage of our life is as a café. We’re going down the cafetiere or pot of tea route. We’re not doing takeaway or trying to be a café. The shop is artisan and in the summer there’ll be tables and chairs outside.” 

So let’s go back to the beginning. Who are you and how did you get here? “We live next door and this shop used to be the garage for the house. My husband has looked into the history of the house and has always wanted to put it back together, to bring it back. I’ve worked in shops (and the oil industry, and tourism and hotels…) but I’d never had a shop. I had a feeling it was going to come on the market and one day we were sitting in the garden and a friend said ‘Come here, there’s a guy in the street with a clipboard outside the shop.’ 

And you ran outside and said “Stop!”? 

“More or less.”

To anyone opening a shop in 2020, it’s the obvious question to ask, so let’s just ask it. You’re setting up a new shop from scratch, how much of a nuisance has lockdown been? “Not really that much of a problem because I knew it was coming. We’ve had a four-week turnaround – we bought it at the end of November and…” 

Hang about. Stop. You only got hold of this at the end of October? 

“Yes, the 23rd. We came straight in after getting the key and started with the paint…” 

That’s just… That’s amazing. 

“Was it longer? I’m so tired… It’s gone really quickly, I know that.” 

While it’s Karin’s shop, Karin’s idea, Karin’s dream, she’s very keen to support Sussex based suppliers for my local goods. “The idea of helping and promoting local produce and business is really important. We’re very lucky to have a shop and while it’s OK to be online, if you can have somewhere to show your goods, that can make all the difference.”

So you’ve got? 

“Well, we sell Craft House Coffee, which is based in Wivelsfield. There’s Katie’s Nuttery, who do all sorts of organic nut butters and they’re based in Henfield. We’ve got Park Farm honey, from just up the road.  J.Cocoa, the chocolatier from Hassocks, and Slice, the local Seven Dials bakery and sweetmaker.”  

And it’s not just about the small producers; there’s a place at the table for shops, too. “We’ve got stuff from ‘And More Again’ in Upper Gardener Street because they –  Penny –goes to India a lot and she’s going to have a permanent feature in the shop because she fits what I like, the vibe.”  

So are you going to expand into things like local cheeses? “My core is art, that’s what the vibe is. The heart of the shop is community, but my core is art. If we can bring those things together…”

We hear so much about the death of the high street, about big stores closing, about how people only shop online. But maybe this is what the future will look like, post-Covid when big high street shopping has recalibrated. Community-based shops that work together, that help each other, that support other local businesses. 

“There are so many lovely people here and if we can all work together we can only make everyone stronger, and have more fun while we’re doing it”