Robert Banks

[Julianb]

Been having a Twisted Wheel moment and playing Mighty Good Way. Got me thinking wasRobert related to any of the other Banks' singers - Darrell, Larry, Homer, Bessie, Doug etc etc?

Also, is there a dark blue Verve copy?

TIA

Julian

[Mark B]

Been having a Twisted Wheel moment and playing Mighty Good Way. Got me thinking wasRobert related to any of the other Banks' singers - Darrell, Larry, Homer, Bessie, Doug etc etc?

Also, is there a dark blue Verve copy?

TIA

Julian

that is the first sign of dementia in older people drifting back to times long ago.

mark

[P5OULH]

Been having a Twisted Wheel moment and playing Mighty Good Way. Got me thinking wasRobert related to any of the other Banks' singers - Darrell, Larry, Homer, Bessie, Doug etc etc?

Also, is there a dark blue Verve copy?

TIA

Julian

Hi old man do you know the other brothers "national and river" Paul

[De-to]

heres a youtube link of robert banks singing a mighty way plus a bit of info down the right hand side ,(its a levine thing though )

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Been having a Twisted Wheel moment and playing Mighty Good Way. Got me thinking wasRobert related to any of the other Banks' singers - Darrell, Larry, Homer, Bessie, Doug etc etc?

Also, is there a dark blue Verve copy?

TIA

Julian

No, not related to any of them. And this was never a Wheel record, BTW, the Wheel had been closed for at least a year when MGW got its first Northern plays....

[Julianb]

No, not related to any of them. And this was never a Wheel record, BTW, the Wheel had been closed for at least a year when MGW got its first Northern plays....

Think you're wrong that it wasn't played Tony - now,where's Brian Phillips (ex Wheel DJ)when you need him? He's on here somewhere and he'll be able to give the correct answer one way or t'other.

Also, it wasn't Northern in those days, just soul!

Julian

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

Think you're wrong that it wasn't played Tony - now,where's Brian Phillips (ex Wheel DJ)when you need him? He's on here somewhere and he'll be able to give the correct answer one way or t'other.

Also, it wasn't Northern in those days, just soul!

Julian

I was in the Highland Room the night MGW got its first play there, towards the end of '71. Tony Jebb only had an Emidisc, it was the first record that I ever saw played out off Emidisc in fact. The Mecca had been going a good six to nine months by then.

I have a feeling that MGW might have come up from the Catacombs, actually. But not the Wheel, I would say with a reasonable degree of confidence - unless '45' can say otherwise, and with absolute certainty. I do know that it was known of before its Mecca play - and someone must have had an original for Tony Jebb to have had an EMI - but I don't think it had received any significant play until late 71 at the earliest

Records often get erroneously attributed to the Wheel that were premiered at the Mecca. For example, I've seen both Wendy Rene's "Bar B Q" and the Vibrations' "Cause You're Mine" described as "Wheel Classics" when I know with almost total certainty that they were both played first on 'the scene' by Tony Jebb - off my own copies of these singles - in the Highland Room. To be fair there were still 'Wheel Records' being played at the Mecca in its early days, but not many of them were US-only releases....

[Julianb]

I was in the Highland Room the night MGW got its first play there, towards the end of '71. Tony Jebb only had an Emidisc, it was the first record that I ever saw played out off Emidisc in fact. The Mecca had been going a good six to nine months by then.

I have a feeling that MGW might have come up from the Catacombs, actually. But not the Wheel, I would say with a reasonable degree of confidence - unless '45' can say otherwise, and with absolute certainty. I do know that it was known of before its Mecca play - and someone must have had an original for Tony Jebb to have had an EMI - but I don't think it had received any significant play until late 71 at the earliest

Records often get erroneously attributed to the Wheel that were premiered at the Mecca. For example, I've seen both Wendy Rene's "Bar B Q" and the Vibrations' "Cause You're Mine" described as "Wheel Classics" when I know with almost total certainty that they were both played first on 'the scene' by Tony Jebb - off my own copies of these singles - in the Highland Room. To be fair there were still 'Wheel Records' being played at the Mecca in its early days, but not many of them were US-only releases....

Hi Tony

was probably there that night myself ( as I still have you in my address book as living in Grove Park Road Wanstead at the time!!!)

Agree about Wendy and Vibrations not being played, but I was pretty certain about MGW. Come on you old Wheelers get stuck in on this one ( I would ask the Mrs, but she never agrees with me, so it would be 2-1 to you !!)

[max millward]

I was in the Highland Room the night MGW got its first play there, towards the end of '71. Tony Jebb only had an Emidisc, it was the first record that I ever saw played out off Emidisc in fact. The Mecca had been going a good six to nine months by then.

