Va Va's

[Brent]

I was there the night the police closed it. A coach full of us came up from Cheltenham and Gloucester and got stranded. The coach dropped us at 12 and then cleared off untill 8 the following morning. Spent a couple of hours walking the streets of Bolton being harassed by the police and finally ended up in the jamaican cafe where there were prostitutes upstairs and a bunch of huge jamaicans playing cards downstairs - I think the cafe was called the Soldier Blue

Soldier Blue ....... Lol It was a shabine run by a guy called Rubin ....... spent many an hour in the cellar playing 3 card brag with Robin Seales and Terry Grundy....

Rubin was the uncle of OLLY and Pat Brady.

[Brent]

anyone remember TROGGS as well!!

I do Nige, it's still there more or less as it was, sort of labour club now, played darts there a couple of years ago and could not believe it was still there, remenber Bob hindsley djin there.

Got some good stories about Troggs ..... Especially the Night that the Torch closed.......... Ask Rich Hillel about the cloakroom free for all.... and Yes Bob Hinsley was the dj there . Ask Bob about the trips Taken on Steve Highams Coaches to the torch........... B

[Brent]

anyone remember TROGGS as well!!

I do Nige, it's still there more or less as it was, sort of labour club now, played darts there a couple of years ago and could not believe it was still there, remenber Bob hindsley djin there.

Got some good stories about Troggs ..... Especially the Night that the Torch closed.......... Ask Rich Hillel about the cloakroom free for all.... and Yes Bob Hinsley was the dj there . Ask Bob about the trips Taken on Steve Highams Coaches to the torch........... B

[Pete Eccles]

Soldier Blue ....... Lol It was a shabine run by a guy called Rubin ....... spent many an hour in the cellar playing 3 card brag with Robin Seales and Terry Grundy....

Rubin was the uncle of OLLY and Pat Brady.

Brent I think you mean Paul Brady???? Not the Pat Brady that folk on here think you will mean surely????

[Brent]

Long winded or what??? not even got to Barry Big Eyes or Big Willie from Much Wenlock , Eccles and his brother from Preston , Richie Hills or even my mate Tich from Bolton, Dave Molloys older brother Jimmy. Roger and Colin, and Paul Delaney . LOL

Aw, come on Brent, this is a great post. Would love to know the rest please.

Bet you've got some photos too.

Hi chris Ok i,l write a bit morein the next few days... But first i,ll Throw a few names out that might jog memories......

Steve Midgeley from Barnsley (Back door Kenny,s Cousin) My Mate Snowy ( skiing with bill snow) from Donny

Mace from Little Hulton Gill Grimes ( God i,ve thought about her over the years XXX) Steve Fay from farnworth.

Mick Gooding (wendys Hubby ) Steve Jones from Manchester . Eric sayner(Smith) from Leeds

Ady From Selby. Ann and Mary From Selby. Roy ( Filon) Charlesworth from Rotherham.. Matchys pal.

Martin Valentine ( 6ft 12) from Horwich Kev Fox from Leigh... Dr Deakins pal..lol.

loads of Faces that have long since Faded but not forgotten ...............all regulars at VAVAs MIGHT EVEN RECOLLECT THE NIGHT IT WAS CODDY (later to become a good friend) HUGHES .BIRTHDAY .... R.I.P PAL.

[Brent]

Brent I think you mean Paul Brady???? Not the Pat Brady that folk on here think you will mean surely????

YES PAL .... GETTING AS BAD AS TRIGG COULSON ... lol Paul Brady sorry!

[Guest mel brat]

That would be great Malc - for many of us this club remains a bit of a mystery beyond the adverts in old issues of B&S.

Richard was playing things like Johnnie Howard "The chase is on" etc. there....almost a new release back then

What an exciting time that must have been.

Steve

There's an good account of Richard's Va-Va experiences in the book "The In-Crowd". We'd been to the Pendulum the previous night, then caught the last night bus from Manchester to Bolton. It was jam packed with youths going to Va-Va except for one old bloke in a flat cap who must have wondered what kind of Clockwork Orange scenario he'd stumbled into! Some of the guys had begun to dye the front of their hair with coloured food dye, or silver/gold spray, as was the fashion (yes, you'd forgotten about that hadn't you?) After alighting from the bus, we chatted to groups of lads who stood dotted around under the streetlamps, waiting for the club to open. (I could even tell you the number of the bus we caught - but not offhand!)

I think I'm right in saying you had to go down steep stairs to get in, and the club had a definite 70s "pop disco" feel, plush carpetting etc., with a kind of raised dias dancefloor surrounding the DJ and covered with cork tiles (if I remember correctly) which I found not very conducive to dancing - even in Solatio shoes. There were several coloured perspex screens scattered around the expansive seating area, which became virtually invisible in the subdued lighting and which everyone would bump into occasionally! There was actually more seating than dancefloor, the seats being covered in green leather(ette) I think. Maybe it was red - or both!

I recall Richard played the Volcanos, Clara Ward, Dottie Cambridge, Donald Lee Richardson, the aforementioned "Rat Race" etc. Generally the big sounds of the day. I don't remember hearing The Adventurers though, which I think was one of Richard's big Va-Va sides. One other was "Tainted Love" however, which I must have heard for the first time there.

