Timeline Albums, EPs & singles Songs Films Concerts Sessions People Interviews Articles

The Scotch of St James • London • UK


Details

Location

  • Location: The Scotch of St James • London • UK

From Wikipedia:

The Scotch of St. James is a nightclub situated at Mason’s Yard, London.

Tucked away at the bottom of an alley, it served as a prominent nightclub, live music venue and historically significant meeting place for London’s rock elite in the 1960s. The club opened on 14 July 1965 at the height of 1960s swinging London scene and soon replaced the Ad Lib Club, which closed in November 1966, as a meeting place for the swinging London set and rock musicians. The heritage of the Scotch St. James was referenced when it was relaunched in 2012 after 25 years of closure.

History – 1965–1980

The Scotch of St. James was where a then-unknown Jimi Hendrix first performed on the night of his arrival in England on 24 September 1966, when he joined the house band for an impromptu session on stage. It was on this night that Hendrix met Kathy Etchingham who became his girlfriend. On 25 October 1966 the Jimi Hendrix Experience played their first UK gig as a private showcase at Scotch of St. James. The club was also where Paul McCartney first met Stevie Wonder, after the latter’s live performance at the club on 3 February 1966.

During its heyday in the mid 1960s, bands such as The Gass were employed as the house band. Patrons at that time included the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Who, the Kinks, Rod Stewart, the Moody Blues, the Spencer Davis Group, Eric Burdon, the Animals, Sonny and Cher, Inez and Charlie Foxx and Goldie and the Gingerbreads. The Beatles and Rolling Stones were also regular visitors and the club management gave them their own tables.

After falling out of fashion in the 1970s, the club struggled for clientele and eventually closed down in the mid-1980s. […]


Related session

Related articles

Paul McCartney writing

Talk more talk, chat more chat

Notice any inaccuracies on this page? Have additional insights or ideas for new content? Or just want to share your thoughts? We value your feedback! Please use the form below to get in touch with us.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2025 • Please note this site is strictly non-commercial. All pictures, videos & quoted texts remain the property of the respective copyright owner, and no implication of ownership by us is intended or should be inferred. Any copyright owner who wants something removed should contact us and we will do so immediately. Alternatively, we would be delighted to provide credits.