The Florida Rooms

During their time the Savages' line-up contained musicians who would become famous in their own right: Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Matthew Fisher and Paul Nicholas, who later found fame as an actor.

I got the job as DJ at The Florida in late 1963, beginning at the well established Friday Blues Night, then taking on the Saturday and Sunday night record sessions.

Sunday night record sessions were later on Pirate Radio; DJs from Radio Caroline and Radio London such as Kenny Everett, Dave Cash, Earl Richmond and Johnny Moran alternated each week.

During this period, over three years, I was lucky enough to see performances by a veritable "Who's Who" of the Blues, Jazz and Rock scene.

Local bands such as the Sapphires, The Giants, The T-Bones, The Motion and The Web (featuring a 15 year old drummer Steve Ferrone, later to play with Eric Clapton and Chaka Khan) all played at the club.

In the early days, The Who were regular visitors on Wednesday nights, admission 1/6d.  The band took 50% of the door money; one evening their share was seventeen pounds, ten shillings!

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