Ah, the 80s. Unemployment was excessive, morale was low and everybody hated the federal government. At the least the ‘Blitz Children’ knew how you can have an excellent time

Do you contemplate your self a strolling murals? That was the take a look at you’d must cross to get into the Blitz Membership – the short-lived nightspot in London’s Covent Backyard that ‘created’ 80s music and trend.

A brand new exhibition on the membership evening opens this week on the capital’s Design Museum, kicking off with a (little doubt) suitably lavish occasion. Now we check out the characters behind a cultural phenomenon…

Stranger than fiction

A no-nonsense trend chameleon, Blitz Membership co-founder Steve Unusual was ruthless when it got here to imposing the gown code. He would maintain up a mirror to revellers queuing outdoors, asking the least spectacular ‘if they might let themselves in.’

The host was so strict along with his “extraordinary” solely coverage, he famously even turned Mick Jagger away. The Rolling Stones singer was carrying denims and trainers – though Steve later claimed the venue had been full.

Born in Newbridge, South Wales, singer Steve launched the Tuesday membership evening with Visage bandmate Rusty Egan in February 1979. It was hailed because the birthplace of the New Romantic motion, held in a World Conflict Two-themed wine bar, earlier than it closed simply over two years later.

Sadly, Steve went on to wrestle with heroin habit and died of a coronary heart assault, aged 55, in 2015.

Rusty nails it

Rusty Egan gave the Blitz Membership its soundtrack, that includes the likes of Kraftwerk, David Bowie and Giorgio Moroder. He defined: “Blitz took you out of the grim and horrible Thatcherite Britain, with piles of s*** in your doorstep.

“You had no future and nothing glamorous was taking place? Neglect that, I’m going to dress up, so I can overlook about my crap on the dancefloor.”

The drummer-turned-DJ, who was beforehand in New Wave band Wealthy Children, had wished a membership the place he may play data from his personal enormous assortment. Fairly quickly it was attracting main stars like Grace Jones and Jack Nicholson.

Then in 1980, Bowie himself determined to see what the fuss was about. The alien rock god selected 4 of the membership’s prettiest regulars – together with Steve Unusual – to seem in his Ashes To Ashes video.

Mad concerning the boy

He won’t have been accountable for the Blitz Membership, however Boy George quickly grew to become certainly one of its most well-known faces. The singer, born George O’Dowd, began off working there as a cloakroom attendee.

Regardless of dressing as much as the nines each evening, the androgynous star was nonetheless fearful of falling foul of the gown code. He mentioned: “It was like strolling the plank each week. Everybody went there considering, ‘What if I don’t get in?’”

And when you’d made it inside, your look may nonetheless get you in hassle. George recalled seeing “fights” between revellers who suspected another person could be copying their trend sense.

As one of many well-known ‘Blitz Children,’ George caught the eye of Intercourse Pistols mogul Malcolm McClaren, who organized for him to carry out with Bow Wow Wow. He then fashioned Tradition Membership in 1981.

Ballet rigging

They’d quickly develop into one of many greatest teams of the 80s – however Spandau Ballet made their debut because the Blitz Membership’s in-house band. Their first reside present befell there on December 5, 1979.

With stars like Billy Idol and Siouxsie Sioux within the viewers, fairly quickly they bagged a cope with Chrysalis Information. Bassist Martin Kemp has since spoken fondly of his time on the fashion-conscious nightspot.

He mentioned: “You realize know, all of us snicker concerning the trend. You must perceive how that trend overtook the excessive road.

“Even Princess Diana at one level was carrying that large hair and massive shoulder pads that every one got here from these nights within the Blitz.”

Marilyn on present

As soon as inseparable from shut pal Boy George, Marilyn was one other Blitz Membership common who shot to particular person fame.

The androgynous singer and mannequin, born Peter Robinson, appeared within the 1983 video for Eurythmics’ single Who’s That Lady? He then signed a report deal and notched up a handful of hits, reaching No.4 with debut Calling Your Identify.

Marilyn appeared on Band Support’s 1984 charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas? – however his star started to fade quickly afterwards. He grew to become a near-recluse following a “nervous breakdown”.

Talking in 2014, he mentioned: “I began smoking heroin and taking shedloads of pharmaceuticals. I moved into my mum’s home and mainly spent 20 years on heroin.”

• Blitz: The membership that formed the 80s is operating on the Design Museum in Kensington, London from September 19, 2025 till March 29, 2026.