Riverside was the club that turned me onto the idea of DJ'ing full time although I had a full time job at the time running a horrid DIY/Hire shop in Totton at the time. Riverside was infact one of the two old Floating bridges that carried passengers from Woolston to Southampton and back before the Itchen bridge was built in 76. It laid rusting away until it was turned into a night club a few years later and so Floaters was born. This was a townie haunt that I only visited once and was frequented by the locals of Woolston and Thornhill etc. and it wasn't nice. Suffice it to say it closed in 84 due to the trouble and was taken over with a complete change of image later that year. Real soul and funk-Alternative-rock'n'roll was the new order and it's name soon spread by word of mouth.

I had worked at Upstairs AT Erics in Bournemouth in 83-4 and when that club closed little be known to me the manager had taken over the new Riverside club and so when I paid my first visit to this new venue I was asked by him to join the new venture and of course I jumped at the chance. The Saturday night I visited was lead by the legendary Erics line up of Northern Soul DJ Shay and was backed up by funkmeister Graham"all right gang"T and the place was buzzin'

I started the very next Friday joining the current Alternative DJ Neil who worked in Virgin records and I don't think he was to pleased but we soon formed a formidable partnership though I admit I was still learning my trade on the decks.
This article is unfinished as of March 29th. More to follow soon.

Top Riverside tunes

Bow Down, Sheep, Happy Hour-The Housemartins
Uncertain Smile, This Is The Day-The The
I travel, Don't You Forget About me-Simple Minds

Alice, Temple Of Love-Sisters Of Mercy