'Spot-light On' Roger Banks

[Len]

Hi folks,

Welcome to the third ‘Spot-light On’.

Just a very brief explanation as to why I closed the last one - It was because a small percentage of the thread touched upon Keith Minshulls' personal life which isn’t right, so it was best to do so.

I spoke to Keith soon after and he was really nice about it - I was relieved to hear him acknowledge that he did recognize the positives of this series, and the good intention behind it.

Thanks Keith for your understanding.

 

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What is written about someone may not be too big a deal to the person writing it (especially if only a small part of an otherwise complimentary post), but it may well be a big deal to the person it is about - When this happens, that can become the only part that person focuses on (Which is understandable)

So with this in mind, let’s keep it soul related and truthful 

Onwards we go - This next person is someone else who has been on the scene a very long time, and I’d say he is one of the nicest people around….(He doesn’t know this next bit) I remember at one of my first All-nighters, I was chatting to Johnny Fingers about a record, Johnny nodded towards this person, saying……”Ask him, I’m sure he’s got one”……I was too scared to, so I scuttled off quickly (I seemed to do a lot of ‘scuttling’ when I were young) 

Years later I got to know this person, and what a nice chap (not scary at all)  He’s DJed for me several times over the years, and has always done a fantastic job of that, along with bringing the ‘Fun Factor’ along with him. I’d say he is one of the most diverse DJs we have (he has many ‘DJ Hats’) He also did a grand job of DJing at mine and Ninas’ Wedding 

Personally, I’d like to know about his early days on the scene - Where he first DJed, and of course the usual request of stories / photos / flyers (Please note Chalky)  / what tunes you associate him with etc.

So let’s start this third ball rolling with the man ‘Roger Banks’……Over to you folks……

All the best,

Len 

N.B - Even after giving permission, if the person being featured is not happy with any of the posts, let me know and I will delete immediately.

 

[Winsford Soul]

Len. For my input to this just got to say Roger used to run one of the best soul nights I can remember at Chorley Town Hall in the 90,s.

When Roger and the lovely Jenny got married it happened to coincide with the Wilton Nighter.  Guess who went ?

Jenny even turned up in her wedding dress. What a night that was

When Roger first started DJ,ing he would always jump off stage and dance then try and get back behind the decks before the record ended to start the next one

Steve

[Guest]

Must be enough stories to fill a book!   He seemed at one time to be at every all-nighter I went to.  Dj'ing and selling records.

  Always found him approachable and friendly.  Great dj spots, pushing his own excellent taste in Northern Soul.

[Kjw]

I remember Roger from when he first came onto the scene - same time as myself 1976, along with a young Sean Chapman

At the time we were all living in Cleethorpes / Grimsby and it was the time of the Pier allnighters leading up to the start of the Winter Gardens

I recall him knocking on my door one night asking to borrow a jacket so he could get into a club to see Jr Walker

[Gilly]

A man with great great knowledge and off the cuff too, much respect. Now heres a funny personal one, I had just moved back into my old village (Willington) having lived in Burton on Trent for a couple of years. Roger came to stop over for one night so round the pub/ hotel we go, having been away from Willington a generation of local lads had come of age and were of drinking age and a group of them were playing pool. Me and Roger put our 20p down and awaited our turn (winner stays on) so we are up against a couple of younger lads and not doing very well, "just a minute" said Roger and off he went, when he returned he had a condom in his hand and promptly shoved it down one of the pockets. Well stood there being stared at by the two guys looking for an explanation from me, i'am as bemused as they are until Roger lets out "its ok, its a safety shot" the entire pub pool players all cracked up with laughter. As time moved forward a lot of the guys used to ask whens your fuckin mad mate coming down again  Gilly

[Rbman]

Dry sense of humour, great taste in music, reasonable prices on record sales and happy to pass on knowledge without being big headed...... 

[Roburt]

Charges too much for his records 

[Roger Banks]

[Kegsy]

2 hours ago, Roburt said:

Charges too much for his records 

You say that about everybody who has ever just even thought about selling a few tunes 

[Ezzie Brown]

roger used to play some brilliant sets around the  wilton and middleton, hideway era   and would always dedicate a couple of tunes to myself and brad ..  "the gloucester lads"...as he called us...... i.bet he can remember which ones he played for us now...........

