Pete Waterman On The Beeb This Morning

[Guest in town Mikey]

Pete was doing a slot in the 'baby boom' series Breakfast news is running.

He was waxing lyrical about the Beatles and then moved on to the influence made by Motown.

From Chicago to the UK - was the phrase I think he used.

So is Pete Waterman the only soul boy to think Motown was a Chicago label?

in fact is Pete the only music fan in the world who doesnt associate 60s Motown with Detroit?

[Guest]

Pete was doing a slot in the 'baby boom' series Breakfast news is running.

He was waxing lyrical about the Beatles and then moved on to the influence made by Motown.

From Chicago to the UK - was the phrase I think he used.

So is Pete Waterman the only soul boy to think Motown was a Chicago label?

in fact is Pete the only music fan in the world who doesnt associate 60s Motown with Detroit?

nearly choked on my corn-flakes when he said that!! Just cant believe he said it! Didn't he used to DJ at soul venues in his early days? I seem to remember him in a club in Coventry? maybe the Locarno, mid 70's?

Cheers

Paddy

[Guest]

He D'jd at a Northern Club in Cov 72ish...used to visit the Torch and his fave record is HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVIN...maybe Mr Moss could tell us some storys.

Slip of the toung by PW he knows his stuff.

[Tabs]

He D'jd at a Northern Club in Cov 72ish...used to visit the Torch and his fave record is HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVIN...maybe Mr Moss could tell us some storys.

Slip of the toung by PW he knows his stuff.

Agree with that. Pete was (is?) very knowledgeable.

Pete used to run a record shop in Coventry and also the Coventry TreeTops night club.

First saw JJ Barnes there in the mid 70's.

[Simsy]

Yeah BBC got their finger on the pulse;

"Waterman had a history as a Northern Soul DJ, following its development in US clubs into disco and then Hi-NRG, and had a vision of a British equivalent of Motown, producing uplifting, working-class dance music; female factory worker-type music in a production line style."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A493661

[Guest rachel]

Yeah BBC got their finger on the pulse;

"Waterman had a history as a Northern Soul DJ, following its development in US clubs into disco and then Hi-NRG, and had a vision of a British equivalent of Motown, producing uplifting, working-class dance music; female factory worker-type music in a production line style."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A493661

To be fair to the BBC, the h2g2 site is like Wikipedia - articles can be written by anyone, in this case, obviously someone a bit confused.

[Simsy]

To be fair to the BBC, the h2g2 site is like Wikipedia - articles can be written by anyone, in this case, obviously someone a bit confused.

True. But surely to write a piece (in an authoritative tone) on h2g2 would require the prerequisite of actually knowing what you're talking about .?

Edited August 16, 2006 by Simsy

[Guest rachel]

True. But surely to right a piece (in an authoritative tone) on h2g2 would require the prerequisite of actually knowing what you're talking about .?

Apparently not

[Platters 81]

i would guess it to be a slip of the tongue.........

[Billy Freemantle]

To be fair to the BBC, the h2g2 site is like Wikipedia - articles can be written by anyone, in this case, obviously someone a bit confused.

I find the article very interesting. If we can forgive the author's lack of grasp on causality, s/he does stab at the truth, I feel, when s/he says with regard to Waterman: "He took what was then the most modern sound of New York gay clubs - pumping sequencer bass lines and relentless Linn drum machines3, and married it with the world of Smash Hits ".

But Rachel is right when she questions the authority that we can give to articles like this because of how they are produced. I mean just look at what Wikipedia has to say about Northern Soul: "

Perhaps the most famous of the Northern Soul Clubs, however, was Imber Village Soul Club. Situated on Imber High Street only yards away from the MOD firing range the Soul Club boasted an array of deejays that the other clubs could not match. Ian latrine, Dickie starling, Les Grockel and Minger Taylor were just a few who got their kicks and their lucky breaks at the Soul Club which was run by the shrewd entrepreneur Simon Queerdon bankrolled by the legendary Chabby Dodds.

Prior to Imber dancers of the ilk of Frank Blooper( ex Twisted Wheel and Wormwood Scrubs) had high kicked and backdropped their way into Northern Soul History and into many a chemists shop on their way to the allnighter. But at Imber Northern Soul Dancing reached its apex with the likes of ANN FETAMIN, Randolph Paraffin and Zippo strutting their stuff to the magical sounds that the Imber jocks spun.

And in the yard outside of course was always to be found the beautiful Edna Freemantle daughter of the Imber socialite and caretaker of the Soul Club Hector who woul when required round up local talent to cut records for Ian Latrine. "https://www.tafsc.com/Imbersoul.htm

And coming back to the article about Pete Waterman isn't there an insight or two somewhere when the author refers to SAW productions as " female factory worker-type music in a production line style." ?

