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wiggy
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Location:
essex
Joined on:
26-Jun-2007 14:09:49
Posted:
1073 posts
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| Priestly House wrote: |
Duchess couldn't hold a candle to the Fforde Grene on Roundhay Road - That was the launching pad for SO many bands.
If you were a success with that HEAVY crowd there, you'd be all over the New Musical Express, in the 70's. 5 mins of fame guaranteed!
If you couldn't please the crowd, you'd be bottled offstage and your transit would have its tyres slashed in the carpark! |
i totally agree,people werequeueimg at 5 on sunday nights when it was not opened 'til 7...simple minds...dire straights...the jam...the sex pistols.if you wanted fame it was the ffordy{or the haddon hall,to a lesser extent)...happy days!
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Dejadude
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Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
Posted:
12 posts
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For everyone interested... I was once the Landlord of The Duchess of York on Vicar Lane in the City Centre of Leeds. I am building a Duchess Tribute site on myspace. The URL for the site is: http://www.myspace.com/duchess_of_york_leeds_uk
I am designing this site because I want to bring her back to life... at least over the internet. I know that with all of us together, we can do this. The Duchess gave me some of the absolute best years of my life (5 years) and many more memories (18 years). I love the girl.
I invite everyone who has a story to please send it to me... come into my Duchess Tribute page on myspace and feel free to make comments, tell stories and share experiences. This is open to bands, previous staff, roadies, fans, regular punters... promoters, draymen, anyone and everyone DUCHESS. If you wish, you may email me direct: robindover@hotmail.com.
This is some of what I have actually said on the Duchess Tribute site:
Hello Friends of The Duchess! I am Robin Dover, the Virtual Landlord and previous Landlord of the beloved, famous and deeply missed Duchess of York, which was at 71 Vicar Lane, in the City Centre of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. This site is in honour of and in tribute to one of the greatest live music venues in history anywhere on this planet... The Duchess Of York in Leeds. I have started this site as a precursor to a book I intend to finish writing regarding the many, many phenomenal stories of real life people living, working, partying and performing within the Duchess. I am open to relate stories from the many wonderful people who have passed thru her doors. My story spans from late 1989 until mid 1994 and early 1995, just before it was gutted by Hugo Boss, silencing a major music venue and turning this historic musical landmark in the great North of England into a boutique. Anyone who has a story... please send it to me and I will give you credit for your contribution. I would also like to say that my intent for this site, as a social experiment, is to create a new Present... a new NOW for The Duchess. Through all of us coming together, I believe we can create the hottest 'Live Music' venue on-line. With the right team of people, I know this can happen. So bring us your ideas and contributions... your music and 'Live' videos and we will begin regular gig nights and create free concerts that will give up and coming bands as well as seasoned favorites and legends a platform to perform and entertain the world... right here from The Duchess of York... in Leeds... at 71 Vicar Lane! Our Gig Guide will arrive soon! This is cool...
So please... come in... look around... and makes yourselves at home. I will be serving beers and ales as usual... and plenty of the music that you loved so much.
Thanks Again... Long Live The Duchess!
Robin Dover
Virtual Landlord - The Duchess of York - Leeds
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dERvXeroX
User
Location:
Armley, Leeds
Joined on:
30-Mar-2007 19:26:52
Posted:
29 posts
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I just heard that the legendary "Flat nose" John passed away in hospital on the 3rd January. RIP
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Clankylad
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Location:
Guiseley
Joined on:
12-Jun-2007 08:34:13
Posted:
44 posts
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| dERvXeroX wrote: |
| I just heard that the legendary "Flat nose" John passed away in hospital on the 3rd January. RIP |
Sad to hear about Flat Nose. He may not have been much of a soundman, but he was a character and used to wear some memorably minging t-shirts!
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Dejadude
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Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Joined on:
04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
Posted:
12 posts
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Yes. Sad to say it is true. Our beloved Legend, Flatnose John, has died. However, he DID have his moments as a Soundman. He was also an exceptional Lighting Engineer... he pulled off some incredible light shows at The Duchess. And he could most definitely put away some Kronenberg... When I get some time over the weekend, I will start a BLOG in honor of John Trueman. Rest In Peace Flat Nose and God Bless You.