Edited July 15, 2016 by ezzie brown

[Mick Holdsworth]

I first remember Roger from the mid nineties at Bretby (and a few local doos around the West Midlands) I can remember once, receiving a phone call on a Sunday morning after a Bretby all nighter, asking if I'd seen one of his boxes of records. Turned out he'd just "left" a box at the venue and didn't realise until after he had left.

Wasn't a problem, we had found them at the end of the night after Roger had left, and realised they were his, and he got them back.

What was surprising, and funny, was that either the previous month, or the month after, he did the very same thing.

Roger, do you remember ?

Cheers
Mick

 

[Winsford Soul]

36 minutes ago, Mick Holdsworth said:

.

Roger, do you remember ?
 

 

Roger . Who ?

Steve

[Len]

I've just realized.........There's me trying to build up a 'mysterious profile' before I eventually let the cat out the bag as to whom I'm talking about right at the end of my introductory post - The clue's in the blo*dy title!!! 

Len 

[Roger Banks]

I (Jenny) remember it Mick, he wanted me to drive back lol

[Patto]

Remember Roger being at most top venues during the 90s either as a seller or DJ .Recall very well being at a Cleethorpes Winter Gardens Bank Holiday soul night 1997.The night was slowing down badly before Mr Banks got on the Decks and pulled it round and lifted the place big style.The same night he played Gladys Knight-No One Could Love You More --Which was the first time i had ever heard it played anywhere.I was on the phone to him next day asking for a copy

[Mick Boyle]

Mad as a box of frogs - Always look forward to his & Js company 

[Rick Scott]

Yes have som real fab memories of The Dodger from the Cleethorpes Pier/Winter gardens Era which is when i first met him, lovely bloke, got on real well with him,

Fondist memory was a new twist on "Dancing Around Your Handbag"  He used to Dance Around his Record box complete with Flashing Fairy Lights on it, first time i saw this spectacle nearly pissed my self with laughter, great times long gone................Wonder if he sill remembers maybe he still has that famous box 

[hullsoul]

One of the most knowledgeable kids I know(Jen don't tell him I said that),ask him about a record & you don't just get artist,label & price like anyone normal but you get where & when  it was recorded,in which studio & how many sugars they had in their coffee.........I'd call him an anorak but anoraks don't drink bitter by the gallon like him

Might have the odd story to tell even going back to the 70t's but I won't bother as he'll only tell me I've got them wrong.....again

Cheers

Martyn

PS. It's hard to be nice about him as he'll think I've gone soft

Edited July 15, 2016 by hullsoul

[Roburt]

5 hours ago, Kegsy said:

You say that about everybody who has ever just even thought about selling a few tunes 

Look Kegsy, I'm from Yorkshire !!!

I got a UK Arthur Conley 45 back in the 80's ... it cost me 20p and I moaned about paying that much. It's titled "Take A Step In My Direction" & by all accounts it goes for up to £100 now !!!

Still paid too much for it back in't day. 

Roger was a real pain in the b*m at Prestatyn Weekender. He used to do his radio spot & then turn every dial on the controls as far away from the normal setting as possible. It took the Pontin's sound engineers hours to get everything back sounding OK again. But coz everyone else's show sounded bad, he'd have a go at them all, calling them amateurs !!

Edited July 15, 2016 by Roburt

[Frankie Crocker]

Great character. Dancing DJ. Champions obscure sounds. Fair dealer selling cheap records, paying generous sums for sales stock. Good taste in Northern and RnB. Wacky sense of humour. Always joking around. Provided lots of good memories at the 100 Club, Cleethorpes and other London venues. One of the best lads on the circuit.

