About Me
Chris Hill started DJ-ing in the late 60's, having been around the Soho R&B scene with his heroes Georgie Fame, Geno Washington and Chris Farlowe. It was in Essex however that Chris established himself as the supremo Soul Jock. Firstly in a small club in Orsett and then at the Goldmine, Canvey Island.
Throughout the 70's the club as a catalyst for the growing underground soul scene, and music fans from all over the country flocked to the legendary Saturday nights, dancing to the latest American imports. Many of those Goldminers went on to become stars in their own right: Sade, Spandau Ballet rubbing shoulders with Incognito, Light of the World. The Clash, Depeche Mode, Culture Club, Alison Moyet and Soul II Soul, whilst many visiting American soul and jazz artist would make a point of checking out the hottest soul spot in Europe.
At the height of its fame, Chris, who also by then had hit the British Top Ten Charts himself with two comedy records of his own, decided to move closer to London and began his now legendary residency at Ilford s Lacy Lady. On its original site in Seven Kings, fashion, style and music clashed in a spectacular shock wave that filled the tabloids and fashion magazines, and later had echoes in the punk and new romantic scenes, as well as laying the foundation for today s current dance scene.
It seems everybody that went to The Lacy Lady in 1977 went on to make records, form bands, produce films or make a name for themselves in the world of TV, media or fashion. At The Lacy they were fed a diet of the best music black America had to offer; hard driving jazz funk, fusion and the hottest soul. It was here too, the jazz scene was formed, with dance floors packed for the most uncompromising bebop as well as the latest soul and disco from New York and Philadelphia.
Lacy Lady
It was during this period that along with DJ's Chris Brown, Tom Holland and later with Robbie Vincent, Greg Edwards and Sean French that Hilly kicked off the first soul Alldayers at the Reading Top Rank Suite, and then later the massive Purley and Alexandra Palace affairs. The FUNK MAFIA had been born, and in March 1979,
it launched its most ambitious project, the Caister Soul Weekender!
The original site at Caister, a few miles from Yarmouth on the Norfolk coast, played host to the largest gathering of soul and jazz fans there had ever been, for a whole weekend of music, mayhem and madness. The British Soul Scene would never be the same again!
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