The Wheel And Late 60S Proto Northern Soul Scenes

[Smudger]

I DJ'ed at the Attic the night J J Jackson was on live.

Big friends with the venue's 1st DJ ... Scunthorpes Fred Benson (think that was his name, my memory's shot).

The Hull, Scunny & Lincoln (Gordon Raft, Johnny Street, etc) lot would pile into Dony on a Saturday afternoon before we all set off for the Mojo on the night.

yeah. and i still had to pay to get in!!!!!! Probably around this time when you went away for weekend and left me to look after your house !!!

I remember you played the Kittens Ain't no more room to much dance floor action and loads came away with it on a wants list.

Think we got it in a Blues and Soul soul pack £5 for 100 records

Edited November 18, 2012 by smudger

[Petedillon]

Going back to the early Leeds mod/soul scene...heres a quote from one of the early djs at the Leeds Spinning Disc(Old Mecca) see the photo..which is quite interesting..

PETER BRENT

"It was great to stumble across this photo.I have fond memories of The Old Mecca/Spinning Disc.I worked there as a DJ in the sixties at the height of its popularity as a Soul music and Mod venue.I was privileged to work alongside many great Soul Artists.Geno Washington,Jimmy James,Ben E King,to name but a few.I was on stage playing all the old favourites on the night it closed.The number of people they had let in was frightening !!.For years I was saddled with the name Pete Tamla Brent which the management at the time used in its advertising.I would dearly love to hear from anyone who attended this wonderful old venue or other old mod haunts in the sixties.I was also responsible for setting up The New Marquee Club on Great George St. I am currently collecting material for my autobiography so any of your memories would be gratefully appreciated and acknowledged..AMEN!!! "

I had a dig around and found my New Marquee membership card..a short-lived club which attempted to move to a more 'progressive' type of music some nights having heavy bands on but also catering for the mods as well..it was also where I was first introduced my great friend Mick Eastwood

.

I cant find my old Keyhole club card which is sad.The Marquee card though is the only one Ive seen since then so pretty rare I think...

heres another quote from an old Leeds mod..Paul Cooke

"I would go to the 'Spinng Disc' with my mates from Sherbourne in Elmet and Micklethwate. We saw Edwin Starr, Ben E King, Jimmy James and Geno Washington. When Otis Redding died in December 1967 we all turned up wearing black arm bands. Even though I was only 15 I managed to get a membership card for the Keyhole Club upstairs, where they played blue beat music. Outside the entrance was a menswear shop which sold original shrink to fit Levis, which we wore with brogues, surfer jackets or great coats. Saturday night was always bottle green, beige or navy suit, with cigarette pants and three high button jacket, pockets on a slant, including ticket pocket and the back had a 17" centre vent. The style of the kids with the great soul music played there on a saturday was phenomenal"

and another from an old mate and ex-Wheeler

Phil Beadnell

"What memories !!! In 1965 I was 16, old enough to get my drivers license for my scooter, and from that point on I would zip down to the Old Mecca at lunchtime to hang out, get my Motown fix, my 6p bag of chips, then hightail back to school. I still have my Keyhole Club member card, although I cant have been 18 when I got it of course. Eventually I found the Bee Gee club and the Central and every night we would start out at the Bee Gee then race around on our scooters to the Old Mecca. All the bikes lined up at the end of the arcade, all chrome and mirrors. And all the cute mod girls with their short hair and leather coats looking for a lift home. Anyone remember the barbers near the infirmary? It was owned by two young guys, it was a great place... they played Motown while they worked, and it was the place to go for a mod haircut. Girls too, at a time when no one had invented Unisex! They would send customers out to get a tea bag from the shop down the street to make tea!. Getting a haircut always took forever because everyone was hanging out. They even had worked up their own 'hip' code language - I never did figure it out! "

that was 'Character' hairdressing ownd by Derek 'Tamala' Barnett! on Great George Street, near where the New Marquee opened..then moved to the balcony two doors up from Jumbo Records in the early 70's..heres a pic of Derek (on the left) at my house around 73 ish. at the Dave Godin party before a Central all-nighter

[Roburt]

Us Dony lads used to go up to Leeds on a Saturday to buy clothes in the mid 60's (Cecil Gee's & the like I seem to recall).

When we got finished shopping for clothes & records early, we would sometimes go to the Saturday afternoon session at the Spinning Disc (it was in an old Victorian arcade I seem to remember)

Didn't Jimmy Saville DJ at the place earlier in the 60's.

The wife recently talked to her older brother about Saville. He told her that in the very early 60's some lads from Hull would go to Leeds for the Saturday night & end up having to stop there all night (in clubs till the early hours & then hanging about for an early train home to Hull on the Sunday). Saville DJed at some places they went . As they were all young (16-ish), a bouncer they got talking to, told em to keep well clear of Saville. So by all accounts he was 'up to his tricks' as early as that.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Roburt

[viphitman]

Some nice footage from Germany....

