Saving the 100 Club - good intentions, but ultimately a lost cause

Like a game of oneupmanship, everyone seems to be battling each other for the title of 'most upset about the 100 Club closing'. The clear winner right now being current owner Jeff Horton. After all, it's his livelihood.

But quite rightly, other are angry about the possibly demise too. It's one of the last remaining iconic music venues in London -  in its time, a focal point for modern jazz, British R&B and punk, not to mention northern soul and indie in more recent years. Indeed, once you descend those steps, you really could be descending into another era. Especially if The Pretty Things are playing the club again. They often are, even after all these years. But all of that could come to an end. Just as well there's a Facebook group to save the day.

Things we like: The Vampisoul label

As the big boys throw themselves at music downloads, some labels haven't forgotten that a good number of us still like to hold a piece of vinyl in our hands. But one label in particular goes that extra mile for vinyl lovers - and that label is Vampisoul.

It's not a new label, I've picked up a few bitd and pieces in the past. But its output seems to get better year-on-year, as does its presentation. The label's most recent released is R&B Hipshakers Volume 1 (Teach Me To Monkey), a collection of rare R&B from the King and Federal archives compiled by Mr Fine Wine. Yes, the guy who does the essential Downtown Soulville show and podcast. Not only available on CD, this 20-track collection also comes as a box set of 10 7-inch singles. Now ain't that something?

Crate diggin': Rosetta Hightower's Big Bird

The first in what's likely to be a fairly irregular slot of picking out interesting tracks you should hunt down is Big Bird, the work of Rosetta Hightower.

Of course, it's the Eddie Floyd tune (also covered by The Jam), but this is far better dancefloor fodder - wailing guitar, screaming vocal, funky groove, it's got the lot. The single came out around 1970, just before the Hightower album (on the reissue of that, you'll find this tune as a bonus track).

Want it on 45? Expect to pay £50+ for a copy on the Toast label, or check out the Spanish copy on eBay right now for around £67. Video of the tune below if you want to hear it. Trust me, you do.

Frank Sidebottom: A personal tribute

It was probably sometime in 1985, the Colourfield had just brought out Virgins and Philistines and were playing the Manchester Hacienda supported by The Loft (aka 'the best indie band no-one ever saw'). Unknown to my mum and dad and with a few other Bolton n'er do wells, we headed out on a school night to catch the gig, the near-bankrupt Hacienda pleased to let us in, even though we were all plainly well under the 18 age limit. This was the night I would first encounter Chris Sievey in the guise of Frank Sidebottom, who sadly died whilst recovering from a cancer-related operation this week.

An interview with Dean Rudland (Ace Records)

We've nabbed this from our Modculture site because we're pretty sure there's plenty of you who have an interest in the inner workings of cult vintage label Ace Records.

Dean Rudland has a past that includes Acid Jazz, Fania and Stateside and is currently an A&R consultant for Ace Records and the man behind the BGP label. We asked him about the recent Georgie Fame compilation (above) and Ace Records in the wider sense.

Full interview over the page.