Chris Plant

[Chalky]

Anyone got a contact email address for him?

Anyone remember what he was spinning in his sets early 80's at Stafford?

[Agentsmith]

thats a name to conjure with bro, goes back a long way. cant account for totw but remember him djing loads of places in the west mids mid 70's onwards, think his parents must have been a bit well off because he always seemed to have the top tunes, no disrespect though and it obviously got him where he needed to be...stafford must have been the pinnacle for him and he would have been in his element. i suppose "lady in green" has to be amongst his big plays.

Edited February 21, 2013 by AGENTSMITH

[Monkey]

Chris bought 'Lady in Green' from Gary (Rushbrooke) driving over to his house immediately Gary decided to quit just to secure it. Chris was an unsung hero in many ways, Eric Mercury, Ramona Collins etc.

[Steve G]

yes Chalky he had all the then biggies Al; Williams on Palmer, Frankie Beverley on Rouser, etc. Knew him from "The Fleet" which I was DJing at in the early 80s.

[TOAD]

ask HARPO (wolvo) we went for a pint with him a few years ago.

[Ted Massey]

Had an amazing collection Andy Spencer got alot of his best stuff including 6 top tunes for £650 which included Lady in Green, Jimmy Delphs Dancing a hole in the world etc.

[Guest MrC]

Royal Esquires and Greater Experience were two he always had in his box then as well.

He showed me that copy of Lady In Green just after he got it, told me it was for sale for £100 thinking I never had any money (was my favourite record at the time), when I produced my rent for the month, which just happened to be in the wifes bag, he had to admit he'd just bought it, and it wasn't for sale at all! At the Cleveland in Wolves that was.

His Mum and Dad were pretty well off, but Chris had a bloody good job and made a fair bit of money of his own!

Edited February 22, 2013 by MrC

[Rushden Vic]

At the time he was selling up he lived in a flat in Walsall , I went there one night on route to The old Vic at Wolverhampton , I bought Lester Tipton of him for £100 it was one of only a handfull of 45s he had left .Most of the stuff Andy Spencer bought he sold a short time later as I had Ramona collins , Yvonne vernee,Jimmy burns, Larry clinton from Andy which all came from Chris originally. Pretty sure the flat he was living in at the time was in some sort of industrial yard as i remember going up a exterior metal staircase to his flat ?? That would have been sometime around1984/85.

Tony Parker

Edited February 22, 2013 by midnight brew

[Chalky]

Thanks guys, ill probably see Harpo on Saturday so wil have a word.

Tony/Steve/George or anyone else, can you remember any tracks exclusive to Chris, ones he broke during the early 80's etc.

Heard al the stories about his amazing collection, and some of the prices some were sold for, wonder what it would fetch in today's market?

Cheers

[Reg Scott]

Add to the list Jimmy Wallace, Gene tooms,Jesse Davis(theres room for me)

Steve

With the Magnetics LIG these really sum up the predominant sound of the time - that were played in many venues - but now generally come under the umbrella of the 'Stafford TOTW Sound'

Must have been some collection..

[Guest MrC]

"I'm so Glad" always remember Chris ranting about that, can't remember anyone else playing it at the time, don't remember anyone else having 'aint gonna run' either, I'm sure they did, but they are records I always associate with Chris more than anyone, He did start playing 'Fortune Teller' out as well when no one else was.

[Chalky]

"I'm so Glad" always remember Chris ranting about that, can't remember anyone else playing it at the time, don't remember anyone else having 'aint gonna run' either, I'm sure they did, but they are records I always associate with Chris more than anyone, He did start playing 'Fortune Teller' out as well when no one else was.

Royal Esquires was Richard Searling and Gary Rushbrooke first wasn't it? Covered up as the Embers "Playing the part of a fool".

[TOAD]

dont think he ever broke records he just had quality 45s like marvelous ray whirlpool abner. Got a tape of his tunes will try and find it.

[Guest MrC]

I had that tape too Tim, it had Gene Toones, Greater Experience etc on it.