[bluesoulman]

Great to see a mention of Liverpool finally on this thread,and Billy Butler getting some recognition.His sessions at the Mardi Gras were fabulous,and of course he djd at the Cavern too.....first record I heard him play there was Bill Deal "I've been hurt" (import).The Mardi also had some excellent live acts,plus the resident The Fix (lead singer Colin Aryeety I think),who's warm-up intro was the Markeys "Philly Dog".Recognition of Liverpool's role in the Sixtie's soul scene is long overdue - we had numerous other clubs throughout that era all playing r+b,soul,ska,or a combination of all genres.......The Jacaranda,Blue?,spring to mind,no doubt others with better-preserved memories can add to those names.The unfortunately-named Hotsy Totsy opened late 1970,and I djd there till 1975 - I used to go down to Record Corner in Balham every other Saturday morning (when Everton were not at home...) to check out their latest imports,and once was allowed into their basement,which was wall to wall imports....one shudders to think what was in there......anyway,great thread!!

[Davebanks]

Great to see a mention of Liverpool finally on this thread,and Billy Butler getting some recognition.His sessions at the Mardi Gras were fabulous,and of course he djd at the Cavern too.....first record I heard him play there was Bill Deal "I've been hurt" (import).The Mardi also had some excellent live acts,plus the resident The Fix (lead singer Colin Aryeety I think),who's warm-up intro was the Markeys "Philly Dog".Recognition of Liverpool's role in the Sixtie's soul scene is long overdue - we had numerous other clubs throughout that era all playing r+b,soul,ska,or a combination of all genres.......The Jacaranda,Blue?,spring to mind,no doubt others with better-preserved memories can add to those names.The unfortunately-named Hotsy Totsy opened late 1970,and I djd there till 1975 - I used to go down to Record Corner in Balham every other Saturday morning (when Everton were not at home...) to check out their latest imports,and once was allowed into their basement,which was wall to wall imports....one shudders to think what was in there......anyway,great thread!!

Hi bluesoulman, I remember the Hotsy Totsy, my wife and I used to go there regular, by the old tunnel entrance up a side street wasnt it. Not the biggest club as I recall but you did play some good soul sounds especially "early doors"

I also remember the cavern playing some good stuff in the early 70`s.

Billy Butler is of course a legend on Merseyside for his Hold yer Plums radio show. The funniest show ever on radio. And if some of you reading this have never heard it and think that is an exaggeration have a listen to some clips on youtube especially the potato woman.

Dave Banks

[Pete S]

The Mojo started around 64 after Pete Stringfellow had made some money putting a Beatles concert on in Sheffield. Most UK clubs back then were blues clubs (UK groups on mainly), so in the early days here (as at the Wheel) you got blues acts & records played. The mods started taking over & the sounds changed quickly to soul & ska. By 1965/66 it was a pure soul club (though some acts were still beat groups & future reggae guys -- Zoot Money, Jimmy Cliff, etc.).

The normal sessions at the club (mid week) were more poppy but the niters were 100% soul & ska (with great US live acts).

By 1967, the scene was progressing from the mod era & Stringfellow experimented with acts such as Jimi Hendrix & ex soul groups like Alan Bown, etc. --- but rock groups such as the Nice had just a few weeks earlier been backing bands for the likes of P P Arnold).

The clubs decor was changed from mod to gangster to flower power theme (this last change coming in early / mid 67) and some non soul / ska stuff was played ("My Girl The Month of May"). However, mostly, the music & live acts were still soul.

Acts on in last few weeks before club closed were Fantastics (who Stringfellow managed for a while), Drifters, Jimmy Cliff, Garnett Mimms, Stevie Wonder, etc.

Last niter held on Sat 30th Sept & last session on Sunday 8th Oct 67 (alldayer with Stevie Wonder).

Stringfellow always helped out the local students (the art students would decorate the club for him for beer & a few free nites at the place) and so live tracks were cut at the club in 64 / 65 / 67 (??) and student rag 45's put out locally.

I have the 'last' Mojo cut EP which featured a local black group & (the also local) Joe Cocker. Cocker did a resonable version of an Impressions song ("I've Been Trying" I think).

Council closed club down (by refusing it a license) on Tuesday 10th Oct 67.

One of those Sheffield University rag singles features a version of Earl Van Dyke's "All For You". Or I might have dreamed that.

[Denbo]

Great to see a mention of Liverpool finally on this thread,and Billy Butler getting some recognition.His sessions at the Mardi Gras were fabulous,and of course he djd at the Cavern too.....first record I heard him play there was Bill Deal "I've been hurt" (import).The Mardi also had some excellent live acts,plus the resident The Fix (lead singer Colin Aryeety I think),who's warm-up intro was the Markeys "Philly Dog".Recognition of Liverpool's role in the Sixtie's soul scene is long overdue - we had numerous other clubs throughout that era all playing r+b,soul,ska,or a combination of all genres.......The Jacaranda,Blue?,spring to mind,no doubt others with better-preserved memories can add to those names.The unfortunately-named Hotsy Totsy opened late 1970,and I djd there till 1975 - I used to go down to Record Corner in Balham every other Saturday morning (when Everton were not at home...) to check out their latest imports,and once was allowed into their basement,which was wall to wall imports....one shudders to think what was in there......anyway,great thread!!

