Cyber Catacombs, Wolverhampton

[Linda4me]

Chateau Impney ?

No,i'm sure it was something "House" ??

[Mike]

few pics show up in search for 'catacombs' in the gallery

 

I would guess a few more are in there somewhere, untitled etc

 

 

[Neil Rushton]

Excellent graphic but maybe makes it feel slightly smaller than it actually was. Anyway max capacity 600 I believe - maybe double on the last night.

 

I know not unique to the Cats but condensation randomly dripping from the ceiling would add a certain something.

 

I have never in my life been to a venue with a better atmosphere - but then again never went to the original Wheel, Torch etc.

 

Anyone who did, which would you say was THE BEST?

 

I might ask same question on the Catacombs Facebook page.

Went to Catacombs and The Torch  and both amazing, different size meant different vibe. Best night at either club was Graham Warr coming back from USA and playing for the first time anywhere on Rare Soul scene Dena Barnes, Epitome Of Sound, George Carrow and other discoveries for about 2 hours.

[Neil Rushton]

The Cats use to shut around 2am and a lot of the crowd use to turn up at The Wheel around 3am.

After The Wheel closed they then went to The Torch instead.

The only allniter was the last night as far as I can remember.

Alan S and Bob Crocker were the main DJ's 69-71 until Bob died and Froggy joined the line up followed by Blue Max and Graham Warr.

I think Pep and Neil Rushton also DJ'd in the last year.

I think there's one or two Catacomb historians who about who could give you an exact timeline etc.

Carl Dene was the Catacombs DJ before Alan S and Bob Crocker who were the ultimate DJ duo - up there with Levine/Curtis and Darge/Hennigan  As well as the last night, there was an all-nighter on March 23 of the finale   year. I know because I DJ'd on it with Blue Max,Pep & Basil. I DJ'd there on the Saturday nights of the last year with Blue Max and Pep. Missed last night as I had booked an holiday in Torquay and that night went to The Compass Club in Torquay and met Bob Hinsley for the first time. Also in last year Bill Baker DJ'd in midweek and Oscar Michael on Friday nights. Was a bit special....

[Chris Turnbull]

Carl Dene was the Catacombs DJ before Alan S and Bob Crocker who were the ultimate DJ duo - up there with Levine/Curtis and Darge/Hennigan  As well as the last night, there was an all-nighter on March 23 of the finale   year. I know because I DJ'd on it with Blue Max,Pep & Basil. I DJ'd there on the Saturday nights of the last year with Blue Max and Pep. Missed last night as I had booked an holiday in Torquay and that night went to The Compass Club in Torquay and met Bob Hinsley for the first time. Also in last year Bill Baker DJ'd in midweek and Oscar Michael on Friday nights. Was a bit special....

 

When was the last night - July '74?

[Iggyplop]

You are right Steve Smith.Heres one taken by Rich Selwood , me at 14 years old.Kev Jones & Denise Johnson all from Gloucester.1973

Loved the Cats, used to go midweek as well as free for members.

The other pic is taken 8th January '74 is of Squeak,Andy Peake in mid spin.

[Jerry Hipkiss]

There are a few more of the Catacombs(unless they have been destroyed) my ex-girlfriend at the time Alison Humphries from Gloucester had a few(at least two anyway) of myself and,Jerry Lott dancing(not together i might add!) i remember them because they were good quality photo´s taken by Richard Selwood who ,at that time was one of the few people around with a "proper" camera

As i haven´t seen or heard of Alison for over thirty years, the scrapbook  and many more photos from the early seventies may well be lying in a corner somewhere

Another point, how come so many girls kept the photos those days? there are a couple other of Gloucester/Cheltenham girls that brought scrap books out  ,Jane Keatley and Stella Reuter(where are they now?) .

 

Steve

Steve, Stella is often out and about with her man Tim, usually at Soulfusion...haven't seen Paul and Jane for a year or two but they like fresh air and cycling more these days!

[Guest Byrney]

Went to Catacombs and The Torch and both amazing, different size meant different vibe. Best night at either club was Graham Warr coming back from USA and playing for the first time anywhere on Rare Soul scene Dena Barnes, Epitome Of Sound, George Carrow and other discoveries for about 2 hours.

