Les Cousins Book: Updates
Les Cousins was more than a Soho basement club - it was the beating heart of the British folk revival. From the mid-1960s to the early ’70s, it became a crossroads for songwriters, guitarists and night-owls who changed the sound of English folk and blues music, as important to these genres as the Cavern was to rock’n’roll. Bert Jansch, John Martyn, Ralph McTell, Sandy Denny, Al Stewart and Paul Simon - they all passed through that tiny Greek Street cellar, often playing until dawn.
I’m currently writing a book about that remarkable scene - the people who made it, the songs that grew out of it and the culture that surrounded it. It’s based on first-hand interviews, flyers, and hours spent trawling through Melody Maker and its contemporaries at the British Library, along with material from Diana Matheou’s own personal archive. The aim is to trace how a small, smoky club came to define a whole era of British music.
I’ve carried out fresh, exclusive interviews with many of the musicians and figures who were part of that world, including Ian A. Anderson, John Altman, Joe Boyd, Martin Carthy, Ron Geesin, Weston Gavin, Mox Gowland, the Matheou family, Bridget St John, Al Stewart, Steve Tilston, Richard Thompson, Robin Williamson and Wizz Jones. I have also interviewed - and am keen to continue speaking to - people who worked at the club, and people who attended as club-goers and music lovers.
I’ve explored Les Cousins from a few angles over the years: writing about it for Tradfolk; co-curating Broadside Hacks’ Celebration of Les Cousins at the MOTH Club in 2024; and running the Second Cousins Stage at FolkEast 2025 - each event keeping that spirit alive in its own way.
The book is being published by Paradise Road Publishing, represented by David Luxton Associates, and is planned for release in 2027. I’m still deep in research and interviews, uncovering stories that have rarely, if ever, been told. We could still do with more photographs and personal anecdotes. If you were part of Les Cousins, or knew someone who was, I’d love to hear from you. You can email me at jonwilksmusic@gmail.com.
I’ll post occasional updates about the book’s progress here and in my newsletter as we get closer to publication. In the meantime, you can watch a short film I made about the club’s legacy by clicking below.
