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Blitz: The Club That Created the Eighties
'Elms is one of the greatest chroniclers of our age. He was born to write this book.' Dylan Jones
'Fantastic! It is like time travel . . . [to] the most exciting, innovative, outrageous, wildest, most creative club ever.' Steve Dagger
'Elms was not only in the room where it happened, he was at the very heart of it.' Gary Kemp
'The perfect witness and open-minded, outward looking, and an expert and shrewd cultural analyst.' Lavinia Greenlaw
'Sharp, funny and caked in two-day old eyeliner.' Jodie Harsh
A history of the club that set the '80s alight, by the much-loved presenter, writer and Blitz attendee Robert Elms.
The short-lived Blitz club in London's Covent Garden was more than somewhere to hang out or be it was a catalyst for cultural explosion, a counter-culture blast against everything Thatcher's leadership had ushered in by the dawn of the 80s. Tuesday nights boasted a ferocious, fearless cast - from Boy George and Spandau Ballet to Grayson Perry and Peter Doig, to Michele Clapton, Sade and Alexander McQueen. This was the vanguard of a different England; socially liberal, loud, proud and diverse, fiercely individualistic and determined to succeed. Britain was black and white; the Blitz Kids switched on the colour.
In Blitz, Elms reflects on a club night founded by working-class kids, one whose impact reverberated beyond its doors, through the worlds of Art, Literature, Fashion and Music, and into the present day.
'Fantastic! It is like time travel . . . [to] the most exciting, innovative, outrageous, wildest, most creative club ever.' Steve Dagger
'Elms was not only in the room where it happened, he was at the very heart of it.' Gary Kemp
'The perfect witness and open-minded, outward looking, and an expert and shrewd cultural analyst.' Lavinia Greenlaw
'Sharp, funny and caked in two-day old eyeliner.' Jodie Harsh
A history of the club that set the '80s alight, by the much-loved presenter, writer and Blitz attendee Robert Elms.
The short-lived Blitz club in London's Covent Garden was more than somewhere to hang out or be it was a catalyst for cultural explosion, a counter-culture blast against everything Thatcher's leadership had ushered in by the dawn of the 80s. Tuesday nights boasted a ferocious, fearless cast - from Boy George and Spandau Ballet to Grayson Perry and Peter Doig, to Michele Clapton, Sade and Alexander McQueen. This was the vanguard of a different England; socially liberal, loud, proud and diverse, fiercely individualistic and determined to succeed. Britain was black and white; the Blitz Kids switched on the colour.
In Blitz, Elms reflects on a club night founded by working-class kids, one whose impact reverberated beyond its doors, through the worlds of Art, Literature, Fashion and Music, and into the present day.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published September 25, 2025
8 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Robert Elms
14 books14 followersRobert Elms is a British writer and broadcaster. Elms was a writer for The Face magazine in the 1980s and is currently known for his long-running radio show on BBC London 94.9. His book 'The Way We Wore,' charts the changing fashions of his own youth, linking them with the social history of the times.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 26, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed the effortless storytelling. He really paints a vivid picture of a movement that led to other movements across the creative fields. Also, a London that’s long gone, in ways both good and bad. The journey to recent modernism started with a small club with those who didn’t conform to an identity. Individualism was the key but it must be done with style!
November 1, 2025
Robert Elms is a great writer and cultural historian. As someone who regularly attended both Blitz and the Bowie night at Billys which preceded Blitz, I was very excited to read this book. Robert Elms absolutely nails the experience of both club nights. He was much more of an insider than me and so I was fascinated in huge swathes of this book.
He also fully contextualises the club and its era, and goes on to reflect on its legacy.
It's brilliant.
My guess is that a reader with a general interest should still find plenty to enjoy and appreciate. I'll be reading other reviews with interest to discover if this is the general consensus.
5/5
'Elms is one of the greatest chroniclers of our age. He was born to write this book.' Dylan Jones
'Fantastic! It is like time travel . . . [to] the most exciting, innovative, outrageous, wildest, most creative club ever.' Steve Dagger
'Elms was not only in the room where it happened, he was at the very heart of it.' Gary Kemp
'The perfect witness and open-minded, outward looking, and an expert and shrewd cultural analyst.' Lavinia Greenlaw
'Sharp, funny and caked in two-day old eyeliner.' Jodie Harsh
A history of the club that set the '80s alight, by the much-loved presenter, writer and Blitz attendee Robert Elms.
