Sophie Conisbee says… Hi I am looking to speak to some people that went to or know about the Crypt venue in the 70’s and 80’s and the live music there, I am a freelance music journalist in my final year of university researching for a feature. I am particularly interested in mod and the mod revival but information on anything would be really helpful. Thank you in advance, Sophie
Matt Thomas… Check out the group called The Crypt Archives.
Diane Leigh… Sister and brother went to crypt both punk rockers
Nick Tutt… ooooo I knew both of them. Please say hi.
Kev Towner… me too.
Diane Leigh… Jamie lives in north of Italy been there since he was 22,Heidi is at Brighton will tell them you said hi.
Martyn Baker… I used to work for the company that owned both The Havelock and The Crypt in the 80’s- (their cellars were connected). I also played in bands at the time, and also played there several times. If you want to know about the mod scene then – maybe speak to Ken Copsey or Huggy Leaver. They played in The “Teenbeats” from Hastings and would have played there too.
Nick Tutt… Sophie, I was there A LOT in the mid 80s. Happy to help although know nothing about the mod scene lol
Karen Sweatman… Sophie, I was there loads in the late 80s and early 90s. Saw loads of live bands, usually on the Tuesday (alternative night) and Thursday (rock night). No photos, but memory is quite good considering!!!
Mike Cramp… “If you remember The Crypt, you weren’t there”
Pete Prescott… Like a lot of older musicians/people I played it a lot in the 70’s/ 80’s. Bands like Jim and the Jim’s, Five Bob Rocket, Jezz Gillett Band. I once did a gig in 86 and found a canvas bag outside at the end of the gig. Inside was various items but the thing I remember was 6 passports all for the same guy. Uk,German,French, American, Italian etc. Real Jason Bourne stuff. It scared me. I stopped a police car and showed them. They were shocked. Took it and speed off.
Reid McDuffie… I never heard that passport story before, Pete…..freaky. I used to love the Crypt in the 80s. Groundhogs seemed to be playing there about twice a month though that must be my brain mis remembering! last time I was there, I felt like a pensioner!
Yvonne Cleland… Great venue!
Tara Reddy… I worked there around then.. fab place!! the Teenbeats would be good to speak with I have contact with the Teenbeats who were a local but pretty big mod band .. .. That place was the place to go! Huggy Leaver and also Ambient Tom .. has lots of info ..
Gin Genie… Tara, we all had stints there i think. Best nightclub ever
Neil Cartwright… A great venue to go to, and I remember playing there with various bands, including The Jez Gillet Band and The Mobiles. One gig (can’t remember with whom) we supported The Piranhas from Brighton (‘Tom Hark’ was one of their hits). Not quite ‘mod’, but not a million miles away.
Darren Holmes… Early 80s it was known as Rumours where a lot of bands played, some just before they became fames eg JoBoxers. The last night of Rumours Billy Bragg played, the place was rammed. When it was renamed back to the Crypt live music stopped and the resident DJ was John Digweed who played a lot of old/ Northern Soul. Upstairs became the Electric Grape run by Krazy Keith. A lot of us use to meet up there after following our various football clubs around the country and take each other on at bar football and pinball before descending downstairs for a jig to the sounds of JD.
Tara Reddy… Darren, yes I worked there and upstairs was The Electric Grape which later then became The Street! Despite being small had jazz bands every Tuesday and a full house most nights! So many great bands and fun to be had!
Judy Atkinson… Used to go there in the 70s, only place I was asked my age (after I was 18). There was a lot of mould on the walls & the light in the ladies never worked
Tony Bird… I was in a band called “PARDON” played there in 1974
Ian Mcgilvray… So did I. Small little gig but fun to play at.
Darren Holmes… When it changed from Rumours to the Crypt didn’t Mark and Taff Read own it? Doorman Pete had something to do with the ownership?
Mark Randall… I played there once in ‘85. A lady from the Hastings Observer reviewing it described me as a lanky ‘Hairy Market from A-Ha ( sic) lookalike. Which for a local rag was quite clever. A Largely sweaty bijou place , the likes of which we may never see again.
Martin Richter… lol – curly brown hair, bright red lipstick, tight jeans, boots – local ents. reporter – last i heard she was on *night network* doing a film review show
Steve May… The first time I played The Crypt was Bonfire night 1984 (day after my 16th birthday!) with a heavily Jam /Who indebted band called ‘Catch 22’. It was our 3rd ever gig. I clearly remember two women walking past & overhearing ‘f***ing hell, that was the worst band I’ve ever seen in here!” (We got better! : )
Louis Wiggett… I played my first gig there in 1986. Was a 60s garage punk influenced band called Thee Wylde Things.
Sue Graham… I played there several times around 1983 with local band Shy Boy.
Sue Strong… Worked there in the mid 70s for a while, also from 86 till 90s, seen many great bands down there, it was the only decent place to go in town
Dave Nattress… Played there as “The Charts” a couple of times, in our post-punk, fast-pop phase 1980/1981. Mick Bridgeland, Drums, Andy Leaney, Guitar, Lee Sulsh, Guitar, Steve Watson, Bass and myself on Vocals. Great venue, great atmosphere, great gigs. Obviously saw many other bands there over the years. Even no so bad lugging gear up and down the steep stairs off Havelock Road.
Alan Esdaile… It used to be jammed packed on a Sunday lunchtime in the 70’s, when Johnny Francis was DJ.
Claire Triance… Remember getting thrown out and banned in 70s can’t remember why
Joolz Dunkley… I played there in the early 80s in a band called ‘The Sirens’ later to become ‘The Group’. Nice little gig. Turbo PA.
