Ealing's Musical Goldmine With Uncertain Future
Film focuses attention of the importance of local club in the birth of British R+B
(Pic credit Roger Green. Pictured Ali Mackenzie (The Birds) Terry Marshall (Marshall Amps) Giorgio Guernier (Director of the film) Fery Asgari (Former leaseholder of the Club) and Alan Granley (Classic Cinema Club)
The spotlight has been shone on Ealing's musical heritage with a film charting the importance of a little known club with an uncertain future.
Suburban Steps to Rockland revolves around the history of the Ealing Club opposite Ealing Broadway station, which musicians interviewed remembered as being something of a small, damp, bit of a dive of a venue. It may be little known, but, as the film illustrates, it is arguably more important than the famous Cavern in Liverpool.
From 1962 it became the launchpad for the careers of a golden generation of British rock musicians and this fun film presents anecdotes about the bands who would eventually play their sounds to the world, interviewees includes Geno Washington (Geno Washington and the RamJam Band), Jeremy Spencer (Fleetwood Mac), Eric Bell (Thin Lizzy), Nick Simper (Deep Purple), Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker (Cream), John Mayall (John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers), Paul Jones (Manfred Mann), Eric Burdon (The Animals), Dick Taylor (The Pretty Things) and many more.
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Animation from Suburban Steps To Rockland - the Story of The Ealing Club. Art Wood, Cyril Davies and Alexis Korner go in search of a small venue to play amplified electric blues guitar and find a basement bar opposite Ealing Broadway Station. (1962)
Executive Producer Alistair Young, is hoping more people will get to see the film and the message will be spread:
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Ealing is indeed sitting on a goldmine of music heritage that could help focus much interest from around the world on many local festivals, educational facilities and businesses. The story of the Ealing Club has already been cited by Kansas University as important as Music Cities such as Liverpool, Memphis and Nashville. Such cities promote themselves, their festivals and educational facilities and complement their branding with an affinity to their music past, present and future.
''Ealing's dilemma is that most people have not had an opportunity to understand the narrative of Ealing's music story although key reports from London City Hall have started to indicate 'That Ealing should do more to promote it's Rolling Stones Heritage'.''
The film will be next shown at the Doc 'n Roll Festival in Liverpool. 28th March 2018
The Ealing Club forms part of 9-42 The Broadway development which is on hold after a public inquiry was cancelled last year. British Land took ownership from Benson Elliot and new proposals for the site haven't yet been revealed. We will update as soon as we hear.
Last week's Ealing Music and Film Festival screening played to packed audiences of 400 + people but more industry support is required to clear music licensing for TV, Cinema and DVD release.
People can help by spreading the word via the promo clip: and following the film on Facebook
Support Ealing music and attend events put on by Ealing CIC - find out more here
14th February 2018