101 - The Blitz with Robert Elms

This week esteemed writer & broadcaster Robert Elms joins us to tell us about the legendary Blitz nightclub in London’s Convent Garden.

Back then Central London looked very different to today - back then it was an empty & desolate wasteland of abandoned buildings & crumbling blocks.

But from this rose a cultural phenomenon - starting at Billy’s as a David Bowie night & then moving onto The Blitz came a nightclub so legendary at least 70 of its regulars went onto achieve global prominence in some form.

Punk had peaked & in the gap came the extravagantly dressed creatures that inhabited The Blitz - regulars included founders Steve Strange & Rusty Egan, Boy George, Sade, Gary & Martin Kemp of Spandau Ballet, Mudge Ure, Billy Idol, Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama & many more.

Within 18 months of this club night starting many of its regulars are in the charts both at home and& in the US with Visage, Ultravox, Spandau Ballet, Sade, Banarama, Culture Club & more all achieving huge success.

Affirmation came in July 1980 when David Bowie visited The Blitz.

It was over within 18 months, drawing to an end towards the end of 1980.

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Hosted, Produced & Edited by Simon Cardwell

Music by Andy Maxwell

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