The Metro Club, Wakefield. 70-71

[Guest soash]

Just been looking through here.Nice to see quite a few folks who remember the Metro. Many remember the last nighter. Any other tales anyone can tell?

BTW, for those who want to relive their mis-spent youth, the club is opening again soon. See here:

[Petedillon]

Yes I remember it well. We used to travel through from Leeds around 20 of us. The last night when it was raided we (from Leeds) had been to Keighley for Flash Atkinsons 21st(18th maybe), I believe. We were on Bradford old station with no gear, so we decided not to go and went back to Leeds!!

It was a cracking little club and funnily enough a lot of the people who used to go from west yorkd were together at the Central last Sunday! Paul Rowan a resident dj there was up from Reading too. He'll be thrilled to know about this.

[Guest soash]

Paul Rowan a resident dj there

Sorry, Pete. Do you mean Paul was a resident at the Central, or at the Metro?

[Petedillon]

the Metro.

[Guest soash]

Hi Pete

I'm intrigued.

I started DJing at the Metro Bistro when it first opened (as a coffee bar/diner, hence the name), and changed the music policy away from top 40 tunes, and introduced soul sounds, and persuaded the owner to do dance only sessions at the weekends. From then on, I DJed every weekend session and every all-nighter, right up until the place was closed on the 6th March 1971. I did this alone (on adrenalin - I didn't do gear when I was Djing).

So I am confused as to when Paul could have been "resident".

Edited May 6, 2011 by soash

[Petedillon]

I can remember Paul being on when I was there. He was with me last weekend too, speaking about when Denis Billingham brought a copy of Human Beinz on uk demo and nagged him to play it. Can you remember Denis dj-ing ?

[Petedillon]

Surely someone else must have played some tunes at the all-nighters..

[Julianb]

I used to DJ with Dennis Billingham at Hernies Allnighters in Leeds. I have a flyer somewhere.

Also the night the Metro got busted, alot of the guys and gals came over to Lord Jims in Huddersfield where I was DJing at the time - that turned out to be a very busy night!

Happy days

Julian

[Petedillon]

I have a flyer for Hernies also a membership card. I am amazed that Soash says that only he dj'd at the Metro.. my memory must be seriously shot! I can also remember Flash Atkinson dj'ing there. Paul just said he was only warm-up willie so not strictly a resident, I suppose.

[Guest soash]

All I can say guys is that there was only one resident, and that was me. I'm not trying to blow any trumpets - I'm just stating facts. I started the playing of soul/wheelsounds at the club, and was on the books as the DJ. No one else was.

The business was very small. The guy who owned the place, me, and a couple of girls who worked behind the soft drinks bar. That was it. During the week, as I said, it was a coffee bar/diner. So I WOULD have noticed other DJs.........

On the all nighters, I used to go on at 11pm (when the nighter officially started) and I then stayed on the decks until 7am which was chucking out time. Hard, I know, but it was the only way to ensure that my sounds didn't get nicked!

Until I arrived just before 11, there were NO records in the deck booth, other than a few Motown compilation albums. I brought four large boxes of sounds with me. It is feasible that a few kids might have got sounds out of their bags before 11 (folks were allowed in from around 10.30 to avoid crowds outside the club) and put them on the deck (the deck booth was at the far end of the club on a small stage and was always powered up when the lights were on, but was not really supervised before 11), but that does not make them DJs, resident or not.

I also, obviously, had to obey the call of nature every now and then - when I did, I would get a trusted mate to watch the decks - perhaps Rob Lemoine from Leeds, or Paul Bagnall from Wakefield, or one of maybe another 10 guys that I knew well. It would NOT be someone I didn't know.

The deck booth was alway surrounded by guys, asking for sounds. That was just the nature of the low stage and the open sides of the booth. I was constantly asking folks to not crowd me (difficult, when everybody was out of their skull! ). So maybe you saw guys that appeared to you to be behind the decks.

Or maybe you saw these guys at other clubs - perhaps it was at Hernies you saw them. But I'm sorry mate. These guys were NOT DJs at the Metro in Wakefield.

If the guys mentioned wanna PM me, I'd be happy to talk to them about my involvement with the club.

Edited May 7, 2011 by soash

[Petedillon]

Hi Mate,

Ive just spoke with Paul again, he admits he wasnt a resident but did insist he was a warm-up dj. He is gutted you dont remember him.

All I can say is I must have imagined Denis & Flash dj-ing there. I recall the lay-out of the club well also with the tables & seats for 4 down either side.also the small dance floor . Still no accounting for memory is there! Yes I remember Rob and all the other guys. Rob is in the States now.

I was talking to Steve Welcer at the Central too.

[Guest soash]

Hi Pete.

Here's a thing. Back in the day, many of these "clubs" had a dual identity, especially if they were in a city centre.

Take the Twisted Wheel in Manchester. The place was open during the week, and even at lunchtimes – essentially as a coffee bar – there was enough passing trade to warrant it - that just happened to be playing a bit of music. They even opened on Sundays during the day – any way to turn a dollar. Admission was generally free into weekday openings.

However, when we talk about the Wheel now, we pretty much talk about one session only – the all-nighters on Saturday night. The club was a completely different animal then. And you paid to get in.

And you know, the Metro was very similar to that. It wasn't even a "club" at all. It had no membership cards. As I said before, it was called the Metro Bistro because the original business plan was for the place to be a coffee bar/eaterie with background music to create a bit of an ambience. And it did continue, throughout its existence, to open at lunchtimes and weekday evenings doing just that. And entrance was free. The owner never had the slightest intention of running a "club" (after the demise of the Metro, he opened a sandwich bar just around the corner on Northgate).

My input into the place was that I changed the music policy away from top 20 stuff, replacing it with soul music (I can still remember refusing to play a Neil Diamond record! ).

