To celebrate 20 000 visitors in the last month, here’s another Worst of Perth classic for yous all. This would be somewhere around 20 years ago at The Firm nightclub, which was upstairs at The Old Melbourne Hotel on the corner of Milligan and Hay Streets West Perth. I can’t remember why I took this. Probably drink related. I’m not sure if it was some special event. I think everyone is just standing around waiting for texting to be invented.
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I can feel the love.
Anyone got any pics of Jeremiah’s or Gobbles nightclubs (both also in “the old West End”)?
i have one do you have any yet?
I pray someone also has pinnochios and Eagle 1 too
my husband always talks about eagle one
This is a bit terrifying but I think I recognise someone in this picture.
Meccano – what do you think? The profile of the person second from the right look familiar?
hahaha nice shot i dj’ed there for 5 years , great photo
hey man
im still in that zone
viva lime spiders
oly the mod
great photo!
check out the ‘tude on the dude with the David Bowie hairstyle. is that morrisey in the middle of the room?
i used to go there when you were dj’ing, rhys….good times
The David Bowie dude appears to be someone called Rick London, someone I used to know, K
To the left of Major Tom seems to be a guy with some kind of fur hat, or knight’s helmet. Or is that hair too?
looks like they were serving VB or Fosters – before the boutique revolution obviously!!
Maybe a can or two of melbourne bitter as well.
dr pangloss yeah they were great times mate ill never forget em , i think they served emu export also :~D
#3
youre right golden1! i thought exactly the same thing. it looks just like my sister in melbourne but i wouldnt tell her that.
u lot a are a bunch of wankerchops!. did you know there’s gonna be an “official firm renunion” not that crap that they served up to you at the loft with the tenuous connection of
some barmaid who worked there for six months, annie car, rhys, me, kelly, pat murphy etc etc. putting it together with anton maz from
yummy fur. anyone interested, email me, it’ll be
in summer in a suitably sleazy venue.
sue (who the hell is susan hammersley?)
Hey Suzy slam dancer!!, Trudy just showed me this site wow great to think about those old time hope all is good with you. Take it easy
That would be cool, especially if it was all the old people that used to go there. If I’m in Perth, I’ll go :P
The “official” Firm Reunion died a death.
There is now a Loft Reunion I believe.
They should do a Back To The Firm night at The Loft Rebooted at Bar Open. Perhaps on the same night they do a Limbos techno reunion night in the other room/other floor.
for sure, only place i could get in underage
nah it’s not mechanno’s it’s the firm altho they are definately red parrot types
DOH!sorry meccano i thought your nick was in reference to the club that was there b4 the firm , sorry about that im still learning to read :D
Wasn’t it Milliways or something before that?
yes it was i still have a milliways poster somewhere
they were all good clubs
Ah yes…I remember the days…
i remember jim looking like uncle fester on acid
See (slightly tragic depending on your age) Facebook group ‘Inner City Firm (We Were There)’ for more photos if you dare.
great photo, got any pics of gobbles or other clubs/pubs back then ? the floreat ?
Oh Gigdiary, if only I did.
After seeing this photo, people under the age of 25 could be forgiven for thinking that during the 80s everyone walked around looking like Morrissey or Ian Curtis. Wrong. The men looked like David Boone, the women looked like Billy Ray Cyrus. If they happened to see anyone who DID look like Mozzer – usually outside Dadas or a DSS office (ask your dad) – they’d kick the living shit out of them.
ohmygod
I think that’s me in the hat
I’ve still got that leather jacket
though sadly, not that waistline
I remember the Firm very well, the dancefloor used to bounce like crazy and it felt like the joists might give way at any minute. The stairs were also lethal – very steep and very tricky to negotiate after a few overpriced warm tinnies of VB. I still have a scar on my shin from those ruddy stairs.
Hi Skink,
there’s not many hats like that, and I recall yours at Mecannos as one of the regular features.
Funny, I recognise all of the recognisable people and would have talked to all of them several times a week (For the young folk, it really was a club – drop in any night it was open and you’d find the same crowd there) Not that I knew all the names then (let alone remember them now)
In fact, I think that’s the drummer from one of my bands at the bar in the paisley!
Many have claimed to know people in this photo, though none have been confirmed. I believe it was taken on a night Thou Gideon played.
That’s part of the fun of a quarter century gap, isn’t it?
I certainly saw Thou Gideon, and think it was at The Firm. (Then it could have been at the Wizbah, a little further east up Hay St
But the usual crowd would have been at The Firm, regardless of who was playing.