[Gene-r]

I remember Chris Plant's playlist published in Black Echoes in early 1983. From memory, amongst the 10 listed were:

Soulettes - Bring Your Fine Self Home

Vondells - Hey Girl You've Changed

Ramona Collins - You've Been Cheatin'

Spyder Turner & The Webs - No Time (John & The Weirdest - No Time)

Lenny Welch - Room For Me (Jesse Davis - There's Room For Me)

Sam Coltrane - Watch Out For The Heartaches (Little Charles & The Sidewinders - It's A Heartache)

Rock Candy - Makes Me Feel This Way (Main Change - Sunshine Is Her Way)

I wish I could remember the other three sounds he listed, but 30 years is a long time!

Edited February 22, 2013 by Gene-R

[Guest Sean Haydon]

Rover is the most likely person to have contact details for Chris. I'll ask him.

[Rushden Vic]

Cant remember being at Stafford when Chris djed there , but I know he had a Eric Mercury - Lonely Girl and was as far as I know the first copy found that was sometime around 1979 in philadelphia . When Rug Bowers , Keith (wilkie) Wilkinson and Steve (Kitty) wells ,discovered it , Kitty later traded it with Chris for a Del larks - Job opening . around 1980/81 so its possible that Chris played this first at Stafford, I wasnt going to Wigan in the later years so maybe someone like Searling played it before?

Edited February 22, 2013 by midnight brew

[Mick Holdsworth]

Anyone got a contact email address for him?

Anyone remember what he was spinning in his sets early 80's at Stafford?

Just PM'd you his email.

I can remember a lot of his stuff from that era, as we sort of bought / collected together.

I'm sure he never had "Royal Esquires" at the time, I know I wanted it badly, and I didn't succeed in my attempts to get it and would have remembered if he got it.

I remember he had 2 copies of Al Williams, both the Labeat issue varients, but Not Lester Tipton or Main Change either. (we would occasionally share records if either of us were DJ'ing somewhere and Main Change was definately one of those, Probably Lester Tipton too if he played it out in those days, but I can't remember lending him that specifically.

I know I lent Chris the second copy (at the time) of Larry Houston - spend some time. I got it back and then left it in my car during one of the hottest days in the summer. The result was inevitable.

Cheers

Mick

Edited February 22, 2013 by Mick Holdsworth

[Guest Sean Haydon]

Just called Rover, sorry he doesn't have contact for Chris.

[Guest MrC]

Just PM'd you his email.

I can remember a lot of his stuff from that era, as we sort of bought / collected together.

I'm sure he never had "Royal Esquires" at the time, I know I wanted it badly, and I didn't succeed in my attempts to get it and would have remembered if he got it.

I remember he had 2 copies of Al Williams, both the Labeat issue varients, but Not Lester Tipton or Main Change either. (we would occasionally share records if either of us were DJ'ing somewhere and Main Change was definately one of those, Probably Lester Tipton too if he played it out in those days, but I can't remember lending him that specifically.

I know I lent Chris the second copy (at the time) of Larry Houston - spend some time. I got it back and then left it in my car during one of the hottest days in the summer. The result was inevitable.

Cheers

Mick

He definitely had Royal Esquires at one point Mick, maybe it was borrowed? I was round his house with Rover 1st time he showed it to me. I remember it was you who actually told me what it was and what label it was on though!

Off on a tangent, but I'm sure Chris had a sister that was quite tasty.......

[Rushden Vic]

Just PM'd you his email.

I can remember a lot of his stuff from that era, as we sort of bought / collected together.

I'm sure he never had "Royal Esquires" at the time, I know I wanted it badly, and I didn't succeed in my attempts to get it and would have remembered if he got it.

I remember he had 2 copies of Al Williams, both the Labeat issue varients, but Not Lester Tipton or Main Change either. (we would occasionally share records if either of us were DJ'ing somewhere and Main Change was definately one of those, Probably Lester Tipton too if he played it out in those days, but I can't remember lending him that specifically.