The other thing I did was to promote a Saturday night soul session. This took some doing – the owner was dead against it to begin with, but we got there, although after the raid and the press shenanigans, he always blamed me for what happened, and never forgave me, but that's another story.

Now Saturday nights were completely different to the rest of the time the place was open. No food was served. You had to pay to get in. And many of the tables were cleared from the floor in order to create a bigger dancefloor. Initially, the sessions went from 7pm til 12pm – and they then morphed into the all-nighters, which carried on until the intervention of the DS. And as I said before, I DJed EVERY single Saturday session held at the Metro.

Now why have I mentioned all of this? Well, in your last post, Pete, you described the layout of the Metro – but the layout you described was NOT the layout on the Saturday soul sessions/all nighters.

During the week, there were indeed tables down both sides of the place, with a relatively small area in the middle left to dance on. However, on Saturdays, most of the tables were removed and stacked at the back of the room (folks used to leave their overnight bags on them). If you were looking from the entrance end, you would only have seen a small number of tables pushed up against the left hand side wall, and a clear dance floor to the right (I remember having to shift all the bloody things! ).

So that could, I guess, explain the differences in our recollections. When I talk about the Metro, I talk about the paid-entry Saturday night sessions/all-nighters. I'm not talking about the free "coffee bar" sessions that took place during the week.

In around December 1970, I moved to Bromley in Kent to work, and came home every weekend to do the Saturday night session (I well remember walking down Bromley High Street on Monday morning reading about the raid on the club – double page spread! ). The good thing about that was that my digs were only a short bus ride from Dave Godin's house in Beaconsfield, and he switched me on to a good few sounds for the weekend sessions (some of those are now classics that were first heard at the Metro). The bad thing was that for the next four months or so, I had no control over what was happening musically at the club during the week.

Essentially, the club owned a relatively small number of compilation albums, but the owner (who knew nothing about our music) was OK if punters turned up with a few singles and put them on. And I know that that is what was happening, because quite a few of the Wakefield crowd hung around the place during the week.

Now, if the place was laid out as you describe, then it must be one of those nights that you are remembering. It would also explain your reference to the playing of "Nobody But Me". There would have been no need to nag for it to be played on a Saturday gig, because I owned the record and played it every week.

I can understand how memories can turn a half an hour putting records on in a coffee bar setting into "DJing" – that's their prerogative I guess. Indeed, it may have given them a taste for it, and they went on to do it properly – that's cool. More power to them.

As I said at the top, when we talk about the Wheel, we are talking about the Saturday All-nighters. Well, for me, when I talk about the Metro, I do the same.

At the end of the day, we are talking about things that happened a long time ago. I'm sure lots of guys who DJed other clubs will have come down the Metro. And many who will have gone on to be regular DJs will have been down there. A young Ian Levine was at a few of the all-nighters, and no doubt will have come up to the booth and requested a few tunes, but I don't think he's ever claimed to have DJed there.

I never went to the Central. I'd been into soul since '65, but the Wheel had shut, and then the Metro had done the same, and I was a million miles from the scene down in Kent. I carried on, with Dave Godin's help, listening to a bit of Deep Soul, but I was done with all-nighters after that. So I never had the opportunity to meet the guys you mention, and discuss who did what. But for my sins, I DID start the Saturday sessions at the Metro, and I DID DJ EVERY one of them.

Why don't you guys pop down the Metro on the 20th, and we can talk about it?

Edited May 8, 2011 by soash

[Petedillon]

Soash, at no point am I attempting to dispute everything you say about your involvement at the Metro. All I am saying is that yes it was the Saturday night all-nighters that we attended, we travelled through on the train to the old station in Wakefield and walked up to the bullring. Paid in and handed coats into a 'cloakroom' at the bottom of the stairs which if I remember correctly was staffed by several young ladies. I distinctly recall being charged for water over the bar . The tables were booth type 2 either side of a table as you looked at the stage we sat on left the last time we were there. Paul says he was stood behind the dj booth (not dj-ing) when the DS came in. Although as previously stated none of us from Leeds were there the night of the raid.

I can recall scoring from a (un-named friend) who produced the bag of pills from under the decks!

I will contact some of the guys and see if we can organise a visit on the 20th.

[Guest soash]

I will contact some of the guys and see if we can organise a visit on the 20th.

Cheers Pete

You are talking about 27th February 1971. That was the first time water was "charged for". On the previous all-nighters, the girls behind the bar had got pissed off by the constant queue of sweaty folks asking for a drink of water, rather than buying a coke or whatever. They complained to the boss, who was equally pissed off.

It was then suggested that a nominal figure be charged, seeing the girls had to actually wash the glasses and serve the drinks, etc. (decimalisation had just occured the week before, so I think we chose 5p as a good figure). The press, when they reported the raid, crucified the owner over that, saying he was fleecing innocent children! That probably contributed to the nervous breakdown that he suffered soon afterwards. Nice......

With regards to the "several" young ladies - two were working. The rest were to see you guys arriving!

Look forward to seeing you guys

Edited May 8, 2011 by soash

[Northern Soul Uk]

I remember the 'Metro' being in existence but I don't remember ever going.

The only places around that time I can remember in Wakey was 'Intercon, Raquels, Locarno (Mecca) on the site where the Ridings is now and a bit later on I think 'Unity hall'

[Donkit]

Locarno (Mecca) on the site where the Ridings is now

Now this is a blast from the past, did they book the dubious Motown groups i.e." Fantastic Temptations" etc ?

[Guest soash]

I remember the 'Metro' being in existence but I don't remember ever going.