At the end of the night, there were crowds of people all clamouring for their bags in the cloakroom (a fact again widely forgotten nowadays is that back then, tartan bowling bags were the thing, all which were virtually identical!) As a comparative newcomer to the Allnighter scene however, I'd previously decided on a black sports bag with Karate logo, and was immediately able to point it out, whereas my hapless mate had to go through a whole farcical routine of "No, not that one - is it the one to the left? Right a bit.." etc. with the harassed cloakroom attendant!

I bought the badge.

Edited April 24, 2010 by mel brat

[pat and cat]

Got some good stories about Troggs ..... Especially the Night that the Torch closed.......... Ask Rich Hillel about the cloakroom free for all.... and Yes Bob Hinsley was the dj there . Ask Bob about the trips Taken on Steve Highams Coaches to the torch........... B

Brent to be more precise that night was 17th March 1973 & my induction to the allnighter soul scene, a night I will never forget. Was informed that same night 600 in the club ? but don't know how true that was except to say - PACKED!!! HOT!!! is an understatement. My next nighter was a month later at Va-Va's but unsure if it was the 1st or 2nd nighter there?

Me thinks the 1st allnighter I did at Va-Va's (the extended diso-ones) I was still at school?, I left August 72 aged 15, me being a lot younger than you Brent.

Can you confirm these dates mate?

Mick.

[Jez Jones]

Remember one night(may have been 2nd or 3rd nighter--when thee was a massive queue outside waiting to get in. The DS turned up with sniffer dogs and very slowly and painfully when down the line and if the dogs even blinked they would pull that person out

My mate pecker (now in Oz)who come with us had a load of gear on him and went back fives paces in the queue and stuffed them down his sock then the 'horrors' kicked in and he went five more spaces back and shoved em round his b*llox . Eventually ended up hiding in the van and then fcuked off back about 2.00 and left us there

As was mentioned before, great late hose st sounds and sounds that were to be staple when Wigan first opened. Did I dream this-but did it have a bloody massive car park??

[Guest proudlove]

Remember one night(may have been 2nd or 3rd nighter--when thee was a massive queue outside waiting to get in. The DS turned up with sniffer dogs and very slowly and painfully when down the line and if the dogs even blinked they would pull that person out

My mate pecker (now in Oz)who come with us had a load of gear on him and went back fives paces in the queue and stuffed them down his sock then the 'horrors' kicked in and he went five more spaces back and shoved em round his b*llox . Eventually ended up hiding in the van and then fcuked off back about 2.00 and left us there

As was mentioned before, great late hose st sounds and sounds that were to be staple when Wigan first opened. Did I dream this-but did it have a bloody massive car park??

Hiya Jez..........the tail end of The Torch and Va Va were my "60's" time...............I know I was there..............but can't remember a thing...................not quite true,I remember waking up on a Wednesday morning after being carried out of a Ritz all dayer on the Sunday..............or have I got that one mixed up as well????????????

Steve

[Jez Jones]

Hiya Jez..........the tail end of The Torch and Va Va were my "60's" time...............I know I was there..............but can't remember a thing...................not quite true,I remember waking up on a Wednesday morning after being carried out of a Ritz all dayer on the Sunday..............or have I got that one mixed up as well????????????

Steve

Exactly mate---it was only the sounds in them days that remained in the brain--events and people just a blur lol

Will pm ya over Cygnet mate ( oh and had a chinwag with Frank Kaplonek last Sunday thats 3 times in 35 years lol)

[Guest Brian J]

I knew a Brent from Bolton.

This isn't you on the left by any chance?

Taken at the Casino

[Guest proudlove]

I knew a Brent from Bolton.

This isn't you on the left by any chance?

Taken at the Casino

That sure looks like a young Brent.

Steve

[Souljer6]

This is a great thread, can I join in?

Pete Coulson-- never realised you went back to these days.

Brent, just seen your old photo. No wonder it took me so long to recognise you again. The years can be cruel!

Lets start off with Troggs. As I recall it was only on 2 or 3 times but I'm sure I would have been to them all. I remember Bob behind the decks--first time I ever met him.

Brent mentions the cloakroom incident . This is when the coats got nicked. No one found out who'd done that but now I know. My wife (I didnt know her then; I properly met her a year or two later at Sale Blue rooms) had moved up to live in a flat in Nottingham and was there that night with some of the Notts lot. One of them did it but I better not say who in case of reprisals. OK I'll give a hint with his initials-PJ-- Steve Proudlove for one should know who it is.

In those days my dad had a longwheelbase 12 seater Landrover which he sometimes let me borrow (that is when it was not in for for repair following a previous weekends loan).It was ideal for allnighters as you can no doubt imagine (but some may argue that I was not the most ideal Sunday driver!). Anyway I had it at Troggs one night and halfway through the night we (that was me and about 15 others) decided to go to the Torch. Actually maybe that was the plan all along. Anyway off we went but what we didnt know was that this was the infamous night of the police roadblocks, the night that the Cheltenham crew got busted as well as others.( Incidentally I used to know Dave O'Loughlin from Cheltenham quite well but I've never seen him since that night).

We hit the roadblock as, it appeared, the cops were getting ready to pack up and go home. They made time for us though and had us all out being searched. I recall they had Alf Hock round the back with his trousers down. Now I dont know how many of you will be familiar with the upholstery in an old F reg Landrover but I can tell you that above the doors, at the sides there are some long spongey bits that you can get behind and there is some room there. IDEAL, let me tell you! Anyway the cops found nothing and despite moaning a bit about the vehicle being overloaded, they let us go!! However someone noticed one of their cars following us. Thence began a major crackup in the back. Me, driving remained as cool as a cucumber and when they pulled us up again closer to Tunstall they asked me if I was aware that the offside front wheel was "going round". I didnt twig at the time, neither did my passengers and the crackup continued until we safely arrived at our destination. I was quite proud of myself; one of my most successful driving experiences of the time. RICH

[Pete Coulson]

come on souljer, who am i talkin to ?