I know I lent Chris the second copy (at the time) of Larry Houston - spend some time. I got it back and then left it in my car during one of the hottest days in the summer. The result was inevitable.

Cheers

Mick

Not sure what your saying here Mick as I bought Lester Tipton from Chris ,are you saying it was yours or that he didnt have it ?

[Pete S]

I know I lent Chris the second copy (at the time) of Larry Houston - spend some time. I got it back and then left it in my car during one of the hottest days in the summer. The result was inevitable.

Excellent work, Sun.

[Mick Holdsworth]

Not sure what your saying here Mick as I bought Lester Tipton from Chris ,are you saying it was yours or that he didnt have it ?

I meant he didn't have it, although it appears I'm probably wrong - I wonder if i sold it to him. ?

Can you remember when you got it from him. I had mine from Sam about the time of the Grapevine release, but sold it around 83. Could be Chris got one after me, or even mine.

Cheers

Mick

[Mick Holdsworth]

Excellent work, Sun.

Turned out to be easy to replace soon after, It was one of the records that John Anderson had loads of, although regretted the £50 I paid.

[Rushden Vic]

I meant he didn't have it, although it appears I'm probably wrong - I wonder if i sold it to him. ?

Can you remember when you got it from him. I had mine from Sam about the time of the Grapevine release, but sold it around 83. Could be Chris got one after me, or even mine.

Cheers

Mick

Pretty sure it was around 84ish , it was after Andy Spencer had bought most of his rarer items , but for some reason he still had the Lester Tipton and as i put in the earlier post went to his flat in Walsall, then on to the Old Vic. ita a long time ago but have a vivid memory of driving in to what looked like a lndustrial yard up some exterior metal stairs to his flat , he had a few albums Hesitations , Freddie Butler etc he was trying to sell as well but i left them .

atb

Tony Parker

Edited February 22, 2013 by midnight brew

[Guest nomad]

I lent a couple of sounds to Chris when I left these shores for a 3 year stint in Cyprus. He sold up while I was away and my sounds went with them

After 25 years of not seeing him I met him at the Cavendish anni and low and behold he handed me back a copy of one he had borrowed all those years ago.

Top guy but I want the others back now

[Mick Holdsworth]

He definitely had Royal Esquires at one point Mick, maybe it was borrowed? I was round his house with Rover 1st time he showed it to me. I remember it was you who actually told me what it was and what label it was on though!

Off on a tangent, but I'm sure Chris had a sister that was quite tasty.......

Will have to run that by him. It could be he picked it up after I lost interest about '83 or so. I tend to forget that Chris was still involved with big records for 12/18 months after I lost interest, so some of these things could have been at that time, 83/84 possibly 85, rather than the very early 80's which is the period I remember better.

Cheers

Mick

[Guest in town Mikey]

I may have got the wrong guy. Did he used to DJ at Hinkley too?

If so. He had stuff like Tony Galla - In Love. I think he did a few tapes of his top sounds and sold them for about £3. The track listing was on a pink card.

Apart from the stuff already mentioned I cant remember what else was on it. :-(

[Md Records]

I don't remember Chris Plant breaking any sounds himself, they were always someone else's spins first, but what he did play was top notch

[Pete S]

I don't remember Chris Plant breaking any sounds himself, they were always someone else's spins first, but what he did play was top notch

Makes me smile, in 1976 I remember doing a tape for myself and I had all the records on it, they were all big records at that time, MVP's, Pointer Sisters, Nate Evans etc, none had been pressed, couple of years went by, I lent the tape to a mate and he was with Chris Plant going to Wigan and they played the tape in the car, and he asks who did the tape and my mate tells him, and he says what a boring predictable bunch of pressings.

He wasn't even on the scene when I recorded that tape, last time I saw him I sold him bloomin' Samantha Jones on UK United Artists. He obviously progressed.