There were other clubs in Liverpool playing early 60s Soul music, some putting on Live Soul acts, as well as The Mardi Gras, Cavern Club, The Victoriana, Hotsy Tosy's, etc, like The Iron Door, The Sink, The All Fours (best draught Double Diamond in Liverpool at the time), Reeces, Ugly's, The Pyramid, Pink Parrot, Cabin Club (still going to this day and still owned by the same family as when it opened back in the very late 50s / very early 60s) The Babaloo, plus a few others I can't think of right now. Then in the very early 70s there was Livingstones, which had from day one, an 'open decks' policy to encourage 'collectors' to come out and 'air' their records to a very enthusiastic audience. Met my best mate and eventual Best Man there, Frank Jackson R.I.P.

Edited November 26, 2012 by denbo

[bluesoulman]

Hi bluesoulman, I remember the Hotsy Totsy, my wife and I used to go there regular, by the old tunnel entrance up a side street wasnt it. Not the biggest club as I recall but you did play some good soul sounds especially "early doors"

I also remember the cavern playing some good stuff in the early 70`s.

Billy Butler is of course a legend on Merseyside for his Hold yer Plums radio show. The funniest show ever on radio. And if some of you reading this have never heard it and think that is an exaggeration have a listen to some clips on youtube especially the potato woman.

Dave Banks

Hi Dave,indeed it was ,North Street,and yes early doors was the time for the newly-acquired imports,although I did manage to slot in some stuff later on that eventually got released and into the charts months later,including a certain Freda Payne record that I could have sold 100 times over,such was the demand before it was released....even the Tate and Lyle girls loved it......met my wife Pat there too,although she swears that for several months she thought the music was from tapes.Do you remember the Victoriana,saw several soul acts there,including Ben E. King,and Russ Winstanley did a few spots there.

[bluesoulman]

There were other clubs in Liverpool as well as The Mardi Gras, Cavern Club, The Victoriana, Hotsy Tosy's, etc, like The Iron Door, The Sink, The All Fours (best draught Double Diamond in Liverpool at the time), Reeces, Ugly's, The Pyramid, Pink Parrot, Cabin Club (still going to this day and still owned by the same family as when it opened back in the very late 50s / very early 60s) The Babaloo, plus a few others I can't think of right now. Then in the very early 70s there was Livingstones, which had from day one, an 'open decks' policy to encourage 'collectors' to come out and 'air' their records to a very enthusiastic audience. Met my best mate and eventual Best Man there, Frank Jackson R.I.P.

There were other clubs in Liverpool as well as The Mardi Gras, Cavern Club, The Victoriana, Hotsy Tosy's, etc, like The Iron Door, The Sink, The All Fours (best draught Double Diamond in Liverpool at the time), Reeces, Ugly's, The Pyramid, Pink Parrot, Cabin Club (still going to this day and still owned by the same family as when it opened back in the very late 50s / very early 60s) The Babaloo, plus a few others I can't think of right now. Then in the very early 70s there was Livingstones, which had from day one, an 'open decks' policy to encourage 'collectors' to come out and 'air' their records to a very enthusiastic audience. Met my best mate and eventual Best Man there, Frank Jackson R.I.P.

My brother-n-law Colin djd at quite a few of those you mention,plus one not included in your excellent listing,the Knightsbridge - lost his sizeable collection of TMG demos when it burnt down......

[Denbo]

My brother-n-law Colin djd at quite a few of those you mention,plus one not included in your excellent listing,the Knightsbridge - lost his sizeable collection of TMG demos when it burnt down......

Aah yes, The Knightsbridge.

Very sad news about the TMG Demos.

[Davebanks]

Hi Dave,indeed it was ,North Street,and yes early doors was the time for the newly-acquired imports,although I did manage to slot in some stuff later on that eventually got released and into the charts months later,including a certain Freda Payne record that I could have sold 100 times over,such was the demand before it was released....even the Tate and Lyle girls loved it......met my wife Pat there too,although she swears that for several months she thought the music was from tapes.Do you remember the Victoriana,saw several soul acts there,including Ben E. King,and Russ Winstanley did a few spots there.

Went to the victoriana a few times, saw the Showstoppers there and acquired an autographed "eeny meeny" on MGM from their manager. not much of a claim to fame sadly!!! Now if I`d known about the four perfections then, it would have been a different story.

When I was at Liverpool Uni I did manage to book the Victoriana house band to play at a student do. It was free booze and food and we had booked the band to back 10 strippers, as you do!

As you might imagine cant remember much about the night other than it ended in a riot with dustbin lids being used as shields against the flying glasses!

I know I know sexist and shameful, but its what you go to uni for isn't it?

Dave Banks

[Denbo]

Then there was the time when I went to see Lee Dorsey at the Liverpool Ice Rink. We were all bopping away on the ice wearing skating boots. Then, during the interval, the show was in two parts, or we managed to hang around for the second show, I can’t remember which, I was standing at the bar, having a drink and chatting with Lee Dorsey, towering over him, as he was only a short guy to start with and I was still wearing my skating boots. It was weird, there I was, looking down at this guy I idolised, looking up at me like he was a midget, chatting away together like we were in some local pub discussing the days football results.

