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Rum Runner nightclub
*** Shopping-Tip: Rum Runner nightclub
The '''Rum Runner nightclub''' was opened on Broad Street in the
Birmingham city centre in
1979.
The founding members, Paul and Michael Berrow, opened their new club with an eclectic power playlist borrowed from
Studio 54 in
New York.
Roxy Music and
David Bowie nights were accompanied by
jazz funk nights which were strongly influenced by New York's
CHIC (band) CHIC Powerdisco.
A real milestone in the history of the Rum Runner was when a newly-formed group of musicians called
Duran Duran walked in one day with a tape. There was an instant mutual appeal between the Berrows and the band, and the Berrows offered Duran Duran a place to rehearse and play gigs. The band found themselves becoming heavily involved with the running of the club with
Nigel John Taylor John Taylor working the door,
Nick Rhodes deejaying for £10 a night,
Roger Andrew Taylor Roger Taylor working as a glass collector and
Andy Taylor polishing mirrors, painting and cooking burgers for cash. Duran Duran quickly became the resident band at the venue.
After many months, Michael and Paul Berrow signed as Duran Duran's managers. The Berrows and the band then formed the
Tritec Music company (named after the triangular-themed bar inside the club). The label used the Rum Runner office upstairs from the club as its official address.
In developing the club's musical identity they also gave free rehearsal space to bands like
Dexys Midnight Runners and
UB40, with
The Beat (band) The Beat filming a video for their song 'Mirror In The Bathroom' taking full advantage of the many mirrors that walled the club.
As time went by they opened more and more different evenings and one of the residents became DJ Dick who later went on to form
Rockers Hi-Fi and who now hosts the city's main
Funk Acid Jazz night called
Leftfoot, situated at
The Medicine Bar.
Category:Music from Birmingham, England
Category:Nightclubs in the United Kingdom
