Hope and Anchor, Islington

Last updated

Hope and Anchor
Hope & Anchor pub Upper Street, Islington.jpg
Hope and Anchor, Islington. (October 2005)
Hope and Anchor, Islington
General information
Type Pub
Location Islington, London, England
Completed1928 (current form)

Hope and Anchor is a pub and upstairs theatre (The Hope Theatre) on Upper Street, in the London Borough of Islington which first opened its doors in 1880. During the mid-1970s it was one of the first pubs to embrace the emergent, but brief, phenomenon of pub rock. With the decline of this movement, the pub went on to become a leading venue in the punk rock movement. Hope and Anchor is still an operational pub and live music venue today, owned and operated by the Greene King brewing company. It is a Grade II listed building. [1]

History

When The Tally Ho pub in Kentish Town decided to switch from showcasing rock music to Irish music, Hope and Anchor became the venue to go to in north London. The nights grew and developed under the stewardship of managers Fred Grainger and Dave Robinson, both of whom later moved on to other things (Grainger to open a nightclub in Brighton, Robinson to co-found independent record label Stiff Records with Jake Riviera).[ citation needed ]

In January 1976, the venue was acquired by Albion Management and Agency, who installed John Eichler as the landlord. In the light of numerous threats of closure, Eichler organised various benefits in order to keep the pub open, with well-established bands returning to the pub to perform for only expenses. Ian Grant of Albion Management and Agency narrowed down a long list to a final twenty two bands – all of which had played at the pub previously.

'The Front Row Festival', which took place between Tuesday 22 November and Thursday 15 December 1977, featured numerous pub rock, punk, and new wave groups. The recordings were issued as an eponymous live double album , which reached No. 28 in the UK Albums Chart. [2]

The Stranglers recorded their album Live at the Hope and Anchor at the pub, also in 1977. The venue was the location for The Damned's "New Rose" video the previous year [3] and later for Madness' "One Step Beyond" video. The demo of "Between You and Me" from the first Graham Parker album, Howlin' Wind , was recorded in the basement. The pub was also featured in the 1980 film, Breaking Glass . [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Damned (band)</span> English punk rock band

The Damned are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976 by lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible, and drummer Rat Scabies. They were the first punk band from the United Kingdom to release a single, "New Rose" (1976), release a studio album, Damned Damned Damned (1977), and tour the United States. They have nine singles that charted on the UK Singles Chart Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stiff Records</span> British record label

Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London, England, by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007.

Pub rock is a subgenre of rock music that emerged in the early to mid-1970s in the United Kingdom. A back-to-basics movement, which incorporated roots rock, pub rock was a reaction against the expensively-recorded and produced progressive rock and flashy glam rock scenes at the time. Although short-lived, pub rock was played live in small traditional venues like pubs and clubs. Since major labels showed no interest in pub rock groups, pub bands sought out independent record labels such as Stiff Records. Indie labels used relatively inexpensive recording processes, so they had a much lower break-even point for a record than a major label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Adverts</span> English punk rock band

The Adverts were an English punk rock band formed in 1976 that existed until late 1979. They were one of the first punk bands to achieve mainstream success in the UK; their 1977 single "Gary Gilmore's Eyes" reached No. 18 on the UK Singles Chart. The Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music described bassist and founding member Gaye Advert as the "first female punk star".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">100 Club</span> Music venue in London, England

The 100 Club is a music venue located at 100 Oxford Street, London, England, where it has been hosting live music since 24 October 1942. It was originally called the Feldman Swing Club, but changed its name when the father of the current owner took over in 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">999 (band)</span> English punk rock band

999 are an English punk rock band, formed in London in December 1976. From 1976 to 1985, their line-up consisted of Nick Cash, Guy Days, Jon Watson and Pablo LaBritain (drums). LaBritain was temporarily replaced in 1980 by drummer Paul Edward while he recovered from a motor accident. Bassist Jon Watson left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Danny Palmer, who was succeeded by Arturo Bassick in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Rose</span> 1976 single by The Damned

"New Rose" by The Damned was the first single by a British punk rock group, released on 22 October 1976 on Stiff Records, and in 1977 in the Netherlands, Germany and France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony James (musician)</span> English pop musician and record producer

Anthony Eric James is an English pop musician and record producer, who was the bassist for the 1970s–1980s bands Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik and the Sisters of Mercy.

