Hill Street/Station Street
Henry’s Blues House was great venue, and was situated on the corner of Hill Street and Station Street. It featured many of the up and coming local blues,and R&B bands, including Robert Plant, Crawling Kingsnakes and Band Of Joy. Led Zeppelin was one of the first bands to play there.
Band Of Joy
Jim Simpson was a well known musician and band manager and photographer for the Midland Beat newspaper.He was manager and trumpet player of the pop group Locomotive, and opened the club seeing the potential for his band in playing at the venue.
Earth then Black Sabbath
Thinking this might be a good opportunity, the members of Earth the name before Black Sabbath approached Jim to see if they could perform there too. Jim Simpson was at that time managing local bands Bakerloo Blues Line and Tea & Symphony. It was obvious that Earth needed a manager who understood their music so Jim allowed them to open for the well-known band Ten Years After at the club. The audience response to Earth’s performance was favourable so Simpson also agreed to manage them
Our aim to build a complete list of gigs at Henry’s Blues House. Here’s a start but we need your help!
Bakerloo Blues Line, Tea & Symphony 25/06/68
Tea & Symphony 27/03/71
Anno Domini 09/05/71
Paladin 11/05/71
Karakorum 06/06/71
Pete Brown & Piblokto! 08/06/71
Thin Lizzy 11/07/71
Anno Domini 18/07/71
Alan Bown 08/08/71
Gypsy 10/08/71
Open Road 10/11/71
Gypsy 12/11/71
Status Quo 24/11/71
Blonde On Blonde 16/12/71
Stackridge 19/12/71
Tea & Symphony 21/12/71
Gypsy 19/03/72
Gnidrolog 26/03/72
Budgie 09/05/72
Thin Lizzy 16/05/72
Capability Brown 30/05/72
Trapeze 20/06/72
Warm Dust 18/07/72
Thin Lizzy 29/08/72
CMU 17/09/72
Supertramp 19/09/72
Strife 01/10/72
Budgie 03/10/72
UFO 10/10/72
Chicken Shack 31/10/72
Judas Priest 27/12/72
Skin Alley 30/01/73
Jim Simpson hosted a talk about Henry’s at The Crown where regulars attended and talked about some of the great bands that they had seen play there and the memories of the music and wider cultural landscape of Birmingham. The talk was attended by an ex-member of Henry’s, Member 199 according to the membership card he brought with him!
There Are Currently 55 Comments for this Post
Saw Big Boy Crudup there at Henrys’,I also saw Son House in a pub in Erdington,perhaps you mighht know of this gig as i can’t remember the date or name of the pub
It was in a club called Mothers in Erdington. I led him on to stage with his manager Dick Waterman. The support band were a rock band called Stackwaddy.
Saw Son House at Mother’s in Erdington, with Stackwaddy. Had to be about 71/72.
I saw Jethro Tull at Henry’s in 1968 and I think that Champion Jack Dupree was also on the bill that night.
It was a great little club eeven though not as famous as Mothers
i saw Trapeze at Henry’s tho your date confuses me cos i thought it was when I was at school, and I left in July 1971. Could they have played twice ?
I saw J B Hutto at the blues house in the early 70’s and am just listening to him again on Napster. Not sure of the date, probably pissed. Remember the D.J. Fat Angel playing great tracks on a Friday night. Also remember seeing a very big stand up fight happening in the downstairs bar, and running upstairs regardless! Great memories. Just celebrated my 60th. with Sabbath, Tull, Zep, etc.
I went there when Earth played, but they supported Alexis Korner, not Ten Years After. Also saw Jethro Tull, where Ian Anderson threw cigarettes to the audience
I also saw Arthur Crudup when I was a student at Birmingham Poly. I think I was probably the only woman at the gig. It was so loud that I remember the floorboards groaning. The building seemed on the verge of collapse. Itt was the first time that I had seen someone actually break a bottle to do slide guitar. I knew it was fantastic but I was also a bit uneasy as it seemed a very exotic world for an ex private school educated 18 year old, but it was so intoxicating. I think I went
there with Chris Buckham, Rob Sage and Simon Sherwin and possibly
Dave Philpott. Happy but quite scary days.
I remember Black Sabbath being the warm up band for Duster Bennett circa1971-72 it was Great!
I can’t imagine Black Sabbath playing Henry’s in 1971/72 especially as warm-up for Duster Bennett. More likely to have been late 1969 or very early 1970.
Yes, I would agree. I saw them at Henry’s a couple of times around 69 – 70 when they were still called Earth.
Does anybody remember the myna bird in the pub down below Henry’s?
Yes, I do!
yes! it’s name was Fred.
The customers taught it the most foul language as a trick and it became an embarrassment to own.
One of the most significant Bluesmen to appear was Rev. Gary Davis, Simon Prager and Steve Rye opened and Gary Davis played an amazing set, It was certainly the last tour, he made. I don’t have the date.
Really good nights were the appearences of Brewer’s Droop whose cajun blues was really good to pick you up.
Have also memories of Tea and Symphony, with their musical plays James Langston
wielding a large wooden cross managed to hit me on the foot. I think they caught the experimental nature of the times, with their mixture and some of their songs. “living in a mandarin, keeping cool under the skin” seems a great line to me.
I remember seeing Alan Bown and Trapeze there plus other groups I forget. I had a free pass from Jim as I booked bands as a Social Sec at college. I remember Henry’s and the Crown with great affection.
There will be a live pre-gig talk at the Crown (Station Street) on Friday 6th July 2012 as part of this years Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival. The talk will be called “Remembering Henry’s” and will be hosted by Jim Simpson- Black Sabbath’s first ever manager and director here at Big Bear Music. The event is free and will be a great nostalgic trip to the old Blueshouse for Blues and Sabbath lovers alike.
The event will commence at 6pm. Don’t miss out!
Played at Henry’s autumn 1969 or early 1970 with short lived East London blues group Tupelo. I think we were probably alone on the bill. Sorry can’t be more precise.
***************FREE EVENT ***** FREE EVENT ******* FREE EVENT ***********
This Friday July 6th at THE CROWN STATION ST – There will a look back at HENRYs BLUESHOUSE. If you have any tales or stories, memoribilia, or would like to come and chat. We are also putting together a MEMORY BOOK So please come along on FRIDAY 6th JULY at 6pm
FRIDAY 13th JULY again at 6pm.
***************************************************************
“There will be a live pre-gig talk at the Crown (Station Street) on Friday 6th July 2012 as part of this years Birmingham Jazz and Blues Festival. The talk will be called “Remembering Henry’s” and will be hosted by Jim Simpson- Black Sabbath’s first ever manager and director here at Big Bear Music. The event is FREE and will be a great nostalgic trip to the old Blueshouse for Blues and Sabbath lovers alike.
The event will commence at 6pm. Don’t miss out!
I saw Jethro Tull at Henry’s in the autumn of 68, around the time they brought out “This Was”. Tull were great, they still had Mick Abrahams then and it was a magic gig. Saw Duster Bennett there as well soon after. Earth were the regular support band. I also remember seeing Jon Cleary there – later I auditioned for his band and got rejected! Does anyone know what happened to him?
I saw KIng Biscuit Boy there in the early 70’s. Tiny audience. Backed by some local musicians.
THE BACKING BAND FOR KING BISCUIT BOY WAS THE IDLE RACE
I was at the Supertramp concert in 1972. I think Roy Wood of the Move/Wizzard/ELO was in the audience that night! I do remember some of the Black Sabbath guys being at the bar that night too.
Another week in 1972 I went there and Champion Jack Dupree was doing the gig. I can’t remember the date
I used to go there with guys like Graham Turley, Stuart Ball and Chris Hook, who became a member of the Newbury band Voyager and is still playing the bass with fantastic expertise, Graham Turley and his girlfriend Julie (what happened to them?), and Stuart Ball, sadly no longer with us as a result of a terrible car accident in Pelsall.
Such a long time ago, but some things you never forget.
Champion Jack Dupree’s harp player never turned up, so I asked if I could play as I always had my harps with me. Played two sets with him!!!! Fantastic!!
For the gig list:: Jelly Bread, Bash Street 23/05/72
one of my favourite henry’s gigs was man in 1971, i think. anyone else have any memory of this? they still had clove john playing with them. even the man archive webpage has no listing of this gig.
As a regular I remember Grubby behind the bar, and Fred Anscombe, who was involved in the construction industry flying pickets/conspiracy trial. Remember Alex Harvey appearing several times, Brewers Droop played often. Loads of brilliant bands, was it every Friday night? Thin Lizzy were possibly the most glamorous to play there. Was very rough and ready, I seem to remember Randy Newman being booked but walking off stage in disgust when seeing a little portable organ instead of a piano.
As a friend, it was Fred who introduced me to the work of Michael Moorcock. Later i worked with Harkwind on gigs. I remember the police coming to my house ,in Wolverhampton, an after concert party saying they had to leave !
I used to frequent Henry’s around 1969 – 70.
Some of the bands I can remember seeing; Earth (Black Sabbath), the Graham Bond Organisation, Alan Bown, Galliard, Possessed.
I remember being there oen night when some guy pulled out a gun. The ‘management’ talked him down and he left. I think the band was either Wild Turkey or a bunch of Welsh guys dressed as monks – but it was a long time ago
My favourite music venue 69-72. Saw so many bands there, I could get the last train back from New St at 10.42 if I ran very fast.
Remember talking to tony bourg from budgie of how got the beefy sound out of his Gibson 335 he told me he used to stuff the f holes in his guitar with old chip papers always a good gig at Henry’s blues house wish it was still there
while we’re are on the “i remember”, does anyone else remember the Big Bear Records vs. Hentry’s Blueshouse football match(s) on a sunday ? BBR all done out in matching football kit and Henry’s team in whatever they came in. It seemed that Jim was Capt. of Biig Bear AND referee. not that mattered as often times a second ball got introduced and rules were not the order of the day. I wouldn’t be surprised if the odour from the changing room got us banned.
A shy and naive late teens, initially without the fashionable very long hair, I was a regular from about 72 (?) thro’ to the end, then it turned into a rock club ( thro’ 74). Jim called me “Mark Spits”, on account of the hiar cut and moustache, when i first turned up and got me to put up posters behind the stage. But I soon blended into the scene and had a great time.
The back room bar was a good place to meet members of the bands, as regulars would know, there was no behind the stage rooms. I remember standing next to Phil Lynott and having a pint, Lightin’ Slim or Hopkins (?) chatted at the entry desk at the top of the stairs. A aplastic suited female Santa Claus entertained us one Christmas, care of Brewer’s Droop ( a band with M.Knoffler in his early days) with a leg of beer. Re,Gary Davis playeddrifting in and from the mike ( but it was great) , a boogie woogie blues piano player, “Charlie” (?) from up north England.Projected psychodelic light shows with Tea & Sympathy. And one hairy guy to the centre back of the room hollered “Hendrix” across the top of his pint when the band finished.
At the front of the room left of stage a guy, whose name i cannot remember, played record tracks inbetween the bands and introduced me to much blues music and albums. Wurzel from the local record store was often present in those days, and the Big Bear Record crew could be found on weekday lunch times at pub up the Hagley Road. It was a greatplace, with good timing you could get from the Town Hall down Hill Street to get catcha gig at both venues. The area was wash with music instrument stores too.
I had a great time, and tho’ fell in love and lost too in the place, the music and people was the best and an education for me. Thank You Jim. Hope to get some day.
(excuse me any typos i not been back and edited)
Played HBH in either 67 or 68, rhythm guitar with a band called either Revolution or The Push – can’t recall, as we changed the name quite a bit in those days. Even got several images from the gig, with a woman sat on the edge of the stage knocking back a pint, bless. Wonder where she is now? Great venue, with appreciative audience – either that, or they were pissed!
