Heavy Metal Soundhouse / Bandwagon

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   Im off to see iron maiden in dublin this evening and have had a bit of a nostalgia trip into their origins. One of the venues that looms large in their mythos was the bandwagon / heavy metal soundhouse, a rock and metal club run by dj neal kay (excellent moustache, fu manchu would have been proud) in kingsbury, north london from around 1975-1980.

It sounds to have had an unusually large sound system for the time, 8kw and piled up to the ceiling are the phrases that come to mind. I found a couple of photos - looks to be a pair of 4520 scoops, a martin 2x15 horn? and, going by the aesthetics, some other martin cabs for the mids and highs. The partial shot of the amp rack doesnt ring any bells, any idea what they were?

So, did any of the forum's oaps ever bang their heads or enter an air guitar contest at the bandwagon?

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godathunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 19 July 2004 Location: wicklow Status: Offline Points: 1888	Post Options Post Reply Quote godathunder Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Heavy Metal Soundhouse / Bandwagon Posted: 25 June 2025 at 10:29am
	Im off to see iron maiden in dublin this evening and have had a bit of a nostalgia trip into their origins. One of the venues that looms large in their mythos was the bandwagon / heavy metal soundhouse, a rock and metal club run by dj neal kay (excellent moustache, fu manchu would have been proud) in kingsbury, north london from around 1975-1980. It sounds to have had an unusually large sound system for the time, 8kw and piled up to the ceiling are the phrases that come to mind. I found a couple of photos - looks to be a pair of 4520 scoops, a martin 2x15 horn? and, going by the aesthetics, some other martin cabs for the mids and highs. The partial shot of the amp rack doesnt ring any bells, any idea what they were? So, did any of the forum's oaps ever bang their heads or enter an air guitar contest at the bandwagon?
	LOUDER THAN LOUD

Robbo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 05 December 2005 Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Points: 4297	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robbo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 June 2025 at 4:02pm
	The horn loaded bass cabinets on top of the double scoops are Mega B212(loaded with two long coil rubber surround ATC 12" drivers---the Fibreglass mid horns are Mega mids loaded with 9" ATC mid drivers--The twin horn HF cabinets are again Mega loaded with two screw on Peavey compression drivers and the four way bullets are again Mega loaded with Spanish made bullets. Cannot tell from that pic what the amps were sorry.

VECTORDJ Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 11 June 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 585	Post Options Post Reply Quote VECTORDJ Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 June 2025 at 4:39pm
	A+

Robbo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 05 December 2005 Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Points: 4297	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robbo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 June 2025 at 7:03pm
	Forgot to mention earlier that the two drivers in the RH scoop are Celestion Powercells---A very popular driver back in the seventies as they were almost impossible to blow.

woody2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 04 March 2010 Status: Offline Points: 1844	Post Options Post Reply Quote woody2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 June 2025 at 9:45pm
	jps amps.

Robbo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 05 December 2005 Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Points: 4297	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robbo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 June 2025 at 11:06pm
	I thought that they may be JPS amps as we had a boatload of them in the seventies due to getting a cracking deal from Paul, one of the partners but I was not totally sure. We were really happy with the amps performance especially driving bottom end but found them a bit delicate out on the road due to a flimsy bit of cabinet design---but installed in a venue would have been an ideal scenario for them.

godathunder Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 19 July 2004 Location: wicklow Status: Offline Points: 1888	Post Options Post Reply Quote godathunder Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 June 2025 at 2:52am
	fair play, a wealth of knowledge chaps. Id love to know if anyone actually heard it there maiden were, as ever, excellent this evening
	LOUDER THAN LOUD

BrainlessTekno Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 20 February 2023 Location: Slovakia Status: Offline Points: 381	Post Options Post Reply Quote BrainlessTekno Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 June 2025 at 8:58am
	can someone lead me to a plans of Mega B212? i could not find anything online
	BarSick / barsik soundsystem Dont want to toot my own horn but toot toot

Robbo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 05 December 2005 Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Points: 4297	Post Options Post Reply Quote Robbo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 June 2025 at 9:27am
	No plans are available anywhere for any of the Mega bass cabinets.

BrainlessTekno Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Registered User Joined: 20 February 2023 Location: Slovakia Status: Offline Points: 381	Post Options Post Reply Quote BrainlessTekno Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 June 2025 at 9:48am
	yeah i tought so, its a shame that world will never see any of theese cabs again
	BarSick / barsik soundsystem Dont want to toot my own horn but toot toot

APC321 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 24 August 2013 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 796	Post Options Post Reply Quote APC321 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 26 June 2025 at 7:04pm
	I grew up in Kingsbury. The Bandwagon was behind the Prince of Wales pub, where my dad used to drink with his mates, and come home totally pissed, much to the annoyance of my mum. I think that the Bandwagon was originally the function room for the Prince of Wales, which was a big victorian pub. Both the Bandwagon and the Prince of Wales got demolished many years ago, and on the site now stands a Tesco Express beneath a modern apartment block. Bought back good memories for me, thanks for posting. Edited by APC321 - 26 June 2025 at 8:30pm

jbl_man Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group Joined: 12 January 2005 Location: London. Status: Offline Points: 11308	Post Options Post Reply Quote jbl_man Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 27 June 2025 at 9:23am
	The 4520 scoop bin on the right (the one without the grille) has a pair of Celestion powercel 15's in there.
	Be seeing you.