[Davetay]

come on souljer, who am i talkin to ?

post delated

Edited April 24, 2010 by davetay

[Souljer6]

come on souljer, who am i talkin to ?

Why'd you need to know Pete, get your coat nicked? Might let you know after pt 2-- VaVas but I'll give you a clue: my nose has never recovered after continually walking into those fucking glass partitions.

[Guest mel brat]

This was the first Va Va badge. Printed on nylon, they often fell apart after a few washes. (It was initially square, and you had to cut around it yourself)

[Brent]

I knew a Brent from Bolton.

This isn't you on the left by any chance?

Taken at the Casino

Bloody Hell ...... Art aw reet Brian??? Ok You got me .... How Much for the negative??? must have been early in the Night .... no red eye . Must admit to having always been a hansome bstard . any More Mate?? not many photos of me about other than on wanted posters. even though Big Roger has a few......lol. you still about??

[Brent]

come on souljer, who am i talkin to ?

Taking DJ bookings, PM me or e mail pt.coulson@yahoo.co.uk (also Trendy Weddings and Christenings catered for)

Bloody ell Trigg how big of a clue do you need?

[Pete Coulson]

Taking DJ bookings, PM me or e mail pt.coulson@yahoo.co.uk (also Trendy Weddings and Christenings catered for)

Bloody ell Trigg how big of a clue do you need?

could it be richard ?

[Brent]

This was the first Va Va badge. Printed on nylon, they often fell apart after a few washes. (It was initially square, and you had to cut around it yourself)

One of the finest badges ever Designed...... By Tich ( Tony Briscoe ) The Manager of VaVa never one to pass up the chance of making a few bob on the side, had admired and commented on the amount of Torch badges worn at the nighter. He came up with the Design for one that had two cherubs on it, Tich was sat upstairs one night in the Wheatsheaf with me, Phil Jackson ( Jock), and Martin Valentine, and this badge design came up in conversation. Within 2 minutes Tich stood up clutching a piece of paper and proudly declared that his design was better. The Design was nicked from a Greenall Whitley beer mat on the Table. Tich gave it to the manager and the rest they say is history.... but he did get a free pass for the nighter out of it................ Anyone know why we always sat upstairs in the Wheatsheaf.??........ Well??

It was the ideal place to see both the Front Door AND the back door of Boots chemists on the corner. If anyone was to pass a dodgy forged script The assistant would ring the law and plod would always sneak up the back street and in the back door waiting for you /them to come and collect it. If you saw plod go in then you just didnt go back for it. Well they didn`t plus the lights were bright and you could read Rogers MIMS and practice scribbly writing. As a bonus Jock had filled the jukebox with Pressings and was on 50% commission.

CHRIS .... Ask your Dave about the time they stripped a borrowed car in your dads garage on Winslow , while they were on holiday and got caught dumping it ??? and the time we went to Leeds Central in a borrowed car and your Dave had the bright idea of Tying both the doors together with rope for security and still be there in the morning ??

We were once in the Wheatsheaf with no money and no gear so Jimmy M had an idea, While Tich was in the toilet Jim and your Dave sold him to Charlie Robbie for 100 chalkies and £5,00 lol

I used to help out behind the snack bar at the nighter in Va Va if it was busy and one night Eccles brought a pile of £ 1.oo off vouchers (From Asda or somewhere) for a joke, and they were all over the floor . Coddy Hughes worked out that In the Dark and about 3 0 clock on a moonless night they resembled pound notes, he got Barry Big Eyes to bring them to the snack bar and change them for real ones and in return for turning a blind eye me and Barry got a canister of Filon each, with the manager running round like a headless chicken threatening to close the place unless the culprit was pointed out. MMMMMMMMM! Filon!

Loads of tales to tell about Va Va , But unless i know that they would accept their skeletons being mentioned as my own heatfelt memories, let me check with ones i can, and to the others............ i can assure you that your secrets are safe with me ............AT A PRICE!!!!

[Brent]

Brent to be more precise that night was 17th March 1973 & my induction to the allnighter soul scene, a night I will never forget. Was informed that same night 600 in the club ? but don't know how true that was except to say - PACKED!!! HOT!!! is an understatement. My next nighter was a month later at Va-Va's but unsure if it was the 1st or 2nd nighter there?

Me thinks the 1st allnighter I did at Va-Va's (the extended diso-ones) I was still at school?, I left August 72 aged 15, me being a lot younger than you Brent.

Can you confirm these dates mate?

Mick.

Now Now Mick! Dont get age ist { You just couldnt resist getting that one in could you.?) Troggs was after VaVa had started pal!

Now let me work it out ............... i used to get dropped off at va vas after my driving lessons ..so i was 17 .......in august 73 so if you double it and take away the first one you thought of then ................. lol

Yes pal those dates seem about right . The disco nighters started about August 72 . One reference point that people might be able to help me pin down dates is ......... Does anyone know when Roy C appeared at the Torch cos me and tich went to the Navada on the sat night and paid good money to see him there and he was chit....... so pissed off we rang martin valentine to take us to the torch..... We were talking to Hank and Dave Urmston when who should walk on stage .............. Bloody Roy C!!!!!! That was near to the beginning of Northern at VAVA.

