There was a pattern of attendance that emerged during the height of the club scene. Hardcore clubbers would go most nights but Thursdays was the best club night as it led into Friday and had less part timers. Sunday was quite literally the day of rest until Soul II Soul made it their own. But Saturday was party night. The search for the party was a tradition back then. There seemed to be a party every Saturday somewhere; parties that we were invited to, parties that we had heard about, parties that we crashed and parties that we would talk our way into getting taken along to with girls.
House Parties then consisted off three elements; music, drink, pulling. Maybe parties still do, as those are the primary interests of young people, but back then there wasn’t the level of drugs or the money making aspects or the danger. The knack was to get there around midnight; earlier than the pubs was too quiet, after 12.00, you ran the risk of having less choice (in a number of ways). Then you had about three hours where the party was at its peak. The gamble really came when there was a choice of parties and this became a skill. Deciphering the prospects at each.
Long tube journeys, walking miles home and night buses were the flip side to waking up with a banging headache next to a woman whose name you couldn’t remember.
Parties were also an opportunity to hone DJing skills. A mix tape in the pocket and a decent system in place meant that a takeover was often on the cards. A direct way of influencing the pattern of the night and a great way of creating a reputation.
It helped that everyone was on the same page and wanted the party to be taken control of. Of course there were as many bad ones as good. Argumentative blokes, snooty girls and hosts that insisted on playing Soft Rock power ballads. But as a rule the house parties of the time were somewhat extensions of a Club night. A lot of fun and a lot of frolics
Party Party-The Carry on pop version of reality