The Portsmouth Music Scene

Crystal Rooms Recording Studio, Garnier Rod Fratton

The building at the corner of Garnier Steet and Besant Road was originally the Co-op Hall. There were many differet uses, here is a list of some. 1929 January 29th, Pimco Employees Guild whist drive. April 22nd, Portsmouth Devonians AGM. May 11th, Bible Students meeting. 1930 October 4th, Women's Co-operative Guild social evening. 1931 March 16th, Alf Abbott's Carnival Dance with the Universal Band October 16th, General Election Public meeting W G Hall Labour Candidate. 1932 March 10th, Women's Co-operative Guild dance. 1933 December 18th,The Co-operative Central Guild Whist Drive. 1934 May 1st, Flannel Carnival Dance with the Rhythm Boys Band. 1936 March 14th, League of Youth Dandce with the Bijou Dance Band. 1937 September 30th, Left Book Club open meeting "Against facism for a better social order" 1938 October 13th, Comrade's Circle Dance with Will Druce and his Band. December 17th, Women's sectio nof the Co-operative Party lecture 'China's Case' 1939 February 6th, 16th Anniversary tea and social by the Portsmouth North Division Labour Party Women's section. 1942 July 16th/18th, Birth and growth of working class movement Historical Exhibition. 1944 January 29th, Saturday, Dancing at the Co-operative Hall Garnier Street. 1945 September 14th, Swingcopators for a 'Grand Dance' September 15th, Saturday, The Portsmouth Recorded Music Society meeting at the Carnegie Library present new recordings of Beethoven. November 15th, Alf Hallman and his Band at the Co-op Hall Garnier Street. 1953 October 7th, The Broadway Trio play for dancing. December 31st, The Broadway Orchestra play for dancing. 1955 February 11th, Jim Callaghan speaks at a meeting. 1957 October 8th, The Southern counties Orchestra play for dancing. Crystal Rooms in the early 80s Almost the end at Grrnier Street Crystal Studios? Run by Streve Hoff. In central Portsmouth corner of Garnier Street and Besant Road. The locasion is now under the Fratton Road Asda Car Park.

Known recordings at the Crystal Studios with thanks to Antony Rollinson Action Painting! 1990 Action Painting! These Things Happen/Boy Meets World (7"). Sarah Records. Sarah 28 Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. 1993 Action Painting! Classical Music/Sensation 5 (7"). Sarah Records. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, Crystal Studio, Portsmouth. Ad-Nauseam 1987 Ad-Nauseam The Greatest Show On Earth. (LP). Crystal Records. Crystal 19. Intro/The Greatest Show On Earth/Pain In The Arse/Judas/Destructor/Praying For An End/AD-Captandum Vulgus/Pandemonium/Last Rites (To Be Continued)? Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Steve Austin 1987 Steve Austin Music From The Withered Orange Tree. (Tape). Bite Back! BB013 Recorded by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios. Nigel Beech 1987 Nigel Beech This Is No Time For A Carnival/No Breath To Shout/Your Perfect Dream. (7") Crystal Records. Crystal 15. Recorded & Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios. Bushmen 1985 Bushmen Sweat It Out/Red Necks, White Socks/Things Fall Apart. (12"). Uptight Records and Music. UPT11 Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios. Control Q 1984 Control Q (7" and LP). Lost in the passage of time. Crystal Records. CR03 Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Cranes 1990 Cranes Inescapable EP (12"). Dedicated. Crane OO1T. Inescapable/Give/Dada 331 /Inescapable II. Recorded and Engineered by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Produced by The Cranes and Steve Hoff. Emptifish 1985 Emptifish The Branksmere Sessions (7"). Crystal Records CR06. Surf Side: Surfboard/Manta Ray Beat Side: Ain 't Homel315 Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. 1986 Emptifish I Want That Girl/Shake Out/395BBK. (7"). Crystal Records. CRO11. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. EVOL 1990 EVOL Seven Miles Up/Some Kind'a Vibe. (7") Ambition Records. AMB008. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. John Grindey 1992 John Grindey Doggie Bag (The Leftovers). JG002. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Paul Groovy And The Pop Art Experience 1986 Paul Groovy And The Pop Art Experience Let's Crash The Blue Bus! (Tape). Bite Back! BB!O10 Andy Watch Out!/Hypnotised/Sceptical Slide/Alice In Wonderland/Something's Happening Today/Secret Diary */Tune In Turn On Trip Out/Take Away The Pain Recorded at The Crystal Studios by Steve Hoff, except * in taped in Master Groovy's kitchen, Fratton. 1987 Paul Groovy And The Pop Art Experience Andy Watch Out!/Take Away The Pain. (7"). Bite Back! BB!012 Recorded by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios. Itchy Feeling 1985 Itchy Feeling Hold Me Closer/Whisper Of Love (7"). Crystal Records. CR09. Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Los Hombres Ingles 1993 Los Hombres Ingles Sun EP (CD) HOM 1002 Los Hombres Express/Dig Deep/Real World/My House/All Good People Recorded at Crystal Studios by Steve Hoff, Tim Daniels and Los Hombres. Mandragora 1994 Mandragora Temple Ball. (CD). Mystic Stones. Rune 14. Temple Ball/Dr Temples Abduction/Zarg/Talking To God (Part IV)lThis Is .../Jazz Message From The Mothership/Inside The Crystal Circle/Null Gravity Generator/ Rainbow Warrior. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. The Organisation 1990 The Organisation Spin/Paris/Dry Your Eyes. (7") Electric Chair Records. ECRO1 Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. The Paint Horses 1990 The Paint Horses Elizabeth/Healthy, Wealthy and Wise. (7"). Horse 1. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Picture Book 1985 Picture Book Laughing In My Hand/Reflex Action. (7"). Crystal Records. CR07. Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. The Psylons 1986 The Psylons Run To The Stranger/Tumbling Clown (7"). Crystal Records. CRO10 Recorded and produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Run To The Stranger appeared on the 1986 The Indie Scene compilation with: Pulp, The Weather Prophets, Easterhouse, The Blue Aeroplanes, Billy Bragg, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Primitives, The Close Lobsters, Pop Will Eat Itself, All About Eve, The Go Betweens, That Petrol Emotion, Rose Of Avalanche, The Mekons, Goodbye Mr McKenzie, His Latest Flame, Mighty Mighty, Very Things, Flatmates, The Chesterfields and Erasure. 1986 The Psylons Mockery of Decline/Clearer Sky (7"). EType Records. EType 1. Recorded and produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. 1987 The Psylons All The Things We Need/Turning Worm/The Midnight Sun? (12"). Iron Lung Records. IL001. Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. 1988 The Psylons Psylons Is Golden. (Tape). Bite Back! BB!016 What Do They Care?/Push Him Away/Stephen Drowning/No Time Like Now/The Cut/ Waiting Nation. Recorded by Steve Hoff at the Crystal Rooms. 1990 The Psylons No ChoicelSurf Song (7"). Unsigned. UN001. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. 1991 The Psylons Sandman/Driver/Sandman Mix. (7"). Unsigned. UN001. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Ramblo and The Legendary Eddy Stone Band 1987 Ramblo and The Legendary Eddy Stone Band Monday Morning Blues/Who Wanna Party. (7). Crystal Records. Crystal 16. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Red Herring 1987 Red Herring Albert Road/Harbour Lights. (7"). Crystal Records. CR017. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. John Sharp and Tim Walker 1992 John Sharp and Tim Walker The First Walker (7"). HS Music. HS 001 She Went Down/Si Bheag Si Mhor Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Sister Morphine 1992 Sister Morphine Groucho Philosophy Man (12"). Morp 003. Not Enough Love/Groucho Philosophy Man/Cozmic Zoo/Golden Haze. Recorded and Produced by Steve Hoff, The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Three Little Piggies 1988 Three Little Piggies Clark's Commandoes/Ain'tHe Happy/Uncle Chris. (7"). Mrs Slocombe Discs. MSD2. Recorded at The Crystal Rooms by Steve Hoff. Treble X 1985 Treble X What To look For/I Think I'm A Falling (7"). Rock Sharp Records. RSR005 Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. 