THE HEIGHT OF GOTH: 1984: A Night at the Xclusiv Nightclub: Batley, West Yorkshire UK

[LittleZappey]

Dancings retarded it's only fun when your drunk, mosh pits are way funner but moshing never gets anyone laid, usually all dudes.

[LittleZappey]

Oh wait everyone starts to dance hella 80s

[LittleZappey]

If this is a Disco why isn't anyone dancing?

[LittleZappey]

Man allot of people had really bad Hair does in the 80's

[AkiraAkushi]

Haha, no I did play some Monroe.. DJ'd in Leeds too, good times.. Pete was always moaning about the music and wanting stuff like Roxy Music playing. Towards the end we would get loads of dorks that could not get in the Frontier coming. There was a good pub run from the Poacher to the Cellar bar when not working and humping all my bloody records on the train or bus... :P

[AkiraAkushi]

That should be Sebastian... Stupid HTC phone...

[mmmmace42]

@AkiraAkushi LOL - that might also explain your earlier post about playing Marilyn Monroe... ? At least your phone takes pics! Who had a camera around back then, or could afford film. I wonder when you were DJ? BTW I wasn't being negative about Pete Swallow - he had a business to run after all! He was a sound guy really. I used to hassle Paul for Sex Gang Children - but he would ration us! He was pretty cool as well - even doing those Bowie dances! Great club, great people!

[AkiraAkushi]

It's Sensation by the Sex Gang Children...

[SpideyCat1]

all kinds of awesome.....nostalgia aint what it used to be ;-)

[AkiraAkushi]

Does anyone have any pictures from this time or from the Phono or other clubs in Leeds, or from the West Riding and KU (Changing lights) in Huddersfield... The SU at the Black Hole was a good haunt too...

[mmmmace42]

This is amazing! It seems so primitive and punky! I was a regular at the X, but some time after this, when the other Paul was DJ - he's the tall Bowie dancer (LOL) in this. We were the second wave of goths - the Sisters, the Mission and the Cult ruled and the hair was longer. When they played Temple of Love, it was like a riot! By the time Floodland came out, the place was heaving! But, Pete Swallow didn't like too much goth. He was always on at Paul coz they didn't buy drinks! THANKS 4 UPLOADx

[earnestbunny]

jeremy deller brought me here.

[blastofo]

the ghost of Sid Vicious 0:53:48

[ladyfuzz1966]

magic

[xpapercliche]

43:00 Southern Death Cult <3 made me squeal like a little girl and wake the whole house up xD

[djskum]

two David bowie songs back to back, lol

[djskum]

we had a spot like that in Arizona called tommy's, one dollar soda and all the free pizza you can eat. two dance floors, one for the preps and one for the punks. any place today seems so lame in comparison.

[theEdrye]

TIMELESS.

[TheNouveauxdecadence]

THIS is so brilliant yet so depressing, I want to go back :-(

[contourbody]

Classic time, when individual minds flourished.....

[AkiraAkushi]

I still have both those original singles from the club along with a load of other tracks...

[belablaskobela]

58:25

what song is please?

[belablaskobela]

and 55:08

[CupidStunt0001]

@belablaskobela Associates-Club country ... RIP Billy Mckenzie

[belablaskobela]

@CupidStunt0001

Thanks! Very haunting song.

[zombiemangrrr]

@CupidStunt0001 do ya know the track at 1:40 please

[Blueblood1941]

siouxsie and the banshees, sisters of mercy - clears the dance floor! LOL..

[jasonledyard1]

Love the comments on Glam Metal, LOL

[nosjeratu]

Amazing !!!

[AuntyAlexG]

You must excuse this but *glomps over the video*

I really wish there were clubs these days where one could sit back and enjoy their night out without having to be wary of some chavvy prat giving grief because they don't like the lipstick you're wearing or something equally ridiculous.

[jake2001JJ]

wow great memories thankyou

[teresamillward]

bloody love it so know so many of these faces, no sure why i was not here on the night it was taken.

[DeadHeadDoll]

This is amazing, thank you!