[Marty57]

Great under used D J allways does proper soul set, one of my heroes, heres to you mate cheers, Aup Jen 

[Winsford Soul]

Roger and Hoss in a lift at a nighter somewhere in Manchester ( cant remember where ) Doors open on the floor where the record bar was. Roger and Hoss on their knees pretending to be having sex doggy style . The look on their faces was priceless as they supposedly had been caught. The look on the faces of lots of punters in the record bar was even better. You had to be there

Steve

[Philt]

If I had to pick one word I'd be torn between 'sensible' and 'mature', for the following reasons:

- Hoovering dance floors mid-all nighter; 

-putting 'danger slippery floor' signs by people doing 'acrobatics'; 

-running onto a [sticky] dancefloor and trying to slide on his knees, before going immediately face down after catching the inevitable crab; 

- getting in the boot of his wife's car, unbeknown to her, by way of a 'surprise' when she got to work;

- taping your record box (and I mean end to end) to a table five minutes before you're due to dj;

- sticking bread on people's chalet windows to goad seagulls into a reaction;

- ridiculous phone calls;

- sending single frozen peas to customers in LP mailers.

I could go on  That aside, he's got as much musical knowledge and passion as anyone I know, has never been up his own arse, always found and played stuff no one else had and never got nearly enough credit IMHO.

One of the [ever fewer] reasons for making the effort to go out these days is the chance to catch up with Roger; you're guaranteed to learn something new - not necessarily useful, granted, but new nonetheless - and have a laugh. Great bloke and a proper Rsoul 

 

 

[Jim Elliott]

First memory of Roger was about '87 at nighter organised by Londons chosen mass just off the Strand. He had so many records for sale that night ( boxes of Motown, don't think I'd ever seen so much upto that point). 

Same at Allanton shortly after, Monitors "Time is passing by" Tobi Lark ×2 all for about 30 notes;)

TAC weekenders at Yarmouth 1990/91.  He put me onto so many great records on the site radio at that time, as well as deliberately ffing up the " jingles" with great comedic effect;) along with Bickers.

Being the first person I heard play Betty Everett " You're falling in love" to a packed Cleethorpes weekender dance floor in 95. Still a wonderful record.

Never averse to playing album tracks...a rare breed.

Proper person, proper dj

Edited July 17, 2016 by Jim Elliott

[Chalky]

Yarmouth Weekender Radio comedy double act Banks & Bicknell.

 

[Gazoor]

I first met Roger in the days when he ran a Soul Nite at Stalybridge Celtic Football Ground... (not sure of the year '80ish).  

  Great lad used to do excellent tapes with, as mentioned earlier quite a number of LP tracks on them, which I too have a penchant for.  The tunes he was playing at the time were The Metros - Since I found..., John Bowie - You're Gonna Miss, Tempests - Someday... and also I think Charles Johnson - Never Had A Love So Good. .. as he was a big fan of 70's tunes too.  This eclectic taste a few years later imho pushed through a lot of the soul/R&B stuff that no one else played or was trying to sell to Northern/Rare Soul audience.

  Record sales very reasonable ... stuff I didn't buy off him over the first handful of years... Jack Montgomery - Don't Turn Your Back £7...  Brooks Brothers - Lookin For A Woman £30.  Ah well can't always be right anticipating the scenes future biggies!!!!  

  He was also good enough to give me numerous lifts to the 'Top Of The World' and various other allnighters at that time, as I was one of those no car/non-driver types being 18ish...  Many good times...  he never managed to convert me into being a Johnny Hunnicut fan though... no matter how strange his dancing was... 

  I dopn't see him anymore really as I rarely go to All-Niters or travel... but whenever I do its always great to catch up and have a chat  

[Gilly]

Its worth pointing out that Roger has a wonderful woman behind him too, Jenny x

[Roger Banks]

Ooh Gilly I Love You xxxxxxx

 

[Lfcjunkie]

Always did some great spots at the Devonshire in Skipton mid 90's for us did Roger...gotta agree with everything nice thats been said about him on this thread especially the drinking!!..

Dave L

.

[Geeselad]

On ‎17‎/‎07‎/‎2016 at 09:14, Jim Elliott said:

First memory of Roger was about '87 at nighter organised by Londons chosen mass just off the Strand. He had so many records for sale that night ( boxes of Motown, don't think I'd ever seen so much upto that point). 

Same at Allanton shortly after, Monitors "Time is passing by" Tobi Lark ×2 all for about 30 notes;)

TAC weekenders at Yarmouth 1990/91.  He put me onto so many great records on the site radio at that time, as well as deliberately ffing up the " jingles" with great comedic effect;) along with Bickers.

Being the first person I heard play Betty Everett " You're falling in love" to a packed Cleethorpes weekender dance floor in 95. Still a wonderful record.