They were a very interesting experiment, Thou Gideon. I remember them playing at the arts cntre near the library. Anyone else?
I wonder if he still eats dogfood.
Of course he’s still living on dog food.
Dog food is so good for you
It makes you strong and clever too.
Are you really saying that’s you? If I remember the night was a promo for a band. I think they were called Thou Gideon. The lead ate dogfood if I remember.
it looks like me
I had a cap like that once, and not many people can say that.
the leather jacket and earrings are like mine,
and i was a regular at the Firm for a few years between 1990 and whenever it closed (I think I was a member – I recall a keyring)
difficult to recognize yourself in profile – I shall refer it to the missus for confirmation – we spent many nights there together
i don’t recognize anyone else in the picture, but then I don’t recall much from that
well, my wife tells me it is not me, so I’ll take her word for it.
thanks anyway for reminding us of some good times way back.
nostalgia is not what it used to be.
i was a regular there.
even had the members keyring.
does anyon e remember that lad in the Killing Joke Leather jacket.
and the manageress with the baldy head with mohawk.
Manageress name with mohawk Micaela my daughter in law
I remember the mohawk woman. I wish you had that keyring still for a photo.
i remember mike from faith no more turned up after a gig.
surrounded by birds, the jammy get.
had keyring for years.
but it fell apart totally. COULDN’T EVEN READ THE WRITING ON THE BACK
should have took it off me main bunch, and stuck it in a drAWER.
DAMN!!!
Thou Gideon! Hideous flashback you’ve induced there LA.
# 23
http://pigmeat.customer.netspace.net.au/thou_gideon.html
They were pretty bad.
Ha! Thou gideon were hilarious with their dog-food and power-tool antics on stage!
Loved the Firm. Danced my arse to the wax of Rhys, Dan Tha Man (a mere babe back then), and my old fave, David Zahari.
God damn I was 19 and working at the Aberdeen. I spent two years dancing, drinking, tripping, fucking, and laughing my arse off.
Drinks for Aberdeen workers at The Firm were one dollar for quite some time! If they hadn’t closed I’d never have left.
I even loved “The Infirmary”! You cannot stop us!
Sue Hammersley will always remain in my mind as the ultimate big-sister of my club days.
My own sister, Anna, graced the dance-floors of Milliways when I was too young to get in. (around 15)
Cheers Aaron. Gave me a right old laugh to see your name again after 20 years.
Dave’s good, btw, and not (as reffed in another thread) a podgy geek (lol). Seeing him in a few weeks, as it goes…
Very sad to hear Roy Jopson is no longer with us. So many happy memories (like having the cleaners shoo me off the dancefloor at 8am and having to tell Roy to stop playing Break 4 Love at 33)
RIP
CJ
Chris! Ha. What a blast from the past. Glad to hear you’re still in touch with Dave. Quality good times had then. My love to all the London posse (teehee “posse”) and any rap burglars you may encounter!
Arron, I knew your sister Anna well in the early mod days hanging at the Golden Rail, Shaftsbury and East Perth Tavern and clubbing at the Underground, Milliways and the firm where I would dj on occasion. Remember many good nites dancing and drinking at the Old Melbourne band room and the Shents. Its a Perth thats sadly long gone. Great to have found this site and hear so many names I had forgotten for so long.
I have photos taken inside Pinocchios in the 80′s, and inside Beethovens in the early 80s somewhere. If / when I find them I will let you know. There’s staff shots, band shots and other stuff.
would really like to see those pics of Beethoven’s if you ever find them.. and hey, Beethoven’s became Rumours right ?.. and the building, Dunlop House 418 Murray St burned down in July 2001 ?
Peter, forgot all about it until I got this pingback today. I am moving at the moment, so when I am in and settled I’ll hunt them up. Sorry I forgot.
Judging from previous posts, you will be mighty popular if you find those shots rhubarb.
What was the place on lake street? Lots of wall carpet. Shot some video in there once.
[I have photos taken inside Pinocchios in the 80’s, and inside Beethovens in the early 80s somewhere. If / when I find them I will let you know. There’s staff shots, band shots and other stuff.]
If theyh include Gary Shannon’s Almost Anything Goes Show you will be an absolute legend – I still recall the ads on 6PM with Bad Manners version of the Can Can as the musical backing.
