Forward/Stinky's Peephouse

Stinky's Peephouse is a family affair, and because of this we believe we have the best club community in Leeds. The club was the inspired creation of Mr. Guy Quilliam. The club took it’s name from a 19th century Burlesque club in San Francisco. And as far as I’m aware the Leeds’ Stinky’s is the only other club to bear the name. “There can be only two!”

It was never the plan to attract ‘passing trade’ at the club, Stinky’s was a ‘members only’ club at the start and although Leeds was morphing into an ‘A’’ list city Stinky’s was a world away from the ‘club circuit’.

It’s a binary condition really, you’re either Stinky’s Peephouse or you’re not.

If I were to pick one anecdote that would define Stinky’s Peephouse I would tell the story of Mr. Laurent Garnier and his first visit to the club. At the time nobody could book Mr. Garnier, every venue in the UK wanted him. Superconductor were doing Fridays at Stinky’s once a month at that time and local D.J’s were encouraged to come along and do their thing. Turns out that one of these ‘local’ D.J’s , a student at Leeds University, has a lifelong friend called Laurent Garnier. Anyway, he tells his chum Laurent about Stinky’s Peephouse in Leeds. He tells of the people who run it, the staff, the promoters, the security, the cleaners. Stinky’s Peephouse... so wrong but yet so fucking right.

“The place is out of the box” he tells Larry. Larry Garnier phones his agent and tells him that he’s had a bit of an epiphany and that he will, after all, do one gig in the UK. He will do it at a club in Leeds called Stinky’s Peephouse. Capacity 250 at that time.

I may be wrong but I’m almost certain that Backtobasics recently became the longest running party in the known universe. Whether that’s true or not I don’t know. I do know that it’s ‘Backtobasics’ 19th birthday this year. Gosh !.. 19 years... seems much much longer Backtobasics is, of course, the flagship event at Stinky’s.

Speedqueen made a brief stop off at Stinky’s back in the day. The club sparkled and wore it’s best frock for those nights I can tell you.

And, oh golly oh gosh, the love affair between Stinky’s Peephouse and Back2Mine is as amorous as it ever was. Sundays had become the new Saturdays when Back2Mine arrived, God was in his Heaven and some stuff was right with the world.

Over the years ‘the little club that does’ has hosted a variety of events; fashion shows, art exhibitions, garden parties, calamitous fireworks displays, some really crap club nights and some club nights that, I think, history will observe as...,’their finest hour’.

The founder & creator of Stinky’s Peephouse passed away in 2006.

It was an honour to know him, a privilege to work with him and it was a gift from God to be his brother.