1985 Treble X So Happy Now/Under The Burning Sun (7"). Crystal Records. CR07 Engineered and Produced by Steve Hoff at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth. Waterfall 1993 Waterfall Round Inside. (7"). Recorded at The Crystal Studios, Portsmouth by Steve Hoff. With No Encores 1985 With No Encores Fifteen Minutes In November (Tape). Recorded at The Crystal Studios + live. Not In Love/Fall On My Face/This Place Called Home/Abortive Child/Where Its All Happening/Kickin'Around (Carnage)/She's Gone/The Passenger(Iggy Pop). AZURE.. PORTSMOUTH ABSTRACT WAVE SYNTH DIY COMPILATION OF PORTSMOUTH (UK) ELECTRO, SYNTH, PUNK, AVANT GARDE, ART ROCK BANDS 12" VINYL LP RELEASED IN 1983 BY PMC / THE CRYSTAL ROOMS RECORDS (PMC 001). TRACK LIST: HYPER SPACE SKANK...SOUND SYSTEM DON'T GIVE A DAMN...CONTROL Q PILLAR...STEVE AUSTIN OUR LADY...MACHETTE MOVE IT UP...RADICAL DANCE PRESSTELL...THE PRESS JUXTA POSITION...RENDEVOUS OF FRIENDS PRESENCE OF MIND...VIVIENNE ENCORE SLAUGHTER HOUSE...VERBAL ASSAULT POWER OF STONE...CYCLONS Paul Groovy & The Pop Art Experience Crystal Rooms, Portsmouth recording sessions 1/12/84 - 1. Tune In,Turn On,Trip Out 2. Take Away The Pain 3. Alice In Wonderland 4. Sceptical Slide 3/8/85 - 5. I’m A Man 6. Andy Watch Out! 7. Alice In Wonderland< 8. You’re No Good 9. Tune In,Turn On,Trip Out 10. Take Away The Pain 11. 99th Floor 12. On The Run 21/5/86 - Bite Back! ?– BB!012 Format: Vinyl, 7" Country: UK Released: 1987 13. Andy Watch Out! 14. Somethings Happening Today 15. Hypnotised 29/11/86 16. Let The Fire Fall 17. Take Away The Pain 18. Secret Diary Line up for all sessions: Paul Groovy- Vocals/Harmonica/Feedback Guitar, Steve Clarke- Guitars/Backing Vocals, Joanne Irwin- Drums, Steve Herlihy- Bass. Engineered/Recorded by Steve Hoff Track 1 appeared on “Against The Tide” compilation album (Bite Back BB003) 1985 Tracks 1,2,3,4,13,14,15 released on “Lets Crash The Blue Bus” album (Bite Back BB010) 1986 Tracks 13,17 released as “Andy Watch Out!” single (Bite Back BB012) 1987 Tracks 5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,16,18 unreleased Track 14 also appeared on “Make Ready For Revelation” compilation album (Bite Back BB 014) 1987 Track 13 also appeared on “14 Missed Beats” compilation album (Vendetta VEND009) 1996 and on "Free Cee Dee Three" compilation album (Topplers SeeDee 3) 2009 Track 1 also appeared on “NME C86” cd box set (Cherry Red CRCDBOX12) 2014 Paul Vipond, Leigen recorded three tracks for our demo in 1984 at the Crystal rooms Studio with Steve Hoff. Track 1 Parties 2 What creeps. and Escape. Track one is on the Bite Back Compulation Against the tide. John Peel played tracks from the Against the tide compulation on his show he played our tune parties and Empti fish cant remember the others he may of played at that time maybe Cool Dizzys play house or radical dance?. I played in the portsmouth band Legion 1983/85. We recorded with Steve Hoff their 84. We rehursed in the down stairs room in the Garnier st entrance. Played three gigs there with Emptifish. Silent Troop. and Adnausim between 84/85 Free Beer recorded a demo there around 1985. Hooch? were Carl Boggy Peat, Bug, and Simon Burnett Graham Buttle Recorded a track there with Nobba, Matthew Inskip, Martin Walls and Chris May early 1980’s Artist: The Psylons Label: The Crystal Rooms Country: UK Catalogue: CRYSTAL 10 Date: Apr 1986 Format: 7" Tracks A The Psylons Run To The Stranger B The Psylons Tumbling Clown Control Q. Evil Eye. Crystal records, UK 1984 LP "Equalisers" in 1980/1981. Chris Hughes drums Singist was Steve Woodhead, guitarist Colin Ray, bassist Shaun Meagre and me on drums. Guesting on saxophone was a chap from Denmead Picture Book Laughing In My Hand / Reflex Action ‎(7") Crystal 2 1984 Emptifish Branksmere Sessions Crystal 6 1985 The Psylons Run To The Stranger ‎(7") Crystal 10 1986 Emptifish I Want That Girl ‎(7") Crystal 11 1986 Nigel Beech This Is No Time For A Carnival ‎(7", Single) Crystal 15 1987 Treble X So Happy ‎(7") Crystal 7/1 1984 The final insult when the building burnt down in 1988, shortly after it was demolished. The Studio on the corner of Garnier Street and Besant Road was downstairs, it was run by Steve Hoff. After the Crystal Rooms closed he moved the Studio to Albert Road, it was still called Crystal Studios. The alleyway to the Albert Road Crystal Studios.

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