LOVE TO YOU BOTH ....Brent

[pat and cat]

Bloody Hell ...... Art aw reet Brian??? Ok You got me .... How Much for the negative??? must have been early in the Night .... no red eye . Must admit to having always been a hansome bstard . any More Mate?? not many photos of me about other than on wanted posters. even though Big Roger has a few......lol. you still about??

Brent have a look at my Gallery photos, under the heading Soul Snaps. There's a photo of Richard Searling with Kev Roberts at the decks.

There's a face just peering over Kev's shoulder...I'm sure I recognise those boyish good looks!

Chris

Edited April 26, 2010 by pat and cat

[Guest Brian J]

Bloody Hell ...... Art aw reet Brian??? Ok You got me .... How Much for the negative??? must have been early in the Night .... no red eye . Must admit to having always been a hansome bstard . any More Mate?? not many photos of me about other than on wanted posters. even though Big Roger has a few......lol. you still about??

Hey up Brent.

If I recall, that picture was taken with my Polaroid at an early session before the allnighter started.

Hence no red eye

Unfortunately I've not many photos as I used to sell them for a measly 50p, (Polaroids were expensive in them days),

the rest got damaged in a house fire.

Not been on the scene for about 4 years now mate....long story but I had to quit.

Got myself a scooter and have been on that scene since.

Nice hearing from you any way. Fook me, must be 37 years!

[pat and cat]

Now Now Mick! Dont get age ist { You just couldnt resist getting that one in could you.?) Troggs was after VaVa had started pal!

Now let me work it out ............... i used to get dropped off at va vas after my driving lessons ..so i was 17 .......in august 73 so if you double it and take away the first one you thought of then ................. lol

Yes pal those dates seem about right . The disco nighters started about August 72 . One reference point that people might be able to help me pin down dates is ......... Does anyone know when Roy C appeared at the Torch cos me and tich went to the Navada on the sat night and paid good money to see him there and he was chit....... so pissed off we rang martin valentine to take us to the torch..... We were talking to Hank and Dave Urmston when who should walk on stage .............. Bloody Roy C!!!!!! That was near to the beginning of Northern at VAVA.

LOVE TO YOU BOTH ....Brent

Brent, I was at the Navada that night mate. Shotgun Wedding, fast, slow, mid-tempo, for his full act, fooking agony!!! Binned my copy when I got home & never wanted to hear it again.

Was he any better at the Torch mate?

Mick

[Guest Spenner]

This is a great thread, can I join in?

Pete Coulson-- never realised you went back to these days.

Brent, just seen your old photo. No wonder it took me so long to recognise you again. The years can be cruel!

Lets start off with Troggs. As I recall it was only on 2 or 3 times but I'm sure I would have been to them all. I remember Bob behind the decks--first time I ever met him.

Brent mentions the cloakroom incident . This is when the coats got nicked. No one found out who'd done that but now I know. My wife (I didnt know her then; I properly met her a year or two later at Sale Blue rooms) had moved up to live in a flat in Nottingham and was there that night with some of the Notts lot. One of them did it but I better not say who in case of reprisals. OK I'll give a hint with his initials-PJ-- Steve Proudlove for one should know who it is.

In those days my dad had a longwheelbase 12 seater Landrover which he sometimes let me borrow (that is when it was not in for for repair following a previous weekends loan).It was ideal for allnighters as you can no doubt imagine (but some may argue that I was not the most ideal Sunday driver!). Anyway I had it at Troggs one night and halfway through the night we (that was me and about 15 others) decided to go to the Torch. Actually maybe that was the plan all along. Anyway off we went but what we didnt know was that this was the infamous night of the police roadblocks, the night that the Cheltenham crew got busted as well as others.( Incidentally I used to know Dave O'Loughlin from Cheltenham quite well but I've never seen him since that night).

We hit the roadblock as, it appeared, the cops were getting ready to pack up and go home. They made time for us though and had us all out being searched. I recall they had Alf Hock round the back with his trousers down. Now I dont know how many of you will be familiar with the upholstery in an old F reg Landrover but I can tell you that above the doors, at the sides there are some long spongey bits that you can get behind and there is some room there. IDEAL, let me tell you! Anyway the cops found nothing and despite moaning a bit about the vehicle being overloaded, they let us go!! However someone noticed one of their cars following us. Thence began a major crackup in the back. Me, driving remained as cool as a cucumber and when they pulled us up again closer to Tunstall they asked me if I was aware that the offside front wheel was "going round". I didnt twig at the time, neither did my passengers and the crackup continued until we safely arrived at our destination. I was quite proud of myself; one of my most successful driving experiences of the time. RICH

So, perhaps you might know who nicked me brand new and very beautiful leopard print coat from the cloakroom at Va Va's? I had to go home in the morning frozen in the middle of winter on a bus from Bolton cause it had been thieved from under my nose. Apart from that, I've fond memories of the place. First went to the Pendulum in Manchester and met Barry "Big Eyes" Johnson who took me there. Met up with Roger and Colin, Gabby and Julie and Richie. Led to other nighters, Samanthas at Sheffield on train from Manchester and then Blackppol Mecca and Wigan. Mad fab nights!

