Up The Junction Crewe

[Guest mobbsy]

my old mate (sean Burke) used to rave about this old venue seams to me its was an important venue in the past, like the Torch, the wheel etc . remember a few of the older lads wore a Pendulum club badge was that in Burnley? Anyone got any pictures of the two named clubs?..

Edited February 9, 2007 by mobbsy

[Guest mooma]

Hiya Mobbsy

Used to go to the Junction in the 70's! It was an excellent venue in its day!!

Do you know any of the CREWE lads/lasses?

Lynne Cooper Lynda Bratt Pip Weaver

Kenny Hassle Graham Pratt Des Barker (my other half) any others that I have forgotten Im soz

sue

[Keithw]

my old mate (sean Burke) used to rave about this old venue seams to me its was an important venue in the past, like the Torch, the wheel etc . remember a few of the older lads wore a Pendulum club badge was that in Burnley? Anyone got any pictures of the two named clubs?..

the Pendulum was in manchester,by the cathedral,have a pendulum badge as i used to go

then on to a nighter

d.js when i went

dave white/barry tasker later soul sam

up the junction building is still in tact in Crewe

its now a snooker club (south street crewe)

you can still see on wall oposite up the junction painted over

i used to go regular as well,worked behind bar one,even though i was only 16

saw many acts there,d.js were mainly Torch jocks

alan day

tony jebb

pep

keith minshull i think

[Guest mooma]

keith w

picture of us lot in "THE JUNCTION" 1971

sue bushby

[Guest mooma]

keith

soz the pic aint posted will try again

sue

[Guest mobbsy]

thanks Keith and Mooma for the info

[Keithw]

a few pictures from my scrapbooks /that was me mid 70s

Edited February 10, 2007 by keithw

[Guest mooma]

keith

how do i reduce my pics to post on the forum?? HELP required!!!

sue

[Guest mooma]

hope this works!!!

sue

[northernnigel60]

On 10/02/2007 at 11:50, keithw said:

 

the Pendulum was in manchester,by the cathedral,have a pendulum badge as i used to go

then on to a nighter

 

d.js when i went

 

dave white/barry tasker later soul sam

 

up the junction building is still in tact in Crewe

its now a snooker club (south street crewe)

 

you can still see on wall oposite up the junction painted over

i used to go regular as well,worked behind bar one,even though i was only 16

 

saw many acts there,d.js were mainly Torch jocks

 

alan day

tony jebb

pep

keith minshull i think

Can i just let you know, the wall opposite the old junction with UP THE JUNCTION painted across it , was the gable-end of a house, which has now been pulled down, i got my son to take a photo of it about a fortnight before demolition started.

Just another piece of soul history !!!!!!!!!!!

Nige.

[Jim Scrivener]

Up the Junction doesn't get the recognition it deserved. Great memories, saw Donnie Elbert and Gene Latter there. There was also a chill out room which showed cartoons! Me and a pal got stopped by the Plod in the early hours once and couldn't believe we came from Blackpool to a night in Crewe. Some locals explained that people came from all over the country and the Plod were stunned. Remember Little Richard I Dont Wanna Discuss It was a monster sound there.

[Guest Michael Corrigan]

August 5, 1972. Alan Day in the big room: A little togetherness- The Younghearts; Crackin' up over you-Roy Hamilton; I feel an urge coming on- Jo Armstead; Per-son-ally - Bobby Paris; Every beat of my heart- Du-ettes; I've been hurt - Guy Darrell; A little bit of something - Little Richard: The tracks to your mind - The Sounds of Lane. These provoked the biggest dance floor reaction throughout the night and received multiple plays from the aforementioned Alan Day ensconced on the small stage at the end of the room. He really appeared driven by dance floor reaction, as well as other things, and repetition of the biggest sounds was part of a familiar repertoire that I'll forever associate with him, at the Torch as well. 

Other sounds I recall were Desiree - The Charts; Groovin' at the Go-Go - The Four Larks: Music- Jeanette White; The Penguin Breakdown - LJ Reynolds.

Breakout - Mitch Ryder and Slippin' around -Art Freeman, were two items from days of yore that supplemented the current playlist and kept the punters engaged.

So many stand-out records from an era when they were being discovered on such a regular basis that within weeks they were considered 'played out' and moved aside so Earl Jackson, Eddie Parker, and Sam and Kitty could take their place. Though not at 'Up the Junction'. I'm pretty certain that was the last night  that the club hosted an all-nighter, though a further one had been advertised in Blues and Soul and which I had the misfortune to attempt to attend.

In terms of personal experience I'd rate Up the Junction on a par with the Catacombs, Torch, and Va Vas. The dance floor was never less than busy and frequently frenetic. Above all else, there was an atmosphere that at that moment, at that place, a couple of hundred souls had gone to some trouble to celebrate music that struck such a chord, that there was nowhere else you would rather be.