Robin Dover- Virtual Landlord - The Duchess Of York - Leeds
http://www.myspace.com/duchess_of_york_leeds_uk
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LeeRatbag
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16-Apr-2007 23:11:41
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93 posts
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RIP FNJ.  Definitely one of the more unique characters of the Leeds music scene. Roadie, promoter, Marmite addict and the deafest soundman I ever worked with.
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Mr Rik
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NYC
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23-Jan-2008 18:14:56
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5 posts
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"I would love to see some pics of gigs at the Duchess. Does anyone have any?
Call me cynical, but I am not sure if the city is better off with a Hugo Boss instead of the Duchess of York."
There are a few things here. I was a sound engineer at The Duchess from '97 to it's closure in 2000 and I took a few pictures. I have some others if you want them too.
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Mr Rik
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NYC
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Dejadude
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Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
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12 posts
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Hey Mr. Rik...
I will be getting more pictures up on the tribute site for The Duchess soon. And... I must say that the City of Leeds is certainly not better off without The Duchess of York on 71 Vicar Lane. I wonder how many of the most creative musical geniuses and talents in the world has communed with a heaving group of adoring fans, enjoying a pint, in the boutique of Hugo Boss now occupying that space? And I'm sure Kurt Cobain is turning over in his grave, God rest his soul, along with Wild Willie Beckett, Steve Marriot and everyone who I have known and loved, worked with and partied with, in The Duchess. There were ghosts in The Duchess while I lived there... I know there are many more now that the structure was so severly disturbed. I'm sure I will spend some time there as a ghost when my number is up... just for the music and the people!
The Duchess of York in Leeds... like Scrumpies... were places to experience rites of passage... experience alternate states of awareness (hmmmm... guess Hugo Boss qualifies for that)... meet friends... enjoy libations and music and dance...
I Miss The Duchess Of York Leeds.
I'll tell you a cool place to go in Leeds: The Grove Inn in Holbeck
Everyone... come see me on: http://www.myspace.com/duchess_of_york_leeds_uk
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drapesy
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Location:
Burley, Leeds
Joined on:
24-Feb-2007 21:20:32
Posted:
2141 posts
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I agree - the Grove is a smashing pub - and it has one thing the Duchess never had (or pretended to have to be fair) - great beer!
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Dejadude
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Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
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12 posts
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The Grove does have a much greater variety of good quality beers and ales than The Duchess ever did... But... I must say that I was trained by one of the best cellarman in the business before he died... Little Les... and I loved every minute of working in our cellar, properly tending to the beer and making sure everything was up to health and safety standards. Our usual fare was Courage Director's - John Smith's - Guinness - Nuclear Brown Ale - Beamish - Kronenberg - Miller Lite - Woodpecker - Dry Blackthorn - the usual bottles and we had a guest beer rotating through every week or two.
The Grove is a CAMRA winner... and well deserved. I love The Grove and everyone there. Many of the old Duchess crew go there now... Rachel the Landlady introduced me to John Keenan. She is a sweet, cool person and a blast to party with.
The Duchess was a much larger pub/live music venue with a heavy range of traffic. We were the busiest live music venue in the north of England at one time. We were so busy at times that our beer never even had the time to settle. Our cellar wasn't large enough to store enough beer to give it time to settle and rotate through until the next gig... meaning the next day because we had 2 to 3 live bands perform at night 7 DAYS A WEEK. We were constantly concerned about the fire safety coming in a shutting us down for being too crowded. These conditions don't concentrate on quality of beer as much as just having enough in to keep punters from going thirsty. I saw nights when we actually ran out of beer! It was lunacy. 7 rows deep at the bar... we were ROCK-N-ROLL. But we never pretended to be a beer connaisseur's first or last stop. Sure... we provided plenty of libations for getting drunk, rowdy, singing and dancing (carried some of the best single malt whisky)... we were about music. And in that category, we were second to none in offering sheer variety, regularity and quality of performers as well as giving people who had minimal public exposure as performers the chance to be seen and heard by a packed pub of over 500 people crammed together in one place. I miss The Duchess. I can go one and on... think I will get back to my manuscript on The Duchess. And then have a beer...