This being a few years before my time, the Cats is one of the clubs that fascinates me, seems to be responsible for the discovery of a shed load of classics but doesn't seen to get much of a mention.

The small seedy club appeals to me much more than a large dance hall nighter. Love to see some more pics, shame no footage exists.

[Agentsmith]

my cousin, sharon berry and her mates from school got me into the cats,...she badgered me for ages to come along with them, so you can guess we were basically, all under age. we used to hop on the bus and by the time it had departed willenhall town centre, there would probably be between 20 & 30 of us going there.....this was on a wednesday night of course, which logically, was the most popular night. i then frequented the venue from january 74 until it's sad demise.

i guess most people at the time, other than the dj's responsible for the music, would buy the latest "sounds" in the form of pressings, but then we didn't know anything different in those days...well, at least not at first!....so i ended up purchasing my first tune off max, that being eddie foster "i never knew"......he always had a sales box with him.

 

ive probably related this story before, but i distinctly remember when max first acquired the "fused" lp ( mike post coalition ), levine was already playing it at the mecca, so it was a massive sound....as a result, on that particular wednesday night..it got played 6 TIMES!.

deana barnes was huge, as were the velvets, volcanoes, dean courtney, paul anka ( dean courtney c/up ), baltimore & ohio marching band & connie clark to name a few....oh, and of course the imfamous saxie russell and max's signature tune, the fabulous emotions "funky chicken/your number one fool" ). he also wasn't adverse to blue eyed soul either, especially mr. bloe's instrumental version of "land of a thousand dances".

 

my vision of the venue is approaching it from the top of temple street from snow hill, usually people milling about, waiting for it to open..the most obvious thing signifying it's presence was the overhanging flourescent sign, in purple and white. i didn't attend the last all-nighter sadly, but i know many who did....apparently dustbins where stacked on top of one another. to dismantle it from it's moorings to save it for posterity......it was theft really!   a while later, it ended up in the rear of max's shop in wednesfield...well, most of it did.

the cats was part of a complex that was an old victorian building and i'm pretty much sure that within the cobbled courtyard, some of the building was actually factory units of a sort....an archway lead to it's access. correct me if i'm wrong scholars, as it's been over 40 years since it's closure, but i think there were 2 entrances to the building, i always used the side entrance inside the courtyard.

i can't remember his name now, but the manager was a short, stocky guy who always wore a red shirt. he checked for your membership card and you paid in, (sorry, i don't remember it being a free night on a wednesday ). he took over at the lafayette club in thornley st after the cats closed.

 

immediately in front view was a changing room/firstaid, bear left and along the dimly lit corridor the bar was on the right, window arches to the left were blacked out and were lit by roadworks lamps. there were lots of little nooks and cranny's hence the club's name. the cyber image is correct as at the end of the corridor, the dancefloor was to the left...but actually it was centrally located as it was possible to walk down the other side as well.

there was a small stage for bands, with a low slung ceiling and a gable overhanging the dancefloor. the dj booth was compact and faced the dance floor, with a side door/swing doors and a serving hatch out front which people could pop their heads through, generally to ask for requests.

i cant remember the seating arrangements set against that front wall of the dj booth, but i guess chairs.

 

i never witnessed pep djing there on wednesday's, only on a saturday when the lesser known stuff got played, but he was a regular attendee during the week along with helen...they used to sit in one of the alcoves, other than if they got up to dance...she was one of the stand out dancers, god bless her...along with graham, jethro, paul derby...one other girl i remember who would always be on the floor, i think her name was diane king...she was a hairdresser? or so i was told at the time...i got to know steve and kath a few years later...i genuinely wasn't aware that he was amongst this crew who went on to blow the casino crowd away with their dancing skills, but he was there as well.

one or two dodgy characters frequented the cats as well, usually dealing in the drugs side...wolverhampton is well known for it's "chapter" and the bailey brothers were a name to conjure with..i got offered stuff by billy there...never ever interested me, but many did.

the friday night prior to the last all-nighter, the club put on a party with a huge spread..max let me play some records whilst he was having a drink..that was a privilage!

i used to have the embroidered badge and the membership but, they are long since gone....