[Guest brummiemick]

Ady

Not strictly "soul" but think you might find this Brummie story I found of interest.....

https://www.retrowow.co.uk/retro_britain/town_centres/birmingham_60s.html

"We have just had the 2nd reunion bash after 45 years since the Whiskey a go go closed,Please enjoy my recollections of what was probably the 1st great "All night blues club in the UK"

The 60's in Brum were the best for live Mod bands, specially at The Whiskey a Go Go above Chetwyns on the corner of John Bright Street and Hill Street. The whiskey was unique in the fact that not only did the local bands King Bee's, Modonaires, Jugs O'Henry,Graham Bond, Moody Blues, Denny Lane, Spencer Davis play there, but also people from the states. "Motown" & "R&B" greats like Sonny Boy Williamson & Ike and Tina Turner sang there. All nighters on Fridays till 8am Saturday mornings and again on Saturday nights till Sunday morning. The owners Chris & Steve Healey were two great guys who were there to welcome us all every night the Whiskey was open. They both wore natty striped jackets as I recall. A great guy named Ronnie Whichello ran the club as the manager, DJ, sweeper uper, toilet cleaner and booked all the blues and stax bands from the UK and USA and gave The Spencer Davis band their first gig.

remember Georgie Fame playing virtually all night. They couldn't get him off the small stage until he collapsed with exhaustion, or lack of stimulation's.

Great Brummie characters of the time also frequented The Whiskey; Sean Mahoney, Billy Sutton, Billy & Dodger Thompson (rip), Colin Mythan (rip), Noel Barnes, Chris and Gary Burgess, Jock Ellis, Duffy, Bugsy, Chris Wolsey, Mushy Moriearty, Kenny Frazer, Rob Marsh, Popeye, Dicky Martin, Bobby Summers, Henry O'Neil, Eddy The Jew, Jonnie Hutton, Percy McIver, Tony Parker, Tony Baker, Jim Cheesby, Kenny Bull, Dorian Walford. Black H (rip) and Spencer, who were both 60's & 70's local Brummie DJ's with Caribbean and soul backgrounds learnt their trade at the Whisky.

The place buzzed for three years until it changed hands and became the Marquee in 1968. And the chicks that went there were out of this world. One group were called "The Magnificent Ten" which included Esther, Cherrie, Lela, Betty & Jean Smart, Pat Smith, The O'Brian Sisters, Linda Walton, Oriel Teeger & Heather. Other male groups of people were nick named "The Martini Set", "The T-set" and the "Coca Cola Boy's". It was cult and leading edge for urban 60's live Motown & blues band music, dance styles and fashions emanated from the "Whisky".

They used to pack in nearly 250 townies and mods onto both floors in those days with no fire escapes only a small front door with narrow wooden steps up to the 1st and 2nd floor's. Live bands on the 1st floor and DJ's on the top floor. Many dudes where "knocked back" at the door if you weren't part of the crowd, as they could not get everybody in the gaff.

People would fall asleep on the wooden floor after they tired from dancing at about 5pm, but the bands and DJ's played on till about 8am. the following morning. Money and stuff all over the floor, came out of peoples pockets, it was like an "Aladdin's Den"

Do you remember that the phrase 'Nice One' which spread all over the country came from the Whiskey? There was a west Indian guy of about 40 (seemed really old then) who used to come up and dance on his own. After each record he would shout 'Nice One' which was soon picked up and used by all. Can't remember his name.

After we crashed out again in the mornings at the KD (Kardoma) coffee bar in New Street, we went on to the West End Dance Hall Saturday afternoon dance. We then had the energy to go to the "All Nighters" at the Town Hall. Spencer Davis with Steve Winwood were classic, along with the other Blues bands of the time. The Whiskey attracted people from all over the midlands, including Coventry and London scene, to dance and hear live music of the era, that was very ahead of pop culture in England at that time! If the Town Hall gigs weren't on, we used to go to "The Twisted Wheel" in Manchester that also played Motown & Blues".

In the summer of 1966 & 1967 you would find most of the guy's and girls of the Brum scene in Margate our favorite haunt on Bank Holidays, the centre of Birmingham used to be empty. it was a mad exodus by scooters, cars, thrumming and by train, jumped of coarse! We used to get of the train too Watford, where the local geezer Phil Manall used to offer us shelter and food after he took us to the local clubs and the "Milk Bar" in Watford High St. Sometimes we would go to the "East End" where another cockney dude Barry Lane looked after us in transit to Margate. Barry Lane also came up to Birmingham and came with us to Jersey in 1968, we made him an honoree Brummie.

In 1968 after the Whisky days ended we mostly took of and all worked the season in Jersey, well that's another story for another day.

Other live Mod band venues we frequented where the "Lafayette" and "The Connaught Suite" in Wolverhampton with Brian & Judy Franklin, the local leader Aggie and his mates.

The Matrix Club, Fortythievs & The Leofric hotel, in Coventry were other great venues where we mixed with the Cov crowd of Terry Green, Terry Shone, Tony Rieley, Paul Gardiner, Paddy McGurk, Guy Marshall ,Freddy McFarland, Rodney Joyce, Jim Snow, Ernie Clark, Wally Parker (rip), Frank Guin, Owen Ferry, Ernie Sower, Tilley /graham Rutherford, Con McGrogan, Dave & Mickey Snape, Brian Fanning (rip) and many more that also joined us at the Whisky agogo and in 1968 in Jersey.

We had our 1st Whiskey reunion in 2007 at Solihull Arden Tennis Club. Organized by Chris & Viv Wolsey and Bobby Summers, 150 original people including the Whiskey owner Steve Healey attended.