Oh... another cool pub... just outside of Leeds... The Junction Inn over in Otley.
Robin Dover - Virtual Landlord - The Duchess of York - Leeds
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Si
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Location:
Otley
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10-Oct-2007 11:52:40
Posted:
3382 posts
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The Junction is, technically, in Leeds. Was in there New Year's Day lunchtime for a hair of the dog (or four.)
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LeeRatbag
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Location:
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16-Apr-2007 23:11:41
Posted:
93 posts
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| drapesy wrote: |
| I agree - the Grove is a smashing pub - and it has one thing the Duchess never had (or pretended to have to be fair) - great beer! |
They used to do a decent pint of Directors, to be fair.
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Ian R P
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Location:
Beeston, Leeds
Joined on:
19-May-2007 23:02:51
Posted:
57 posts
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| wiggy wrote: |
| Ian R P wrote: |
Hi,
Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser.
In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.
I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.
The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.
Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig.
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nirvana,as in kurt cobain....you sure?? |
Yeah, they were on a 3 band tour up and down the country with Tad and Mudhoney. It was well before Nevermind and probably before Dave Grohl joined but I'm pretty sure my mates saw them in Leeds.
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Ian R P
User
Location:
Beeston, Leeds
Joined on:
19-May-2007 23:02:51
Posted:
57 posts
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| drapesy wrote: |
| wiggy wrote: |
| Ian R P wrote: |
Hi,
Ok, so it was a bit tatty, but it was an iconic venue. Who needs a bloody Hugo Boss, you can buy there stuff in House of Fraser.
In the 90's The Dutchess was legendary.
I saw The Charlatans there in 1990, Ride (one of whom is now in Oasis), The Mock Turtles (Steve Coogans brothers band), The Bridewell Taxis (Leeds Band) and loads i've forgot about, oh yeah The wedding present.
The only thing I regret is turning down going to see The Pixies, and on another occasion Nirvana.
Another Iconic Venue is The Warehouse, I saw Blur there in 1991 and Missed Oasis in 1994 as I was going to be on holiday in Crete on the day of the gig.
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nirvana,as in kurt cobain....you sure?? |
Yes - incredible as it may seem Nirvana, with Kurt Cobain played
at the Duchess - wish I'd been there.
A bit of Google trawling reveals that it was on 27/10/1989 - and videos of it exist on youtube. |
Sorry I was quick to write then, ha ha
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Ian R P
User
Location:
Beeston, Leeds
Joined on:
19-May-2007 23:02:51
Posted:
57 posts
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| nesbit wrote: |
It’s good to know the Duchess lives on here at least, Hugo what have you done. Reading these posts don’t half bring back memories of many gigs, bottles of brown followed by a day or so of tinnitus. Was one of the sweatiest places to see gigs and when full was a struggle to get past the bottle neck and into the main stage area..
Just seen videos of Nirvana in Leeds on you tube, must be the DOY as the stage divers were just walking onto the stage right, no bouncers, joy.
The Nirvana gig was the stuff of legend by the time they let me in to the place. I remember Radiohead were always supporting people for about two years such as The Frank and Walters and if memory serves Sultans of Ping FC, where’s me jumper? They finally headlined and Creep really took off soon after.
I’m sure that when DOY shut the gigs were meant to move to Scrumpies? I thought that the same people owned Scrumpies and were meant to put on bigger and better gigs at the new venue. That reminds me of the broken toilet in Scrumpies, what a place.
I’m sure that someone at Leeds City Council hates the live music scene as places like DOY and the T&C really should still exist in centre of Leeds, am I wrong??
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I've heard that the old T and C building is going to be a Leeds Carling Academy which is something at least. I know only [edited for content] big bands will appear but it is time for a Leeds Arena.