Hmmm … Lake Street you say, TLA ? Presuming you mean north of the tracks, the obvious ones were Eagle One on the corner of James St, and The Underground on the corner of Newcastle St. Something tells me I’m probably completely wrong, but the real monstrosity was I think named Hannibal’s. I’m not sure about the wall carpet as I never actually ventured inside. It was next door to a pizza place called Uncle Vince’s ( Vincent’s ), which did the best chilli mussels anywhere, and directly opposite an Italian store which featured some choice lamps and statues in the window.
While I’m here, I might as well ask. I always thought the best venue for a club would have been the circular carpark directly opposite the Ent Cent on Lake Street. What ever happened to that place ?
i believe the circular carpark is now apartments.
so perth.
Hannibal’s. Had to video some abortion of an event called I think The Evolution of Rock. Peter Chase’s Evolution of Rock maybe. I forgot the Underground. We knew a girl that cage danced there. Ms O, are you a lurker on this site?
Wall carpet – must be Hannibals.
Ooops, you already answered yourself. Ohh the underground, forgot about that place too.
LA, will hunt up the shots, give me some time though. Shots of Sam’s pizza place (for the gobbles / beethoven crew) and the opposition – La Gondola, for the Pinocch’s crew. A divided camp were we.
Frank – I was working there when those shows were on. That seems a lifetime ago.
Snuff – I remember those chilli muscles, they were legendary. Was it the Re store’s original shop that was opposite? I also remember that as the Pinoch’s crew ‘grew up’ we migrated to Hannibals. Sat in the lounge chairs drinking champagne and orange jiuce or pina coladas.
Indeed it was the Re store, rhubarbwine. Thanks for putting a name to the place. Uncle Vince’s chilli mussels with crusty, ( in a good way ), garlic bread, were so deservedly and famously popular I don’t know why they bothered with the rest of the menu … nobody ever ordered anything else.
As I previously mentioned, I never actually saw inside Hannibal’s, but now strangely, I wish I had … just once. I’m still unable to forget, however, the long queues outside of, it has to be said, southern European punters … all mullets and stonewash denim for the guys, big hair and shocking frocks for the gals. Oh, the humanity.
was it hannibals that had amateur $100 strip nights?I used to chaperone Sun Trolley friends there in the 70′s.Pam went on one night naked except 4 wellies and put ON her clothes
and the bouncer was outside throwing them in.
Anyone remember the Wiz Bar? They didn’t have a license to serve full strength beer, so they sold Swan Light with vodka it it.
Yeh cookster see Ent Cent.
That was a really, really really great place.
I have found some night club photos in the state library…
Here’s the celebrity nightclub in Vic Park in 1967
http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A/Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A&SUBKEY=night%20club/1,177,177,B/l962&FF=Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A&2,2,,0,-1
http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A/Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A&SUBKEY=night%20club/1,177,177,B/l962&FF=Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A&2,2,,1,-1
http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A/Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A&SUBKEY=night%20club/1,177,177,B/l962&FF=Xnight+club&searchscope=1&Da=&Db=&p=&SORT=A&2,2,,2,-1
nightclub, 70′s
http://henrietta.liswa.wa.gov.au/search/Xnightclub+picture&searchscope=1&SORT=A/Xnightclub+picture&searchscope=1&SORT=A&extended=0&SUBKEY=nightclub%20picture/1,9,9,B/l962&FF=Xnightclub+picture&searchscope=1&SORT=A&2,2,,0,-1
I searched ‘post industrial post punk alternative psychobilly photo’ but there’s nothing in there. Bah.
OK I’m on a roll. Some parrot punters at the lime spiders:
http://davidgerard.co.uk/pf/07/pf0703.gif
and possibly more of that sort of thing at the links here:
http://davidgerard.co.uk/pf/07/
All of which puts me in mind of a Patrick Cook cartoon from, well, I won’t say when, poor lisa:
“And so Ben Ean, we meet again.”
Love your work, poor lisa. Thanks so much for those links. When I’ve got some serious spare time I’ll read through those zine articles.
Some of the zine advertisements are classic worst, I think. This one > http://davidgerard.co.uk/pf/07/pf0708.gif
for Black n Blue Records may be the first and only time I’ll read an advertisement for a record store, or anywhere else for that matter, which enigmatically boasts ” Conveniently located next to public toilets ”
And I’m sure this one > http://davidgerard.co.uk/pf/07/pf0709.gif
was Ken from The Equator’s beautiful take on the Red Parrot logo. It was arguably a far more accurate representation, if not at the beginning, then certainly toward the end of the evening.
