East London Music History

Bentley’s was a renowned soul club on the Barking Road, Canning Town East London which operated from 1982 to 1986 before it was closed by the largest police raid in Newham’s history at the time and which was accused of being racially motivated.

The club launched with DJ Froggy who was soon superseded by Derek Boland. In an area that was deeply racist, with the highest number of racist attacks and highest number of National Front members in the country, Bentley's became a bastion of Black culture.

This podcast includes interviews with the owner, DJs and club goers who visited. Sharing personal testimonies are: Cleveland Anderson, Roy Balfourth, Jerry Butler, Linden C, Neil Charles, Duke, Freddie Green, Mark Homer, Dennis Lewis, Debbie Mills, Carmella Obinyan, Kelvin Page, Nigel Power, Elayne Smith, Tim Strudwick, Dave VJ, Dezzi D, Tosca Jackson, Trevor Nelson, Ron Tom and Zak.

De Underground Records was at 18 Sebert Road, Forest Gate, London. It was both a recording studio and a record shop and operated from 1991 until 1996.

Owned by Mike De Underground, his brother Cool Hand Flex, Uncle 22 and DJ Randall, this independent business became one of the cornerstones in the development of the UK hardcore, jungle and drum and bass scene. The wider De Underground family included A-Sides, MC Fats, Marly Marl and Wacko. De Underground became synonymous with this sound and many well-known releases, including Lennie De Ice’s We Are IE Uncle 22’s Six Million Ways to Die, and Cool Hand Flex’s Melody Madness, were associated with the shop and its labels.

Whilst the shop was highly influential and its owners were entrepreneurial creatives, there is little organised history recording their contribution. As part of Newham Heritage Month, the project Crate Digging: The Influence of De Underground Records by Rendezvous Projects, aims to celebrate, share and preserve the cultural history of this Forest Gate institution.