The Warehouse was always good for gigs too.
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Ro-Man
User
Location:
Leeds
Joined on:
27-Feb-2007 16:23:16
Posted:
67 posts
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I've managed to dig this out of my Duchess archives from The Guardian (February 9, 2000). As for proof of the sofa which Kurt Cobain kipped on, I'll post the image from the article below.
Last encores please;
Bands like Radiohead and Manic Street Preachers might never have made it without Britain's pub venues. But now they're disap-pearing. Dave Simpson reports
SECTION: Guardian Features Pages; Pg. 12
Upstairs at the Duchess of York pub in Leeds there's a sofa. It's a leather, moth-eaten affair that could have come straight from the set of Steptoe and Son. But people from all over the world have stopped to ad-mire it. 'That,' they say, excitedly, 'is the sofa where Kurt Cobain slept.'
On March 25, the pub will close after a farewell gig featuring Chumbawamba. The sofa will have to find a new home. 'It'll probably end up in a skip,' sighs Duchess promoter John Keenan.
The Duchess is legendary in the north. Over the last decade it has played host to some of the biggest names in pop. Nirvana, Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, Radiohead, The Verve and many more learnt their trade here. Now, musicians and rock fans alike are in mourning as another hallowed pop shrine bites the dust.
'I'm really saddened that the Duchess is closing,' says Embrace singer Danny McNamara, 'because we couldn't get gigs anywhere else when we started out. We actually got signed by playing at the Duchess be-cause it was one of the few venues where record companies would be prepared to come and see you.'
The local music industry is up in arms. One irate missive to the Yorkshire Evening Post compared the closure to London's Marquee turning into a chain bar and Liverpool council's notorious 70s decision to con-crete over the original Cavern. Recent events, however, suggest that this is more than just a local issue, and that the Duchess is the latest victim in a nationwide cull of key venues that has left the grass-roots live 'cir-cuit' which spawned our finest bands in danger of extinction.
Newcastle's Riverside (bought by club giants Gatecrasher and converted into a club), Manchester's Boardwalk, Birmingham's Edwards No 8 and even London's acclaimed Embassy Rooms have closed, and many other venues are teetering on the brink. 'In the past three years we have profiled 50 venues,' says Crispin Parry of national pop-venues magazine Circuit. 'Twenty of them are now extinct.'
There are some who won't mourn the passing of the smaller, sweatier, smoke -filled rooms, but the ramifications for pop music are potentially catastrophic. Where will the next Manics, Oasis or Beatles come from if there is nowhere left to play?
The problems facing grass-roots venues are symptomatic of lean times in the music industry. Since Britpop, there hasn't been any great upsurge of live bands to justify the number of venues major cities have sustained. Record companies are signing fewer bands than they used to, and are spending money on mas-sive marketing campaigns rather than pushing bands as live acts. This means fewer 'name' bands for small venues and ultimately fewer punters inspired to start bands of their own. It adds up to an even greater threat of being dominated by manufactured pop horrors like Steps and S Club 7.
Live music also suffers from an image problem. Compared with superclubs, or even Playstation, the idea of seeing a rock band in a small venue (and the accompanying imagery of old men, urine-soaked toilets and feedback-ridden speaker stacks) lacks glamour for young people. 'Small gigs aren't as sexy as they used to be,' admits Parry.
On a business level, pub venues are being damaged by the same corporate impulses behind theme pubs and fast food. The Duchess, for example, is not closing due to a lack of demand for its live music but because the property company that owns it wants to turn it into a shop. Following a Thatcher ruling that breweries could own only 2,000 pubs each, financially risky pub venues were sold en masse to property de-velopers. They realise that they can earn more money by taking advantage of a venue's prime commercial position.
Seventy miles up the road from the Duchess, Paul Jackson, the promoter of Hull's famed Adelphi, is tearing what's left of his hair out at the crisis facing a venue that has been crucial to the careers of bands such as the La's, Radiohead and the Stone Roses. 'The situation is absolutely desperate,' says Jackson. 'In three months my overdraft has gone from pounds 2,500 to pounds 9,000. I don't know how long I can hold out.'
