Welcome to Romford: Mapping the Soul Scene

The Seven Kings Hotel, Ilford - home of the famous "The Lacy Lady" soul music club

The View from Gants Hill

I never lived in Romford, the UK soul heartland, but for a short period in the late 1980s I lived adjacent, in Gants Hill. As a twenty-something aerobics instructor who spent most of their life clad in lycra, I was obsessed with the high-energy disco and soul that dominated my end of the 1980’s Essex soul scene. The 80s Romford club scene was worlds away from my central London “exercise to music” world, and yet I couldn’t help but be influenced by the sound of bass heavy funky music blaring from open car windows, and the vibrancy of club culture that bled into all areas of pop culture.

The East End of London at that time was not particularly glamorous. The Canary Wharf development was only just sparking the wave of gentrification that spread from Mile End all the way out to the M25. In those days there were still dozens of small pubs and clubs catering to a young, vibrant crowd who just wanted to listen to their favourite music and have a good time. I can still recall the contrast between the shabby exteriors and the thumping glamour that often lay behind the blacked out windows. Those were the days when dressing up to go out was everything, so there was always a sense of well dressed, beautiful people on their way to fabulous nights out in places you had to be “on the list” or you’d never get in!

The Mythology of The Lacy Lady, Ilford

“The Lady”, part of the Seven Kings Hotel’s history, was the absolute centre of the soul scene throughout the late 70’s and early 80s. Although by the time the musical is set, it’s a little past its prime, it still held sway as the mythological centre of the everything soul. It was situated in Ilford, and people came from miles around to be part of its soul “all-nighters”. For those of us who were never lucky enough to be on the guest list, it meant an hour or so queuing to get in (if you were lucky). To me at the time it represented all that was “cool” – and let’s bear in mind that I was never “cool”!

There was the dress code, for example. The famous Essex uniform of “white court shoes” for the girls was only the tip of the iceberg. Grooming was everything – for both boys and girls, you had to have hair that didn’t move an inch - thanks to the gel, mousse and hairspray that held it rigidly in place. These were the days when boys would be buying a new pair of trainers every single week to make sure they were box fresh and absolutely spotless.

Looking In from the Outside

I suppose that when I was thinking about our three “Soul Mates” and how they’d fit into this world, I was very influenced by my own experience being on the outside looking in. As I said before, I was the opposite of “cool”, and I’ve never had a grasp of fashion. And although I did plaster a lot of Bodyshop Coconut hair gel through my spiky hair, my outfits never quite reached the required standards of trendiness! I loved the music, but I was too self-conscious.

I think that’s why Michelle has such an instinctive grasp of “how to look”. Almost without trying, she knows exactly what to buy, what to wear, and how to appear effortlessly perfect. Only we know the amount of work that it takes and how insecure she is deep down! Stephanie, in this respect, is most like me. Even under instruction, she knows she’d never achieve that level of sheen and so although she’s desperate to feel part of the “scene”, she’ll never feel quite like she fits. But then the thing about Tracey is, of all the friends, she is the one who finds it easiest to lose herself in the music. She’s the only one who genuinely doesn’t notice the fashionistas looking down their noses at her clumpy Doc Martins!

Reconstructing the Legend for “Soul Mates”

When I began to envisage the world of this original piece of British musical theatre, it was never about perfectly replicating a historical period, but more about capturing the feeling and the legend of that scene. Setting this coming-of-age story against the backdrop of this period and this place enables us to explore timeless themes around aspiration and fitting in: and through the music, thanks to Pete Ware’s 80’s synth-soul production, we revisit some of the glossy, funky, soulful dance music that was everywhere at that time. This “faux nostalgia” is the focus of our concept recording in the process of being released by iconic British soul label “Expansion Records”.

So, as book writer, song writer and erstwhile producer, I would like to welcome you to our “new retro” aesthetic – a universe full of songs to tickle your nostalgic taste buds. Are you sure “Break the Rules” wasn’t a minor hit back in the day by that esoteric but much-loved girl group called “Soul Mates”?