[muzzismadhouse]

Blast from the Past. I used to go Clubbing here many years ago, we used to put our eye liner etc on the train or in a pub loo before getting to Xclusiv. I would say I had some Great Nites there, but honestly can't remember that much of it (LOL)

[ulver121]

wow thank´s a lot it´s amazing jewel

:)

[MAXDARKZ]

or the song at about 1:37:13, directly after "walk into the sun"

[ILEGALTEAM]

@MAXDARKZ I think it's by 'Leitmotiv', song called 'Living In A Tin'. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong

[MAXDARKZ]

@ILEGALTEAM Yeah, it is... Oi, thanks alot. (: How I wish I could have lived through those days. It's just not the same anymore especially here in the US. I listen to mostly obscure 80's post punk, 'gothic rock', but the clubs have all turned to ebm and there's bearly any outlets at the least in the midst of a socal revival, you know? I myself am in the process of creating simillar music. Anyways thanks again for the response, have a wonderful day.

[teresamillward]

@ILEGALTEAM if it is a have the single as they were a local Batley Band, would be hard to get i think as not many copies would have been made

[MAXDARKZ]

anyone knows the song about 1:08:00?

[ILEGALTEAM]

@MAXDARKZ It's 'Because The Night' by the Patti Smith Group. They used to always play it right at the end of the night usually

[todmorburgh]

I went to the 'X' most weekends and was there that night - just spotted my 20 year old self walking in at the beginning! Thanks for uploading this weird and wonderful document of a lost world.

[Apoca0lips]

Great film, thanks for uploading!

[Villemorien]

more photos of 80s goths at: nowthisisgothic. tumblr .com

[tommiatkins]

I was 6 miles from here and usually went to the Phonographic in Leeds, but the Dancing brings back memories. The Emporium was much more Goth though.

[robertbclarke]

This is brilliant, I'm from that part of West Yorkshire, but about 10 years too young to have gone to this. It's fairly surprising to me that anything alternative ever happened in the X, or indeed in Batley. I guess it's a reminder of a time before the clubbing industry was properly established so local discos had to cater for more different tastes. Just speculating though, I don't really know. Why was this film made? Looks like source material for an unfinished documentary.

[MickTakerr]

@149Robbo - Mate, this is bang on when we started going down t' X... Like you I recognised some faces - Steve Holt, Spider, Gordon Priestley, Azzy, Stag, Egghead, Tonka, Corey, Joker, Paul Needham & Linda, Mick Wragg, young Pete Swallow and cockney Mike the bouncer (doing some interviews too) - I think he shaved the porn 'tache off in early '85 ;-) Happy memories chicken dancing to The Cramps & Spear of Destiny. Loved the intro, proper 'Shackletons Original High Seat' TV ad vibe. Mick/Spam 

[69crafty]

haha the dance off to Life On Mars at the end!

[WarGoatForestWolf666]

Un-self-conscious bad dancing makes me smile.

[Letysha001]

Wow golden ege! of goths!

[AkiraAkushi]

Anne loved the alternative's, I had two photo shoots done, one with the dog's, it was Pete that was never that keen, he was always having a go when I played anything too left field that would clear the dance floor, but I could play Marilyn Monroe followed by Alien Sex Fiend. What a place and a time...

[ILEGALTEAM]

@Roisia It was Blue Monday, sounds like the extended 12" version. You've probably sussed it by now :-)

[stonespar]

Goodness this brings back memories ......I was the DJ.....and I remember hating having the lights on all night on that Sunday,,,,,,, just so they could film.......I never quite understood what the film was for..... but it makes a great social document 27 years later .........thanks so much for uploading this ........great times.

[ILEGALTEAM]

@stonespar Thanks stonespar. Yes, who would have known then that we'd be watching it now so long after! It's just weird. Great tunes by the way at the time, I remember coming up to the side box and shouting in your ear for this and that. Crazy days. Glad you enjoyed it :-)

[stonespar]

@ILEGALTEAM Just checked back and it was definitely a Sunday in October 1984.

I still have all those records from back then.......although they don't get played that often.

but what I remember most is that Anne and Pete Swallow always seemed to hate the fact it was an alternative club and wanted me to play Shalamar records lol

[ILEGALTEAM]

@stonespar Shalamar, LOL :-)

[jasonledyard1]

@stonespar ,

gosh, it's amazing that you did put up with the lights. I spun at a weekly goth night at CBGB's Gallery in NYC for ten years and there is no way that either the other promoter, myself or the crowd would have been able to endure that much light for so long, much less have a functioning dancefloor and good club night.