[Guest]

Brent, I was at the Navada that night mate. Shotgun Wedding, fast, slow, mid-tempo, for his full act, fooking agony!!! Binned my copy when I got home & never wanted to hear it again.

Was he any better at the Torch mate?

Mick

Roy C entertained us at The Torch with " SW " seven sodding times : it was either the 19 / 20th of August 1972 , or the 26 / 27th .

Malc Burton

Edited April 27, 2010 by Malc Burton

[Brent]

Roy C entertained us at The Torch with " SW " seven sodding times : it was either the 19 / 20th of August 1972 , or the 26 / 27th .

Malc Burton

Lol Mick .

So you felt ripped off too, How do you think we felt...... Twice in one night. can remember shout ing DOOR....DOOR instead of MORE ... MORE at the end of his act, Might as well have been someone from out of the Soldier Blue Cafe.... Ive Never played the record since. Thanks for the Date Malc ... august 72 ... let me work it out ?? Ok Vava disco nighters must have started in late 71 ..... it was first opened /built in summer 71. So if you went to the disco nighter Mick ..... You WOULD have been still at Smithills with your short trousers and Beard..

The Name VAVA was supposed to be Spanish or similar for GO GO..... just a bit of trivia.

Thinking about Vava. Can anyone tell me the First and only live act to appear at vava ???????. No Cheating and going through old Blues and Soul Chris !!

Love ........ Brent

Ps Chris did you ask your Dave about the car thing???? ........ B

[pat and cat]

Thinking about Vava. Can anyone tell me the First and only live act to appear at vava ???????. No Cheating and going through old Blues and Soul Chris !!

Brent, I wouldn't dream of cheating by looking through old Blues and Soul & I havn't a clue which live act appeared at the VaVa.....

our Dave didn't know either.

Think you'll have to tell us who it was because no-one on here seems to know the answer. Go on then...

Chris

ps. Brent, don't mention the car thing!!!

Edited April 28, 2010 by pat and cat

[Pete Eccles]

Think you'll have to tell us who it was because no-one on here seems to know the answer. Go on then...

I know the answer Chris,

But seeing as I only got to know it last night I think it's best I say nowt

[pat and cat]

I know the answer Chris,

But seeing as I only got to know it last night I think it's best I say nowt

Hmm, now I'm thinking it might have been a trick question

Ok Pete, maybe you'll tell us tomorrow then

[Brent]

Hmm, now I'm thinking it might have been a trick question

Ok Pete, maybe you'll tell us tomorrow then

Nah MICK .... not Hmm, its UM UM UM UM UM UM

LOL.... np wont mention it Chris .

Love ................... Brent

[Guest proudlove]

Nah MICK .... not Hmm, its UM UM UM UM UM UM

LOL.... np wont mention it Chris .

Love ................... Brent

Big clue Brent?

UM ,My lips are sealed

See you soon

Steve

[pat and cat]

Nah MICK .... not Hmm, its UM UM UM UM UM UM

LOL.... np wont mention it Chris .

Love ................... Brent

Yes, that's what I meant Brent, Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm... Major Lance, but my spelling ain't great

Chris not Mick

[Jimmy Welsh]

Hi chris Ok i,l write a bit morein the next few days... But first i,ll Throw a few names out that might jog memories......

Steve Midgeley from Barnsley (Back door Kenny,s Cousin) My Mate Snowy ( skiing with bill snow) from Donny

Mace from Little Hulton Gill Grimes ( God i,ve thought about her over the years XXX) Steve Fay from farnworth.

Mick Gooding (wendys Hubby ) Steve Jones from Manchester . Eric sayner(Smith) from Leeds

Ady From Selby. Ann and Mary From Selby. Roy ( Filon) Charlesworth from Rotherham.. Matchys pal.

Martin Valentine ( 6ft 12) from Horwich Kev Fox from Leigh... Dr Deakins pal..lol.

loads of Faces that have long since Faded but not forgotten ...............all regulars at VAVAs MIGHT EVEN RECOLLECT THE NIGHT IT WAS CODDY (later to become a good friend) HUGHES .BIRTHDAY .... R.I.P PAL.

Brent,

Although i cannot put a name to your face, you have mentioned people who i have known grown up with, Steve Midgley - great kind of guy, unfortunatley no longer with us, Snowy - still doing it as far as i know, Eric Smith , a big friend of Ady Dundass, Ady's older sister Jenny also went to Va-Va, Ann and Mary, there was an Ann and Janet Jacobs from Selby, others from that area who went to Va -Va, Sammy Seaman, P Temple, Pete 'ginger' Balance RIP, Graham from Hull, quite a few people from York, Tony, John all people who had moved on from other closed nighters. there are others, an odd one or two who have posted on this site, i dont live in Yorks any more so i do not see some of these, although i still make the odd visit and at 57 it can only get more difficult to remember.

Regards Jimmy Welsh

[Brent]

Yes, that's what I meant Brent, Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm... Major Lance, but my spelling ain't great

Chris not Mick

You get the ice cream Chris......... Major lance appeared at an Early session b4 The nighter at VAVA and about 40 peple turned up. and how could i have mistaken you for Mick....

Love ........... Brent.

