When I was in my very early twenties me and a few fellows would periodically take a trip down the road to Nottingham on a record buying mission to the famous Arcade records. One of my mates already knew where it was and this knowledge came as a surprise to me as he barely left the house - still doesn't - and to this very day he still hasn't learned to drive. On one particular trip we got a little lost as there was a diversion in place and I only knew one way as sat navs weren't invented and we ended up spotting a community centre type building with a perimeter wall that was bombed to hell. The building itself was also shrouded in graffiti and there wasn't a space left that wasn't 'written' on. I parked up, got the camera out - I always carried it, just in case - and snapped away. We'd already discovered the Cifton Youth Centre as we'd been to a graffiti competition/exhibition before - it was there that I'd heard 'The Magic Number' by De La Soul for the first time having already been down to Warp records to try and get it that very morning only to be told that 'it wasn't out yet'. - hence the reason for the out of town buying trips. This place, we later learned, was St. Anns. We went back once more with a mate who worked at the Kodak shop in the city - can't think why I invited him - and took loads more between us and swapped when he'd developed them. The very last time we returned was about a year later and we were disappointed to find it all nicely painted in neutral, bland colours with no sign of the colourful and vibrant artwork that took us by surprise the first time we happened to drive by. A shame really as that's what Clifton looked like after we went back there too a few years later. Good job I always traveled with the trusty, non-digital camera that was really hard to load.
I've chosen a few pics for you to download and have a look at and labelled them as best I can remember. If you are a native of the area or traveled around a bit like we did well. you never know, they might trigger a few fond memories.
UPDATE July 13 - If you want to see more graffiti from Nottingham's well respected past, there's a facebook group dedicated to its history. Its an active group with hundreds of old school photos. You can find it here: - https://www.facebook.com/groups/118592520553/
Ya dun kno' I knew these spots and can remember all them pieces in the file. Massive respects.
ReplyDeleteI was shocked to notice after I read the post that it was Moyinka and not Mike Check who was behind it.
BTW Clifton Youth Centre was better known as 'Spiders'.
Yeah, it was a pleasant surprise to me too! These flicks contain some real gems from Popz, and stimulate some great memories.
DeleteI think some of those St Anns pieces are on Russell's Youth Club. I might have to dig out some of my own and add to the collection some time ;)
Yo Warz, see my reply to Phil below. Do you have any photos to contribute, if not I'm sure you know much of the history?
Deleteyes, I was reasonably well traveled as a youth. I have some fom the Heathtown estate in Wolverhampton when Goldie was in his element so I'll get 'em together asap. If you have any more from your neck o' the woods I'd be interested in seeing those.
ReplyDeletei have hundreds of pics from st anns, clifton and browns in the early 80s up to when they both got closed. Also took lots of trips to york, walsall pitt, leeds, sheff and london. Lemme know what you need,
ReplyDeletePhil, Moyinka, Warz,
DeleteThis feels like it could be a small collaborative side project. I'm just thinking that none of our respective blogs lend neatly themselves to being a regional graf archive, but it feels right to share this history and I'm sure many others would have material to contribute too. Is it worth us creating something, what do you think?
Yo MC, You remember how I mentioned me having a load of old 'Beefs'? Well, most of 'em stem from the graffiti scene. I've held grudges longer than MC Duke ever could, ha.
DeleteStill, this is an interesting idea you've got. The last time I was on Facebook (which was well over 3 years ago) there was a couple of groups dedicated to the old school Nottingham graffiti scene and some of graff related stuff that people posted was mindblowing to say the least, old pics of long forgotten pieces, black book pages, tag books, even scans of the artwork Craze did for 'Lobster Telephone'.
I've not come across anything comparable amongst the blog scene, or at least nothing on the same scale. I'm a firm believer in preserving our local histories. Could be worth looking into.
I'm in.
DeleteMe being from Sheffield I'd be interested in your 80s Sheffield stuff if poss. I have loads myself but there's always some you miss, right?
ReplyDeleteim also in.. you got my email MC.
ReplyDeletebeautiful beautiful old Notts graf. And at no point did anyone feel the need to say 'I feel old'. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering what the oldest piece of graf in Notts is? on the lines next to the station we still got JOYN and REIF dubs... they'll be 92- my favourite vintage but do we go any further? What are those dusty tunnels near Browns looking like now? (I dont live in notts now btw)
ReplyDeleteone love writers, anyway
Ha ha, the old pieces under Browns were painted over many years ago (a shame really). But it's a good question you raise. I know there was an old piece of a bulldog behind Broadmarsh bus station until fairly recently, but I don't know if its still there.
DeleteA couple of us are discussing the possibility of setting something up to gather old graffiti pics from the Midlands, so if this comes off it would be a good challenge to see who can find the oldest existing piece.
Thanks for your contribution.
Oh yeah that bulldog was well old! That went when they demolished and refurbed the back of Broady though. I always used to see tags around by a 'Duke', particularly around Sherwood, an old one hung on there for ages that said 'Duke (Bad Lad)'and as the years passed I met a lot of writers but was never a trace of this Duke dude. I probably know him as another tag!
ReplyDeleteI also remember Saint '87... before my time and paths never crossed.
If you're on Facebook then check out this group dedicated to old school Nottm graf - https://www.facebook.com/groups/118592520553/.
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