 

it would be great to see any other pics that people have perhaps put away and forgot their true potential for stirring the memories...i'd be very surprised if it turned out to be true that there were, in reality, only 7 in existance...but what price a camera in those days??...it's as intriguing a mystery as the "super 8" footage, taken at the casino on the same night as the "this england" recording.

one thing is for certain, the catacombs was part of my upbringing and i still remember it as clear as yesterday....

to revise an old proverb..you can take the boy out of the club, but you can never take the club out of the boy.

Edited February 2, 2015 by AGENTSMITH

[Lucky One]

Loved to have gone, but i was too young. Having lived in Wolverhampton all my life i feel the catacombs was one of the few things of any merit to come out of this town. If someone was to invent time travel that is one of the places i would visit.

[Jayboy]

Loved to have gone, but i was too young. Having lived in Wolverhampton all my life i feel the catacombs was one of the few things of any merit to come out of this town. If someone was to invent time travel that is one of the places i would visit.

Terrific venue - great people oh and the music didnt get many mid tempo / beat ballads at the cats

sounds of lane

mamie galore

johnny Sayles

 

Stin

[Jayboy]

Really good images a bit more tidy than i remember LOL

 

Tunes that would have made that Cats playlist maybe

 

Brooks Brothers - looking for a woman

 

Freddie North - The Hurt

 

Cliff Nobles - My love is getting stronger 

 

Not making it - Ace Spectrum  

 

Stin

 

 

[Agentsmith]

maybe on a saturday stin,...even back then........there was a place for unknown stuff, on a par with how ian & colin operated at the mecca.....pep & max were really on the case with discoveries, so..if any f the one's you suggest, were around even back then, they would almost certainly have got spun at the weekend......on a wednesday.......when i was there?......no

[Tank]

Managed to get there once very late '73 or maybe early '74 with Tony Parker. Went along at the invite of two locals Gary Jones and Glen Stewart in a Moggy Minor.

Tunes which I remember were Bob Relf, Duke Browner, Sweets, Exus Trek etc. First ever visit to a 'proper' Northern night as opposed to our growing local scene. Brilliant atmosphere. Loved the low ceilings and stone arches, better than the cavernous Casino IMHO!

[ZootSuit]

Excellent graphics, just like I remember it,the Cats was, (and meself and Blueten still

think it'll NEVER be beaten), the best event NS wise in the UK EVER. Never been to an all nighter with the ATMOSPHERE that place had, (actually the George at Wilby and Torch were'nt

bad either)....but it were the tunes that really made it what it was !!!!!!!!!.

Edited February 9, 2015 by ZootSuit

[Paul holmes]

On 31/01/2015 at 18:04, Guest said:

Really sketchy....best chap to ask is ChrisL on here, he was one of the top nighter DJs there when I was but a lad of around 16, 17. 

I did find these photos a few years ago, although it does look like they were taken probably late 60s....looks too posh for the nighter crowd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Paul holmes]

The photo of the group was taken outside of the Golden Torch club .probably close to it's opening in 1965.They were called the Tennesscians who were local people maybe ? The guy in the middle leaning against the car was the torch,'s resident dj Barmy Barry . The bespectacled bloke is the owner Chris Burton sitting in his may 

Just now, Paul holmes said:

The photo of the group was taken outside of the Golden Torch club .probably close to it's opening in 1965.They were called the Tennesscians who were local people maybe ? The guy in the middle leaning against the car was the torch,'s resident dj Barmy Barry . The bespectacled bloke is the owner Chris Burton sitting in his jag

 

[Paul holmes]

On 31/01/2015 at 14:18, MBarrett said:

 

Steve I know almost nothing about the Torch. What very roughly was the layout, capacity etc? Was it a regular nightclub with different stuff on different nights of the week? Maybe someone has written an article somewhere?

 

Any snippets would be of interest.

 

[Paul holmes]

Hi .there's a lot of info out there all about the torch .A few photos too of the venue ,including the one outside by the fire exit. The black and white ones were the mix sixties /opening year snaps with original decor.Some colour ones too of venue people ,also one of Major Lance with the same crowd in Chris Burton's office next to the window that looked out onto Hose street.

I've posted A lot of colour shots of my recently completed Golden Torch scale model with the different black all over colour scheme. Was on the free basing lounge section but I think it's probably moved now.