The Two Eyes Club, Chelmsford

I hadn't heard of the Two Eyes Club, must have been after my time. We did used to go over to the US air force base at Wethersfield (out near Braintree). They would often get black American acts over there, which didn't usually come to Chelmsford. We used to go to a cafe which was downstairs in London Road, near the river. That was where all the mods used to hang out and there were always loads of scooters outside. The cafe was later taken over by another mate of mine called Martin Havalin, who turned it into the 'Pop In' record store. He used to get my imported records in eg Ska and blue beat music, I was also heavily into black R&B and spiritualist music and acts like Curtis Mayfield, Chuck Berry, Tamla Motown (only some were released in the UK), Ray Charles, Little Stevie Wonder, Sonny Terry, Brownie Magee, Big Bill Brunsey, Jimmy Smith, Booker T and the MGs, Sam & Dave, Arthur Connolly etc. You just couldn't buy this stuff over the shelf or 'on the net'. As I mentioned, I used to knock about with Bernard Doherty, who is still heavily involved in the UK music scene. We used to go to loads of gigs around the Essex and London areas. There was a very good club in the back of the White Heart in Brentwood High Street, called Bluesville. I saw Cream do one of their first performances there. They had to carry Ginger Baker (the drummer) onto his stool at the start of the set and carry him off afterwards. They were the very first 'Super Group' with Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker. They also had most of the 'London based' bands that used to play at the Flamingo and Marquee, in Wardour Street, London. We used to go out to a hall in Sawbridgeworth to see Roy Wood and Wizard, Emerson Lake & Palmer etc. There were many, many other clubs around at the time. It was just a sensational time to be young.