page_title: Music of Newport
section_title: TJ's
hierarchical_section_title: Music of Newport / History / TJ's
caption_attribution_description: English: Taken 'Primal Scream' LP period. I think the venue was Walsall Working Men's Club / Social Club.
context_page_description: The Newport music scene, in and around Wales' third city, has been well documented and acclaimed for cultivating bands, singers, and famous music venues. It has been traditionally a rock city since the 1970s, but it has evolved over the years into forms of punk, 1990s alt-rock, and more recently metal and hip-hop.
  The city has long attracted a number of musicians to perform or begin their careers in South Wales. Those associated with the city include Joe Strummer of The Clash, Feeder, The Darling Buds, as well as Skindred, and Goldie Lookin Chain.
  In 2001 FHM described TJ's as "one of the Top 50 best nights out in the world, ever." Newport is home to the UK's largest retailer of new LPs, Diverse Vinyl, which was established in 1988.
  Newport became an alternative rock hotspot in the 1990s, when it was labelled as 'the new Seattle' and credited for bands such as 60 Ft. Dolls, Dub War, Novocaine and Flyscreen.
  Manchester-based film maker Nathan Jennings announced in 2017 that a documentary was in the works about the city's musical past and present, titled The Rock of Newport.
context_section_description: TJ's opened in 1985 on Clarence Place and became famous rock venue on the 'toilet circuit' of UK independent venues. Described by John Peel as "The Legendary TJ's", the venue was voted one of the top 50 'Big Nights Out' in the world by FHM in December 1997.
  Started by John Sicolo in 1971 with his wife Vivienne as a restaurant, he then expanded it with the neighbouring property to form the nightclub "El Sieco's", attracting local folk acts among others. It then remodelled in 1985 named TJ's after the first names of John and his late partner Trilby Tucker.
  The venue came to UK wide fame in the music video for "Mulder and Scully" by Catatonia, and for being the location where Kurt Cobain proposed to Courtney Love.
  The venue claimed hosting bands early in their careers, including Oasis, Manic Street Preachers, Green Day, The Offspring, Lostprophets, Iron Maiden, Sonic Youth, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Stone Roses, Muse, Primal Scream, Descendents, NOFX, Misfits, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Lagwagon, The Bouncing Souls, The Vandals, The Ataris, and Skunk Anansie.
  Sicolo died on 14 March 2010, aged 66, and a tribute concert in his honour was headlined by Goldie Lookin Chain in the city's John Frost Square on 10 July 2010. On 15 September 2011 TJ's was sold at auction for £242,000. 
  On 2 February 2013, the building was damaged by a fire, suspected to be arson. The historic building remains empty in 2016.
  In 2012 Sicolo's grandson, Ashley Sicolo, opened the 200 Club on Stow Hill, the decor for which included TJ's memorabilia and copies of TJ's gig posters. It went on to close in 2013 due to noise complaints, reopening named El Sieco's on High Street in Newport city centre.
caption: Primal Scream 03 West Midlands 1989
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