I haven’t got any dates but used to spend many a Tuesday night there and I seem to remember it went to Tuesday and Thursday .I remember seeing Marc bolan as tyranasurous Rex. The Rev Gary Davis performed an amazing set and I saw Joan armatradring more than once.There were lots more it seemed to be a place were artistes were keen to try new stuff.It was really just a small dirty smelly room with a small bar one end and a small stage the other end.But the atmosphere was fantastic and for the price of 2 shillings there were a lot of fabulous nights.
There were actually two rooms upstairs at the Crown that were used for Henry’s nights if I recall correctly, the one not so often but I can certainly picture being in there.
Was dj at Henry’s , I think 3 nights weekly in early 70s.. Still have my record collection and live Australia. Used to use the stage name Satori, Remember well working with thin Lizzy,but ever night at Henry’s was on another plane of existence,
I don’t know if you remember but you introduced me to Henry’s when you were a DJ there (73?). I recall the venue as being dark and quite edgy but also a really cool place to be. For some reason I have the Satori sign that I think was on your record deck (white lettering on purple background). Great to know that you still have your amazing record collection
How could I forget a sweet young lady from a-far.
Wonder if the club still exist? Goin to Birmingham in November and want to look up old venues
Hi Bjorn,
Sadly the venue closed last year. It was functioning as the pub The Crown and Henry’s Blues House was on the first floor, above the bar. The building is still there so you can see the outside but as I say it’s closed down and will no doubt be turned into flats. A great loss to Birmingham’s music heritage and history.
My dad ran the pub when I was a kid – and hosted the Henry’s Blues House set-up. My room was above the concert hall when I was a kid. I can remember the music ever-so well.
So things like the mynah bird, the fish that kept dying in the big fish tank, those beautiful Victorian mirrors are all super clear memories for me.
My dad died early 1990’s – he ran the Crown twice, Once during the Henry’s era and then once again in the late 1970’s when t became the home of a whole bunch of punk and post punk bands.
Good to see that other eople still remember the place.
[…] Sabbath were formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1968 with many of their early gigs at Henry’s Blues House where they performed as Earth. The venue was run by Jim Simpson, who became their first […]
Still have my membership card – no. 809. 🙂 Saw Joe Cocker there in 68 or 69..
Would love to see a scan of it on here Jim!
I think I still have my membership card too but it’s back at my mothers in Brum.
Saw The Alan Bown set there in the early seventies
I remember them playing several encores eventually the
Management turned the electric off to clear the stage,
The sax player jumped on a table and carried on playing
Much to the disgust of the pub landlord
Great gig great venue
This is a poster for Henry’s (as it then was) December 1972
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10209891282052413&set=gm.1707553786234261&type=3&theater
Originally posted on Norman Hood’s TRAMP ENTERTAINMENTS 1967-1976 Facebook Group.
Saw Thin Lizzy at Henry’s drinking with James Langstone and a couple of other lads from Tea & Symphony or Brewer’s Droop ( remember the football matches ?!). It was a great hot sweaty gig !
Don’t forget Egg 3 piece I think and also champion jack Dupree seems t ring a bell
Just remembered I saw jethro Tull at HBH as well
Found my card. No 1728
[…] most important venue in Birmingham’s music history. It was here, in the upstairs room, that Henry’s Blues House was started by Jim Simpson and would play host to the early gigs of Earth, before they renamed […]
After a short break of 50 years, Henry’s Blueshouse has now reopened at The Bull’s Head on Bishopsgate Street, every Tuesday at 8pm. More info on bands and other fun happenings at: http://www.bigbearmusic.com/henrys-blueshouse/
Only just caught up on this website. I went to Henry’s many times between 1970 and 1972 before and after leaving school and it started my 50 years of gid going. I was really into blues ands saw several artists (some not mentioned above) including Big Boy Crudup, Reverend Gary Davies (who was really from another era) and Champion Jack Dupree. Also Roger Ruskin Spear and Brewers Droop with a cajun type accordionist, long before any thought of world music influences in british rock. Thre was also a blues gig put on at Digbeth Town Hall sometime in that era where Brewers Droop supported Lightnin’ Hopkins.