[Mick Holdsworth]

Pretty sure it was around 84ish , it was after Andy Spencer had bought most of his rarer items , but for some reason he still had the Lester Tipton and as i put in the earlier post went to his flat in Walsall in some sort of industrial yard up to his flat , then on to the Old Vic. ita a long time ago but have a vivid memory of driving in to what looked like a coal yard up some exterior metal stairs to his flat , he had a few albums Hesitations , Freddie Butler etc he was trying to sell as well but i left them .

Ah, that makes sense. I'd sold mine by early '83, so it could very well be the same copy. When I lost track of Chris, he was still living at his parents, i never went to his flat.

I really speak to him and I'll add that to my little list of things to ask, just under Royal Esquires. Last time I spoke to Chris was 2 years ago, just after Max died.

There's a few other records in previous posts that I have no knowledge of him owning. Frank B on Rouser is one. - He must have got it in 84 or later.

Cheers

Mick

[Chalky]

Thanks guys, been a big help.

[Guest nomad]

I went with him to John Manships because John had got hold af a rare one he wanted... Off we popped in his red mini cooper. He came back the proud owner of a Gwen Owens and I came back with a handfull of unknown modern.. Good times and great memories. He had some top sounds at that time and I still have some tapes he made for me somewhere. I must dig them out and see what is on them

[Gene-r]

Off on a tangent, but I'm sure Chris had a sister that was quite tasty.......

It was a Plant....................

[Guest nomad]

He definitely had Royal Esquires at one point Mick, maybe it was borrowed? I was round his house with Rover 1st time he showed it to me. I remember it was you who actually told me what it was and what label it was on though!

Off on a tangent, but I'm sure Chris had a sister that was quite tasty.......

Anything with a pulse would be tasty to you Mr C

[Guest MrC]

Anything with a pulse would be tasty to you Mr C

Cheers mate! Your mother in law loves me though!

[Andy Rix]

Cant remember being at Stafford when Chris djed there , but I know he had a Eric Mercury - Lonely Girl and was as far as I know the first copy found that was sometime around 1979 in philadelphia . When Rug Bowers , Keith (wilkie) Wilkinson and Steve (Kitty) wells ,discovered it , Kitty later traded it with Chris for a Del larks - Job opening . around 1980/81 so its possible that Chris played this first at Stafford, I wasnt going to Wigan in the later years so maybe someone like Searling played it before?

I had Eric Mercury in '81. Purchased from Mr Raistrick for £50 after I heard him play it ay an all-day event in Skegness at which I recall a 'fake' Marvelettes group performed. Dave had it covered as Roy Hamilton but I renamed it 'Don Gardner & The Chicago Hit Men'

Chris was at the Fleet the first time I played it and asked me a few times to sell it but I declined. I do recall a guy coming on the stage and telling me it was Eric Mercury cos he had found it in the USA... I'm pretty certain it was the same copy.

I lent it to Clarkie for a bit before he picked one up for circa £80

Andy

[Floyd]

Hi Chris had some great sounds

remember him playing john and the weirdest c/u as spyder turner at the Locarno

think he also covered the vondells as the stagemasters but could be wrong as it was few years ago

ATB

Floyd

Edited February 22, 2013 by floyd

[Trev Thomas]

i'm pretty sure he covered jimmy wallace up as hermon hitson and the turbines - "weve got to start over" as the volcanos, he definatley had a lester tipton, he bought it off dave greet

Edited February 22, 2013 by trev thomas

[Chalky]

i'm pretty sure he covered jimmy wallace up as hermon hitson and the turbines - "weve got to start over" as the volcanos, he definatley had a lester tipton, he bought it off dave greet

Rod Shard and Dave Withers had Jimmy Wallace first as far as I am aware.

Turbines Keb had covered, would that be before or after Chris?

[Steve G]

Good to see Chris remembered. He was a good fella. Also had larry clinton as well as those mentioned above.