The only places around that time I can remember in Wakey was 'Intercon, Raquels, Locarno (Mecca) on the site where the Ridings is now and a bit later on I think 'Unity hall'

The first real "club" in Wakefield was The Place. Opened around 66/67. Just off the Bull Ring, across the road from the Metro. I hade the pleasure of DJing with Pete Stringfellow there one time (after the Mojo shut).

The Mecca had been there since the stone age, but did try to catch up with the times. Saw Junior Walker in around 68/69 at the Mecca.

The Metro started in 1970 after the Place had shut. Really came into its own when the Wheel closed. Just about the whole of the Wheel crowd came over. Unfortunately didn't last too long before it too was shut.

At that time, none of those other venues existed in Wakefield. Intercon came soon after, but was inhabited by divs on the pull and kids far too young to be out so late.The Unity Hall was best known then for its Model Railway Exhibitions...........

Edited May 10, 2011 by soash

[Guest Swish]

Soash,

I also went to the Metro. I thought the club was brilliant.

Peter is correct, though, Flash and Dennis Billingham did DJ there, I also was there when they did. perhaps they only DJ'd a couple of times, maybe.

[Petedillon]

Hi Swish. Thanks for confirming that! I though I was losing it for a minute. I also spoke to Mick Eastwood on this subject. He too confirmed that Denis & Flash dj'd there. I hear you are doing the next Central mate, great to hear.

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

Soash,

I also went to the Metro. I thought the club was brilliant.

Peter is correct, though, Flash and Dennis Billingham did DJ there, I also was there when they did. perhaps they only DJ'd a couple of times, maybe.

Did a ubiquitous bloke called-----"rOBERT FROM THE SHOP" ever d j at The Metro ------as i have heard a lot of tales about this guy!!

T.C.

[Trev Thomas]

Did a ubiquitous bloke called-----"rOBERT FROM THE SHOP" ever d j at The Metro ------as i have heard a lot of tales about this guy!!

T.C.

no, but the said ubiquitous chap used to attend one or two clubs in the staffordshire area called the torch

[Petedillon]

The Ubiquitous fella was a visitor to the Metro along with me. Train to old station in Wakey then a mass walk up through the town centre. Then bus back to Leeds in the morning. Great days full of youthful enthusiasm. The night the Metro was raided we were in Bradford on the way back from Keighley and Flash Atkinson's birthday. We got as far as Bradford but decided to give it a miss as none of us had any gear!!! So we headed back to Leeds..

[Guest Swish]

I remember going to the metro on that night and heading straight past when we saw the cops raiding it. We did , indeed go to Flashes birthday.

I forget whom was in my car, but Pete Dillon sure knows the facts.

Strange shoas that you do not reveal you real name. And do not even know your fellow Disc Jockeys.

Ain't it funny that me and Pete know without a doubt we are correct but you think we are wrong?

I think sometimes, people like to make things up that are not really true.

There might be 1 or 2 other people on this forum who do similar.

I won't say any names but i bet they know whom they are.

[Guest Swish]

TC , my son has started to call me ROBERT FROM THE SHOP when his grandma is there on a monday :D :D

NAUGHTY BOY!

Trevor Thomas,

Thank you for what you said but I must admit i can not remember you straight away. Sorry. Kindly remind me.

(I mean no disrespect)

Edited September 12, 2011 by Swish

[Guest Swish]

If I wanted I could pretend I went to almost every Northern Soul club there ever was.

BUT instead of pretending I just did it.

[Jimmy Welsh]

If I wanted I could pretend I went to almost every Northern Soul club there ever was.

BUT instead of pretending I just did it.

Swish,

Nicely put. did you get my email?

Regards Jimmy Welsh.

[Guest Swish]

No Jimmy,

Not yet

[Petedillon]

Hi Swish, I thought you would have been on Bradford station with us that night

Whose car were you in ?

Its a long time ago mate but I can picture the inside of the Metro like it was yesterday. I re-called it to Mick Eastwood the other week and he said thats exactly what it was like. Memory is a weird thing though. Paul Rowan recalls Soash very clearly, says he was the guy who told him about the club and encouraged him to go. Sadly Soash doesnt remember Paul either.

On a different note, I hear you are dj-ing at the November Central, mate. Great news and I look forward to meeting up with you again. I cant believe it was all that time since we'd met up before the last Central. TC will no doubt arrange a pint pre-gig so see you then.

Edited September 14, 2011 by PeteDillon

[SOULCENTRAL]

If I wanted I could pretend I went to almost every Northern Soul club there ever was.

BUT instead of pretending I just did it.

HI SWISH,

I CAN CERTAINLY VOUCH FOR THE STATEMENT ABOVE.

You did just about every club that was open for business from circa 1972...... and then some. Not satisfied with just attending, you also carried a box of tunes which were deployed to the masses at many of the clubs you visited.

regards ROY

[Petedillon]

A box?? it was a suitcase Roy! and earlier than 72 mate, I would've said 69/70 onwards from my recollection.

[Sammy Seaman]

hi mate dont know if you remember me sammy seaman from selby,but i was one of the many unlucky souls who got busted that night,torch in the eyes handcuffed taken to the nick pissed tested then releasd to go on my merry way,no charges followed thank god, will be meeting up with swish at the central do if you do remember me will see you there cheers sammy

[Petedillon]

to be honest, the names familiar but cant put a face to it,Sammy. Were you one of Ady Dundas and Eric Smith's crowd?.

I used to love the Museum Hall in Selby! You must come and chat though.Be good to see you.

Pete

[Guest soash]

Paul Rowan recalls Soash very clearly, says he was the guy who told him about the club and encouraged him to go. Sadly Soash doesnt remember Paul either.

Please send Paul my apologies, Pete. What can I say? I knew loads of people by sight in those days. I guess there were lots of people who knew me by sight, too - and some who knew my name. That's how it was in them days.