[Brent]

Yes, that's what I meant Brent, Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm... Major Lance, but my spelling ain't great

Chris not Mick

[Brent]

Brent,

Although i cannot put a name to your face, you have mentioned people who i have known grown up with, Steve Midgley - great kind of guy, unfortunatley no longer with us, Snowy - still doing it as far as i know, Eric Smith , a big friend of Ady Dundass, Ady's older sister Jenny also went to Va-Va, Ann and Mary, there was an Ann and Janet Jacobs from Selby, others from that area who went to Va -Va, Sammy Seaman, P Temple, Pete 'ginger' Balance RIP, Graham from Hull, quite a few people from York, Tony, John all people who had moved on from other closed nighters. there are others, an odd one or two who have posted on this site, i dont live in Yorks any more so i do not see some of these, although i still make the odd visit and at 57 it can only get more difficult to remember.

Regards Jimmy Welsh

HI jIMMY

Steve midgeley was a great mate of mine from VaVA and through Wigan , my first wife Lesley Wilson from Barnsley was brought to wigan by him and BuB. Ady Dundass and Eric were two great friends ( i used to sell Back st for them) in fact i saw eric about 18 months ago. he still lives in leeds. I remember running him back to his mothers flat in Hunslett after samanthas. I used to Date Ann from selby. Also do you remember Les .........ady and erics ex mate. I also remember getting the horrors on the road from leedsto SelBy and Vick from bolton had to drive my car. lol.

Best Wishes .... Brent

[Guest proudlove]

HI jIMMY

Steve midgeley was a great mate of mine from VaVA and through Wigan , my first wife Lesley Wilson from Barnsley was brought to wigan by him and BuB. Ady Dundass and Eric were two great friends ( i used to sell Back st for them) in fact i saw eric about 18 months ago. he still lives in leeds. I remember running him back to his mothers flat in Hunslett after samanthas. I used to Date Ann from selby. Also do you remember Les .........ady and erics ex mate. I also remember getting the horrors on the road from leedsto SelBy and Vick from bolton had to drive my car. lol.

Best Wishes .... Brent

Hiya Brent...............Eric was over at ours a while back..............came over with Paul (Widnall)..........not seen hide nor hair since.

Steve

[Guest roggert]

This is a great thread, can I join in?

Pete Coulson-- never realised you went back to these days.

Brent, just seen your old photo. No wonder it took me so long to recognise you again. The years can be cruel!

Lets start off with Troggs. As I recall it was only on 2 or 3 times but I'm sure I would have been to them all. I remember Bob behind the decks--first time I ever met him.

Brent mentions the cloakroom incident . This is when the coats got nicked. No one found out who'd done that but now I know. My wife (I didnt know her then; I properly met her a year or two later at Sale Blue rooms) had moved up to live in a flat in Nottingham and was there that night with some of the Notts lot. One of them did it but I better not say who in case of reprisals. OK I'll give a hint with his initials-PJ-- Steve Proudlove for one should know who it is.

In those days my dad had a longwheelbase 12 seater Landrover which he sometimes let me borrow (that is when it was not in for for repair following a previous weekends loan).It was ideal for allnighters as you can no doubt imagine (but some may argue that I was not the most ideal Sunday driver!). Anyway I had it at Troggs one night and halfway through the night we (that was me and about 15 others) decided to go to the Torch. Actually maybe that was the plan all along. Anyway off we went but what we didnt know was that this was the infamous night of the police roadblocks, the night that the Cheltenham crew got busted as well as others.( Incidentally I used to know Dave O'Loughlin from Cheltenham quite well but I've never seen him since that night).

We hit the roadblock as, it appeared, the cops were getting ready to pack up and go home. They made time for us though and had us all out being searched. I recall they had Alf Hock round the back with his trousers down. Now I dont know how many of you will be familiar with the upholstery in an old F reg Landrover but I can tell you that above the doors, at the sides there are some long spongey bits that you can get behind and there is some room there. IDEAL, let me tell you! Anyway the cops found nothing and despite moaning a bit about the vehicle being overloaded, they let us go!! However someone noticed one of their cars following us. Thence began a major crackup in the back. Me, driving remained as cool as a cucumber and when they pulled us up again closer to Tunstall they asked me if I was aware that the offside front wheel was "going round". I didnt twig at the time, neither did my passengers and the crackup continued until we safely arrived at our destination. I was quite proud of myself; one of my most successful driving experiences of the time. RICH

dear rich !!!!!!keep bumping into your posts and remembering bits and shreds of a fooked up memoryabout 1973-75when you lived over manchester way at duckinfield i remember the first time i met you because you had the horrors and someone who had travelled very many safe miles to niters all over england with me suggested me as the safest possible driver to drive you and your car back home as you had the horrors but as it meant a 60 mile detour to do it i declined!! i also remember the big deal after samanthas the nght after you had a big hassle from some moron!please feel free to stop my decaying memory by reminding me of the events when some so called mate picked my pocket as i got in his car when we all went back to my house afterwards .was it noddy or matchy from rotherham steve midgley ,rob walker from barnsley and several others from sheffield all buying various illegal stimulants in my living room!! i also remember making about 20 cups of tea and orange juice that morning. roggert

[Guest roggert]

Roy C entertained us at The Torch with " SW " seven sodding times : it was either the 19 / 20th of August 1972 , or the 26 / 27th .