Never averse to playing album tracks...a rare breed.

Proper person, proper dj

that would have been my first all nighter then, Rodger is a top bloke just typical of the many characters and genuine soul folk that made up the scene back then.   

[Bbrich]

I dont know Roger but this is his picture from the recent Cleggy Weekender......   

 

[Peter99]

6 minutes ago, bbrich said:

I dont know Roger but this is his picture from the recent Cleggy Weekender......   

 

Nice hand writing!

[Len]

I was in the record bar at The Mars Bar All-nighter (some time back) All of a sudden, Roger leapt from behind his record stall, did a load of acrobatics, brushed himself down, then re-took his place behind his record stall as if nothing had happened.

I didn't think 'record bar people' were allowed to dance 

Len 

[Len]

Just as I queued up my second record to round off a night at The Embankment Club, Roger and Adam came 'bounding up', kicked me off the decks and took over - They did ok actually 

Len 

[Pga1]

Remember early 9ts just roger and myself on the dance floor running round like loons to 'oh my love'. Don't know him well but great behind the decks  or selling records.  Cheers

[Daz Mc]

Remember being at Bretby late 90's and Roger was on about 3 in the morning and i remember thinking to myself im gonna try and dance to the whole of Rogers set for the whole hour...he nearly killed me with his then 100mph RnB style but i managed it. Great DJ....

[Len]

3 hours ago, daz mc said:

Remember being at Bretby late 90's and Roger was on about 3 in the morning and i remember thinking to myself im gonna try and dance to the whole of Rogers set for the whole hour...he nearly killed me with his then 100mph RnB style but i managed it. Great DJ....

Funny you should say that - It’s often that I ‘hark back’ talking to Nina (Whilst she’s trying to concentrate on ‘Gogglebox’) about those days when I (and all of us) used to say such things as….”So and so’s on, I’ll see you in a bit”…….knowing I would be dancing to that DJs’ whole set (journey) Roger was one of those DJs - Unless he decided to go down his R‘n’B route, in which case I would soon return (spitting feathers) ((Bless him))

Ahem, slight contrast to your like of the R'n'B route that 

Len 

P.s - ...."Uh uh, ain't that just like a woman? Do Do Do Do Do"......... 

[Len]

To me - A Roger tune 

Len 

'Sheila Ferguson - And In Return'

 

[Pga1]

Great record !  Remember being in caravan at cleethorpes weekender, Colin, ady and Derek Allen (rip) are playing some records and we're tip toeing around so tunes don't jump, when in bursts roger, handclap and backdrops landing in front of deck and the bloody record plays through perfectly, laugh I nearly spilt my pint (nearly). Cheers

[Len]

One lovely afternoon I was standing outside Buckingham Palace (of all places) with my young family in tow, and my phone went, it was Roger. I thought what the devil does he want? I answered, he was crying with laughter, after he composed himself, he explained that he had not only cracked up at my latest flyer, but also at the fact that people were questioning him as to why he was giving the said flyer out!

This particular flyer had the wording......"R 'n' B stinks"......super imposed on a badge worn by the chosen artist - Roger, thanks for having a sense of humor! 

Len 

P.s - After having that flyer given back to me several times, sometimes in an aggressive manor (Slammed in to my chest).........I put the very next flyer out with....."R'n'B still stinks"......super imposed on a badge worn by the chosen artist - It was just a joke (like on 'Top Gear') 

Len 

[Len]

One more from me (My brain's gone all 'Roger') 

Another great tune I associate Roger with is this - He's the only DJ I've heard / noticed play it, and he made it sound even better by doing his 'Fist Dance' behind the decks 

Beautiful.....

Len 

'Faye Crawford - What Have I Done Wrong'

 

 

[Simon T]

1 hour ago, LEN said:

One more from me (My brain's gone all 'Roger') 

Another great tune I associate Roger with is this - He's the only DJ I've heard / noticed play it, and he made it sound even better by doing his 'Fist Dance' behind the decks 

Beautiful.....

Len 

'Faye Crawford - What Have I Done Wrong'

June Edwards cover up, played by Guy H often at Stafford

 

 

[hullsoul]

17 hours ago, LEN said:

I was in the record bar at The Mars Bar All-nighter (some time back) All of a sudden, Roger leapt from behind his record stall, did a load of acrobatics, brushed himself down, then re-took his place behind his record stall as if nothing had happened.

