Cats Whiskers In Leeds?

[Northern Soul Uk]

Yowsa! Did anyone on here ever go to 'The Cats Whiskers' in Meanwood, Leeds back in the 70s/80s. They used to hold all dayers there on a Sunday. Good club and great people.

[Dave Thorley]

Hi Steve

Went to a few there, long drive from Gloucester in them days. If I'm not mistaken had a few different promoters, went to one mid 70's ish run by John Kojac Harvey-Inter-City Soul Club, with one Ian 'Frank' Dewhurst on the wheels of steel.

Also wasn't the venue for the 'Good Old Days' music hall thing next door, or did I just imagine that!!!!!!!

[Guest topcatnumpty1]

Way,way out there Dave--were you confused or something---The good old days (with Manuel,s dad as compere was filmed at the City Varieties in Leeds City Centre--and th Cats All Dayers in MEANWOOD (about 4 or 5 miles away) N.B it,s noe J.T. Smiths supermarket!!

Regards

Tony Coleby

Hi Steve

Went to a few there, long drive from Gloucester in them days. If I'm not mistaken had a few different promoters, went to one mid 70's ish run by John Kojac Harvey-Inter-City Soul Club, with one Ian 'Frank' Dewhurst on the wheels of steel.

Also wasn't the venue for the 'Good Old Days' music hall thing next door, or did I just imagine that!!!!!!!

[Dave Thorley]

Way,way out there Dave--were you confused or something---The good old days (with Manuel,s dad as compere was filmed at the City Varieties in Leeds City Centre--and th Cats All Dayers in MEANWOOD (about 4 or 5 miles away) N.B it,s noe J.T. Smiths supermarket!!

Regards

Tony Coleby

Oh well must have been something I eat

[John Benson]

I remember going to an all nighter there sometime during the mid to late 70's

Definately a nighter and I think it was the Cat's Whiskers but it certainly was in Meanwood Leeds,

can anyone confirm this?

[Guest Trevski]

Yup, went with Swish. Nice venue, dodgy area!

[Pauldonnelly]

I dj'd there in there in 1975 with Richard Searling or all people..

[Guest lagerlout]

cats whiskers ...bloody hell....was a a great iccle venue on a sunday when there was nowt else to do...

[Ian Dewhirst]

Yep, deejayed there a few times. The venue was famous for it's record decks being suspended from the ceiling on 4 wires!

I also remember writing-off one of my cars on the way back from Cleethorpes but still making it to the Cat's Whiskers for a set on a Sunday afternoon - how's that for commitment!

Am I going nuts or did I once DJ there with Jr Walker & The All-Stars? I seem to remember but can't be absolutely sure that was the venue.....

I think there were two promoters at different times - John 'Kojak' Harvey (interesting bloke - I never knew where he came from or whether he was a big Northern fan or not) and Terry ? (forgotten his name but he promoted a lot of gigs in the early 70's).

But Meanwood? Phew. Not a good place to hand around on a dark night LOL.....

Ian D

[Dave Fleming]

I dj'd there in there in 1975 with Richard Searling or all people..

Paul,i remember that night we went up there in a mini bus from P/Boro,i allways thought that "Colin Curtis" was on that night as well?,whenever i hear "Night of the wolf" and "So is the sun" it reminds me of the "Cats Whiskers" night,happy memories

Dave f.............

[Pauldonnelly]

Paul,i remember that night we went up there in a mini bus from P/Boro,i allways thought that "Colin Curtis" was on that night as well?,whenever i hear "Night of the wolf" and "So is the sun" it reminds me of the "Cats Whiskers" night,happy memories

Dave f.............

FLIKKIN HELL, where ya pull that one from...lol...

Dave Mindham drove the bus ...

[Guest melandthensome]

I went to a few all-dayers in the 70's........

went with pete Lawson plus a few of Ormskirks finest........think Tony Cox and Jeff Gordon plus maybe our kid but never ever attended a all-nighter or all-dayer when our kid was going.

As I was only 13 at the time well he was with the older Wheel/Torch puntera etc.

But remember pete Lawson and I think KENO journeyed up later on as well.

Edited November 25, 2007 by melandthensome

[Guest bdesoul]

Remenber going to one alldayer in 1975 with a couple of car loads of Newbury lads after a Wigan allnighter. Jacko (Dave Merrick, (sadly no longer with us), Roland Pointer, Neil Towel, Sid Clark, Dave Wise and the like. Remember trying a spin on the raised dance floor and falling off the edge. demolished one of the tables with the lamps on. Totally nackered and out of it by then. Oh those were the days when on a friday night it was "Bye Mum see you sometime on Sunday" (If you were lucky).

Great times and great mates,

KTF Brian De-Honri

[Guest smudgesmith]

I dj'd there in there in 1975 with Richard Searling or all people..

I DJ,d with you that night,John Vincent came as an onlooker.Big spins that night,Bill Brandon and Lorraine Johnson,Dave Mitchell,Tamiko Jones and many others

[Northern Soul Uk]

Hi Steve

Went to a few there, long drive from Gloucester in them days. If I'm not mistaken had a few different promoters, went to one mid 70's ish run by John Kojac Harvey-Inter-City Soul Club, with one Ian 'Frank' Dewhurst on the wheels of steel.

Also wasn't the venue for the 'Good Old Days' music hall thing next door, or did I just imagine that!!!!!!!

Heheh! Yes you did imagine that Dave. The venue for 'The good old days' was held in the centre of Leeds at a theatre called 'The City varieties' and 'The Cats Whiskers' was some 6 miles away in the Meanwood area of Leeds.

