Early Days

[Guest Garry Cooper]

I have only just found your site after being told by an old pal that I had been mentioned in several items a few years ago.

These were mainly about Mexborough in general but specifically the Civic Hall in the late '60s.It was opened in various guises but when I became involved (68ish) it had been taken over by the local council following (supposed) naughtiness with certain controlled substances that offended the local dignitaries. So they thought they could control things better and a commitee of teenagers was set up to run things. After a while word got around and for 2-3yrs we had an extremely popular weekly gig.

Soul was always  the mainstay of every week with the floor usually full. At this time we were still able to buy vinyl at sensible prices, both new releases and local shops/ market stalls were scoured for gems. The discovery of F L Moore and his mail order import lists was amazing(at the time) making the sourcing of rarish tracks easier. This was the infancy of today's scene and I feel proud to have been there at the time.

One of every the first must have rarities was Discotheque/ Chubby Checker. I got my copy for £3!

I won't go into favorite tracks and what have you, suffice to say,as now, we all had our different favourites. Mine? Hard to say but I've recently started a voyage of re-discovery with tracks still sounding superb. Wear it on our face/Dells; Baby help me/ Percy Sledge are a couple that always spring to mind.

There were other venues further afield but I always thought that the best wasThe Attic in Doncaster, so many great memories. But the best is probably the night no one expected. We all turned up to see Jnr Walker to be greeted by a sign saying he was ill, to be replaced by Biily Stewart. Mind blowing, but a rare treat, if true. He turned up, very late, and his performance, complete with pink mohair suit, has passed into S Yorks Soul History.

All for no. Not quite sure how things work, but any comments appreciated. Adios amigos.

[Night Owl]

I was there with you Gary at the Attic and Billy Stewart doing Summertime was actually better live than the recording and his showmanship was superlative.

[Roburt]

Billy Stewart was one of my fave singers (Love Me, Sittin In't Park, Summertime, I Do Love You, Exodus, etc).

I lived in Donny & didn't go that night as I'd seen Jnr Walker so many times in the preceding 12 months.    GUTTED.

My mate Tom Sleight saw him @ the Wheel but I missed that night as well (a girlfriend in Hull  -- a place with a great weekend club scene back then).