I didn't think 'record bar people' were allowed to dance 

Len 

Remember Tim Brown coming to The Wilton & as soon as he walked in Roger & Hoss rugby talked him to the floor,both just got up & walked off leaving TB floundering on the floor wondering what the fcuk had happened.........I think that Hoss kid is a bad influence on Roger

Cheers

Martyn

His old Douglas Banks C/U

 

 

Edited July 20, 2016 by hullsoul

[Dave Rimmer]

My favourite Roger story involves the Cleethorpes weekender.

Roger and I used to double deck for the first couple of hours as the first spot on the Sunday night. True to form Roger would disappear behind the stage and come back carrying some weird and wonderful things which we gradually filled the stage up with, much to Ady's confusion when he arrived to DJ later on.

The best one of the lot though was the year when Ady brought Melvin Davis and Jesse Davis onto the stage to judge the fancy dress, to be greeted by a table full of empty pint glasses, with a latex glove stretched over the top of each one so that the fingers stood straight up, and a toilet pan that was none too clean, behind the decks.

Funnily enough, since that year Roger and I haven't double decked at Cleethorpes except for when we do the quiz.

The quiz in itself brings a smile to my face because one year, as Ady was giving out the prizes, Roger and I were giving out our own prizes. One team got a Christmas Tree, another got a picture frame, but the best of the lot, especially as it involves Jessica, my fiance, was the winning team's prize. So Jessica came to collect the prize off Ady and was most confused to also receive a broken wheelchair from Roger !

He really is a crazy guy, but he's also a good mate, and it always brightens my night if Roger is in the same venue as me.

 

[Mark R]

Great bloke, mad as a box of frogs, funny as fook...............Doug Banks "I Just Kept On Dancing" in the 80's is my first memory.

Top man!

 

Cheers,

Mark R

[Tony Foster]

Roger, great man, great DJ, record dealer, collector and more.

A man with great foresight that has put many people on to tomorrow’s biggies.

I can remember him playing Harvey- Any way you wanta at Bradford all-nighters turning it in to a overnight monster, also purchasing many a great 45 from Roger.  It’s always worth having a delve through his boxes, just a couple of £8 records that stick in my mind I bought from Roger, Dottie and Millie – Talkin’ about my baby – Topper and Constellations – I didn’t know how to – Gemini.

A man with great enthusiasm who in his DJ sets over the years included the likes of –

Kinnettes – Instrumental

E Williams – Trade my soul to the devil – Jaadee

Wallie Hawkins and Rose MCcoy - Switch around

Royal Robins – Something about you that sends me – Tru GloTown

Hesitations – That’s what love is – Soul Superman LP

Bobby Hutton – Come see what’s left of me - Phillips

Plus many many more

I remember Roger double deckin’ with Mark Bicknell at the 100 Club in the 90’s with flashing road hazard lights and Roger wearing a hard hat and fluorescent jacket lol.  Truly great tunes played in that set.

 

[Louise]

Hey Tony

Didn't they finish their set off with an impromptu rendition of "Y,M,C,A

Roger the go to man when you need a bottle opener or corkscrew at 4am in the morning at a allnighter

Dave & Louise

[Tony Foster]

Hi Dave & Louise, hope you're both well, can't remember the Y.M.C.A bit, mind it was a long time ago, sure Roger will confirm.

[Guest craig brelsford]

Used to argue we him over who was carting Robs vinyl around for him. He had been Djing himself with his original vinyl and again for a Aeolian. I think at the time he had abulia and really really could not figure it out why he had not found a bachelorette suppose he was living a life of idle dalliances and sometimes be like a folderol . Ramshackle come to mind, playing max bygraves records at the time we bit of Jimmy young threw in for good measure at one point he was his favourite DJ ,any way seen him couple week ago first time in ages he explained how he was doing this thing called RnB cause they where his initials and surprisingly happy to tell me by the end of year he would be cutting shapes we out scissors 
 Loves his techno swing does R B all a proper geezer and looking forward to see him bound around cutting shapes in the new year from your mythomaniac mateIMG_0565.MP4

[Guest craig brelsford]

huh