The reunion was DJ'ed by the refreshingly knowledgeable Mike Hollis of "Smooth Radio", 40 years after the Whiskey a Go Go closed in 1967. Nobody was knocked back at this gig though!! People came from as far away as Norway, France and all over the U.K. to meet each other again for the first time in all those years. It was a great nostalgic and emotional night . We intend to do it again in 10 years, God willing!!" BobbyS 10/06/2012

[Funky 4 Corners]

Some great memories on here especially from the West Riding area. Of places not mentioned there was the Place in Wakefield, Earlsheaton YC near Dewsbury, the New Marquee in Leeds, the Hub Barnsley and the Intro, at Morley Town Hall. What were mainstays of Soul however were the various Mecca Locarno's all over the place, Wakefield, New Mecca and Spinning Disc, Leeds. Was the Silver Blades in Bradford a Mecca?

[Julianb]

Some great memories on here especially from the West Riding area. Of places not mentioned there was the Place in Wakefield, Earlsheaton YC near Dewsbury, the New Marquee in Leeds, the Hub Barnsley and the Intro, at Morley Town Hall. What were mainstays of Soul however were the various Mecca Locarno's all over the place, Wakefield, New Mecca and Spinning Disc, Leeds. Was the Silver Blades in Bradford a Mecca?

Tony Banks used to DJ at Earlheaton Youth Club when I went there in '66 and '67. Good times were had at Morley Town Hall where Geno Washington and the Ram Jam band seemed to be on every other week!!!

[Monkey]

Some great memories on here especially from the West Riding area. Of places not mentioned there was the Place in Wakefield, Earlsheaton YC near Dewsbury, the New Marquee in Leeds, the Hub Barnsley and the Intro, at Morley Town Hall. What were mainstays of Soul however were the various Mecca Locarno's all over the place, Wakefield, New Mecca and Spinning Disc, Leeds. Was the Silver Blades in Bradford a Mecca?

Silver Blades may have been originally a Mecca owned ice rink with a club above the rink, but the main "Mecca" club was in Manningham Lane, featuring in the film Billy Liar, ironically the same film also shows Silver Blades under construction.

The club above Silver Blades was 'Anabellas' and had a popular northern night in the mid 70s around 1975 so not 60s as far as I know.

[Petedillon]

Some great memories on here especially from the West Riding area. Of places not mentioned there was the Place in Wakefield, Earlsheaton YC near Dewsbury, the New Marquee in Leeds, the Hub Barnsley and the Intro, at Morley Town Hall. What were mainstays of Soul however were the various Mecca Locarno's all over the place, Wakefield, New Mecca and Spinning Disc, Leeds. Was the Silver Blades in Bradford a Mecca?

see my earlier post on this thread Keith regarding the New Marquee..a short-lived but fondly remembered place which not too many went to

[Roburt]

For anyone interested in reading a bit more bout Sheffield's King Mojo club ...........

https://www.burngreav...king-mojo-club/

The 'local' black group who are pictured in the above (the Pitiful Souls) were the outfit who cut a track at the Mojo ("Never Like This Before") that went on the Sheffield Rag EP I made mention of earlier.

Edited December 7, 2012 by Roburt

[Roburt]

........ MISSED THIS EVENT HELD LAST YEAR .......... coz I'm darnsouv now I guess & didn't know bout it ....

Nightclub Impresario Peter Stringfellow, Singing Star Dave Berry And Guitar Legend Frank White Are All Set To Take To The Stage To Mark The Launch Of A New Book, Neil Anderson’s ‘Dirty Stop Out’s Guide To 1960s Sheffield’.

The Event, Which Is Held On Wednesday, November 23, 2011 is Set To Re-Create Peter Stringfellow’s Iconic King Mojo Club That Ran In The City From 1964 To 1967.

Playing Centre-Stage Will Be Frank White’s Son, Joel, And His Band The Esquire. Star Guests Are Set To Include Frank White And Dave Berry.

There’ll Be Joined By Stevlor & The Spinning Orphans Playing Full King Mojo DJ Sets, A Question And Answer Session With Peter Stringfellow, The Return Of The Leadmill’s Popular ‘Beat Club’, And Stage Dressed By The City’s Own Okeh Cafe.

Former King Mojo-Goer Dave Manvell, Who Has Co-Written Some Of ‘Dirty Stop Out’s Guide To 1960s Sheffield’ As Well As The ‘Memories Of Sheffield’s King Mojo Club’ Book That Was Published In 2003, Is Working On The Event’s Organisation And Re-Creating The Famous King Mojo Sign.

Compare For The Night Will Be Author/Musician John Firminger.

Neil Anderson Said: “To Get Such An Iconic Line-Up On The Same Stage For One Night Is Truly Fantastic — It’s Going To Be A Great Night. So Many People Have Put So Much Time And Effort Into Making This Night Happen And It’s Shaping Up Better Than Any Of Us Could Ever Have Imagined.”

All Profits From The Launch Night Will Go To The ‘Sheffield Blitz Memorial Fund’.

Tickets For The King Mojo Are £10 In Advance And Available From The Leadmill Box Office, Sheffield Arena, Sheffield City Hall, Okeh Cafe And Other Outlets. Credit Card Bookings: 0114 221 2828. The Events Starts At 8pm.

The book that was launched (available from Amazon) -- ‘Dirty Stop Out’s Guide To 1960s Sheffield’ -- looks interesting for the likes of me that was around back then. Just ordered a copy.

