The name of the 2is derived from earlier owners, Freddie and Sammy Irani, who ran the venue until 1955.[1] It was then taken over by Paul Lincoln – an Australian wrestler known as Dr. Death and wrestling promoter – and Ray Hunter. They opened it as a coffee bar on 22 April 1956.[2][3] Tom Littlewood, previously its doorman and a judo instructor, became its manager in 1958.[1] The basement of the coffee bar had live music making use of a small, 18-inch wide stage. Lincoln and Hunter started putting on skiffle groups; the first resident group were the Vipers, who included Wally Whyton. It soon won a clientele attracted because of its rock and roll music, and for a time became the most famous music venue in England, and attracted talent spotters and music promoters such as Jack Good, Larry Parnes and Don Arden.[2] The coffee bar allowed standing room for about 20 people, and had a serving counter with an espresso coffee machine, orange juice dispenser, and sandwich display case. A door at the back led to the managers office, and a narrow stairway led down to a dismal and dark cellar about the size of a large bedroom, lit by a couple of weak bulbs. At one end was the small 18 inch stage made of milk crates with planks on top of them. There was just one microphone, left over from the Boer War, and some speakers up on the wall.[2] Several recording stars were discovered at, or performed at, the coffee bar, including Rory Blackwell, Tommy Steele, The Vipers Skiffle Group, Cliff Richard, Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett, Tony Meehan, Jet Harris, Brian Licorice Locking, Vince Eager, Terry Dene, Wee Willie Harris, Adam Faith, Carlo Little, Joe Brown, Clem Cattini (The Tornados), Eden Kane, Screaming Lord Sutch, Tony Sheridan, Keith Kelly,Timothy Fitzpatrick, Lance Fortune, Jay Chance, Albert Lee, Johnny Kidd, Paul Gadd (later to be known as Paul Raven and then Gary Glitter), Ritchie Blackmore, Alex Wharton, Mickie Most (as the Most Brothers)[4] and Big Jim Sullivan. According to an article in Time,[5] skiffle was new to the UK, and the 2is Coffee Bar and, nearby, The Cats Whisker, founded by Peter Evans, were where Soho hipsters swelter and suffocate for it... and... generally the musicians were paid with coffee and cokes.[6] Evans later started the Angus Steak Houses from the bar. Lionel Bart and Mickie Most worked there as waiters.[2] Led Zeppelins manager, Peter Grant, was a bouncer at the 2is prior to his career in the music business.[7] The 2is closed in 1967. It later became the Dome Café Bar and then the Boulevard Bar. The basement is now simply a lobby area -- Text taken from Wikipedia--
Posted on: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 19:50:11 +0000
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