World Headquarters: The History and Evolution, Part 1

The journey of the diverse music venue in the heart of Newcastle from 1993 - 2003

Original Demo 7' of Dance to the music (1967) by Sly StoneWorld Headquarters Club

Music for life

We'd always collected all genres of Black music & alongside showcasing all our tunes in the Trent House, we followed Public Enemy around on their early UK tours. Music was everything & from the 1980s the concept of making a proper living from sharing it, was the dream.

Original Beach Party Poster Artwork (1986) by Chris DonaldWorld Headquarters Club

Out of the frying pan

By the mid 80s, we began staging large underground parties, as the risk of racism and violence, made the city centre scene too risky for us. Pre 'rave era' this was our chance to share our music with people who were sick of mainstream music and violence in clubs.

Tom Caulker & Adrian Gadd in Rockshots Club (1989) by Tom CaulkerWorld Headquarters Club

Into the fire

By the late 80s the rave scene and gangsters landed. Parties became way too dangerous, so we skipped to Clubs. Rockshots on the Gay scene welcomed us and we ran great nights there for years. Then, 80s House music exploded & we rode the wave & grew stronger.

Classic framed Trent & World Headquarters posters (1997) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

Walls of culture

Once we started to DJ in clubs, we formed a company called Determination Inc. Posters for a lot of the nights we ran in crazy places back in the day,  hang framed in the lobby of the World Headquarters Club today.

The first ever poster we did for our first Rockshots night, Determination Inc, 1986, From the collection of: World Headquarters Club
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The Rockshots 'Temptation' poster, Determination Inc, 1987, From the collection of: World Headquarters Club
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Posters for Robert Owens & Tony Humphries @ Rockshots, Determination Inc, 1993, From the collection of: World Headquarters Club
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Let's set the scene...

Tom Caulker from World Headquarters talks to Georgia Mulraine, explaining the context in which the original club started.

One of the very first WHQ Flyers (1993) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

Beginnings

So, with luck and hustle, we eventually bought a tiny venue that had gone bust.  From day one, we set out to offer a credible and cosmopolitan alternative to the city's mainstream clubs. We finally had our own club and control over every aspect of it.

Tom Caulker in the DJ booth of the original WHQ Club (1993) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

The original club

It was the dream realised. Our transition from being 'outlaws' into actual legitimate Nightclub ownership. We initially closed it for 6 months & plotted for WHQ to be the opposite of the drug fuelled insanity, that by the early 90s had the rest of the city in its grip

Classic poster from yesteryear (1997) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

WHQ opens

The club finally opened in 1993 and the police raided it on opening night. Typical... We just wanted a safe place to play Black music, separate from them and all the mayhem in the rest of the city

Take a trip back...

This is the only footage that still exists of the original WHQ, shot by hand-held camcorder, just before the doors opened for the first New Year's Eve party back in 1994. It shows just how tiny, magical & wonderful the Club was, just like a little front room.

Loving the Club (2004) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

Positive vibes

As time progressed, we seized this golden opportunity to run things exactly as we saw fit. No more having to play places with violent door staff or racism. Our music, in our place, for our own crowd. A mixed and multiracial one, who could all feel safe.

The queue to get into the original WHQ Club (1993) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

Ten magical years

From day one it was on & soon the queues stretched right up the block. It was a magical place, where welcomed all the friendly dancers. A separate and unique underground subculture, totally under the mainstream's radar.

Curtis Mayfield House refit (2002) by Tom CaulkerWorld Headquarters Club

Time for a new home

Suddenly in 2002, we heard the club was to be flattened, to make access for a bus station. We needed new premises, so acquired a 6 storey warehouse on the far side of Newcastle. We named it Curtis Mayfield House and this was to be our new home.

Fitting Out Curtis Mayfield House (2002) by Tom CaulkerWorld Headquarters Club

Stressful days

We had just a year to get it all fitted out and ready, as we'd pre-sold our old place and could only remain open for 12 more months. As the ominous clock of impending demolition ticked, never did pure hassle, dust and mess, take so long, or cost so much to turn into a Club.

The last night of the original WHQ Club on Marlbrough Crescent (2003) by WHQ ClubWorld Headquarters Club

Last night of the Old Club

By March 2003, Curtis Mayfield House was ready and it was time to say farewell to the Old Club. What an amazing home it had been. We covered it in woodland clippings for the final, emotional night and partied it back into the earth. It was demolished the very next day.

Credits: Story

Interview of Tom Caulker by Georgia Mulraine. WHQ recognises the inspiration & guidance we received during this period from Adrian Gadd @ Rockshots, Bobby Greenland, Stephen Caulker, Anthony Lynch, Fawzia Topan, David Barker, Michael McCoy & all our staff & wider dancing crews.

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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