[Roburt]

...... EXTRACT from the book ‘Dirty Stop Out’s Guide To 1960s Sheffield .........

........... The event the Black Cat Club will always be remembered for will be a sell-out show by The Beatles that ended up being moved to a bigger venue in Gleadless due to unprecedented ticket demand and near riots.

Geoff and Peter Stringfellow’s next outing was their Blue Moon Club regular Sunday night sessions. They took place in an old church school turned warehouse on Johnson Street. It opened in May 1963. The brothers were soon earning a reputation for their uncanny ability to book bands just as they hit the big time. They didn’t do it better than The Kinks who performed at the Blue Moon Club on September 20, 1964, just as they were riding high in the charts with ‘You Really Got Me’.

Dave Manvell: “The club will always be remembered for the famous collapsing floor incident when Peter couldn’t understand why all the small people were stood in the middle of the club!”

The brothers also promoted shows at Sheffield City Hall and were managing acts like The Sheffields.

The club they were undoubtedly most famous for was King Mojo which opened in the former Dey’s Ballroom which then sat on the junction of Burngreave Road and Barnsley Road in Pitsmoor. The brothers rented it for £30 a week from local businessman Ruben Wallis who gave them his blessing with one stipulation — they kept the pictures of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh hanging on the wall. The venue made waves immediately and they’d got over 800 members within eight weeks of opening who couldn’t wait to sample King Mojo’s (it originally opened as the Mojo) alcohol-free environment. Though it was a massive hit it totally divided opinion — you were either into the Stringfellow scheme of things or you weren’t.

Fashion, as far as King Mojo was concerned, was as important as the music. Peter Stringfellow said at the time:“Eventually, I’d like to open every night if there’s the demand. On Saturday night we can draw a crowd of 600 — and if we were allowed we could have more than 1,000 for Long John Baldry. We aim to bring all the top class R&B stars to Sheffield. I think the kids are willing to pay for them.”

By the end of April 1964 — two month into the life of King Mojo — the brothers were running all three clubs and Peter Stringfellow was also being tipped as a possible Radio Luxembourg DJ. Whilst Terry Thornton sometimes seemed one step removed from the media, Peter Stringfellow courted the media from the early days and was never out of the press.

As the music scene diversified to include London’s thriving R&B movement and then soul in the latter part of the era, the Mojo truly found its calling and started landing gigs by bands that were set to spawn global stars that are still as big today. They included six visits by John Mayall alongside the likes of Eric Clapton and Peter Green; Graham Bond Organisation (with Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Dick Heckstall-Smith and Diane Stewart) and probably the first ‘supergroup’ of the era Steam Packet (with Long John Baldry, Brian Auger, Vic Briggs, Richard Brown, Julie Driscoll, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Mickey Waller and Rod Stewart).

The list of artists that graced the King Mojo stage in Pitsmoor is formidable by anyone’s standards. They also included: The Yardbirds, Manfred Mann, Isley Brothers, The Who, John Lee Hooker, The Hollies, Wilson Pickett, The Drifters, Jimi Hendrix, Ike and Tina Turner, Edwin Starr, Geno Washington, The Troggs, The Animals, The Spencer Davis Group, the Small Faces, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd and scores more.

As styles changed so did the interior design of the club with management always looking at ways to lead the scene and keep one step ahead of the Esquire. The club regularly developed fashions all of its own.

A fashion with the girls at the club in 1966 was to wear 'lookalikes' to the chiffon dresses that US girl groups were wearing back then. But money was tight, so they bought short chiffon like nighties & wore those. As they were see-through the wife's mother lined hers before she was allowed 'out' in it. Stringers used to encourage the best looking young ladies in the club to dance on one of the barrels placed by the stage.

Us lads used to pay close attention when a lass in a nightie was dancing up on a barrel (purely to ensure they were good dancers !!!).

............. Good times !!!! see piccy of 2 ladies by the barrels in the club ......

Edited December 7, 2012 by Roburt

[Roburt]

An 'outside' Mojo show after the club was closed .............

[Roburt]

A Mojo montage ..................

[Roburt]

Local students painted Murials on the wall at the club.

Regular changes were made to help keep the club looking 'in fashion' ........

... a guy captured the then fascination with US gangsters (the Untouchables TV show) & Bluebeat in this mural ......

[Roburt]

The 'initial' last allniter (April 67) @ the Mojo

..... TEXT .....

And so it came to pass, the great and famous King Mojo All-Nighters had to stop!

A wailing and crying as never heard before over took Britain's Mod Populous

And at the last one, Saturday XV April MCMLXVII

multitudes of all creeds gathered (except the dreaded greasers) and paid homage.

And from in their midst came the great Prophet:

... Geno Washington & His Ram Jam Followers

Edited December 7, 2012 by Roburt

[nsoul2]

Spinning off from the suedehead thread.

I think the Old Soul scene that existed before the term Northern Soul was coined was exactly that scene, it was not a pre-cursor, it just happened that it didn't have the name the scene is known for.

Looking at it nationally apart from the Wheel and the Northants/Beds scene which was running parallel with it, what other areas had established clubs and crowds that would play old mid 60s soul sounds? I'm sure there were clubs around Yorks and Lancs and there was the Blue Orchid in Derby, but I nebver heard of a scene in Leicester despite Jeff King's market stall and Batman, I think those lads hung out at the Wheel.