But whatever the likes of Swish wants to believe, I will say it one more time. I STARTED the weekend sessions at the Metro. I then DJed (alone) at EVERY weekend session at the Metro, including the very LAST one. If you wanna think I'm making it up, then that's your perogative. Sure, there were probably lots of guys who brought sounds in their bag and got up during one of the weekday coffee-bar sessions, but unless they sneaked up whilst I was in the bog, they DIDN'T DJ at the Weekend Metro session. The DJ stand was ALWAYS surrounded by guys, most of them out of their skulls, requesting sounds - so yes, they were on the stage. But so what?.......

And if you don't think I'm real, then you need to find the guys I knocked around with from 1966-71 (my time in the Wakefield crowd) - Paul Bagnall, Harry Wentworth, Rylo (Keith Rylatt who wrote Central 1179 about the Wheel), Rusty, Gooner, Little Joe, Little Ron, Ritchie, Bob Hope, Frankie Ajiko, Mick Bentley, Tony Mann, - the Leeds guys - Rob Lemoine, Kenny Coleman - the older guys, Kev Stakes, Dave Carney, Alec Halstead, Phil Wilsher, Brian Leake - the girls - Anya Budzig, Hilary Birkhill, Sam and Grace from Dewsbury - all the folks who went to the Place Club - all the folks who hung out at the Shrove on Wood Street - and all the folks I've forgotten - and so on and so on.......

If none of those names mean owt to you - then you probably didn't know me either....

I was living in Kent by 1971, so if you joined the scene after that, then yes, as far as you are concerned, I wasn't around.

What happened after 1971, I'm happy to say, was nothing to do with me. The likes of the Central and Wigan mean nothing to me. I'm sure the guys who were part of that scene are great guys, who had a brilliant time. But just because I disappeared does not mean folks can try and change history. NO-ONE else but me was a resident DJ at the Metro.

Why not pop down next Saturday (24th Sept) - maybe we'll remember each other! :thumbsup:

[Petedillon]

Soash,

Believe me mate, I am not doubting any of what you said about you starting the all-nighters or your place in the history of the Wakefield hierarchy ! Swish probably didnt know you, wheres I myself knew of you back then,although we never met. I joined the scene in 1968/69 so did know of you by name.

I cant answer for Swish with regard to who he knew back then, but Rob Lemoine, Kenny Coleman, Steve Welcer, Phil Haig, Pete Balance, Stan Spencer, Dick and Julie Poynton...are all guys I knew.. indeed Kenny and Steve Welcer were at last months Central reunion and if they are at the next one I will ask them also to comment on the dj dispute.

The Central was around and was a top mod/soul club in 1968 mate! So it was relevant to the crowd I mentioned, they all attended regularly. So to lump it in with the Casino as a later venue is misguided and disrespectful.

What I am saying and will continue to say is I have spoken to several of them and they all are adamant that others including Denis Billingham (I have spoken with him personally to confirm this) and Flash Atkinson (no longer with us sadly) dj'd AT THE ALL-NIGHTERS! . Indeed I was there as was Swish when it happened. You may well have been THE RESIDENT Soash, nobody is disputing this point. Does that stop others spinning some tunes during the night?

I was asked by some of the guys to attend the next Metro but to be honest, I feel this has taken the edge off any enjoyment I would have felt by going. As do one or two other of the guys.

The place that the Metro held in the folklore of the scene is a fleeting moment , as was Hernies in Leeds! Just two of several clubs that emerged in an attempt to fill the massive footsteps of the Wheel! Both failed in the long term but also succeeded in their own way , in that both achieved somewhat legendary status and for the few who actually attended these two small clubs, left magical memories imprinted in their minds!

Regards

Pete

Edited September 18, 2011 by PeteDillon

[Guest soash]

The Central was around and was a top mod/soul club in 1968 mate! So it was relevant to the crowd I mentioned, they all attended regularly. So to lump it in with the Casino as a later venue is misguided and disrespectful.

Hi Pete - here is a quote from a recent Central flyer - published in MAY 2011....

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too

So it was either May, 1971, or it was 1968?. Was the guy who wrote the flyer incorrect? It is my understanding that the Central opened in 1969, but that the music policy changed in 1971 (as the flyer states). Rob Lemoine, for one, attended just about every Metro Saturday. Why would he do that if the Central was open? I knew the guy well - used to go up to his house - he NEVER mentioned the Central...... And Julie Poynton's brother was far too young then......... Phil Wilsher lived on the same estate as me - pretty sure he had moved away and left the scene by 1971........

I know for sure that no-one from Wakefield (only 9 miles away) was going to the Central in the 60's. It simply wasn't a venue. We had travelled to Leeds to the Bee Gee, we travelled to Sheffield for the Mojo. We travelled to Manchester for the Wheel. So why would we have ignored the Central if it had been around then?

As I have said before, I have the greatest of respect for the guys who carried on the scene in the 70's. Lots of us were getting a little old by then, and left the scene. But the younger guys carried on - all kudos to them - and to the older guys who carried on with them.

But why does everybody now wanna be older and claim stuff that never happened. A similar thing was recently said on here about Normanton Baths. Sure, a few locals had gone there in the late 60's, but again, it didn't become a venue anyone travelled to until 1971. But now they claim to have been a 60's venue. Why?

Well, I guess for exactly the same reason that you are now claiming that the Central was the same.

I know guys who claim to have gone regularly down the Twisted Wheel - yet they must've been 13 at the time. Why bother?

A shame if you don't get down the Metro. I'd love to buy you drink and chat about old times!

Edited September 18, 2011 by soash

[Petedillon]

Soash,

I provided the info for the guy who wrote the Central flyer as he wasnt on the scene then. The flyer states It is 40 years since the Central started playing 'Northern Soul'.

You will notice I said the Central was a mod/soul club in 68. Not a 'northern soul' club.

