Page 5 - RYAN'S GIG GUIDE DECEMBER 2014

RGG December 2014 - p.5
The Story of Dudley’s Legendary Live Music Venue
By Geoff Tristram
JB’S
‘Sam, who had not been to the same finishing school
as the gentleman on the other end of the phone, promptly
told him to “fuck off!”. The debate now being, to Sam’s mind at least,
concluded. Whether or not he might have been tempted to change his
mind, had he realized that the caller was Freddie Mercury, trying to tout his
new band - Queen, is another story.’
This eagerly awaited book about the UK’s
longest running live music venue is a lavish
beautifully designed publication full of
fascinating rock and roll facts and
memorabilia plus loads of rare photographs
of bands and artistes often well before they
were famous Acts such as Robert Plant U
Thin Lizzy Dire Straits The Pretenders Steve
Gibbons Manic Street Preachers The Tourists
Elvis Costello Ian Dury The Police and
hundreds more are shown performing or
relaxing at the tiny old ex school house
behind a clothing emporium and later on at
the larger JB’s venue on Castle Hill close to
Dudley Zoo
Geoff Tristram (elder brother of comedy
playwright and film maker David who gave
the world the Internet sensation ‘Doreen’s
Story’ and the Inspector Drake films) is
usually associated with comedy fiction so ex
pect the many anecdotes to be not only
revealing but also laugh out loud funny In
fact from his colourful descriptions JB’s club
appears to have been a complete madhouse!
What also comes across strongly is the sincere
love that people from all walks of life had for
the old place and the many crazy characters
they met there There are also specially
written sections by Robert Plant Steve
Gibbons Blur and many others
There will be an official book launch in
Dudley West Midlands on Friday th
January at The Lamp Tavern High
Street Dudley (a Batham’s public house)
which was a popular pre gig watering hole for
those that visited the club
The book can be obtained in the first
instance from www jbsbook com which will
hopefully be in operation from the th of
December Books can also be ordered from
bookshops by quoting the title and author’s
name and/or the ISBN number
ISBN:
Email:
gt@geofftristram co uk
Websites:
www jbsbook com
www geofftristram co uk
The Book The Launch
Buy the Book