New Wave City’s New Romantic Night

The term “new romantic” was retrospectively applied to the scene that emerged out of a West End of London club night called “Billy’s – A Club For Heroes” in 1978. Started by Steve Strange (who later went on to form Visage) originally at a small venue called Gossips, and then later at a nightclub called “Blitz.” The theme of the club was extreme glam dressing; the more outrageous and glamorous you looked, the better (and the faster you got in to the club). Rusty Egan was the DJ, and spun tracks by Bowie, Roxy Music, Kraftwerk, Chic and lots of electronic dance music. Boy George worked the cloakroom. Spandau Ballet emerged from the club as a band, as well as the aforementioned Visage. At a similar scene at the Rum Runner club in Birmingham, Duran Duran was the resident band. Eventually lots of groups adopted the New Romantic styles and were lumped into the movement – Adam & the Ants, Japan, The Human League, and even Depeche Mode – but none had any direct connection, other than fashion.