harpo1

Hi Bobby, Just like to thank you for all your great music over the years...."Lend a hand" will always be one of my top 3 records of all time, brilliant!!!! Paul Harpin

Burslem around 2 years ago, in the foyer is a 10 foot tall model of a giant, an ad. for the forth coming "Jack and the Beanstalk" panto....Smokey walks into the modern room, onto the dancefloor with the 3 foot long hand from the giant, and proceeds to scratch his but with it to the disbelief of many, and the place just went wild....a classic....how many more tales are there revolving around Smokey, the funniest man i know Priceless

I also would like to say that hopefully peoples memories of Abrighton in the main are very good and happy and we should all be extremely proud that it was a legendary venue of its time .. I would far rather it be remembered positively . Kind regards Lin Gotta say my memories as a late comer to the venue remain very positive, before my first visit i'd heard those "eletiste" comments, how nice it was to walk in to find many of the DJ's from the West Mids, had been followers of my venues and DJ career until i sold up, and that the music i heard played was in essence the progression from things Cliff, Myself and a few others played mid 80's onwards, and as many of my contemporaries were there it was not long until i began to feel comfy when i went, and that was not a thing i found easy in those days. Didn't see the rosta of dj's from the start, but i have to say i always enjoyed it most with the small modern room, on nighters, when it was possible to slip back to see old mates in the big room, and not notice any appreciable difference in quality of music. I wish it had been carried on as it was, and in my personal opinion, despite having many great nights at Soul Underground , i must say i think that a mutual policy would have benefitted the sucess of all post Manor promo's, as that crowd was so responsive to soul in all its forms. I'm sure all will focus on good memories, as i found with the Cavendish, it is a hidden bonus at times to go out in the prime, as who wants that awful sight of a venue going publically through its death throes, they are never able to get the press or affection we did, so i think thats a good indication. It is always seen as the big three in our area Catacombes, Cavendish and Lea Manor, and i feel proud to have the venue i was principally involved with in there, as i'm sure you three are, i cant see a fourth on the horizon, as things are, so lets savour it. As i once said to Dave Thorley, nobody can ever take away what you did at TOTW and Bretby, and we are in the same position, and that will always be on our cv's big n bold Harpo

Coffee Oh yes it was a regular, my lady Sandi was cringing only yesterday when we saw the album at a friends, as already said it was not the worst by far!!

When you think of the TOTW Stafford, so many people dismiss totally the modern, current release tracks that certainly at first were a significant part of the playlist. And seeing how everyman and his dog seemed to go there, as i often hear(all i can say is , as one who went to 'em all is, they wern't in the same building as us) that seems odd, could there have ever been a bigger Stafford record, in terms of commercial sales, and success than Booker Newberry 111 "Love Town" treat her like a lady, don't you get so mad, i am somebody(as i remember the first big Stafford record), the crown, get down saturday night, Band AKA etc....etc... Its rare to see devotees mention on cd's tapes etc...the likes of Garfield Fleming, Jan Jones and other big class tunes, so to have to think of the ones above may leave some in trauma, but i danced to 'em all and so many others, to packed floors, a good record may become out of its time or too played , but it is still a good record, yet theres a lot more shit sub standard 60's ones that are given creedence, guess that was when they were played at the other TOTW!!!!

I well remember Dave Thorley playing EVELYN 'CHAMPAGNE' KING'S 'Shame' at Yate (And well after it had hit the pop charts) amongst rarer tracks and to me and many others who danced to it, it sounded great. And rightly so ...a great tune...was playing it yesterday!! It is the quality of a record that matters and nothing else. And if people cannot hear that the records described above are great soul records, then I question their understanding of what soul music is all about. Thats the point that is most important, most of the records mentioned are "soul" records, and isn't that the real criteria that is required, a beat that you can dance to is a biggie, but we all love those monster slow tracks just now and then that just do the head and stay in the mind , first time i heard Jackie Beavers was such a moment. We have a history of playing records with dubious, often lacking any relation to "soul", even in its widest description, and i guess in the day we have all liked stuff that in retrospect is toe curlingly awful, to a point of total shame, i wont think to hard on that it is a scary thought Harpo

Don't forget "boogie to the top" another biggie from the day

Gotta tell you since it was bought to my attention some time ago more than once i've started to type up my thoughts, only to think oh f*** it its all so obvious thatr i get fed up and scrap it. As Lou said, you've only got to look at flyers to see venue and Dj's to know what you are gonna get at a do, then it becomes a simple question, is it for me, if not then don't go. I have at times done all the nights that i bracket as "social events", and if you go without any elevated expectations of music to be played, then it is easy to have a good time. I admit that at times over the years i have done the other thing, and dismissed a venue for other reasons, snobbery, some particular music bias, shit line up(i base that often on lack of drive, passion or maybe complacency). And have at times been so wrong about things that it gives me a little indicator to not fall into the type of those that you have tried to avoid. I n the end i have little cash to spend, Sandi and i have families and kids, as well as other thngs to work around, so we have not been as active, preferring to do nighters, or what we see as "bankers" to go to, as my mate Lou also said "pay your money,mek 'ya choice"...it is the only way, if its a shit night then too bad, but it'll be your own choice, i'll go where i want to, notbecause they tell me not to. I aint saying anymore on this its so basic, i aint gonna eat a turd and then moan about how it tastes, i'll leave it for those who like the taste.....and if they love it we both end up satisfied, and me with out a nasty taste. And you all know what im coming up with next, it was and should still be a scene, with the exception of the odd specialist venue, one room playing great soul music from all periods, i know its just a dream after years of splits and idiocy, with a great level of lies and dismisall of anything that is seen as not au fait. Wish i could with Sandi support you all, you always did for me at the Cavendish, ok i know that is not really a fair comparrison, as both times it ticked each and every box that was needed at that particular junction, but i cant finacially, i wont get involved in any turf wars or deliberate clashes, and there will be times i might just say Sandi i'll get some cans pop the telly on, and lets not waste some time, but that again is once more pointing out that you need to ask yourself if its going to be worthwhile a visit, most of us should be able to calculate that fucker!!! So there you go, get out, enjoy "soul" music, savour the scenes friendship, meet old and make new friends, but most of all dont be one of the many many who hear the records but don't listen...you might just be suprised what you discover...where you might least expect to(ok yes to be fair i admit that my listening to this current r n b stuff has only strengthened my initial opinion, that being so i'll go where i dont have to hear it, i dont ask you to embrace as wide a taste as me, thats a personal choice, but neither will i try to question your views) Just have some fun out of this wonderful music of our's....its given me so much pleasure that i still want to be able to savour it for a bit yet, and i won't let any silly arseish'ness from others get in the way. Is it really that easy ....course it is....the scene is so eletist anyway, we are the "IN-CROWD our style and dedication has always given us that edge over all other scenes, lets keep it that way

hAVE SENT jOAN SOME PHOTO-FIT PICS OF DOGY FUCKERS OFF THE SCEE JUST IN CASE SHE CAN RECOGNISE ANYONE

Joan, Hey mate thats out of order, for them to target your or anyone elses boxes and once again we see the taboo broken, it was always the worst possible act to carry out, the selling of crap gear or dodgy counterfiet tunes was a chance you took when buying, but to rob records is twatish'ness of the highest order. Hope the bastards fingers drop off, wish he had knicked 'em out of my box, he would have been dissapointed, crap and craper, followwed by shite. Reminds me of you once telling me of a sales list a friend of ours put out for records he never had in the first place....remember that eh! All the best ...Harpo.....and Sandi xxxxx