I have a feeling that MGW might have come up from the Catacombs, actually. But not the Wheel, I would say with a reasonable degree of confidence - unless '45' can say otherwise, and with absolute certainty. I do know that it was known of before its Mecca play - and someone must have had an original for Tony Jebb to have had an EMI - but I don't think it had received any significant play until late 71 at the earliest

Records often get erroneously attributed to the Wheel that were premiered at the Mecca. For example, I've seen both Wendy Rene's "Bar B Q" and the Vibrations' "Cause You're Mine" described as "Wheel Classics" when I know with almost total certainty that they were both played first on 'the scene' by Tony Jebb - off my own copies of these singles - in the Highland Room. To be fair there were still 'Wheel Records' being played at the Mecca in its early days, but not many of them were US-only releases....

hi there

robert banks was played at the cats as was wendy rene & the vib's

all on original labels

max

[bri phill]

I was in the Highland Room the night MGW got its first play there, towards the end of '71. Tony Jebb only had an Emidisc, it was the first record that I ever saw played out off Emidisc in fact. The Mecca had been going a good six to nine months by then.

I have a feeling that MGW might have come up from the Catacombs, actually. But not the Wheel, I would say with a reasonable degree of confidence - unless '45' can say otherwise, and with absolute certainty. I do know that it was known of before its Mecca play - and someone must have had an original for Tony Jebb to have had an EMI - but I don't think it had received any significant play until late 71 at the earliest

Records often get erroneously attributed to the Wheel that were premiered at the Mecca. For example, I've seen both Wendy Rene's "Bar B Q" and the Vibrations' "Cause You're Mine" described as "Wheel Classics" when I know with almost total certainty that they were both played first on 'the scene' by Tony Jebb - off my own copies of these singles - in the Highland Room. To be fair there were still 'Wheel Records' being played at the Mecca in its early days, but not many of them were US-only releases....

Hi Tony,Julian, Got a pm about this but don't know how to reply not upto speed on that yet have been away all week grafting.I found Robert Banks on Verve demo alongside Jerry Cook on capitol in 1969 in Tib Street Manchester.Ihadn't heard of any of them at the time but just took a chance,I played them in the Wheel upto leaving in September 1970 after that they wouldn't have been played there alongside lots more on account of me having a vastly superior collection( ha ha).At the time The cats etc didn't have them according to Docker and the Bridgnorth lads who use to come up after the Cats and I knew Bob Crocker was after them.Their was a lot of stuff that got credited later especially when they put out cd's and the wheel ones seem to consist of club soul(where's Ian Dewhurst)Rober Banks wan't a monster at the Wheel,I remember Rob Bellars trying to put me of playing by telling me he was some gospel singer.That reminds me he also tried to put me of Bobby Bennett-Your'e ready know which I found before the Franki Valli version got played by saying he was a childrens entertainer he probably was.

regards Brian

[Julianb]

Hi Tony,Julian, Got a pm about this but don't know how to reply not upto speed on that yet have been away all week grafting.I found Robert Banks on Verve demo alongside Jerry Cook on capitol in 1969 in Tib Street Manchester.Ihadn't heard of any of them at the time but just took a chance,I played them in the Wheel upto leaving in September 1970 after that they wouldn't have been played there alongside lots more on account of me having a vastly superior collection( ha ha).At the time The cats etc didn't have them according to Docker and the Bridgnorth lads who use to come up after the Cats and I knew Bob Crocker was after them.Their was a lot of stuff that got credited later especially when they put out cd's and the wheel ones seem to consist of club soul(where's Ian Dewhurst)Rober Banks wan't a monster at the Wheel,I remember Rob Bellars trying to put me of playing by telling me he was some gospel singer.That reminds me he also tried to put me of Bobby Bennett-Your'e ready know which I found before the Franki Valli version got played by saying he was a childrens entertainer he probably was.

regards Brian

Thanks for the information Brian. FAO Tony Rounce - I know I'm getting on a bit, but my memory has NOT completely gone!