Were there any nighters around Stoke pre-Torch or in Nottingham? Any in the West Midlands? The Saints & Sinners one was overwhelmingly full of the Northants crowd so that really can't be included as part of the Birmingham scene.

I'm guessing that several towns would have a few soulies but that there were hardly any nighters and if you put one on anywhere in the country people would find their way there. When there wasn't one on one weekend the Northants lot went down to Soho to an all night gay cafe called the Ledouce(?) for the want of somewhere to take gear and listen to the sounds.

The club was La Duce in D'Arbley Street,off Poland Street opened in 1964. It is sometimes referred to as the gay version of The Scene Club, although the crowd was not exclusively gay.. The music was on a juke box and all soul and ska and bluebeat to. and unlicenced as far as i can remember.It carried on into the later sixties

You still got guys in smart 3 button suits down there at that time. It attracted a gay skin crowd but after it closed , they moved to the Dorian Club in Chelsea. at the far end of the Kings Road.

I remember hearing the Temptations Cloud 9 down at the Dorian for the first time I'm sure that they. had a dj rather a juke box but it was all soul and reggae .Also bumping into the girlfriend of a guy I worked with , who happened to be with her girl friend that night.

[Roburt]

Getting a bit 'off topic' now .......... but Pete Stringfellow (Mojo supremo) managed a few locally based groups.

He had a strong liking for US soul singers; Edwin Starr would sleep on the floor in Pete's mother's house in Sheffield after allnighter gigs at the Mojo.

Later, Pete would manage the Fabulous Temptations / Fantastics when they decided to settle in the UK (no doubt that's one of the reasons why Richie Pitts has always lived in Sheffield & another member in the Leeds area).

BUT Pete also managed an earlier outfit ....... Sheffield beat group the Sheffields.

This group had grown out of the Vampires and went on to become Frankenstein & The Monsters (a Screaming Lord Sutch copycat group). R&B playing group the Vampires had backed Little Walter and Memphis Slim on their 1964 British tours.

The Sheffields also backed up Ray Stuart at one time (Ray Stuart aka 'Frankenstein of F & the Monsters). Another one of 'the Monsters' was Royce Francis who had been in the Upsetters who had played gigs across Europe with Pete Lancaster.

The Sheffields' recordings are (I believe --- no doubt Pete S will know lots more about their 45's) well respected with 'beat group' fans.

Pete Lancaster + the Upsetters were also into soul .......

[Roburt]

Didn't go to the Broken Wheel and didn't realise that it was already up & running as early as 1968.

............. LIVE ACTS at the club in 1968 ............

MAY 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel - Pineapple Accident (11th), Alan Bown (19th)

June 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel - Pesky Gee (8th), Breakthru (22nd), Jo Jo Gunne (29th)

October 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel - Pesky Gee (19th), The Hush (26th)

November 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel Scene - The Symbols (30th)

Not too many soul groups among the above; when did the place go 'soul' (Alan Bown had gone all 'Toyland' about a year before they played the club) ??

By all accounts, local poet Max Blagg was a regular at the Broken Wheel in 68; he ended up in the US and got quite famous.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Roburt

[macca]

Bloody brilliant thread guys. Keep it going.

The King Mojo's passing sounds as if it was

just as traumatic as Wigan's was to a later generation.

RESPECT to you all.

Mac

p.s. Krissi, I think, mentioned Plebians Halifax earlier on in the thread. There's some fantastic footage of the place on Youtube, with dancers grooving in a decidedly non NS fashion at a Root & Jenny Jackon show. Just search The Impressions 'Can't Satisfy'.

[Ady Croasdell]

Didn't go to the Broken Wheel and didn't realise that it was already up & running as early as 1968.

............. LIVE ACTS at the club in 1968 ............

MAY 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel - Pineapple Accident (11th), Alan Bown (19th)

June 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel - Pesky Gee (8th), Breakthru (22nd), Jo Jo Gunne (29th)

October 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel - Pesky Gee (19th), The Hush (26th)

November 68 -- Retford, Broken Wheel Scene - The Symbols (30th)

Not too many soul groups among the above; when did the place go 'soul' (Alan Bown had gone all 'Toyland' about a year before they played the club) ??

By all accounts, local poet Max Blagg was a regular at the Broken Wheel in 68; he ended up in the US and got quite famous.

Pesky Gee were primarily a soul act when I saw them John. Was it them or Ferris Wheel who had two of the fittest birds in the world ever?

It's all very interesting but the thread was meant to be about Old Soul clubs later to be Northern Soul clubs, not old soul clubs!

[Ady Croasdell]

There, I changed the thread title. It's my ball and you lot can't play.

Fancy not knowing the difference between Old Soul and old soul; some people

[Roburt]

Pesky Gee were primarily a soul act when I saw them John. Was it them or Ferris Wheel who had two of the fittest birds in the world ever?

It's all very interesting but the thread was meant to be about Old Soul clubs later to be Northern Soul clubs, not old soul clubs!

Ady, I know Pesky Gee were a soul group (saw them @ the Nite Owl) which is why I said 'not too many soul groups' on at the Broken Wheel.

.... & ... the Broken Wheel did play 'Old Soul' and then become an early NS club (at least as I understand matters).