Antony "Tony" Moore is an English singer-songwriter, musician, radio presenter and music promoter. He was also a member of Iron Maiden. He first became famous in 1986 as keyboard player with the band Cutting Crew, and in 1997 he founded The Kashmir Klub to showcase live music in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquee Club</span> Former music club in London, England

The Marquee Club was a music venue in London, England, which opened in 1958 with a range of jazz and skiffle acts. It was a small and relatively cheap club, in the heart of London's West End.

Jake Riviera is a British music business entrepreneur, best known for his management of such performers as Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe and as co-founder of the pioneering British indie label, Stiff Records.

<i>Music for Pleasure</i> (The Damned album) 1977 studio album by The Damned

Music for Pleasure is the second studio album by English punk rock band the Damned. It was released on 18 November 1977 by Stiff Records.

The Boys are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1976.

The Plague are an English punk rock band. Formed in South East London during 1976, the band were initially in existence until 1981. They re-formed in 2005. Their original line-up was:

<i>Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival</i> 1978 live album by Various

Hope & Anchor Front Row Festival is a hit double-LP of live recordings taken from various bands – mainly power pop, pub rock, punk rock and new wave groups - that played the Front Row Festival at the Hope and Anchor, Islington between Tuesday 22 November and Thursday 15 December 1977. It reached number 28 in the UK Albums Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rainbow Theatre</span> Grade II* listed theatre in London, England

The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, then the Finsbury Park Paramount Astoria, and then the Finsbury Park Odeon, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as an "atmospheric cinema", to house entertainment extravaganzas which included a film show. It later became an ordinary cinema, then a music venue, as which it is best known, and then an occasional unlicensed boxing venue. Today, the building is used by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, an Evangelical church.

Plummet Airlines, was a British pub rock band of the mid-1970s, which was originally formed in Nottingham. Band members later joined The Pogues and Darts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Montague Arms</span>

The Montague Arms was a music venue located at 289 Queens Road, in the Telegraph Hill ward of Lewisham, on the borders of Peckham and New Cross in south-east London from 1967 until 2018. The pub venue was known for its eccentric decor; which included old fishing-boat lights, a 19th Century carriage containing a stuffed zebra, and an old diving suit.

"London Dungeon" is a song by the American punk rock band Misfits. Released in 1981 on the Misfits' EP 3 Hits from Hell, the song was written by frontman and vocalist Glenn Danzig while in jail in Brixton, England with then-Misfits guitarist Bobby Steele. After having traveled to the United Kingdom for an ill-fated tour with the British punk rock group the Damned in late 1979, Danzig and Steele were arrested for their involvement in a fight, inspiring them to create the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Robinson (music executive)</span> Irish music executive and video director

David Robinson, nicknamed Robbo, is an Irish music executive, music video director, record producer, music manager, and photographer. He is best known as the co-founder with Jake Riviera of Stiff Records where he signed up The Damned, Tracey Ullman, Kirsty MacColl, The Pogues, and Madness. He had also managed Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Dave Edmunds and Ian Dury before signing them up to Stiff.

References

  1. Historic England. "Hope and Anchor Public House (1195774)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  2. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. ISBN   1-904994-10-5.
  3. "The Damned - New Rose (Official HD video)". YouTube .
  4. "Breaking Glass (1980) - IMDb". IMDb .

51°32′36″N0°06′12″W / 51.5432°N 0.1034°W / 51.5432; -0.1034