[Ted Massey]

i'm pretty sure he covered jimmy wallace up as hermon hitson and the turbines - "weve got to start over" as the volcanos, he definatley had a lester tipton, he bought it off dave greet

i have his old copy along with quite a few others

[Ted Massey]

At the time he was selling up he lived in a flat in Walsall , I went there one night on route to The old Vic at Wolverhampton , I bought Lester Tipton of him for £100 it was one of only a handfull of 45s he had left .Most of the stuff Andy Spencer bought he sold a short time later as I had Ramona collins , Yvonne vernee,Jimmy burns, Larry clinton from Andy which all came from Chris originally. Pretty sure the flat he was living in at the time was in some sort of industrial yard as i remember going up a exterior metal staircase to his flat ?? That would have been sometime around1984/85.

Tony Parker

The flat was at the bus garage i think i went there to buy a few things

[Ted Massey]

Add to the list Jimmy Wallace, Gene tooms,Jesse Davis(theres room for me)plus most of the what are now top dollar sounds.

Andy Spencer(fast buck) bought or at least brokered most of the collection,it seemed he deliberately started djíng again just to promote what he had,while soon after he sold up,great taste though

Steve

it was Andy (keep em 5 mins ) Spencer

[Rushden Vic]

The flat was at the bus garage i think i went there to buy a few things

That would make sense Ted , I,m glad someone knows where i meant

[Rushden Vic]

I had Eric Mercury in '81. Purchased from Mr Raistrick for £50 after I heard him play it ay an all-day event in Skegness at which I recall a 'fake' Marvelettes group performed. Dave had it covered as Roy Hamilton but I renamed it 'Don Gardner & The Chicago Hit Men'

Chris was at the Fleet the first time I played it and asked me a few times to sell it but I declined. I do recall a guy coming on the stage and telling me it was Eric Mercury cos he had found it in the USA... I'm pretty certain it was the same copy.

I lent it to Clarkie for a bit before he picked one up for circa £80

Andy

Seems like we could be talkin about the same copy Andy , I know when the Eric Mercury was found it was 1978/79 , Steve(kitty)wells , Rug and Wilkie had all sold there records to fund a trip to the States , with the help of John Manship who supplied them with some addresses to visit . It was Kitty who found the Eric Mercury in a thrift shop in Philadelphia.in a right dodgy area they were glad to get out of.

They were all mates of mine and lived in Northants , there was a good chance that it was Kitty who was at the Fleet and came on stage when you played it as we went there during that period , but what remains a mystery is i can clearly remember him telling me he had traded it with Chris plant for a Del Larks , Kitty had probably owned it a couple of years by then so theres a chance Dave raistrick had found another copy or was it Dave he did the trade with.

Edited February 24, 2013 by midnight brew

[Munchkin]

Here you go chalky a few tunes he used to play 83/84... great guy not seen him in a long time...

[Chalky]

Here you go chalky a few tunes he used to play 83/84... great guy not seen him in a long time...

Cheers Kev.

What from that list are actually records he broke? Jesse Davis?

the rest seem to have already had plays, either late Wigan or early Stafford...Searling, Rushbrooke and Withers.

great playlist though.

[Tim Smithers]

Cant remember being at Stafford when Chris djed there , but I know he had a Eric Mercury - Lonely Girl and was as far as I know the first copy found that was sometime around 1979 in philadelphia . When Rug Bowers , Keith (wilkie) Wilkinson and Steve (Kitty) wells ,discovered it , Kitty later traded it with Chris for a Del larks - Job opening . around 1980/81 so its possible that Chris played this first at Stafford, I wasnt going to Wigan in the later years so maybe someone like Searling played it before?

Kieth is now living in Bmth, mentioned Eric Mercury amounst others when i picked him up to see Soul Sam in Bmth a couple of years back

[Gilly]

I also think Chris didnt break any sounds him self,as nice as he was he lacked the confidence to push a record.I remember at Wigan he told me he had bought A Williams and L Tipton at £40 each,i thought he was nuts (how wrong i was about that one)