Thanks for the reply

Steve

[Northern Soul Uk]

Edited November 30, 2007 by steveluigi

[Northern Soul Uk]

(ps) met my first 'squeeze. there too, that's when I realised that there was girls as well as Northern Soul . Denise Rush was her name from Harrogate, a real looker. She joined the Air force soon after, probably in an attemt to get as far away from me as fast as she could LOL

Edited November 30, 2007 by steveluigi

[Guest]

Yep, deejayed there a few times. The venue was famous for it's record decks being suspended from the ceiling on 4 wires!

I also remember writing-off one of my cars on the way back from Cleethorpes but still making it to the Cat's Whiskers for a set on a Sunday afternoon - how's that for commitment!

Am I going nuts or did I once DJ there with Jr Walker & The All-Stars? I seem to remember but can't be absolutely sure that was the venue.....

I think there were two promoters at different times - John 'Kojak' Harvey (interesting bloke - I never knew where he came from or whether he was a big Northern fan or not) and Terry ? (forgotten his name but he promoted a lot of gigs in the early 70's). [/color]But Meanwood? Phew. Not a good place to hand around on a dark night LOL.....

Ian D

The " Terry " in question was Terry Sampson , who promoted the CW all - nighters as part of his Northern Soul Scene activities during that time .......

The CW was a great venue in its' time , but as you state , Meanwood - no disrespect to those who hail from that suberb of Leeds , or live there - was not a place for the faint - hearted after dark descended .......

Malc Burton

Edited November 30, 2007 by Malc Burton

[Guest whippet]

Paul talking about Dave Mindham he used to drive us up to wigan too. I loved the Cats Whiskers loads of space.

[Guest Andy Newbold]

OMG! The Central @ Leeds. I still go harping on about that place. Some of us peeps from ULL (or Hull if your posh) would drop by with regularity prior to heading further west to Wigan. I my humble opinion the Central was one of the best local clubs on the go in the 70's

Here's to The Central and all who frequented said venue

[Northern Soul Uk]

OMG! The Central @ Leeds. I still go harping on about that place. Some of us peeps from ULL (or Hull if your posh) would drop by with regularity prior to heading further west to Wigan. I my humble opinion the Central was one of the best local clubs on the go in the 70's

Here's to The Central and all who frequented said venue

yes, I spent most of my weekends at the Central, and then ended up being the resident DJ there. it was the longest running soul club in the country at the time, being open for some 15 years or so. fantastic atmosphere and quality dance floor. Massive respect to the late Len Cave and his amazing wife, who owned the club and let us cause havok every week, those people were what the scene was all about, friendly, dedicated and full of heart.

[Guest Chris Martin]

Edited October 25, 2012 by Chris Martin

[Carty]

remember hitching from manchester with tom neilan to that, some guys from bradford had broke into a slot machine and gave us some of the proceeds, we paid for the bus home with 2ps , seems like another lifetime now, happy days !

[Northern Soul Uk]

Great mem's of the 'Cats' here! Thanks. A what a surprise to see a badge and a flyer LOL! Never seen one of the badges, didn't even know they did one tbh.

Seen a flyer before but not that one.

Here's a scan of the one I have seen.

Edited October 25, 2012 by Steve Luigi

[Mr Fred]

The Cats Whiskers Meanwood. I remember a girl who got barbed up and tried to drive her car out of the car park and bumped about 6 cars in the process.

Regards Fred. 

Edited September 6, 2018 by Mr Fred

[Algsoul]

On ‎24‎/‎11‎/‎2007 at 19:23, Ian Dewhirst said:

Yep, deejayed there a few times. The venue was famous for it's record decks being suspended from the ceiling on 4 wires!

 

I also remember writing-off one of my cars on the way back from Cleethorpes but still making it to the Cat's Whiskers for a set on a Sunday afternoon - how's that for commitment!

 

Am I going nuts or did I once DJ there with Jr Walker & The All-Stars? I seem to remember but can't be absolutely sure that was the venue.....

 

I think there were two promoters at different times - John 'Kojak' Harvey (interesting bloke - I never knew where he came from or whether he was a big Northern fan or not) and Terry ? (forgotten his name but he promoted a lot of gigs in the early 70's).

 

But Meanwood? Phew. Not a good place to hand around on a dark night LOL.....

 

Ian D

was there the day jnr walker was on (let a few of  us on stage with him blowing away with some little toy sax we got at a toy shop)    think one of your big tunes was moments -I go the need at the time 

 

Edited September 6, 2018 by algsoul

[Northern Soul Uk]

3 hours ago, algsoul said:

was there the day jnr walker was on (let a few of  us on stage with him blowing away with some little toy sax we got at a toy shop)    think one of your big tunes was moments -I go the need at the time 

 

Yes, he grabbed hold of one of the Toy Sax's and tried to get a tune out of it, but gave up saying "Lord, I can't get no tune out of that thing"

[Gibby Gibby]

On 06/09/2018 at 21:52, algsoul said:

was there the day jnr walker was on (let a few of  us on stage with him blowing away with some little toy sax we got at a toy shop)    think one of your big tunes was moments -I go the need at the time 

 

Hi mate it was Terry Sampson we spent  a lot of time together doing gigs with Graham Slater as well Terry had a few things running

[Chris Turnbull]

Any memories of York Cats Whiskers - all dayers mid 70's I think? Some of my first northern nights there mid 80's, though it was called something else by then 

[Simon Child]

Hi Everyone

I remember the Cats Whiskers in Meanwood. I went to the Alldayers there around 1976. It was a about 20 Minuets from Leeds Centre by Bus and Loads of us from Bradford used to go. Great Music and many tracks where what were also been played at Wigan. I remember Lesley Uggams - Don't You Even Care been played. I also remember either side of the Stage was a Cage for Go-Go-Dancers that my mate used to like to Dance in! Not Go-Go Dance I might add!