It did indeed have a slight shift in its music policy around 70/71 when the guys who had frequented the BeeGee etc started bringing tunes down to play. At this point Kenny, Rob etc were regular visitors as was Julian Bentley, although he was more inclined to be at Lord Jim's. So yes you are right in saying they weren't there in 68, my mistake, but does the club only become relevant if certain people attend?

Normie Baths was a 60's venue! Just because the all'nighter crowd apart from locals didnt travel to it doesnt make it irrelevant, does it. Same with the Central and many other breeding -ground clubs..

It was around before then mate and the music policy was more commercial Soul, Motown,reggae, ska etc.with a smattering of 'all-nighter soul'. It had been a rocker/greaser club until 68 though.

I'm not sure but hope that you are not aiming your comments at me with regard to people pretending to be around before their time, whilst I agree many do, I promise you I dont. Whats the point?

This does not alter the fact that obviously I along with several from your 'old' crowd disagree with your recollections of the Metro, sadly.

[SOULCENTRAL]

Hi Pete - here is a quote from a recent Central flyer - published in MAY 2011....

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too

So it was either May, 1971, or it was 1968?. Was the guy who wrote the flyer incorrect? It is my understanding that the Central opened in 1969, but that the music policy changed in 1971 (as the flyer states). Rob Lemoine, for one, attended just about every Metro Saturday. Why would he do that if the Central was open? I knew the guy well - used to go up to his house - he NEVER mentioned the Central...... And Julie Poynton's brother was far too young then......... Phil Wilsher lived on the same estate as me - pretty sure he had moved away and left the scene by 1971........

I know for sure that no-one from Wakefield (only 9 miles away) was going to the Central in the 60's. It simply wasn't a venue. We had travelled to Leeds to the Bee Gee, we travelled to Sheffield for the Mojo. We travelled to Manchester for the Wheel. So why would we have ignored the Central if it had been around then?

As I have said before, I have the greatest of respect for the guys who carried on the scene in the 70's. Lots of us were getting a little old by then, and left the scene. But the younger guys carried on - all kudos to them - and to the older guys who carried on with them.

But why does everybody now wanna be older and claim stuff that never happened. A similar thing was recently said on here about Normanton Baths. Sure, a few locals had gone there in the late 60's, but again, it didn't become a venue anyone travelled to until 1971. But now they claim to have been a 60's venue. Why?

Well, I guess for exactly the same reason that you are now claiming that the Central was the same.

I know guys who claim to have gone regularly down the Twisted Wheel - yet they must've been 13 at the time. Why bother?

A shame if you don't get down the Metro. I'd love to buy you drink and chat about old times!

SOASH,

If you do not know the history of the Central then do not make the presumption that it was ""not a venue around" 1968.

You attempt to ridicule and dispute Pete Dillons statement about the club and the timelines by quoting from the May flyer which is true and correct in its statement:

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too

The Central did start playing "Northern soul" around late 1971 as many of its regular attendees from the mod and soul period from 1968 to 1971 no longer frequented the club and it was time for the club to move onwards and upwards.The Central first started becoming popular with the mod/soul fraternity mid 1968 but was not as popular as the exsting Bee Gee club as it was regarded the young pretender.However the club grew in stature and attendance and the demise of the BeeGee made it more popular as it was the only real venue in Leeds which gave you both the atmosphere and the music.

You claim that no one in Wakefield was going to the Central in the 60s..... You sure must know a hell of a lot of people in Wakefield!!!!!!!

You also mention Rob Lemoine attending almost every Metro saturday and why would he do that if the Central was open??

Simple answer...... the Central opened on a friday and sunday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soash it seems you have taken major offence to the fact that there are other people from a similar era that have different recollections to yours especially regarding the dj issue at the Metro of which you are adamant that yours is the truth and nothing but the truth.

These are peoples recollections from forty plus years ago and so there are bound to be differences so its best to agree to disagree.

As for people wanting to be older and claim stuff never happened, i doubt it. None of us want to grow old or be older than we are and recollections are exactly that....recollections, including yours, and they only gain foundation when others have the same recollections.

I am not challenging your view of those times but as Pete Dillon stated he is calling you a liar but expressing his recollections of the time and really you should be a bir more cordial in your replies.

Failing that i will send you the book on "How to win friends and influence people" :yes:

regards ROY

[SOULCENTRAL]

Hi Pete - here is a quote from a recent Central flyer - published in MAY 2011....

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too

So it was either May, 1971, or it was 1968?. Was the guy who wrote the flyer incorrect? It is my understanding that the Central opened in 1969, but that the music policy changed in 1971 (as the flyer states). Rob Lemoine, for one, attended just about every Metro Saturday. Why would he do that if the Central was open? I knew the guy well - used to go up to his house - he NEVER mentioned the Central...... And Julie Poynton's brother was far too young then......... Phil Wilsher lived on the same estate as me - pretty sure he had moved away and left the scene by 1971........

I know for sure that no-one from Wakefield (only 9 miles away) was going to the Central in the 60's. It simply wasn't a venue. We had travelled to Leeds to the Bee Gee, we travelled to Sheffield for the Mojo. We travelled to Manchester for the Wheel. So why would we have ignored the Central if it had been around then?

As I have said before, I have the greatest of respect for the guys who carried on the scene in the 70's. Lots of us were getting a little old by then, and left the scene. But the younger guys carried on - all kudos to them - and to the older guys who carried on with them.

But why does everybody now wanna be older and claim stuff that never happened. A similar thing was recently said on here about Normanton Baths. Sure, a few locals had gone there in the late 60's, but again, it didn't become a venue anyone travelled to until 1971. But now they claim to have been a 60's venue. Why?

Well, I guess for exactly the same reason that you are now claiming that the Central was the same.