[zombiemangrrr]

@stonespar can ya tell me the song at 1:40 please

[Viktoranthony]

@stonespar What is the name of the song at 1:22? and who is it by?

[IndeedIamBored]

If there's ever a party where Blue Monday doesn't get played, somebody should be shot :D

[ral1334]

Ah the days before EBM took over the clubs, haha.

[dansemacabre17]

"I dunno... Glenn Miller and Cabaret Voltaire." HAHAHAHAHA

[morgawayne]

I was born in 83 and I know and love 95% of the songs in this video... =)

[zombiemangrrr]

@morgawayne do ya know the songs that start at 0:55 and 1:39:30 :D

[morgawayne]

Nobody danced to Siouxsie - Hong Kong Garden??? =(

[AkiraAkushi]

The Cramps - you got good taste

[AkiraAkushi]

ReptilesHouse 0:17' 50" ¿what song is please?

[Darkresource]

This is fantastic and a brilliant visual document of what Alternative club life was like in the UK in the 1980'sit brings back many happy memories of going to clubs light The Blue Note Rocity, Garage etc in the 80's thank you.

[MultiBizarre]

22:48 sisters of mercy 7" <3<3

[Reborlucion]

@ELMELO30 wowwww gracias x el pase melo documentazo!!!!!!

[evueltootravez]

ostras macho si pare ke nos estamos viendo jajajaja,komo pasa la vida,inpresionante documento.gracias Melo lo tengo ke ver entero.

[piperbrigadista]

@ELMELO30

Madre miaa Meloo!! 2 horacas !!? me voy a por las palomitas...

gracias por el pase de este impresionante documento,

cuando lo vea entero te lo comento..

[ReptilesHouse]

‎0:17' 50" ¿what song is please?

[marixpulp2000]

excelenteee

[farfisa]

wow this is amazing. captures the essence of that time so unbelievably.

[samhain66]

This is a fantasia upload and snapshot of the mid 80s alternative scene and all its tribes.Its important because so little footage of the scene and people exist.The film reminded me of our local alternative club in Carlisle, the Wheel. Superb upload !!

[149Robbo]

Fantastic!!! Me & the then girlfriend (now wife of 20 odd years) used to go to the X every Friday & Sat night during the mid 80s. I recognise most of the faces & even still see a few of them occasionally - Tonka, Joker, Corey, Egg & who can forget John Bennet?! Spoke to a couple of mates about this vid & they reckon it was filmed on a Sunday night with Charlie Williams being a special guest - that would probably explain why we're not in it :-(

Thanks for posting - good times!...

[ILEGALTEAM]

@149Robbo It was a special time. All the right ingredients, in the right place. Although I imagine everyone thinks of their youth like that. Either way, glad you liked it. I was chuffed to find it and even more chuffed to be able to get it online for everyone

[ILEGALTEAM]

@149Robbo You were right on it being a Sunday night too. It did ring a bell and actually Annie confirms it at 06.35 in. One other thing I don't think anyone has mentioned is that the bloody lights were on i.e. it wasn't like a normal night, which would have been nice and dark for us "darklings" - they had to have the lights turned up so the cameras could actually get the footage. Hahaha

[AkiraAkushi]

State of the art Discotheque was pushing even back then, he never had to wrestle with the damn crap sound system full of damp and temperamental deck's, or the lack of funds from Pete for any new records, always had to end with Pat Benater - Because The Night if anyone remembers...

[filthyearthenoid]

Can anyone tell me the name of the song playing starting at 1:37:06?

[CupidStunt0001]

@filthyearthenoid the song is 'Living in a tin' by LEITMOTIV, got it on vinyl still somewhere, oh the memories are flooding back

[filthyearthenoid]

@CupidStunt0001 Thanks a lot! Great song :).

[mattburnside]

Just another amazing video showing why I'm very Proud of this area.

[LINDSAYDOLL1]

I'm the girl with the short hair in the interview who loved David Bowie - fabulous seeing this again. I used to go every week for a number of years - loved the people, loved the music, loved the atmosphere and everything about the Xclusiv. I bumped into Anne Swallow a couple of years ago and we reminisced about the club - I think she's now running a pub near Skipton.

[ILEGALTEAM]

@LINDSAYDOLL1 Wow, the groovy dancer! Thanks Lindsay. Nice to hear from you :-)

[AkiraAkushi]

@LINDSAYDOLL1 Would love to know where that is, I used to DJ there and would love to get in touch with Anne again, so many memories, I was only 14 when I started going there. So many good times, remember their dog's, especially Max, he was mental...