[Guest Swish]

Hi Tony,Julian, Got a pm about this but don't know how to reply not upto speed on that yet have been away all week grafting.I found Robert Banks on Verve demo alongside Jerry Cook on capitol in 1969 in Tib Street Manchester.Ihadn't heard of any of them at the time but just took a chance,I played them in the Wheel upto leaving in September 1970 after that they wouldn't have been played there alongside lots more on account of me having a vastly superior collection( ha ha).At the time The cats etc didn't have them according to Docker and the Bridgnorth lads who use to come up after the Cats and I knew Bob Crocker was after them.Their was a lot of stuff that got credited later especially when they put out cd's and the wheel ones seem to consist of club soul(where's Ian Dewhurst)Rober Banks wan't a monster at the Wheel,I remember Rob Bellars trying to put me of playing by telling me he was some gospel singer.That reminds me he also tried to put me of Bobby Bennett-Your'e ready know which I found before the Franki Valli version got played by saying he was a childrens entertainer he probably was.

regards Brian

There was no MGM or Verve stuff played at the Wheel, except for The Formations and I am pretty sure that was on UK MGM.

Nothing on MGM or Verve USA imports were even known about when the Wheel was on. They were all found when thousands arrived in the UK around 1972/3.

As for Bobby Bennet, being played or known before Franki Valli, don't be so daft.

[Mrtag]

Hi old man do you know the other brothers "national and river" Paul

Ya Missed Out The Twins Blood & Sperm :lol:

[Kegsy]

Cant engage in the argument about it being played at the wheel as I never went.

But I know for sure it was played at the L'Ambassador in Bradford which

started just after the Wheel shut. Now whether it FIRST came off Bradford market with all

the other Verve/MGM stuff I dont know but there was definately copies on there as I had a few.

So I reckon it was known before then which would probably suggest it was a Wheel

record.It may be my memory but I dont think the Cats was doing nighters at his point.

Kegsy

[Guest Swish]

Cant engage in the argument about it being played at the wheel as I never went.

But I know for sure it was played at the L'Ambassador in Bradford which

started just after the Wheel shut. Now whether it FIRST came off Bradford market with all

the other Verve/MGM stuff I dont know but there was definately copies on there as I had a few.

So I reckon it was known before then which would probably suggest it was a Wheel

record.It may be my memory but I dont think the Cats was doing nighters at his point.

Kegsy

Kegsy,

Are you calling me a f**** liar? Cos I'm calling you one.

The Bradford market supply came in 1972/1973, not 1971.

L'Ambassadeur (I can spell it correctly as still have my membership and you would have only been about 12 then..)

There were at least two very popular nighters after the Wheel shut. I should know I went to them...THE LANTERN MARKET HARBOROUGH and THE METRO WAKEFIELD. L'AMBASSADEUR started late 1971. I never heard MGW at any of those places. I either first heard it at Blackpool Mecca or CREWE or TORCH.

The Catacombs only ever had 1 all-nighter and that was the night it closed down.

HOW DID YOU USED TO GET IN THERE? You still only look about 28 now.

Much love Kegsy,

Swish.

P.S. Shame you sttill seem to nothing about anything. Still it's probably for the best.

Oh and the multi billionaire guy who invented WORD knows Jack Shit as well. I type HARBOROUGH and the computer suggests SCARBOROUGH, YARBOROUGH, MARLBOROUGH. I type L'AMBASSADEUR and it suggests all sorts of hilarious rubbish....have a look. so you are not on your own Kegsy not knowing a thing about nighters, the WORD guy spent 12 million to go on a trip on a space shuttle, so he can't be that bright either.

[Ted Massey]

Why all the aggro whats the point of it who cares who found what when and where its great music lets just enjoy it

[Kegsy]

Kegsy,

Are you calling me a f**** liar? Cos I'm calling you one.

The Bradford market supply came in 1972/1973, not 1971.

L'Ambassadeur (I can spell it correctly as still have my membership and you would have only been about 12 then..)

There were at least two very popular nighters after the Wheel shut. I should know I went to them...THE LANTERN MARKET HARBOROUGH and THE METRO WAKEFIELD. L'AMBASSADEUR started late 1971. I never heard MGW at any of those places. I either first heard it at Blackpool Mecca or CREWE or TORCH.

The Catacombs only ever had 1 all-nighter and that was the night it closed down.

HOW DID YOU USED TO GET IN THERE? You still only look about 28 now.

Much love Kegsy,

Swish.

Have you been on the sauce Old Boy ?

I know when the L'ambassadeur started as I went to about every one, inc

the night it got busted and we ended up in the big day cell with the discotron.

Still pretty sure i knew MGW before the Torch etc, so where would I hear it

except the L'ambo, unless it was a sunday night session a the

Hole In The Wall when some of the older nighter/ Wheel lads

used to play records.

Kegsy

[Chalky]

Kegsy,

Are you calling me a f**** liar? Cos I'm calling you one.

Swish.

Swish, chill out, no need for the aggression. You have had two or three goes at Brian Phillips now over Wheel spins and now had a go at Kegsy. No ones memory is perfect, especially from so long ago.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

No ones memory is perfect, especially from so long ago.

