Aftershow news: 1st June 2012

Guns And Roses live at The 02 Arena,London. Aftershow party for Axl Rose at Scotch Of St James,Masons Yard,London SW1. This was a bit of a crazy event for sure. We are told Axl will be turning up here at 5am.A mad time but bearing in mind by the late time the gig finished and we got to the car and back into the West End it was after 3am anyway.At 3.15am we had a coffee and snack first. We were at the club from 4am to 5.30am.A tiny private members club that has plenty of history over the years. It is situated just off Jermyn Street. It is tiny with maybe space for 50 on ground level and another 50 in the basement dancefloor area. Bearing in mind i saw Guns And Roses play a secret gig a few years ago that started at 4.15am anything can happen at their aftershow events. More than half the folks here are the clubs regulars so its not exclusive for Axl.We are easily the two oldest and before we know it everyone are asking us "is Axl on his way" or "is Izzy gonna be coming with Dizzy".We now start behaving as part of Axls team for a bit of fun and it works a treat.We are told there is a vip area called "The Jimi Hendrix room".You can only get into via the cloakroom and past a security guy.We explain we are with Axl and want a peek.There is a dozen folks in there who have booked it but they agree to let us in.Everyone is smoking and there are a couple of guitars in the corner.Interesting.We have a drink then pop out into the main area.The place is now pretty packed.The dj is playing rock and pop and disco. At 4.50am Axl still in cowboy hat turns up wih a couple of guys and half a dozen female model types.He goes to his table downstairs then sips a drink and then he leaves with his posse following him out just ten minutes later.Axl has left the building. We stay for another 30 mins and when we leave the club it is daylight.Like i said it was a bit of a mad one. The Scotch of St James club was a popular meeting place for musicians and bands in the 1960s. Paul McCartney frequently visited it, as well as bands like The Moody Blues. The Club was also the first place where Jimi Hendrix played in England on September 24, 1966, when he joined for some blues standards with the house formula 7 band. On 19 October, 1966 the Jimi Hendrix Experience played their first UK gig as a private showcase at Scotch of St James. The Beatles (and many other rock stars) hung out here and had their own table.

Posted 1st June 2012