[Tabs]

nearly choked on my corn-flakes when he said that!! Just cant believe he said it! Didn't he used to DJ at soul venues in his early days? I seem to remember him in a club in Coventry? maybe the Locarno, mid 70's?

Cheers

Paddy

At the risk of repetition PW was a big influence on the Midlands NS scene in the early 70's.

He DJ'd at the Locarno in Cov but it was NOT a disco night, soul thru and thru.

PW used to do a Northern night on a Thursday in an upstairs room in a pub in Warwick!

The pub name escapes me for now but this was a top night

As already stated he promoted his own NS club, the Treetops.

Those who attended will remember it with awe.

Check out early Blues and Soul for his jokey ads, usually at the bottom of a page, cus he couldn't afford anything else!

IMHO a lot of the successful venues now are modelled on the PW formula.

He was also one of the first promoters to bring the original acts over from the USA.

To most he probably appears as some one who sold out.

In the early 70's he was a beacon in the transitional period between Tamla, Funk, disco and NS.

Apologies for waxing lyrical but this guy has more than paid his dues and deserves the success he has achieved.

Still one of my fave DJ's after 35 years.

Even now he could show some of the 'pretenders' a thing or two behind the decks.

[Guest WPaulVanDyk]

Pete is a genius but sadly since he moved on he worked with 3 acts i really like a lot Kylie, Brother Beyond and yes i said it Steps (waiting for a reform lol)

[Steve G]

Pete was doing a slot in the 'baby boom' series Breakfast news is running.

He was waxing lyrical about the Beatles and then moved on to the influence made by Motown.

From Chicago to the UK - was the phrase I think he used.

So is Pete Waterman the only soul boy to think Motown was a Chicago label?

in fact is Pete the only music fan in the world who doesnt associate 60s Motown with Detroit?

Pete is a good egg. He also used to write a column in Bull & Sh1t (Blues & Soul). Think it was just a slip of the tongue - these things happen when you're doing a "rap". I've done speaches when I've heard them played back you think "Gawd did I say that?". He does of course know his Detroit from his Chicago. Didn't he also pop up on a Wigan documentary at some stage as well? I seem to have this vague recollection of him dancing with coalminers or something

[Mike Lofthouse]

He D'jd at a Northern Club in Cov 72ish...used to visit the Torch and his fave record is HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVIN...maybe Mr Moss could tell us some storys.

Slip of the toung by PW he knows his stuff.

I once saw a list of his top ten - Hoagy Lands - 'Next In Line' featured in it - maybe even number one.

He was particularly keen on Philly stuff in the 70's and I feel sure the B&S articles Steve G refers to are about that particular topic.

He freely admits to being semi - illiterate in his early days and reading those articles you can see he must have worked hard to put them together. Good luck to him I say - he has achieved so much -apart from the music his railway 'empire' is massive! And you don't see him getting embroiled in 'heated' discussions about tuppence 'apenny promotions and pirated wristbands

Mike

[NEV]

I once saw a list of his top ten - Hoagy Lands - 'Next In Line' featured in it - maybe even number one.

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT ?...............

I SEEM TO REMEMBER HIM SAYING HIS FAVOURITE RECORD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD WAS KIM WESTON-ANOTHER TRAIN COMING

NEV

[Mike Lofthouse]

ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT ?...............

I SEEM TO REMEMBER HIM SAYING HIS FAVOURITE RECORD IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD WAS KIM WESTON-ANOTHER TRAIN COMING

NEV

No - I'm not sure about it - that's why I said 'maybe'

Mike

[NEV]

No - I'm not sure about it - that's why I said 'maybe'

Mike

PRICELESS MIKE ,PRICELESS

LET ME RE-ITERATE ,WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THEE PETE WATERMAN WHO LOVES TRAINS ARENT WE????

NEV

[Mike]

this quote showed up in newsfeeds

from Scottish Daily Herald

as can vaguly remember his radio mersyside/or city radio shows in 80s (?) have to agree

Disposability certainly marked the cultural punditry on offer from The Story of Light Entertainment's roster of talking heads this week.

In particular, there was Pete Waterman, a man who, 20 years ago, plundered the pure gold of the northern soul motherlode only to create the brassy din that is Kylie Minogue, lazily asserting that "Billy Cotton was the Churchill of entertainment". Eh?

full article here

https://www.theherald.co.uk/features/68266.html

[Guest musicden786]

this showed up in newsfeeds

from Scottish Daily Herald

as can vaguly remember his radio mersyside/or city radio shows in 80s (?) have to agree

Disposability certainly marked the cultural punditry on offer from The Story of Light Entertainment's roster of talking heads this week.

