Around the UK in 80 Venues: The Pink Toothbrush

Posted on Nov 7th 2009 5:22AM by Stephen Dowling
Comments

Location: The Pink Toothbrush, 19-23 High Street, Rayleigh, Essex, SS6 7EW

Website: http://www.pinktoothbrush.co.uk/

Capacity: 200-400

Come to see: These days it seems that the Pink Toothbrush has opted for a DJ-only policy with no up and coming gigs listed at the club. There are however a host of bands and celebs spinning a mixture of alternative and indie tunes to an extremely up-for-it crowd on Fridays and Saturdays .

The atmosphere: You'd hope "minty fresh" with its nod to dental hygiene but according to the locals it's anything but. One patron's web testimonial describes the 'Brush in the following affectionate way – "It's dark, it smells and your feet stick to the carpet," and "when the pubs shut 80% of the punters take the short walk up the High Street (via Kebab Hut) to get three extra hours drinking in." Another says it's the, "best club in the area as it plays proper music."

You saw them here first: This little Essex club played host to novelty single merchants the Sultans of Ping FC on Oct. 8 1992. The support bands? There were two, a group called the Shopkeeper Appeared and a little known five-piece from Oxford called Radiohead (pictured). Thom Yorke and co. headlined the very next year on Mar. 3.

Claim to fame: The Pink Toothbrush was initially opened in 1976 as a glam club called El-Pedrinos. In 1979 it changed its and name to Crocs. The reason? The club was home to two live crocodiles that were on display in a cage. The music policy was changed and it became an 'alternative club' attracting goths and punks and, apparently, members of Depeche Mode and Culture Club. The crocodiles were eventually given to Colchester Zoo, and the owners were told that the beasts were in fact alligators.

You should also know: The club was renamed the Pink Toothbrush in 1983-84 after a Max Bygraves song called You're a Pink Toothbrush for no apparent reason.

Booking now: Forthcoming DJs include: James Buckley from comedy show the Inbetweeners, Smiths drummer Mike Joyce, ex-Oasis guitarist Bonehead, ex-Libertine and Dirty Pretty Thing Gary Powell, actor Matt Horne, and Enter Shikari DJ PDEX.