Malc Burton

think yourself lucky !i went to see roy c when he first had the hit with ----shotgun wedding about1966/7 the sound effects were a bloke going kKERPOW/BANG as the intro and the only other song was the b side to the record--until he was booed off the stage and then i saw him at the broken wheel a few weeks later luckily i got there as he was leaving the stage as people were throwing bottles at him. he obviously didnt change his act in the intervening 5 years!!!!!!lLOL

[Guest]

think yourself lucky !i went to see roy c when he first had the hit with ----shotgun wedding about1966/7 the sound effects were a bloke going kKERPOW/BANG as the intro and the only other song was the b side to the record--until he was booed off the stage and then i saw him at the broken wheel a few weeks later luckily i got there as he was leaving the stage as people were throwing bottles at him. he obviously didnt change his act in the intervening 5 years!!!!!!lLOL

No such luxuries as a sound effects chap at The Torch with Roy C , as he and the band performed " SW " x 7 without any frills . The " C " in his name was befitting , as by the seventh time , it related to it " Christ , not again "

He also performed the original B - side " I'm Gonna Make It " twice , and the follow up to " SW " - " The Wedding Is Over " twice . his performance was a contradiction of the old adage of " getting your money's worth " - he was b*llocks . If he had been on at a cabaret club , the chicken in the basket would have got up and clucked off .

Talking of flogging a dead horse during his performance with " SW " , it is a wonder that the horse stabled in the hay merchants next door to the Torch , did not throw a wobbler . It was neurotic enough before Roy and his command performance , and rumour has it that it would not come out of the stall on the Monday .

The night is indelibly etched into my memory , and if i ever have the misfortune to hear " SW " , i have more flashbacks than Timothy Leary had following his first bender .....

Malc Burton Edited February 7, 2015 by pikeys dog
swearing - workplace filters

[Guest JerryL]

No such luxuries as a sound effects chap at The Torch with Roy C , as he and the band performed " SW " x 7 without any frills . The " C " in his name was befitting , as by the seventh time , it related to it " Christ , not again "

He also performed the original B - side " I'm Gonna Make It " twice , and the follow up to " SW " - " The Wedding Is
Over " - twice . his performance was a contradiction of the old adage that " getting your money's worth " was b*llocks . If he had been on at a cabaret club , the chicken in the basket would have got up and clucked off .

Talking of flogging a dead horse during his performance with " SW " , it is a wonder that the horse stabled in the hay merchants next door to the Torch , did not throw a wobbler . It was neurotic enough before Roy and his command performance , and rumour has it that it would not come out of the stall on the Monday .

The night is indelibly etched into my memory , and if i ever have the misfortune to hear " SW " , i have more flashbacks than Timothy Leary had following his first bender .....

Malc Burton

I also was there tha night at the torch and Roy C was unforgettable crap and it has stuck in my mind ever since.....shotun wedding and after the wedding basically the same bloody tune hahahaha over and over and over ........Also went to Va vas 3 times, and Troggs at farnworth, where I think there were little alcoves and we all kept walking past as there were to couples shagging in he alcove, we just wandered up and down looking in at them hahahahaha........another time I think it was the first night, A British racing green MGCGT came up the road like a bat out of hell Alan Day jumped out and said something like "is this the fooking club"? jumped back in before anyone could answer, to find a parking space and we all wet ourselves hahahaha Edited February 7, 2015 by JerryL
swearing - workplace filters

[Jimmy Welsh]

HI jIMMY

Steve midgeley was a great mate of mine from VaVA and through Wigan , my first wife Lesley Wilson from Barnsley was brought to wigan by him and BuB. Ady Dundass and Eric were two great friends ( i used to sell Back st for them) in fact i saw eric about 18 months ago. he still lives in leeds. I remember running him back to his mothers flat in Hunslett after samanthas. I used to Date Ann from selby. Also do you remember Les .........ady and erics ex mate. I also remember getting the horrors on the road from leedsto SelBy and Vick from bolton had to drive my car. lol.

Best Wishes .... Brent

Brent,

Ady's mate you refer to must be Les Hewer? they only lived a few houses apart in Selby, Eric spent quite a lot of time in the Selby area. There was quite a crowd of people that went to nighters from the Selby / Pontefract / Yorks area long before Va Va.

Regards Jimmy Welsh.

[Guest Frank Elson]

No pictures around. When Brent wrote that for the paper I was writing a regular "Looking Back" feature and we needed a handful of pics plus the words - we couldn't put the handful of pics together, even with Brent's help.

...now whatever happened to the one from Searling's weding ?

[Brent]

No pictures around. When Brent wrote that for the paper I was writing a regular "Looking Back" feature and we needed a handful of pics plus the words - we couldn't put the handful of pics together, even with Brent's help.

...now whatever happened to the one from Searling's weding ?

Bloody ell Frank. How are you pal? That photo was of MY wedding. with Richard as My Best Man.

Some mate he turned out to be ... Never even TRIED to talk me out of it..... LOL

If you fancy a pint or if that lovely wife of yours will give you parole papers for the night. I have a do on next Friday the 28th

At Rumworth Halls in Bolton. Let me know and i,ll put your name on the guest list. ( and i,ll play judy street for ya ) lol

Been quite an interesting thread about vava, and i have enjoyed contributing to it. Just let me know about next friday .

Regards BRENT.

Edited May 23, 2010 by brent

[Guest familytree]

Hi all

After reading some of the replies to this post , I have copied a letter that i wrote to the local paper about 3 years ago. I hope that it may be of interest to you all.

Just a few facts "Bolton has a strong link to the Northern soul scene"

In the late 1960s when most of the British youth followed the Californian Hippy and Flower Power culture, many of the teenagers in northern towns across England, aligned themselves with Detroit rather than San-Francisco.