In particular, there was Pete Waterman, a man who, 20 years ago, plundered the pure gold of the northern soul motherlode only to create the brassy din that is Kylie Minogue, lazily asserting that "Billy Cotton was the Churchill of entertainment". Eh?

full article here

https://www.theherald.co.uk/features/68266.html

Hello Mike.

I think you will find that Pete Waterman started out as a manual worker, did some grave digging, then became an apprentice at GEC. Think you will also find he was taken to the Torch by his work mates at GEC.

His first stab at recording was at the Strawberry Studios Stockport Manchester.

He did several DJ spots at Clubs in Manchester playing, Disco, Motown and some Northern.He had a very good record collection and knew his music.

He was well liked by everybody who met him.

Hope this adds to the post.

Denis.

[Guest Rowly]

Well for someone who knows so much aboutthe music it's a very strange "mistake" to make isn't it?

Even when in my most sh*tfaced and munted condition, even I know that Motown is Detroit & not Chicago!

[Mike]

Hello Mike.

I think you will find that Pete Waterman started out as a manual worker, did some grave digging, then became an apprentice at GEC. Think you will also find he was taken to the Torch by his work mates at GEC.

His first stab at recording was at the Strawberry Studios Stockport Manchester.

He did several DJ spots at Clubs in Manchester playing, Disco, Motown and some Northern.He had a very good record collection and knew his music.

He was well liked by everybody who met him.

Hope this adds to the post.

Denis.

yep

I can read

the point was posting someones view of what he did since the 70s

thought it was worth posting,

rather than hang around here picking holes in others posts do think that perhaps time be better served having a good look at your own contributions to this site first

[Guest musicden786]

yep

I can read

the point was posting someones view of what he did since the 70s

thought it was worth posting,

rather than hang around here picking holes in others posts do think that perhaps time be better served having a good look at your own contributions to this site first

There was no intentionto on my part to pick holes in anybodies posts.

Think thats way over the top.

If you mean my contributions to the events page, best to make this clear, and, if you dont want me on the site just let me know.

Denis.

[Mike]

just what i need some clever word games

save them for your own threads eh

[Soulsmith]

lazily asserting that "Billy Cotton was the Churchill of entertainment". Eh?

full article here

https://www.theherald.co.uk/features/68266.html

I saw him say that on TV at the week-end.

Think he probably regrets it today!

[Guest ruffsounds]

hmmmm saw this thread and thought (Hmmmm) so here we go's.

1.Pete did work at the Locarno in Coventry but the foundations of Soul/Northern/Motown were already there laid down by the DJ's who preceded him such as Dancing Doug Dowsen/Chris Townsend/Sam Kelly/Will Routledge and assistant manager John (the Midget) Anderson all collectors of Soul & Motown, Doug Dowson had the finest uk Sue label collection you could get, along with the usual Stax/Atlantic/Chess related labels as well as US imports.

2.Pete did dj at the Treetops but was not the one who started the N/S there. The Treetops was owned by a well known Irish family called the O'Brien's who still have night clubs in Coventry and started the Treetops off as a venue for Irish artist's for the big Irish community that Coventry then had and as i knew the family who lived less than 300 yards away they asked me to setup a disco upstairs on the so called quiet nights and it was myself who introduced N/S to the Treetops Pete was asked to do it cover for me as i worked away and took over after about a month of me starting the venue.

3. Pete was a partner in a record shop with Will Routledge which was first opened in a basement below my friends clothing shop (I Am) which was owned by Bob Mobed which then moved to the precinct.

4.When Pete first started djing he didnt have a clue as to what N/S was, it was being with the above mentioned people and others like Rob Moss and Myself by borrowing and playing the records we had that he learned of it but what he did start playing before most was the Philly and Funk sounds.

5. Yes Pete was a good dj who had the gift of the gab with an astonishing memory for records but he got the breaks whereas others did'nt.

6. How do i know this--well i worked at Locarno from 66 to 71 before and with Pete and other venues as well.

cheers Ruffsounds

Ralph Forster

[Steve G]

I once saw a list of his top ten - Hoagy Lands - 'Next In Line' featured in it - maybe even number one.

He was particularly keen on Philly stuff in the 70's and I feel sure the B&S articles Steve G refers to are about that particular topic.

He freely admits to being semi - illiterate in his early days and reading those articles you can see he must have worked hard to put them together. Good luck to him I say – he has achieved so much -apart from the music his railway ‘empire’ is massive! And you don't see him getting embroiled in 'heated' discussions about tuppence ’apenny promotions and pirated wristbands

Mike

Hi there Mike

Yes some of the articles were about the Philly sound (which was new at the time). I seem to remember they were quite a good read.

And yes he is passionate about trains. Aren't we all?

Steve