The caption on the Triffids photo is a charming touch too … ” If you don’t know by now which is which then you’re an ignorant bastard. “
Just a couple of memories from this thread. Remember that little coffee shop called Ophelia’s or Obellias (or something like that) in the laneway between Gobbles and Murray St…also Ric Chan used to be DJ at Gobbles and I think he wrote a column in the Sunday Times
OH MY GOD.
what a fun time we all had Jim King i miss you and the missus
If anyone is interested the lead singer Mark from Thou Gideon is living on his property in rural Darwin and is a very good friend of mine….I moved here too in 98 needing to escape from Perth and a few demons…..He’s so chilled out now, and is DJing around town… trance, hip-hop, 70′s 80′s and 90′s stuff….very eclectic! From eating raw fish and throwing dogfood to growing pawpaws…..Oh how we all change….Oh and hi DJ wayne…..good to see you’re still around….I don’t remember many people from the firm days….too many drugs…..but hey…..it was the first club i every went to and it was fucking fun….
Howdy , those were the days eh , well life does go on I am living in Delft Netherlands, and running a club i started called OUBLIETTE,(Where The Dark One,s Dance), and djing around the Netherlands , Life is good at 45,lol
Hiya Wayne…remember me? Its John as in Vince Valentini, Jody, Crimson Boy etc?? Jeez you were like the Molly Meldrum of the Perth 80′s Goth Scene! Poor guy…you actually did so much for the Perth Underground music scene at the time but then cope so much shit from the likes of me. Its great to see you still in the saddle DJ’ing. Im just a boring middle aged teacher living in the northern burbs of Melbourne now so go figure.
Was actually MY logo Snuff…..and yes it was a pisstake of the parrot
Thanks for that correction, Tren, and for the terrific logo. I’m sure you understand that it’s not easy to recall anything related to Equator. How good was it that night the cops raided and couldn’t work out who was supposed to be running the place ? God knows it probably wasn’t much use trying to get sense out of Ken, or anyone else for that matter. Fine times.
yeah phsycadelic nights wednesdays
with me and Vincent djaying, i had too much to dream last night,. Oh man, im still doin it but its a little better still.
Gotta take and gather & bring forth to accumalate yeah.
Keep the faith brothers and sisters,.
Awwwwwlright
Oliver
and yes i am alive
hey guys – anyone remember rockwells, a niteclub upstairs in james street. I used to work there with Skip and Tony. Tony and I had vertical hair and Skip had a blonde mullet. Had some great local bands thier including perfect strangers, no more heros & johnny diesel & the injectors. also had boom crash opera their one night, it was awesome.
wow, those were the days.
Skip here. I have retired from the army and moved back to Perth. Just spoken to James Morley ( Rookies / Angels ) on email. Thet were indeed great days. No more mullet. Shaved head now. Havent kept in contact with anyone from those days . Pity.
” no more heros”
Damn, I don’t remember playing there. But there’s a bunch of places we played that I can’t remember what the venue was called
i actually love this photo! it’s atmospheric and captures a whole different generation. look at them! this is awesome. post more photos. i know most people are saying how terrible they are, but it is what it is. a different time and place.
at least the guys look like men, unlike the emos out and about today.
That’s ‘atmospheric pollution’, sarah.
The same bunch of bored young piss/pot heads are still around; just a bit older, a bit more bored/boring, and now polluting the atmosphere from both alimentary apertures.
Isn’t maturity a wonderful thing?!
Yo Groucho,
I’ve been trying to find more info on ric chan.
He was seen in Bali for quite a while, then he disappeared. Someone said he was nailed by some nasties.
Any info would be appreciated
cj
Great times from what I can remember, many many braincells ago ;)
bloke facing camera is a mate called Rob, bloke drinking from VB is Andrew that used to do some DJing.
You sure? Many have claimed to know, but in the end turns out they were wrong.
That’s right, they were friends of Vince from Crimson Boy – used to hang out with them for a while – I was trying to remember names
hi guys this is haydn…trudy just put me on this site…how are you all…so many familiar names there
Hi haydn,
Be extra very careful with your nickname as we have a host of hoydens contributing to these comments who can become quite belligerent should they feel in anyway slighted, particularly re. feminist dogma.
They do? Don’t remember that happening. There have been a few minor disagreements over how many levels of hegemony there really are, but apart from that…
Perhaps I should have added an appropriate ‘smiley’ for T.I.C ! ;-)
That requires a beating from the hegemony stick Rolly.