I know guys who claim to have gone regularly down the Twisted Wheel - yet they must've been 13 at the time. Why bother?

A shame if you don't get down the Metro. I'd love to buy you drink and chat about old times!

SOASH,

If you do not know the history of the Central then do not make the presumption that it was ""not a venue around" 1968.

You attempt to ridicule and dispute Pete Dillons statement about the club and the timelines by quoting from the May flyer which is true and correct in its statement:

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too

The Central did start playing "Northern soul" around late 1971 as many of its regular attendees from the mod and soul period from 1968 to 1971 no longer frequented the club and it was time for the club to move onwards and upwards.The Central first started becoming popular with the mod/soul fraternity mid 1968 but was not as popular as the exsting Bee Gee club as it was regarded the young pretender.However the club grew in stature and attendance and the demise of the BeeGee made it more popular as it was the only real venue in Leeds which gave you both the atmosphere and the music.

You claim that no one in Wakefield was going to the Central in the 60s..... You sure must know a hell of a lot of people in Wakefield!!!!!!!

You also mention Rob Lemoine attending almost every Metro saturday and why would he do that if the Central was open??

Simple answer...... the Central opened on a friday and sunday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soash it seems you have taken major offence to the fact that there are other people from a similar era that have different recollections to yours especially regarding the dj issue at the Metro of which you are adamant that yours is the truth and nothing but the truth.

These are peoples recollections from forty plus years ago and so there are bound to be differences so its best to agree to disagree.

As for people wanting to be older and claim stuff never happened, i doubt it. None of us want to grow old or be older than we are and recollections are exactly that....recollections, including yours, and they only gain foundation when others have the same recollections.

I am not challenging your view of those times but as Pete Dillon stated he is NOT calling you a liar but expressing his recollections of the time and really you should be a bir more cordial in your replies.

Failing that i will send you the book on "How to win friends and influence people" :yes:

regards ROY

Apologies to Pete for misssing out the vital word

[Guest soash]

SOASH,

If you do not know the history of the Central then do not make the presumption that it was ""not a venue around" 1968.

You attempt to ridicule and dispute Pete Dillons statement about the club and the timelines by quoting from the May flyer which is true and correct in its statement:

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too

The Central did start playing "Northern soul" around late 1971 as many of its regular attendees from the mod and soul period from 1968 to 1971 no longer frequented the club and it was time for the club to move onwards and upwards.The Central first started becoming popular with the mod/soul fraternity mid 1968 but was not as popular as the exsting Bee Gee club as it was regarded the young pretender.However the club grew in stature and attendance and the demise of the BeeGee made it more popular as it was the only real venue in Leeds which gave you both the atmosphere and the music.

You claim that no one in Wakefield was going to the Central in the 60s..... You sure must know a hell of a lot of people in Wakefield!!!!!!!

You also mention Rob Lemoine attending almost every Metro saturday and why would he do that if the Central was open??

Simple answer...... the Central opened on a friday and sunday night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Soash it seems you have taken major offence to the fact that there are other people from a similar era that have different recollections to yours especially regarding the dj issue at the Metro of which you are adamant that yours is the truth and nothing but the truth.

These are peoples recollections from forty plus years ago and so there are bound to be differences so its best to agree to disagree.

As for people wanting to be older and claim stuff never happened, i doubt it. None of us want to grow old or be older than we are and recollections are exactly that....recollections, including yours, and they only gain foundation when others have the same recollections.

I am not challenging your view of those times but as Pete Dillon stated he is NOT calling you a liar but expressing his recollections of the time and really you should be a bir more cordial in your replies.

Failing that i will send you the book on "How to win friends and influence people" :yes:

regards ROY

Apologies to Pete for misssing out the vital word

Double post , mate - but there you go.

I don't know who you are - but I guess you wanna fight Pete's battles for him? Goodo.

According to ALL the historians of the Central, the place opened in 1969. So yes, the assertion that is was any kind of venue - mod or otherwise, in 1968 - IS complete bollox. And until 1971, it was a "nobhead pulling" venue. If you went, and had a good time - cool - but NOTHING to do with the mod scene......

And yes - I DO claim to know alot of people in Wakefield - cause it was a relatively small scene is those days, and I was in town every night - were you?

Anybody who was on that scene in Wakefield would have come across me. I don't claim that as anything special - we just all knew each other in those days. We didn't just know the "faces" - we knew the lardheads round at the bus-station as well - it was that kind of town...

If however, you are trying to wind 1971 back three years to 1969, you might have problems........

Just to mention a few of the faces that Pete namechecks.....

Rob Lemoine...... Me and my best mate Paul were walking up Briggate one Saturday when we were accosted by an unbelievably effusive guy that we had NEVER seen before - but he knew our names, and talked to us like he'd known us for years. That was Rob. (Rob was always a networker....still is!!) He then became part of the Wakefield crowd. If there had been any kind of a scene going on in Leeds, Rob would have been shouting about it...... But he didn't....But I guess, before he buggered off to the US of A to become a millionaire, he went to the Central....

Kenny Coleman. I knew him from 1966, when I was at college with him. We used to jam on guitar together, but he didn't really take part in the scene until quite late. He probably came to the Metro at the VERY end, because he knew Rob Lemoine and he knew me - 1970. Never on the scene before then, and was always heavily courting. So yes - he probably went to the Central in 71.....

Julie Poynton - On the scene in 68, but VERY young - too young to be part of the scene (age matters when you are 18...). Younger brother? - NO chance of being there... Keith Rylatt has admitted to me that the reference to Nick Parkin and Julie Poynton going to the Wheel (in his Central 1179 book) is inaccurate. Half the names mentioned don't exist. So, yes. She probably went to the Central....