[Starbusta1]

happy days :)

[peanutandramone]

I love England.

[discotechnology479]

The girl with the short hair says in the interview that she likes David Bowie, especially his new single "Blue Jean" - that puts this film in September / October of 1984...!

[ILEGALTEAM]

@discotechnology479 Brilliant, thanks. That's the closest yet. I'll amend the info when I get a min

[bertiefrom30]

Yay!!! I too used to go there in '84...the very coolest place around...what a great antidote to the usual night clubs this place was, always a great, friendly atmosphere and, of course, the real reason we went.. the music...Spear Of Destiny, The Cult, all the best alternative stuff at the time. Thanks for uploading this, it took me back to some brilliant times.

The presenter, by the way, is one of Wakefield's true characters of that era, Howard Burnett, who sadly passed away in 2005.

[ILEGALTEAM]

@bertiefrom30 Thanks for that. Yep, it's a bit of history. The music was brilliant. Sorry to hear about Howard

[Starbusta1]

it was 84 i went to the x for years n know quite a few peeps in the vid.espesh the lad who says he goes there to get drunk ;)

[ILEGALTEAM]

@Starbusta1 Thanks ;-)

[uttercontrivance]

If that's The Cult's "Spiritwalker" I'm hearing, then this video was shot after April 1984, at the very earliest. Something very sweet about these kids. No egos that I can detect; just some young darklings sharing their music obsessions.

[ILEGALTEAM]

@uttercontrivance Thank you very much. Reckon you're right. Love your comment, particularly "darklings" :-)

[anpeac]

great memories,good to see so many familiar faces.

[ILEGALTEAM]

@anpeac Scary isn't it! *chuckle*

[killoutdjfreak]

excellent man.. i was there and im on it too.. never did get to see this.. christ ..i was only 18 at the time.. many thanks for digging out this gem and uploading it dude :-)

[ILEGALTEAM]

@killoutdjfreak I was 18 too, or just about to be. You're welcome. History mate, we made history (or at least a tiny little pocket of it)

[NightShift]

As a 20 year old red head with crimped plumage living up in Yorkshire, this is fascinating and wonderful to see! Thank you for the upload!

[ILEGALTEAM]

@NightShift You're welcome. Don't ever let anyone tell you to stop being you

[ZuselADZ]

absolut wundervoll! das macht die erfindung der zeitmaschine noch dringlicher.

[pbleeds]

I grew up in Batley, and used to go to the Xclusiv, so watched this for a trip down memory lane - I don't remember being there that night, but this video proves I was !!! Fantastic!! - hahaha :)

[ILEGALTEAM]

@pbleeds Hahaha, nice one. Glad you like it. That's it now, forever imortalised ;-)

[martinjdw]

Those were the days, brings back memories, thanks for posting!

[wflack]

I think that this must have been made in 1984. This is because about ten minutes into it you hear "What Difference Does It Make" by the Smiths. That was not released until January 1984.

Most of the punters here must be about the same age as me. I would have been 20 in January 1984. Its like stepping into a time warp. It makes you realise how much House/Hip Hop/Techno/Garage etc changed everything (for the better I think) a few years later.

[ILEGALTEAM]

@wflack Thanks Will. Consensus appears to be 1984 - fits my recollection too as I think it was either just before or just after my 18th

[zombiemangrrr]

@wflack WHAT !!! ARE YOU HAVING A LAUGH. house music, garage blah blah is awful and its where things went wrong, lead the way for chav. i respect that people are entitled to their own opinion but seriously...........

[wflack]

@zombiemangrrr Don't get me wrong Zombie. I still listen to a lot of the stuff in the video a lot more than I listen to house and garage etc. The thing is though back in 1984 I always found it a bit daft trying to dance to Echo & The Bunnymen or the Cocteau Twins. I think that the dance scene that came later in the 80s made things better as the music that was actually meant to be danced to.

[zombiemangrrr]

@wflack fair enough. sorry for being rude

[Jakegothicsnake]

All my favourite 80's style hairdos in one video!!^_^

[ILEGALTEAM]

@Jakegothicsnake As far as 80's hairdo's go, I think this video has it pretty much covered lol