I just learnt a new word – thanks Rolly. Destined for my next literary cuntribution, for sure.
Firm momento
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/389/68301480215162485862712.jpg
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/104/69331235465724522116556.jpg
Fantastic!
Interesting double entenre in the key ring “Firm Member” tag.
Though too much time spent there might well induce a case of “brewers’ droop.”
I still have my Firm Member # 001 :)
The Firm
unknown date
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8091/n8316249875467869986.jpg
Ha, yeah, I remember when it was Milliways, then Meccanos. I still have a few old 45′s with Meccano’s scrawled on the covers which ended up in my record boxes somehow. There was a time when it was a strip club, must have been before it became The Firm, maybe 1986 or 87.
“somehow”
nice
Geez, has it been that long…
After Mecano’s, it was a strip club (tiffanys) until 1992′ish, then the Assylum-[sic], then shortly became Firm 2, fun times!
There’s a fairly definitive timeline here, Ronny, from Meccano’s Manager, Reg Mifflin.
Tiffanys 70s Rolly Santos on piano then Milliways, Neil Wedd Meccanos,Edgy Reg etc
…lol I did the gothy black t-shirts for the Assylum. Multiple images of a skeleton with one them decapitated if I recall…very tasteful.
wow!
thats me in the photo with the vb plastered against my face, to the left in the photo is my friend rob… lol
andrew caramia
Excellent. Finally someone has been identified.
Nice to say “gday” after all this time. Can see one of my groomsmen, two (possibly three) band members (The Rachels) and I think at least one dear departed. Plus lots of VB and B52s. Always lots of shooter specials.
Back of my head should be there as I recall. Possibly front as the door frame at the back of shot was somewhere I stood that night.
That’s right Andrew…and I’m probably in the back somewhere about to get kicked out with Jody for harrassing some poor soul (hopefully a skinhead)
Just to add to the whole conversation, I went under the tag Neon Sid and ran rival one off nites down the road at Geramiah’s (had a frog logo I think). I eventually got myself banned from the Firm for flagrant self promotion. The manager eventually threw a bucket of water off the balcony to stop me handing out pamphlets. Fun crazy shit!
…….. I’m looking for Annie Car from the Firm………………………………..Nansi Thompson and Blithe and Halcyon Saxby want to say hello!
Last I heard, Rob, and it was a fair while ago, Annie had moved to Albany. I’ll see what I can find later, and be in touch.
There’s a phone number listed here for an Annie Carr, Rob, and I think it’s in Albany. See the listing for the Woodbury Boston Community Primary School 30th Anniversary and Open Day on November 21, 2010. It’s a long shot, but worth a quick call.
I remember the place and the faces. Serina Herbert, Rebecca Martin, Lisa (ahhhhh forgotten Lisa’s last name Rhys if you could refresh) and i spent many a shooter driven night.
hey peter how r ya mate i too remeber those days mate all the rude boys and rude girls punks and skins and that dance floor that moved up n down how we never fell through it i don;t know great times had there drop me a line some time……….cheers PHIL
Oh Classic, nothing beats the Dianella Pub and i know i should have put it on here.
I live in Dianella.
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Why is this on the worst of Perth ,should, it not be the BEST of Perth.
The Melbourne Bitter?
The Mopey Swagman?
Jesus, talk about some good memories!!
ALWAYS had the best time at the Firm, and saw it through all of it’s transitions right up until closure. Shame, GEX Y don’t know how to have fun these days. Sue; you would know who I am if you saw me…..lol…..would be great to see the likes of Jim King and Tuggy drop in here.
Haydn; which one? lol….did you work there mate? If so, it’s been too long.
Cheers and thanks for posting.
Tuck.
What about the RED PARROT ???????
What about it?
http://theworstofperth.com/2008/06/27/dead-parrot/
http://theworstofperth.com/2010/03/31/meal-in-a-drum/
Ric Chan lived in an old beach shack on Scarborough Beach. He drove an old Jag (not so old at the time) about 35 years ago. He had ear phones plugged into the radio in the Jag, very cool back then. Does anyone remember Big Joe the bouncer on the door at Eagle One. Alan Wright was also the bouncer at E1 and the Underground. Anthony Frank, Adrian Rainsford, Di Cash, Denis Barbridge, Paul Romeo, David Quinn seems like yesterday. Northbridge was a great big, safe play ground full of fun and good times.
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