The short-lived Blitz club in London's Covent Garden was more than somewhere to hang out or be it was a catalyst for cultural explosion, a counter-culture blast against everything Thatcher's leadership had ushered in by the dawn of the 80s. Tuesday nights boasted a ferocious, fearless cast - from Boy George and Spandau Ballet to Grayson Perry and Peter Doig, to Michele Clapton, Sade and Alexander McQueen. This was the vanguard of a different England; socially liberal, loud, proud and diverse, fiercely individualistic and determined to succeed. Britain was black and white; the Blitz Kids switched on the colour.
In Blitz, Elms reflects on a club night founded by working-class kids, one whose impact reverberated beyond its doors, through the worlds of Art, Literature, Fashion and Music, and into the present day.
He also fully contextualises the club and its era, and goes on to reflect on its legacy.
It's brilliant.
My guess is that a reader with a general interest should still find plenty to enjoy and appreciate. I'll be reading other reviews with interest to discover if this is the general consensus.
5/5
'Elms is one of the greatest chroniclers of our age. He was born to write this book.' Dylan Jones
'Fantastic! It is like time travel . . . [to] the most exciting, innovative, outrageous, wildest, most creative club ever.' Steve Dagger
'Elms was not only in the room where it happened, he was at the very heart of it.' Gary Kemp
'The perfect witness and open-minded, outward looking, and an expert and shrewd cultural analyst.' Lavinia Greenlaw
'Sharp, funny and caked in two-day old eyeliner.' Jodie Harsh
A history of the club that set the '80s alight, by the much-loved presenter, writer and Blitz attendee Robert Elms.
The short-lived Blitz club in London's Covent Garden was more than somewhere to hang out or be it was a catalyst for cultural explosion, a counter-culture blast against everything Thatcher's leadership had ushered in by the dawn of the 80s. Tuesday nights boasted a ferocious, fearless cast - from Boy George and Spandau Ballet to Grayson Perry and Peter Doig, to Michele Clapton, Sade and Alexander McQueen. This was the vanguard of a different England; socially liberal, loud, proud and diverse, fiercely individualistic and determined to succeed. Britain was black and white; the Blitz Kids switched on the colour.
In Blitz, Elms reflects on a club night founded by working-class kids, one whose impact reverberated beyond its doors, through the worlds of Art, Literature, Fashion and Music, and into the present day.
December 14, 2025
Steve's club night at the Blitz brought a touch of colour to an otherwise drab venue. It's documented that Steve and Rusty never attached a name to their Tuesday club night at the venue - and referred to it as either the club night at the Blitz, or a private party. The Blitz was already a trendy Covent Garden restaurant that hosted cabaret nights before Steve and Rusty arrived there. After Steve and Rusty left the venue, it continued to be the Blitz for many years afterwards. Hence, Elms's naming of the book "Blitz" is confusing. The Blitz was the name of the venue. It was the media who dubbed Steve's clubbers as Blitz Kids. Steve was always adamant it was a cult with no name. He hated attaching labels to things.
I went to Steve's club a couple of times. I recollect that the interior was naff. The sound system was scratchy. It was the venue's smallness that kept the night exclusive. Don't forget, the biggest, most successful club night in London at the time was the gay club BANG in Charing Cross Road, which attracted at least 1500 every Monday and Thursday.
Steve's club was more of a shop window for the young artistic crowd, who also went to BANG, located a few doors from St Martin's Fashion School. You didn't go to Steve's club to pull; you went to pose. That summed it up for me.
At the end of 1979, Heaven gay club opened in Charing Cross. BANG and Heaven were dance clubs; Steve's club night at the Blitz was not a dance club. There's only so much posing you can do. Getting down dirty on the dance floor is much more exciting. I always found Steve to be very softly spoken and polite. Not in the least bit like he has been portrayed on film.
I learned nothing new from this book.
I went to Steve's club a couple of times. I recollect that the interior was naff. The sound system was scratchy. It was the venue's smallness that kept the night exclusive. Don't forget, the biggest, most successful club night in London at the time was the gay club BANG in Charing Cross Road, which attracted at least 1500 every Monday and Thursday.
Steve's club was more of a shop window for the young artistic crowd, who also went to BANG, located a few doors from St Martin's Fashion School. You didn't go to Steve's club to pull; you went to pose. That summed it up for me.
At the end of 1979, Heaven gay club opened in Charing Cross. BANG and Heaven were dance clubs; Steve's club night at the Blitz was not a dance club. There's only so much posing you can do. Getting down dirty on the dance floor is much more exciting. I always found Steve to be very softly spoken and polite. Not in the least bit like he has been portrayed on film.
I learned nothing new from this book.
January 7, 2026
I very much enjoyed this book. It's the time and music of my youth, and Elms is a good writer/reader. There is joy here, bravery, indulgence, expression, and abandon.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews