June 2026 Newsletter
- The Premises Studios
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
WE REMEMBER THIS…
Back in the hey-high days of Pete Doherty, when he was putting the shambles into Baby, Pete was of the opinion that his pet mice, of which there were many, could not stand the psychological distress of being left at home all day. Like any right-thinking rock star (perhaps under the influence of mind-altering French cheeses, or something) he decided the best place for his wee white mice were in his pockets, which solved not only the problem of the mice being lonely but also provided instant but concealed weapons for deranged fans who wanted to touch the indie God, but had a phobia of mice. There is a Venn Diagram somewhere. Anyway, up in Studio 6 one day he lost track of the mice. Fortunately, much-missed Premises MD Julia Craik managed to catch the mice before house-cat Doris did, and tried to return them to Mr. D. His manager said to send them in a taxi, which we considered a trifle OTT. The box of mice was duly fetched the next day, unharmed.
JAZZ PIANO PERFORMANCE SHOWCASE
Perhaps it was the false advertising. OK, we did promise exotic dancers to accompany the 13 superb piano players who performed in Studio One at the end of last month, but Santi and Tones had double booked with Stringfellows, who pay better.
Still, the packed showcase audience were suitably wowed as Nikki Yeoh’s course students took some classic jazz standards and breathed fire into them. With Miles Pillinger on drums, Dominic Howles on bass and Denys Baptiste on tenor, all students played with huge confidence and swag. Our younger players, Otto, Marcus and Millie, played with such vitality and skill they belied their tender years. If they’re THIS GREAT now, who knows how much greater they will be in a few years.
Outside, it was all Arsenal mayhem, but inside it was an oasis of magnificent music and calm. Nikki Yeoh pulled it all together with her usual panache and brilliance, giving the participants the skills and pep talks to deliver such a professional show.
AND we now have dates for our annual Summer Piano Recording course: August 24th-28th. Also led by Nikki Yeoh with other tutors and musicians to be confirmed.
Only 12 places on this one, so if you’re keen, be sure to express your interest now: michele@premiseseducation.org
THE STORY OF THE PREMISES (AS TOLD BY VIV)
Last month, as part of Hackney History Festival, Viv Broughton, who took over The Premises in 1996, shared his memories with a packed audience in Studio 2.
Compered by Jeremy Newton, who was so impressed by Viv’s earlier appearance on the podcast If These Walls Could Talk that he turned it into a live show.
The interview covered more than 30 years of Premises history, its growth, its sometimes eccentric stars, and its pioneering role in providing a home for thousands of great musicians. It’s a rock and roll myth that if you remember the 60s, you weren’t really there, but Viv’s involvement with the music biz stretches back to playing drums with both David Bowie and the Pretty Things.
He was (and still is) also heavily involved in the Gospel scene, with his meticulous research turning into a book Too Close To Heaven, and a TV series based on the book.
Modest to a fault, Viv’s gentle cadence and measured tones are in sharp contrast to the often wild and raucous nature of his stories.
FIVE MINUTES WITH MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST BRIAN JACKSON
Our gast was truly flabbered, our gob completely smacked when we saw Brian Jackson’s name on the board at reception. But not stunned enough into speechlessness to refrain from busting into his rehearsal room to declare my undying love and fandom from his days with Gil Scott Heron.
He was rehearsing for a mini tour with Yasiin Bey, the artist formerly known as Mos Def. On hearing the dulcet tones of ‘Lady Day and John Coltrane’, with Jackson on vocals, I knew I had to grab a chat with this very charming and hugely talented man. A proper gent in the old fashioned sense of the word, he obliged and we kicked off with the power of music to make people more politically aware.
In all your incarnations, you manage to combine politics with great music without shoving it down people’s throats. Plus ca change, eh?
Yes, I was caught up in Denmark Street during all the marches. People need to feel more unified and one of my greatest goals was to point out to people that when you see these things, we see them too. To express that the stuff that is going on now was also going on 50 years ago and we put it out in a medium people could more readily approach. We need to come together and commonly understand what is going on, and this is the first step in trying to find solutions.
You had a nine to five for a long time as well as playing pretty constantly. How did that work?
worked for city of NY for 35 years because I had a family and needed steady money. I was having difficulties with the business, collecting royalties. Gil and I went for a deal for about 15 record companies like in 81 but nobody was on the same page. In 2017 I did some math and saw with social security and my pension I would be earning more NOT working. I couldn’t believe it. I called that pensions office so much they were like, “Hi Brian” because they all knew me from all the calls. After that I went back to music full time and got into production as well.
You’ve done so many collaborations since your time with Gil. Who approached who?
It worked better if they approached me rather than me approaching them. Many people hadn’t heard of me even though my name was on the albums, Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson. So I would usually just say I played flute on ‘The Bottle’ and then they understood who I was. With Yasiin, we had a mutual person in the business and though I had reached out to him several times, it turned out he wanted to work with me as well. This current tour is called ‘Gil Scott Heron by Brian Jackson and Yasiin Bey’.
Even when the songs cover the troubles of the world, you manage to convey a joyfulness and hope. It makes bad news go down easier.
It is in the tradition of the Griot’s message, the African story teller, the news broadcasters of the day, to pass on the culture musically and the values of the community and what is happening and how society interacts and there is a lot of positivity in the truth. People at gigs ask me millions of questions before, during and after the gig, you know people who were not even born in the 70s. They realise that those songs then, still tie in with what is going on now.
WHO’S BEEN IN?
Amongst others last month, we hosted Jay Wilcox, Sienna Spiro, Pink Mario, Steel Pan in Motion, Singing Bowie, Wesley Joseph, Nadia Loren, Fossils, London Voice Academy, Teenage Joans, Charlie Cunningham, Girls on the Floor, Celebration Church, Cyrano, Andy Myers, Alison Limerick, Witch-Post, Evergreen, Eliane Correa, Nicole Dalgado, Duke Street, Phoebe Noble, Eddie Mulvey, Aifric, Michele Gala, Born To Be Bad, Pain of Glass, If These Walls Could Talk, Vasili, Nnaomi, Hawaiian Finish, Tomorrow’s Warriors, Patti Smith, Earth to Eve, Danny Silverstone, Seb Rochford, Celebration Church, Beany McSweeney, Massaoke, Dovile, Do it With Soul, D3LTA, Lust Ritual, The Glow Worms, Passing Ships, Nicky Rubin, Family Stereo, Chloe Slater, David McAlmont, Triggerfish,The Pink Singers, Tabitha Carrington, Jade Payne, Hope Winter, Lucy Blue, Laundry Day, Charles O’Bubble, LSK Productions, Shelf Lives, Alfie Whitbread, Meek, Blossom Calderone, Sabula Band, Lurine Cato, The Age of Consent, Brian Jackson, Emma O’Connor, Iraina Mancini, Clive Brown, Black Country New Road, Westside Cowboys, Loyle Carner, Wesley Joseph, Janet Devlin, Scritti Politti, Janet Devlin, Emeli Sande, Metronomy, English Teacher, Wealth Union, Cymande, Marc Almond, Lizzie Berchie, Will Glaser, Alfreda, Julz, Fat Coyote, Savannah Ministry, Mae Muller, Bristows Band, Beverley Knight, Emma Riveria, East West Ents, Tyler, Not My Wife, Laura Mvula, Flo, Ishmael Hamilton, Esmerelda Rose and many more.
AND FINALLY...