But, hey - I give up on you guys. If you wanna believe that 1971 was really 1969, then that's cool with me. I really don't care.

We all had good times. Yours could well have been better than mine. All I can say is - excellent!!

I know what is true. And so do you. So there we go. I'm not gonna fall out about it. After all these years, I don't give a shit, to be honest...........

Edited September 18, 2011 by soash

[SOULCENTRAL]

Double post , mate - but there you go.

I don't know who you are - but I guess you wanna fight Pete's battles for him? Goodo.

But, hey - I give up on you guys. If you wanna believe that 1971 was really 1969, then that's cool with me, mate.

I know what is true. And so do you. So there we go. I'm not gonna fall out about it. After all these years, I don't give a shit, to be honest...........

PS. Pete. The fact you mention Julian Bentley just shows how much your "years" are skewed. I hung around with Mick Bentley and knew his older brother Sid. Julian was a frigging child! Get real, for Christ's sake.....

SOASH,

Just want to address a few of the above points.

I did not double post but missed out an essential word in my first post which could have caused offence to the person concerned and therefore rectified this with the second post, or did you not pick up on this.

Yes you do not know me and i do not know you although i do know Pete Dillon but he is a big boy and can speak up for himself.

I cannot see how you keep coming to this conclusion of changing 1968 for 1971.

If you "dont give a shit" then why be so belligerant with your constant postings refuting any bodys views that differ from yours?.

I have no desire to be pass derogatory remarks regarding your views or recollections of that time period, as your views are just that, your views.

regards ROY

[Petedillon]

OK Soash, I admit it all.

I never went to the Metro, I lied to impress.

I never went to the Wheel. I lied to impress.

I never went to the Central in 1968, I imagined it.

I never went to Hernies. I lied to impress.

I never saw Denis or Flash spinning tunes at the Metro

I was wrong about the lay-out of the Metro and so was Mick Eastwood, Paul Rowan,Swish and Denis Billingham.

I made all these things up to make myself look big!

Oh, You were the biggest noise in the great Metropolis that is Wakefield. and we are not worthy..

HOPE YOUR METRO RE-UNION/REVIVAL GOES WELL!!! so sad really.

[Guest soash]

.

If you "dont give a shit" then why be so belligerant with your constant postings refuting any bodys views that differ from yours?.

The word is "belligerent".

Because you are wrong.

Instead of nitpicking........

Why not address the fact that Pete says the Central was a venue in 1968 when it didn't open until 1969?

Why not address the fact that they didn't play Soul music until 1971?

Why not address the fact that the folks I have mentioned did NOT go to the place before 1971??

Just get real, my friend

[Guest soash]

so sad really.

Only one sad thing. And it ain't me mate. My history is straight.

As I said. I would love to see you down the Metro. The music will be good. Folks are coming from miles around. And nowadays, we are all old, so age doesn't mean a thing. Up to you, mate

[Petedillon]

I would suggest that your history is just that, Soash YOUR history. I have come to the conclusion that maybe you have become a bit of a legend in your own mind mate. Pity really because the Metro wasnt a bad little club for a few fleeting moments..

[Guest soash]

I never went to the Metro, I lied to impress.

I never refuted the fact that you went to the Metro.....

I never went to the Wheel. I lied to impress.

I have NO idea about your patronage of the Wheel....

I never went to the Central in 1968, I imagined it.

YES YOU BLOODY DID IMAGINE IT, CAUSE THE PLACE OPENED IN 69......

I never went to Hernies. I lied to impress.

Neither did I.......

I never saw Denis or Flash spinning tunes at the Metro

Spinning tunes and DJing are two different things.....

I was wrong about the lay-out of the Metro and so was Mick Eastwood, Paul Rowan,Swish and Denis Billingham.

If you say so. I certainly haven't.....

I made all these things up to make myself look big!

What you do in your spare time is up to you.......

Oh, You were the biggest noise in the great Metropolis that is Wakefield. and we are not worthy..

No, I was just a guy who was there........and old enough to remember....

Edited September 18, 2011 by soash

[SOULCENTRAL]

The word is "belligerent".

Because you are wrong.

Instead of nitpicking........

Why not address the fact that Pete says the Central was a venue in 1968 when it didn't open until 1969?

Why not address the fact that they didn't play Soul music until 1971?

Why not address the fact that the folks I have mentioned did NOT go to the place before 1971??

Just get real, my friend

GET REAL MY FRIEND?????????

The reality is that if i do not know you i am not your friend.

Not nitpicking ,just highlighting some of your less desirable attributes.

My recollections of the Central circa 1968 is that it was a venue that catered for the mod/soul fraternity.It is only my recollection.

I know for a fact that soul music was played at the Central prior to 1971. Maybe the respected Malc Burton would shed light on this.

As for the folks you mention, i dont know/know of them so cant address the problem and neither have i taken issue over this.

[Petedillon]

I was going to let this argument go...but f*ck it why should I ?

I never went to the Central in 1968, I imagined it.

YES YOU BLOODY DID IMAGINE IT, CAUSE THE PLACE OPENED IN 69. Really!!!! ???? NOT EVEN GOING TO WASTE TIME ARGUING OVER THAT POINT.

I was wrong about the lay-out of the Metro and so was Mick Eastwood, Paul Rowan,Swish and Denis Billingham.

If you say so. I certainly haven't.....Yes you did...

"Well, in your last post, Pete, you described the layout of the Metro – but the layout you described was NOT the layout on the Saturday soul sessions/all nighters.

During the week, there were indeed tables down both sides of the place, with a relatively small area in the middle left to dance on. However, on Saturdays, most of the tables were removed and stacked at the back of the room (folks used to leave their overnight bags on them). If you were looking from the entrance end, you would only have seen a small number of tables pushed up against the left hand side wall, and a clear dance floor to the right (I remember having to shift all the bloody things!"