[Jez Jones]

6 hours ago, Michael Corrigan said:

August 5, 1972. Alan Day in the big room: A little togetherness- The Younghearts; Crackin' up over you-Roy Hamilton; I feel an urge coming on- Jo Armstead; Per-son-ally - Bobby Paris; Every beat of my heart- Du-ettes; I've been hurt - Guy Darrell; A little bit of something - Little Richard: The tracks to your mind - The Sounds of Lane. These provoked the biggest dance floor reaction throughout the night and received multiple plays from the aforementioned Alan Day ensconced on the small stage at the end of the room. He really appeared driven by dance floor reaction, as well as other things, and repetition of the biggest sounds was part of a familiar repertoire that I'll forever associate with him, at the Torch as well. 

Other sounds I recall were Desiree - The Charts; Groovin' at the Go-Go - The Four Larks: Music- Jeanette White; The Penguin Breakdown - LJ Reynolds.

Breakout - Mitch Ryder and Slippin' around -Art Freeman, were two items from days of yore that supplemented the current playlist and kept the punters engaged.

So many stand-out records from an era when they were being discovered on such a regular basis that within weeks they were considered 'played out' and moved aside so Earl Jackson, Eddie Parker, and Sam and Kitty could take their place. Though not at 'Up the Junction'. I'm pretty certain that was the last night  that the club hosted an all-nighter, though a further one had been advertised in Blues and Soul and which I had the misfortune to attempt to attend.

In terms of personal experience I'd rate Up the Junction on a par with the Catacombs, Torch, and Va Vas. The dance floor was never less than busy and frequently frenetic. Above all else, there was an atmosphere that at that moment, at that place, a couple of hundred souls had gone to some trouble to celebrate music that struck such a chord, that there was nowhere else you would rather be.

Great memories Michael... we were blessed at the time ,with UTJ, Torch etc carrying on and giving us more great sounds..from where the Wheel left off

[northernnigel60]

Having just taken over the promotion of Coppenhall Club Soul Nights down here in Crewe, i'm  hopeing to have an " Up The Junction reunion night" some time in the early new year, as well as theme nights from other " bygone" clubs  up and down the country.These ground breaking clubs deserve to be remembered for their contribution to the present day soul scene.

Please keep your eyes on S/S for further details.

Nige.

[Jbs]

46 minutes ago, northernnigel60 said:

Having just taken over the promotion of Coppenhall Club Soul Nights down here in Crewe, i'm  hopeing to have an " Up The Junction reunion night" some time in the early new year, as well as theme nights from other " bygone" clubs  up and down the country.These ground breaking clubs deserve to be remembered for their contribution to the present day soul scene.

Please keep your eyes on S/S for further details.

Nige.

[Guest]

On 10/02/2007 at 16:23, mooma said:

hope this works!!!

sue

Matchy in the front row. Possibly Elaine Higginson from Stoke in the second row? 1972, along with 73, probably the best years in the scenes history. Only went once, as it was a bit of a trek for a 15 year old from Oldham! Remember Archie Bells Here I Go Again being played to death all night! 

I was a regular at the Pendulum from 72 onwards. Friday nights just weren't ever the same again when it closed.  Best little soul club we've ever seen. 

Happy days indeed. 

[Dekka 6x6]

Up the Junction now I go play snooker there a few times a year and think of some good times. When alot of us came down on scooters from Stoke. Then sometimes hitched it then walked back. Yes walked if we didn't get a lift. The time I won a dance competition yes me, but I think It was rigged. The prize was a various artists Ska Album. That was the sound at the time. Maybe 1970. Not sure. Nigel what a great idea a junction reunion I don't think that's been done. people have done all the others but not that one. D.

[northernnigel60]

Thanks for your comment Dek, its just one idea among many, we would also like  Torch / Wheel and Wigan nights, I will try my best to get DJs that did or have played at these iconic clubs, but please keep your eye on "Coppenhall Soul Nights" in the coming year for dates and events, hope to see you there -

Soulfully yours Nige.

[Jayboy]

Top nights there 2 rooms and the toons just kept coming classic storming northern.

Stin

[Chris Turnbull]

On 03/10/2018 at 20:21, northernnigel60 said:

Can i just let you know, the wall opposite the old junction with UP THE JUNCTION painted across it , was the gable-end of a house, which has now been pulled down, i got my son to take a photo of it about a fortnight before demolition started.

Just another piece of soul history !!!!!!!!!!!

Nige.

Interested to see the photo - can you post it up?

PS I know it's a snooker club now but is it much changed from the early 70's otherwise?

[Roburt]

A few of the regular UK venues for visiting soul acts back in the late 60's (Up The Junction being one of them)  .....

Poor old Percy Sledge had been booked to play two gigs on a December night in 69 ... bet the roads weren't too good (snow, ice, fog or rain) ... AND THE TWO VENUES WERE MILES APART ... Wellington in Shropshire & Retford in Nottinghamshire. No doubt that was a dash across the Pennines to remember.

Edited October 10, 2018 by Roburt

[Roburt]

How the building looks these days + another soul act that played the club back in the day.