Eager to capitalise on the recent bar boom, Hull's corporate bar owners have flooded the city's crucial student/cultural area with drinking houses. A price war has erupted, with the artificially cheap beer in these bars making a night out at an independent venue like the tiny Adelphi suddenly uncompetitive.
'I remember what it was like to be a student with pounds 5 in my pocket,' confesses Jackson. 'If you can get a pint for 20p somewhere you'll go there. But at the moment it's a step away from them paying people to drink their beer. It's a battle only the big corporations can win.'
Jackson, like most of his customers, who include Adelphi-spawned hitmakers The Beautiful South, voices despair at the state of Hull's cultural heartland. 'It's all beer and squidgy sex.'
John Power of Cast is horrified at the threat to the Adelphi's future. 'The La's and Cast both played that venue and others like it for ages before we got successful. That's where we learned our craft. These venues absolutely must be supported, not shut down. It's bad for our business and a shame for future bands.'
The crisis isn't limited to pubs. Student venues another mainstay of pop culture at a grass-roots level are suffering equally at the hands of government policies. 'Since student unions' funding changed in the mid-90s, there's been no slush fund to absorb any losses,' explains Charlie Myatt of tour bookers 13. 'Events manag-ers came in whose job was to make money out of entertainments rather than provide a service. The best way to make money is to put on clubs and discos and not risk money on bands. There's a drip effect be-cause then nobody in the student unions knows how to put on a band.' Meanwhile students who don't have as much money to spend as they used to because of student loans prefer clubs to gigs.
Competition between promoters causes more problems. Myatt points to national gig promoters muscling into smaller clubs in order to forge relationships with potentially lucrative new talent. 'You'll get a big com-pany now promoting a 200-capacity venue, which takes money away from small promoters.'
It's not all gloom and doom, though. The smaller promoters are fighting back. The Duchess's John Keenan is looking for another venue and after 25 years as a promoter (initially as a pivotal figure in the late-70s punk scene) insists he hasn't lost his hunger or his enthusiasm. He says he is addicted to the thrill of putting a potential Oasis on in front of 12 people and 'watching them grow and grow'.
Equally, Charlie Myatt points to one success story: Water Rats in King's Cross, London. 'It's working be-cause rather than take record company product they listen to tapes and put exciting new bands on. Promot-ers just have to be a bit sharper nowadays.'
That's no doubt true but should the future of pop be left to the entrepreneurial spirit of small-time pub promoters anyway? Pop music is an art form and it's time that grass-roots level pop received a subsidy along the lines of the Royal Festival Hall and Royal Opera House, cultural centres with far less popular appeal. Pop venues and rising musicians are routinely subsidised across Europe, so why not here?
This is the question that Crispin Parry hopes to put to the Arts Council, as he seeks lottery or other fund-ing to back a nationwide tour by a 'name' band with an entrance fee of pounds 1. 'I want to be able to show younger teenagers what it feels like to be at a live gig,' beams Parry. 'Hopefully they'll come away saying 'That was really exciting. I can't wait to go back.'
'We have to do something,' he concludes, 'otherwise it'll be a case of 'Will the last person to leave please turn off the amp?' '
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Ro-Man
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Location:
Leeds
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27-Feb-2007 16:23:16
Posted:
67 posts
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Ro-Man
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Leeds
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67 posts
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By the way,
Robin - as virtual landlord of the Duchess Myspace site, if you want the original article of this out of the paper, post a message on here and I'll send you it. Like the flyer scans I posted earlier in the thread, I'm sure the picture will end up on the Myspace site anyway, but it's just a thought.
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Dejadude
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Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
Posted:
12 posts
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Dear Mr. Ro-Man,
Please send me an email at: robindover@hotmail.com.
I am touched by your offer. I actually had this article at one time. I have moved back and forth from Leeds to virtually every planet in the known universe... I've lost track of the safe I have it sealed within. 
