Article first appeared in Muzik magazine 1996
Love Ranch: Legendary club night 1991-1993 based at Maximus Nightclub 14 Leicester Square London. Promoted by Sean McLusky & Mark Wigan. DJs of note included Rad Rice (resident), Danny Rampling, Andrew Weatherall, Phil Perry, Lisa Loud, Justin Robertson, Paul Daley, Mark Moore, Darren Emerson, Al McKenzie (resident) & Kevin Hurry..
Rad Rice: Resident DJ at The Brain, Love Ranch & Club UK
"We did the first Love Ranch as a one-off in about May or June of 1991. Then from August, it ran every week at Maximus in Leicester Square until the spring of 1993. Sean McClusky and I booked the DJs and sorted the flyers and Al McKenzie and I were the residents. The crowd came with us from The Brain. Love Ranch had a 6am licence, it was the first to get one of those, and the people came along specifically to be there rather than just going to the pub until it shut and thinking, 'Lets go to a club'. They dressed up in clothes you could only wear to a club and made the effort as they knew they would be in there all night. We had blokes in full bondage gear and frilly shirts, and skinheads in leather trousers. We had this mad banner when you went in which said 'This Is Where Its Fucking At!'. There was no real music policy, but we mostly played house. I would be on from 4am until 6am and I played hard stuff, no commercial bollocks. Our guest DJs included Danny Rampling, who came down on a monthly basis, and Paul Daley, who was a big favourite with everyone. Guests played from 2am until 4am and they always had the most easy slot, coming on after the live act. Sean's into live acts and we put on some totally mad ones in our time. Les McKeown from The Bay City Rollers used to play as the Tartan Army and they were a big hit. They'd come out of a tartan cylinder and sprinkle glitter on the crowd. D:Ream played their debut gig there. They were always a good laugh until Pete and Alan fell out. Lock Stock &Barrel once raffled off a pigs head on the stage. A good night that one! People who'd never even met before were handcuffed together. The skinheads used amyl to set fire to the tables of out-of-it people which really freaked them out! Grimsby used to wear a rubber mask when he was on the door and he'd pick out people in the queue and try to get them in. They thought they wanted to come in until he tried to get hold of them! But that's what we wanted. People who wanted to come in couldn't and people who didn't were dragged in.."
LOVE RANCH ALL-TIME CLASSICS Compiled by Rad Rice
LETS ROCK – E Trax Volume One (Dance Street)
MUSIC FOR THE MASSES (REMIX) – Floor Federation (One Off)
CHUCKY APPLE MAD – Switzerland (ZTT)
THE ENEMY WITHIN (DUB) – Thirst (Ten)
GENERATE POWER – Photon Inc (Strictly Rhythm)
GIVE IT TO ME BABY – Love Revolution (RRR)
MASTER BLASTER – Gong (D&H)
NOT FORGOTTEN (HARD HANDS MIX) – Leftfield (Outer Rhythm)
UM-OLIE-EY-AHH – Movement 16 (Final Vinyl)
SOS – Crunch (5 Foot 6)
ON A MISSION (FABI PARAS MIX) – The Aloof (Cowboy)
VIEW FINDER – BackTo Front (Constant Bliss)
AMBER GROOVE – SAS (Final Vinyl)
DO WHAT YOU FEEL – DC02 (Time SRL)
SEDUCE ME – Tiziana (R&S)