I never saw Denis or Flash spinning tunes at the Metro

Spinning tunes and DJing are two different things.....Clutching at straws there Soash!

I never went to the Metro, I lied to impress.

I never refuted the fact that you went to the Metro...YOU JUST SUGGESTED IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE ALL-NIGHTERS THEN..

''So that could, I guess, explain the differences in our recollections. When I talk about the Metro, I talk about the paid-entry Saturday night sessions/all-nighters. I'm not talking about the free "coffee bar" sessions that took place during the week.''

Edited September 18, 2011 by PeteDillon

[Guest soash]

I was going to let this argument go...but f*ck it why should I ?

I never went to the Central in 1968, I imagined it.

YES YOU BLOODY DID IMAGINE IT, CAUSE THE PLACE OPENED IN 69. Really!!!! ???? NOT EVEN GOING TO WASTE TIME ARGUING OVER THAT POINT.

I was wrong about the lay-out of the Metro and so was Mick Eastwood, Paul Rowan,Swish and Denis Billingham.

If you say so. I certainly haven't.....Yes you did...

"Well, in your last post, Pete, you described the layout of the Metro – but the layout you described was NOT the layout on the Saturday soul sessions/all nighters.

During the week, there were indeed tables down both sides of the place, with a relatively small area in the middle left to dance on. However, on Saturdays, most of the tables were removed and stacked at the back of the room (folks used to leave their overnight bags on them). If you were looking from the entrance end, you would only have seen a small number of tables pushed up against the left hand side wall, and a clear dance floor to the right (I remember having to shift all the bloody things!"

I never saw Denis or Flash spinning tunes at the Metro

Spinning tunes and DJing are two different things.....Clutching at straws there Soash!

I never went to the Metro, I lied to impress.

I never refuted the fact that you went to the Metro...YOU JUST SUGGESTED IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE ALL-NIGHTERS THEN..

''So that could, I guess, explain the differences in our recollections. When I talk about the Metro, I talk about the paid-entry Saturday night sessions/all-nighters. I'm not talking about the free "coffee bar" sessions that took place during the week.''

Whatever, man. If it makes you happy. As I said before, happy to buy you a drink and talk about REAL old times...............

BTW, here is a flyer (from May 2011) from the Central. Note the last sentence.........

Yes! At Last

The infamous 'Leeds Central' Returns!

AND in the original venue that hosted, at that time, the longest running Soul club in the UK, now renamed 'HiFi', 2 Central Road, Leeds LS1 6DE

It is exactly 40 years that the 'Leeds Central' started playing Northern Soul, so that makes this the 40th anniversary too.

We have managed to get 6 of the original DJs from the 'Central' in the 70s;

Paul Rowan

Tony Jackson

Rick Cooper

Dennis Billingham

Chris Mallows

and Steve Luigi

All of the above DJ'd at the club at various times.

with the possibility of more original DJs to be confirmed.

This is going to be a priceless trip back to the days when Northern Soul was at it's peak.

The 'Leeds Central' ran for 14 years from 1969 to 1983 and was the mainstay of the Yorkshire soulies diet.

Edited September 18, 2011 by soash

[Petedillon]

Yes it does say that and I corrected the guy who released that flyer. His knowledge of the early years is owed to what people such as myself and Roy etc tell him. I gave him info and he mistakenly put 1969 when in truth it was in existence throughout the 60's as a ballroom dancing club and a teddy boy/rocker haunt, before, as I stated earlier, changing to a Soul/Mod hang out around 68 following a few Mod v Rocker battles in and around the place . Thats why I know the date so well Soash, I was involved so I KNOW thats when it happened.

Surely you are not using that flyer as your proof of the Central opening in 1969!!

Its important to note that during all this discussion, nobody has come on here and supported your claims mate.

To be honest though, in all this, its not whether you or I were correct in our recollections, but that you seemed intent on insisting because mine were different to yours , then I was a pretender and some sort of wannabee! A slurr you are still hinting of when you say "the REAL old times", thats what really pissed me off!

Roy hit it on the head when he stated that they are just rcollections and everybodys are different. For example, I was a regular at the Torch but when I saw some really detailed photos recently, I was gobsmacked that it wasnt exactly how I remembered it! Things blurr mate.

It doesnt mean its a lie! Also because someone else was there and did it too, it doesnt mean you were not important!

Anyway, I'm going to leave it at that now.

Edited September 19, 2011 by PeteDillon

[Guest matty]

Yes it does say that and I corrected the guy who released that flyer. His knowledge of the early years is owed to what people such as myself and Roy etc tell him. I gave him info and he mistakenly put 1969 when in truth it was in existence throughout the 60's as a ballroom dancing club and a teddy boy/rocker haunt, before, as I stated earlier, changing to a Soul/Mod hang out around 68 following a few Mod v Rocker battles in and around the place . Thats why I know the date so well Soash, I was involved so I KNOW thats when it happened.

Surely you are not using that flyer as your proof of the Central opening in 1969!!

Its important to note that during all this discussion, nobody has come on here and supported your claims mate.

To be honest though, in all this, its not whether you or I were correct in our recollections, but that you seemed intent on insisting because mine were different to yours , then I was a pretender and some sort of wannabee! A slurr you are still hinting of when you say "the REAL old times", thats what really pissed me off!

Roy hit it on the head when he stated that they are just rcollections and everybodys are different. For example, I was a regular at the Torch but when I saw some really detailed photos recently, I was gobsmacked that it wasnt exactly how I remembered it! Things blurr mate.

It doesnt mean its a lie! Also because someone else was there and did it too, it doesnt mean you were not important!

Anyway, I'm going to leave it at that now.

Best thing you can do Pete he's a fucking Walter mitty...Matty