Coffee & Cream

This was a time, when we were kings…

While the known super-clubs of Cream, Renaissance and Ministry all but dominated the over-ground, unknown promoters were wombling underground and scraping together finances to make their own mark on the era, promoters such as four unlikely lads going by the name of 'Coffee & Cream'

The inaugural event was booked for a sweaty summer's night in July 1994 and local DJ dignitaries Stu Rising (of Pure Sex fame) and Andy Lowe (thoroughly nice bloke) were to headline. C & C became synonymous with groundbreaking flyers all created from the mind of Chops and for this opening night he really wanted to push the envelope.

The gig was a resounding success and a complete sell-out. More nights were booked and DJ's lined up to spin the wheels of steel at the country's most exciting underground club.

Notable nights for C & C included:

September 24th 1994 when Coffee & Cream entertained DJ's Steve Conway and Steve Luke.
December 23rd 1994 was a Christmas to remember when Andy Lowe returned alongside Nick Dickenson.
April 15th 1995 proved a pivotal moment when DJ Ben Evans was invited along to play.

The only way for Coffee & Cream to go was upwards and for their 1st Birthday bash on Saturday 22nd July 1995 they pulled out all the stops. Having proved himself as someone who could play records and drink an awful lot at the April '95 gig, Ben Evans was appointed as resident alongside Scott. The 'fab four' became five.

The boys really drove the promotion for their big day. A teaser campaign weeks before was launched as flyers of Rolf Harris playing the stylophone were attached to car windscreens across the city with the slogan 'Watch Out! Coffee & Cream's about!' As the buzz grew, so did media interest and Coffee & Cream was announced on Pete Tong's Essential Selection as one of the must-visit nights of that weekend.

"People were beginning to demand more from their clubbing experience and we didn't want to disappoint them." explained Ben. "We had to evolve but keep it real and the only way to do that was naked pole-dancing."

Unfortunately they couldn't get the necessary licence and so instead put together what was, and possibly still is, the greatest mix tape of all time: 'Coffee & Cream - The Choicest Blend'. Gareth explains the process: "You have to remember that nobody was doing this sort of thing at the time. We had a limited run of 125 and it was going to be given away, free of charge. Nobody was doing that, not for free. Nobody. I don't think they were anyway."

The tapes were distributed in time to an ecstatic crowd who celebrated the Birthday of everyone's favourite night on the town. The tapes now exchange hands on E-bay for lots and lots of money.

From there, clubbers were treated to another cup of Coffee & Cream in August '95 with guest DJ Martin Metcalf. September 30th 1995 and residents Scott & Ben played host to Martin Stamp. And then….

….it all came to a bitter end. Feuding amongst the group came to a head when a saloon-style brawl put all five in casualty one Saturday night. Dan reminisces, "We argued about money all the time. I thought it would be a good idea to buy sports-cars with the profits but given that only myself and Scott can drive the others disagreed. I can't remember much after that as Chops put a chair into my head."

Fortunately, the boys put their differences aside for one last night. Chops wasn't available to create a final masterpiece due to being out of the country for tax reasons and so a rather lacklustre flyer was created by someone who the lads can't remember. However, a Christmas spectacular on Saturday 19th December 1995 in conjunction with Indamix Records and their good friends Andy Lowe and Andy Loney proved a fitting end to a special club.

The five amigos went their separate ways. With a decade of promoting the greatest club of all time….probably, where have those boys of summer gone?

Ben Evans found he couldn't let go of club-life and runs a pensioners night in Ibiza called 'When I'm three-sixty-four'.

Gareth Harries has taken up Crown Green Bowls and hopes to break into the Great Britain team within the next five years. By all accounts he's very very good.

Dan Alexander sold everything he owned in search of an idyllic home. "Just like one of those cottages in Midsomer Murders…brilliant."

Scott Angood became a leading authority on cult '80s American drama 'Dallas'. He is ploughing all his money from 360 into building a full scale Southfork Ranch in Somerset.

Richard 'Chops' Yorke is a successful designer. His most famous design is 'The London Eye' by the River Thames. Design and Designologists magazine recently asked where his inspiration came from. "It's based on the shape of a wheel" Chops replied.

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