Kool Kat & Top Dog At Chesterfield

[Mick Howard]

Not sure if this ones been done before but can't find anything.

Does anyone remember this - I can't for the life of me remember the venue?

Mick

[Chalky]

Hi Mick,

the venue was the Winding Wheel, the best venue I have ever been in for a Rare Soul all-nighter. Danny Everard and Dave Thorley the promoters. Ran from April 1987 and every month up to Boxing Night when the authorities put a stop to it It could have become a legendary name of the scene if it weren't for the squad.

First one the Northern was upstairs, 400 capacity. Modern down stairs which was about 700 capacity. Was a smaller 150 capacity room and a smaller one still on the same floor as the Northern Room.

Northern Room later moved downstairs with Steve Smith's oldies room upstairs.

The Boxing night one was Keb's last ever set outside London before retiring. He got a standing ovation for about 10 minutes with Guy itching to start his set, think he just though f*ck it and dropped needle on record

Rob Marriott to the squad, "don't give a f*ck who you are you are paying to get in"

Steve Smith should have a few more stories.

[Chalky]

Looking at the flyer you posted Mick, I don't think that one happened, think that was the 1988 one and the squad had put a stop to the nighters?

The management weren't a problem but the squad began to block extensions at the Winding Wheel for every gig they did, even the Ireland Colliery Brass Band had an extension refused.

Out of all the nighters they busted one person, dunno if this the right place to say who The squad would have had more success if they had gone down the town to the Adam and Eve.

I did have some press cuttings about it all but lost them. They are in the Top 500 book I think.

[Mick Howard]

Chalky

Fairly sure I was at the first one 'cos it was only a couple of weeks after my daughter was born so I was definitely back from Saudi at that time - fancy leaving your wife and newborn to go to an all nighter......

Anyway, as my mind is not as it was, what was the one that Rob Marriott used to run under the Soul Power banner? I thought that was Chesterfield.

Mick

[Chalky]

That was the Swan in Mansfield. Will post some flyers later.

Pretty sure the first Winding Wheel was April? As i said modern room was downstairs, pretty sure Richard Searling didn't make it.

[Mick Howard]

That was the Swan in Mansfield. Will post some flyers later.

Pretty sure the first Winding Wheel was April? As i said modern room was downstairs, pretty sure Richard Searling didn't make it.

Yeah that's right - knew it had 'field' in it somewhere.

Think you're right about Searling as well - just about when he stopped travelling wasn't it?

Mick

[Chalky]

Think it was about the time he stopped travelling, think he was in the states though for the 1st one. If I could find my '87 echoes I could scan more ads and especially the first one.

[Guest in town Mikey]

Whenever anyone talks about the Swan allnighter, I think of the polished cobbles on the dancefloor.

And getting lost in the Mansfield one way system. Third time we passed the football ground, us soft southerners decided to ask directions.

[Guest Northern PhanTom]

Looking at the flyer you posted Mick, I don't think that one happened, think that was the 1988 one and the squad had put a stop to the nighters?

The management weren't a problem but the squad began to block extensions at the Winding Wheel for every gig they did, even the Ireland Colliery Brass Band had an extension refused.

Out of all the nighters they busted one person, dunno if this the right place to say who The squad would have had more success if they had gone down the town to the Adam and Eve.

I did have some press cuttings about it all but lost them. They are in the Top 500 book I think.

On one of the nights 3 car loads of us travelled up from The King John in Notts as we pulled into the car park at the Winding Wheel we were questioned by plain clothes DS the one talking to us looked like Kevin Rowland out of Dexy's and was wearing a woollen hat. Don't think he realised he was DS but """"PW""""" came running across the car park and said "watch out lads there's squad everywhere" at which point we were moved on and """"PW"""" was searched , not sure if he was the one that got busted.

Tom

[Guest Northern PhanTom]

Whenever anyone talks about the Swan allnighter, I think of the polished cobbles on the dancefloor.

And getting lost in the Mansfield one way system. Third time we passed the football ground, us soft southerners decided to ask directions.

They were not polished cobbles but raised blood stains

Tom

[Chalky]

On one of the nights 3 car loads of us travelled up from The King John in Notts as we pulled into the car park at the Winding Wheel we were questioned by plain clothes DS the one talking to us looked like Kevin Rowland out of Dexy's and was wearing a woollen hat. Don't think he realised he was DS but """"PW""""" came running across the car park and said "watch out lads there's squad everywhere" at which point we were moved on and """"PW"""" was searched , not sure if he was the one that got busted.

Tom

I'm struggling to work out the name Are them letter in his real name? If they are it's not the one I'm thinking of.

[Guest Northern PhanTom]

I'm struggling to work out the name Are them letter in his real name? If they are it's not the one I'm thinking of.

Will pm you when I'm back on my pc.

[Mark Oliver]

Hi Mick,

the venue was the Winding Wheel, the best venue I have ever been in for a Rare Soul all-nighter. Danny Everard and Dave Thorley the promoters. Ran from April 1987 and every month up to Boxing Night when the authorities put a stop to it It could have become a legendary name of the scene if it weren't for the squad.

First one the Northern was upstairs, 400 capacity. Modern down stairs which was about 700 capacity. Was a smaller 150 capacity room and a smaller one still on the same floor as the Northern Room.

Northern Room later moved downstairs with Steve Smith's oldies room upstairs.

The Boxing night one was Keb's last ever set outside London before retiring. He got a standing ovation for about 10 minutes with Guy itching to start his set, think he just though f*ck it and dropped needle on record

Rob Marriott to the squad, "don't give a f*ck who you are you are paying to get in"

Steve Smith should have a few more stories.

Brilliant venue and some great nights.

Well done to Dave, Danny and all who were involved.

Keb saying over the mike that it was his last ever set and playing J.D. Bryant - I won't be coming back, this was one hell of an emotional moment.

Mark

[Dave Thorley]

This was the last stand for our generation, so to speak, sadly in the end the authorities killed it. After that myself and many others took a step back and let others fly the flag. Not to say I have lost any of my passion, just have a more measured view of things now days. Was proud to be involved it the event, but like any of the things I did back in the day, it was always a team effort, many people made it happen and help to make it the limited suscess that it was.