The music of Motown could be heard in every pub and club from Radcliffe to Rivington.

Times changed and so did the Music coming out of Detroit, The Temptations began to sing about "Psychedelic Shack" instead of "My Girl".

Motown had gone to California (Literally) it moved its Hq from Detroit to Los Angeles,

In Areas across the north such as Bolton, Wigan, Preston, Barnsley and Wakefield, some of the DJs in these pubs and clubs sensed a change in the music, and searched for other sources of that foot tapping dance beat.

They discovered that Detroit music was not just Motown albeit it was the largest record label, there was in fact a myriad of smaller independent labels that had produced records identical to that Motown sound, some of them featuring the same singers and journeyman musicians, who moved around the companies searching for work.

Some of these records were so rare that if a Dj played it at his club it would bring the die-hard mods from miles away. and if someone had 2 copies " wow " collectors and Djs would bid extortionate amounts to own them.

Bolton for some strange reason seems to have had more than its fair share of these Clubs, Record Collectors and Djs, as well as Soul enthusiasts and GOOD Dancers.

One of the first was The Cromwellian club on Bank St, which is quoted as being instrumental in history of rare soul music (later termed Northern Soul) which drew clientele from all over the North West.

Later the inplace to go was Bolton Palais (now Icon ) where the Dj was the legendary Wycliffe Alan Barratt Jr (Wick) the son of an African American soldier

( Well thats what he always told me )

In about 1970 the local government built its admin. Headquarters of Elizabeth house on what was Great Moor St Bus Station and opened Trendy nightclub called VA VA.

In order to generate business on Fridays they opened all night playing chart records. VA VAs was quite unique in that it had an all nighter on Fridays,

This was to get around the Sunday rule that stated that in Bolton " Members only clubs " could obtain a Music licence to play records after 2 am on Sunday morning.

A Few of us Soulies and record collectors who often went to all nighters on Saturdays such as The Torch in Tunstall, Stoke on Trent would often take a few records down and when the locals had fallen asleep we would dance away to our favourite music.

I worked At Va Va during the week,and knew the management well and after a while and having borrowed records from older soulies such as Jimmy Muirehead and Mick Gooding, Hank and Dave Urmston, the management were approached and the question of playing soul from the start of the session was posed and we were told "find a Dj and your on".

Wick Barratt was asked and he said that he knew a mate from Tonge Fold called Richard Searling who worked at Global Records in Manchester. within weeks what had been an all nighter littered with sleeping bodies became a hot sweaty mass of dancing Soulies that came from as far as Scotland, Barnsley, Sheffield as we spread the word about

a Friday nighter in Bolton,

All this on 2 dance floors the biggest of which was about the size of my bedroom and the other as big as the rug in it.

One of my fondest memories of this time is one of 20 stone plus Dave " Bub" Buttle, pulling into the car park on a Moped that he had ridden over the pennines from his home in Barnsley, with his backside hanging over the sides like John Waynes saddle bags. And another of Bub walking down the path of our house and my Dad, looking out of the

window shouting to my Mum without batting an eyelid, " Edith" " Tha better goo an get sum grub in" " this one fav vers he con eyt orse".

Later in 73 Wigan Casino opened its doors so we would go to VA VAs on friday, Wigan Casino on Saturdays and then round it off with a dose of Bolton Palais on sundays.

I became Friends with a journalist who wrote for the specialist magazine " Blues and Soul" and spent many pleasurable hours discussing the pros and cons of this particular record or that particular artist. That journalist now many years later works for the Bolton Evening News and is features writer Frank Elson.

Best Wishes and fondest memories Brent Howarth

Long winded or what??? not even got to Barry Big Eyes or Big Willie from Much Wenlock , Eccles and his brother from Preston , Richie Hills or even my mate Tich from Bolton, Dave Molloys older brother Jimmy. Roger and Colin, and Paul Delaney . LOL

KTF .... Brent.

frank elson worked for the bolton evening news???? didnt realise that. he covered a few nights we put on in bolton... animal nightlife being one of the nights...nice guy.

my partner is kevin birchall from horwich so he will enjoy reading your post x

[Guest familytree]

No pictures around. When Brent wrote that for the paper I was writing a regular "Looking Back" feature and we needed a handful of pics plus the words - we couldn't put the handful of pics together, even with Brent's help.

...now whatever happened to the one from Searling's weding ?

hi frank!

ive just posted after hearing about you and up you pop!

hey whilst your here.. dont suppose you remember the year you came and covered the animal nightlife gig in bolton for us ha ha..a long shot i know but it would save me trawling through bloody thousands of B&S! would love to read your review again.

good to see you, hope your well and life is treating you kindly

lorna x

[Guest Frank Elson]

hi frank!

ive just posted after hearing about you and up you pop!

hey whilst your here.. dont suppose you remember the year you came and covered the animal nightlife gig in bolton for us ha ha..a long shot i know but it would save me trawling through bloody thousands of B&S! would love to read your review again.

good to see you, hope your well and life is treating you kindly

lorna x

Hiya Lorna,

thanks for those kind words. I don't pop in here as much as I might/should, got a lot on now I'm retired.

I do remember the animal nightlife guig... but, sorry, you'll still have to look through all those mags 'cos I kept no records/diaries inthose days, just went out and about listening to music and enjoying myself :-)