I believe that when I saw Pesky Gee, they were an all male group backing up visiting US soul singers .... Diane Ferraz (aka Linda Lewis) led Ferris Wheel (she looked well fit to this 17 year old soulie back in 67).

Anyway, I'm an OLD SOUL that's always loved 'Old Soul' and never really cottoned onto what NS was, so I'm excused. Cuts I've never understood are 'Northern' tracks (i.e. out & out pop stuff played on the scene).

Edited December 11, 2012 by Roburt

[Bazza]

Getting a bit 'off topic' now .......... but Pete Stringfellow (Mojo supremo) managed a few locally based groups.

He had a strong liking for US soul singers; Edwin Starr would sleep on the floor in Pete's mother's house in Sheffield after allnighter gigs at the Mojo.

Later, Pete would manage the Fabulous Temptations / Fantastics when they decided to settle in the UK (no doubt that's one of the reasons why Richie Pitts has always lived in Sheffield & another member in the Leeds area).

BUT Pete also managed an earlier outfit ....... Sheffield beat group the Sheffields.

This group had grown out of the Vampires and went on to become Frankenstein & The Monsters (a Screaming Lord Sutch copycat group). R&B playing group the Vampires had backed Little Walter and Memphis Slim on their 1964 British tours.

The Sheffields also backed up Ray Stuart at one time (Ray Stuart aka 'Frankenstein of F & the Monsters). Another one of 'the Monsters' was Royce Francis who had been in the Upsetters who had played gigs across Europe with Pete Lancaster.

The Sheffields' recordings are (I believe --- no doubt Pete S will know lots more about their 45's) well respected with 'beat group' fans.

Pete Lancaster + the Upsetters were also into soul .......

Great tune and video ,thanks for that

Bazza

[Roburt]

Great tune and video ,thanks for that

Bazza

OF COURSE ........ it's a cover of the Solomon Burke biggie (a 100 Club classic from way back).

[Pete S]

Ady, I know Pesky Gee were a soul group (saw them @ the Nite Owl) which is why I said 'not too many soul groups' on at the Broken Wheel.

.... & ... the Broken Wheel did play 'Old Soul' and then become an early NS club (at least as I understand matters).

I believe that when I saw Pesky Gee, they were an all male group backing up visiting US soul singers .... Diane Ferraz (aka Linda Lewis) led Ferris Wheel (she looked well fit to this 17 year old soulie back in 67).

Roburt, Diane Ferraz is not AKA Linda lewis, two different people, Linda replaced her in Ferris Wheel after Marsha Hunt had a short spell with them, after her solo contract with Polydor expired.

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Funky 4 Corners]

Edited December 13, 2012 by Keith Rylatt

[Funky 4 Corners]

Edited December 13, 2012 by Keith Rylatt

[Funky 4 Corners]

Edited December 13, 2012 by Keith Rylatt

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Funky 4 Corners]

[Petedillon]

Brilliant to see those cards again Keith..had another search but definitely lost my keyhole card..found this little lot though..your New Marquee card is very different to mine.

Edited December 13, 2012 by PeteDillon

[Roburt]

Missed those gigs at Castleford's Tin Chicken Club as by 1968 (when they were staged), I was no longer visiting Yorkshire based niters but was a regular at the Wheel.

All the groups on live (see post # 94) were fakes ......... the Isley Brothers (from Detroit it said, even though even the real Isley's were from New York -- this lot were Sam, Erv & Tom aka the Diplomats also from NY), the Impressions (from New York it said even though Curtis & the lads were from Chicago -- this lot were the Topics I believe), the Drifters (from Memphis ??? -- really the Invitations) and the Fantastics (just renamed by Pete Stringfellow from the Fabulous Temptations).

Most of the groups that were fetched over as 'fakes' were NY based outfits as it was cheaper / easier to fly them over here from the Big Apple.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Roburt

[Funky 4 Corners]

Brilliant to see those cards again Keith..had another search but definitely lost my keyhole card..found this little lot though..your New Marquee card is very different to mine.

I always thought that the Intime was for the older (20/21) crowd. Did they play Soul? Did it have an oddly designed door?

[Roburt]

Can't remember going to Wakefield Tiffanys but I did go to the proposed Prince Buster gig hosted at Wakefield Locarno on Friday 19th May, 1967.

Prince Buster played a 17 date British tour through April into May 1967 (venues including Reading College of Technology, the Ritz Ballroom Swansea, as well as gigs in Birmingham, Nottingham, Oldham, Stockport, Stafford + the Brixton ‘Ram Jam’ Club and a ‘Ready Steady Go’ slot). He was due to perform at Wakefield Locarno that Friday but failed to turn up. We went along (well I had to as I was working in Wakefield at the time -- for WRCC Highway's Design Dept. Had been working at the M1 site office on Denby Dale Rd, Durkar till end of March 67) but was pissed off when he never turned up. Waited till the end just in case, left so late we had to hitch home to Dony.

A show I did really enjoy back then was the Four Tops (+ Madeline Bell as a support act) at Sheffield City Hall on Thursday 2nd February 67.

Edited December 13, 2012 by Roburt

[Roburt]

The Spinning Disc, Leeds .........

.. when did Jimmy Saville stop being the manager of this venue (pre-Spinning Disc days I believe) .....