Please send me an email and let's make some arrangements.
Peace.
Robin Dover - Virtual Landlord - The Duchess Of York - Leeds
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David Raven
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Location:
Adel/Meanwood, Leeds
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05-Feb-2008 20:58:12
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64 posts
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Eeee! You guys are bringing back the memories!
I loved the DOY. From about '89 until it closed I used to call regularly, afternoons (when I was on the dole) and nights (when I was working and could afford to see bands).
Maybe one of you can help me - at what point in it's history was it the 'Pub with no name'? I think it was before being called the DOY, but aren't sure...
And how come it ended up being called the 'Pub with no name'? Did it really not have a name for a while, or just no pub sign?!
Thanks everyone for sharing your reminiscences and piccies!
Cheers
Dave
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Dejadude
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Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
Posted:
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Ey Up, Dave,
Glad to see heart-warming memories are churning!
It went something like this... it was originally the Robin Hood going all the way back into World War 2 which was black-listed by the US military because of rampant prostitution (ladies hanging out at the bar with price tags on the bottom of their shoes) and drug trafficking. It was. after all, a pretty rough part of the city at that time. Then, around the end of '85 (I believe) the name changed to The Marquee. There was the threat of a lawsuit from the Marquee in London... so out of urgent necessity, she became 'The Pub With No Name' circa '86... then... enter "The Duchess Of York". I am still gathering an accurate history on our sweetheart and will keep everyone posted as it grows. Anyone with more details... we would love to hear more so I can post these details on the Duchess Of York Leeds myspace site.
Cheers,
Robin Dover - Virtual Landlord - The Duchess Of York - Leeds
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weeman
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08-Feb-2008 00:21:15
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hi everybody . does anybody know what happened to the cobain couch then? and is the building still a hugo boss shop? thanks anyway
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Dejadude
User
Location:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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04-Dec-2007 01:23:03
Posted:
12 posts
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Yes... the building is STILL a Hugo Boss shop...
I am researching into the location of the Cobain Couch... apparently it ended up in a museum in Sheffield... I have yet to have this confirmed. Anyone with genuine proof of this?
FREE FEATURED ARTIST GIG NIGHT - EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT!
Where: http://www.myspace.com/duchess_of_york_leeds_uk
SATURDAY 23 FEB 2008 FEATURED ARTIST: SHAKINOUTS promoting their new single: Time You Were Told available at Crash Records and Jumbo Records in Leeds for only 2 Quid!
The Duchess Of York - Leeds - are beginning a FREE 'FEATURED ARTIST GIG NIGHT' beginning next Saturday the 23rd of February 2008 on The Duchess MySpace site. It will happen every Saturday from the 23rd of February onward. If you would like, we will be more than happy to consider you as a FEATURED ARTIST on our site.
If you have a video link, youtube vid or code that you can provide to us or are prepared to create one specifically to be featured for The Duchess, send us the link and we will schedule you for a FEATURED ARTIST GIG.
Ideally, the video will be of you and/or your band performing live. However, we are also willing to consider creative concepts expressing your unique talents. We are always open to genius. Let us help you get your music and your message out to the world and what better forum than The Duchess Of York in Leeds!
Let us know if you happen to be interested.
Cheers.
Robin Dover - Virtual Landlord - The Duchess Of York - Leeds
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Mr Rik
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NYC
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23-Jan-2008 18:14:56
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"I am researching into the location of the Cobain Couch... apparently it ended up in a museum in Sheffield... I have yet to have this confirmed. Anyone with genuine proof of this?"
It did indeed go to The National Centre For Popular Music (or The Unpopular National Centre For Music as it wass known, locally)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Centre_for_Popular_Music
The place closed down very soon after due to it's utter crapness but they DID have it in the meantime and the acquisition of the sofa is mentioned here
http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2000/04april/000403nib.shtml
Not really "proof", I know but as a Duchesser and a Sheffielder I can testify it WAS there.
No clue what happened to it when to place changed hands. Good hunting!
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