Carl Moses
- Composer
- Actor
Carl Moses is a former deejay and musician best known as co-founder Brighton blues and soul joint - The Catfish Club (1987-2002)- which ran for an impressive 15-year tenure in the edgy UK seafront town (the other founder being Christina Papas). Started in June 1987, beneath a small cramped basement, at the Churchill Palace Hotel, Brighton, the Catfish Club served as an alternative club night mainly for pacifistic students and pure blues music aficionados. The club flew in the face of convention, as well as the more "pretentious acid jazz scene", preferring to keep in step with a more understated, rootsy atmosphere and vibe; which was reflected in the dingily lit and smoky atmosphere of the venue. The club became an instant hit for clubber's looking to escape the larger conventional Brighton club's of the era. Later, the club moved to Nash's Basement(circa 1988), just off the seafront, and Moses went under the name DJ "Rumble Chillen" Moses, which was a reference to a popular song at the Catfish, called Rumble Chillen by Albert Williams (Sun Records blues box set) and because of the influence that rockabilly blues was having on the club. Still, the club boasted a very diverse clientele, of both younger and older age groups, as well as some well known individuals from the music and entertainment industry. Bobby Gillespie, from Jesus and The Mary Chain, and later, Primal Scream, was a regular at Nash's. After several years at Nash's, the Catfish moved again (with it's entire following circa 1990) to Volk's Tavern, again, just off the seafront. It was during its tenure there, circa 1992, that the Catfish Club promoted their first live revue, called - The Catfish Club Revue - which featured The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Dr Ross, James Hunter and others, and was hosted by BBC Radio One's Annie Nightingale. Despite a hugely successful concert, venue problems emerged again, as Volk's Tavern was proving too small, and the Catfish Club night had now become two nights (Friday and Saturday) and was in urgent need of a bigger venue. However, this soon came in the shape of the Madeira Hotel (circa 1993), which appeared ideal as it had a capacity of around 400; which was at the time, easy for the Catfish to fill.
Other notable concerts featured the late great Etta James at The Brighton Centre, for The International Brighton Festival 1993, again, featuring the The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama and Jimmy McCracklin of "The Walk" fame & Ann Peebles, which also earned Carl Moses a Brighton Festival Radio Award. As a Recording Artist, he was briefly signed with major label Arista Records in 1993-1994 with the Holy Show; releasing just one single "This Planet Hurts" before Arista UK went under. He followed suit by becoming a Rock Presenter at Meridian TV (gb) and Antelope Productions (gb), where he earned respect as a credited reporter and presenter for shows such as The Loop (1995, 1997 - covering topical bands and live footage and interviews from The Essential Music Festival in Brighton), The Pier: Etta James San Francisco Report (1993) & A3 - Access All Areas (1994 - filmed on location at Brighton's Carnival '94)). Although he got to interview many great acts, like the late Joseph Hill & Culture, Inspiral Carpets, PWEI, The Charlatans, Urban Species, Boo Radley's, Dodgy, Terrorvision, Elastica, Catatonia, Echobelly, Mica Paris, Suede, Gene, Galliano and Chumbawamba among many more...legendary reggae producer Lee Scratch Perry was his favourite. As an actor, Carl Moses, portrayed the character "Moses" in Hallmark Entertainment's 2002 21-part drama - The Hidden City, as well as previously being a part of Brighton's Thumbscrew Theatre, and Glastonbury based Gog Theatre.
Other notable concerts featured the late great Etta James at The Brighton Centre, for The International Brighton Festival 1993, again, featuring the The Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama and Jimmy McCracklin of "The Walk" fame & Ann Peebles, which also earned Carl Moses a Brighton Festival Radio Award. As a Recording Artist, he was briefly signed with major label Arista Records in 1993-1994 with the Holy Show; releasing just one single "This Planet Hurts" before Arista UK went under. He followed suit by becoming a Rock Presenter at Meridian TV (gb) and Antelope Productions (gb), where he earned respect as a credited reporter and presenter for shows such as The Loop (1995, 1997 - covering topical bands and live footage and interviews from The Essential Music Festival in Brighton), The Pier: Etta James San Francisco Report (1993) & A3 - Access All Areas (1994 - filmed on location at Brighton's Carnival '94)). Although he got to interview many great acts, like the late Joseph Hill & Culture, Inspiral Carpets, PWEI, The Charlatans, Urban Species, Boo Radley's, Dodgy, Terrorvision, Elastica, Catatonia, Echobelly, Mica Paris, Suede, Gene, Galliano and Chumbawamba among many more...legendary reggae producer Lee Scratch Perry was his favourite. As an actor, Carl Moses, portrayed the character "Moses" in Hallmark Entertainment's 2002 21-part drama - The Hidden City, as well as previously being a part of Brighton's Thumbscrew Theatre, and Glastonbury based Gog Theatre.