...Mine is.

If only I had the same powers of recall over where I put my specs when I went to bed last night...

[Julianb]

Kegsy,

Are you calling me a f**** liar? Cos I'm calling you one.

The Bradford market supply came in 1972/1973, not 1971.

L'Ambassadeur (I can spell it correctly as still have my membership and you would have only been about 12 then..)

There were at least two very popular nighters after the Wheel shut. I should know I went to them...THE LANTERN MARKET HARBOROUGH and THE METRO WAKEFIELD. L'AMBASSADEUR started late 1971. I never heard MGW at any of those places. I either first heard it at Blackpool Mecca or CREWE or TORCH.

The Catacombs only ever had 1 all-nighter and that was the night it closed down.

HOW DID YOU USED TO GET IN THERE? You still only look about 28 now.

Much love Kegsy,

Swish.

Have you been on the sauce Old Boy ?

I know when the L'ambassadeur started as I went to about every one, inc

the night it got busted and we ended up in the big day cell with the discotron.

Still pretty sure i knew MGW before the Torch etc, so where would I hear it

except the L'ambo, unless it was a sunday night session a the

Hole In The Wall when some of the older nighter/ Wheel lads

used to play records.

Kegsy

Now then boys, put those handbags away!!!!

If you read Brian Phillips post earlier in this thread he CONFIRMS that MGW was played at the Wheel. End of discussion.

Hope you and your families all have a great Xmas and New Year.

Julian & Carolyn

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

If you read Brian Phillips post earlier in this thread he CONFIRMS that MGW was played at the Wheel. End of discussion.

Well, it doesn't really confirm it as I still think Brian's memory is at fault on this one.

Particularly as he backed it up with a ludicrous statement about Bobby Bennett being played on the scene before Frankie Valli. And as I remember it, Bobby Bennett was found by Bob Stephens, who was the DJ at Ian Levine's dad's club the Lemon Tree...

...But that's the end of discussion as far as I'm concerned.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...

[bri phill]

Well, it doesn't really confirm it as I still think Brian's memory is at fault on this one.

Particularly as he backed it up with a ludicrous statement about Bobby Bennett being played on the scene before Frankie Valli. And as I remember it, Bobby Bennett was found by Bob Stephens, who was the DJ at Ian Levine's dad's club the Lemon Tree...

...But that's the end of discussion as far as I'm concerned.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...

Tony,

Regarding this matter I was PM'd by Julian to clarify a point regarding Robert Banks.

My memory on this matter is crystal clear I found Robert Banks along with Jerry Cook in Tib Street Manchester mid 69 they were played at the Wheel until I left and not after.

Richard Selwood and some of the Bridgnorth lads on here could probably confirm as The lads at the Catacombs were very keen on trying to buy them from me.

Regarding Bobby Bennett I bought this on Columbia demo some old electrical shop near Soho just took a flyer on it being a demo etc.

At the time hadn't heard the Franki Valli version, Bobby Bennett became huge at the Wheel and shortly after someone informed me of the Franki Valli version which I then got and started playing.

I believe later Carl at the Chateau was playing Bobby Bennet as a cover up.

I'm sure someone would have had Franki Valli earlier but I'd never heard it or anyone ever playing it so Bobby Bennet was played first at the Wheel unless it was played as a new release or before 1967.

I don't know why it's such a big deal Mighty good way wasn't that popular at the Wheel but if anyone wants a bet I'm up for it .

The problem is people who came on the scene later think the sounds were being broke for the first time in a some cases instead of just being more popularised.

For instance although I wasn't aware at the time but Tainted Love, I'm on my way and several other later credited discoveries were being played at The Blue Note just up the road from the Wheel around 1968/69 by ex Wheel lads who had moved on.

I could think of lots of stuff played at the Wheel credited to being discovered later but we'll be here for ever

Remember people had been importing stuff from the States since the late 50's.if not before,more blues but later soul stuff.

Roger Eagle had arrangements with Duke, Backbeat, Stax etc from 1965 onwards and of course Guy Stevens.

Regards

Brian

Edited December 23, 2010 by bri. phill

[Guest wax machine]

hi there

robert banks was played at the cats as was wendy rene & the vib's

all on original labels

max

I'll second that, I first heard Robert Banks at the Catacombes Bob Crocker used to play some real "earthy" records - Clara Ward

"The Right Direction" was another which had a gospel feel to it, he also played a lot of Bobby Bland stuff "Call on Me" "Shoes" etc

He didn't care what it was, if he thought it was right he would play it.   Richard Selwood