harpo1

I've got a tape done from that all-dayer - DJs on it are Harpo, Jimmy Price and Pep, I think. 1987. Went to the sports centre one too and altho not many in, it was a lovely big, dark venue...

I bought a few of Max's records from the first time around and usually kept the cardboard covers as his writing was so neat! Quite proud of this "Cover-Up" with his writing on the sleeve that he played at the Cat's. Manny Charles indeed. He had originally put a sticker over it!

One room playing good records from all eras, was always the way for me, diversification, leading to break away groups has been the bane of the scene so so many times Its simply about playing good music ph

Would like 1/ Sharpees i've got a secret 2/whispers as i sit here please ladvise, payment via paypal Paul

Also don't forger the dayers at the Irish club, brilliant line ups therePep, myself, Roger, Guy, Cliff, Kitch just for starters. Was talkin' to Cliff the other week 'bout 'em, we could "go a bit" in those days, sold him my Kenny Wells the last nighter we did together. Then the nighter at the youth club place, lots of drunken people, decks in the kitchen, through the hatch..scary!!!!

Having been told by Ted at Rolls Royce, this morning we are at home in a state of shock and sadness. Firstly can we offer our deeepest heartfelt condolences to the family, our thoughts are with you. Right then, Max, what can i say, other than perhaps share some of my memories with you. When that little shop finally closed, Wednesfield village lost its most loved and respected charecter, it was a greater loss to our community than the Woolworths closure, could ever be. And now the West Mids Soul scene, in particular Wolverhampton has lost our mentor, to welcome and guide us. In my almost 40 years there have been only a few ever present figure, Max., Neil Rushton, Pep was for a long time before moving on, and not forgetting Swoz. Max was the biggest influence initially, i was to young to do the Cat's, my memories are Laffayette teen scene on mondays, Silver Dollar etc...etc....Iwould walk the mile and a bit to the shop after school, Max really turned my early like of the music into a lifelong journey.He would pull out stuff, "listen to this one matey", give it a rub on his jumper and on the deck, i can see it now, like it was yesterday! When Max came first time to the Cavendish, he stood with me behind the decks, "Harpo i never thought we would see this in Wolverhampton ever again", it was a royal approval for me. When Max years on went to Lea Manor with John and Ken, and got the bug again, it was great to see, later when i also started up again he was supportive, helpfull and genuinley pleased for me and Sandi. Our little "band of brothers" who were regular shop groupies, will i'm sure, every man and woman, will always remember "that man with the big wide grin" And are honoured to feel we can"color him father" Its a loss that is gonna be hard to put into words. Until we meet again...in soul heaven.....goodnight my dear old friend Harpo

That sounds familiar, Me, Phil Shelton, Dave Shaw, the Twins and Micky Taylor, were given a tour of Congleton police station one Sat night. It just got silly in the end did Clifton Hall on the Fri. and it took me and Phil nearly 2 hours to produce a piss sample, the others and the coppers were not amused, we just stood there laughing for ages, eventually got to Wigan about 3am. Dont know who it was but a young lady took mine and Phils tools off us just before we got pulled luckily we were seperate to the others so had time to get rid of the parephenalia, as they say. Only Dave and Mick, who were caught with stuff ended up charged, that time. It never quite had the same appeal after that, still to this day tend to use Knutsford instead. PH

Pyroclastic Puzzles....come back mighty cloud of joy lahar thomas...feet start moving etna if you check it out big blow manu dibango temptation is caldera my name cl basalt dont fight the feeling larry houston c/u as popocat(apetal)

Pep well what can i say, wierd fellow, buying records from him was an experience, promoting with him aaarrrrggghhhh But it was Ian who really pointed me in the right direction, honed my taste, and i had some amazing stuff off him.....too good to think about, wish i'd kept 'em. And then theres Helen....love her.....many never got past that outer shell, a true friend Miss 'em both ph

Popped into my head driving back up Sunday morning after Groovesville. Q.....You are a young "northern" soul record(hate the term, but in this case i use it to describe a type, classic dancers, we'll do 70's next week)...you are asked what are your hopes and aspirations, if all goes well what would you like to be when you grow up?????? A......I'll get the ball rolling, i think it best to aim high....I would like to be..... THE SALVADORS............."STICK BY ME BABY" Your thoughts please!! Harpo

Well done Harpo .......now who sang that song "trying to make sense of it all"??? Atb Nev Another scene affected geezer, couldnt even call it that...just to confuse us all !! Corey Glover...!"Little girl" Anyway if it all made sense it would soon become boring...ive gone home after many a weekend knowing that the utter crazyness that has ensued, means it was one not to forget, if you could ermember it!

JUST ANOTHER THOUGHT OR TWO GOING TO NIGHTERS , AND DOIND WHAT I DO NEVA DUN ME ANY ARMMMM...ARMMMMMMMMMM....LEG But im still enjoying it as much as earlier..maybe even more !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's far sadder to go to venues in the UK, and see people wearing the uniform!! At least abroad they can use a plea of "me no understand", it was all they had in Oxfam And of course thers that fashion victim thing, yes we did wear that stuff, but if you did then you would never do it again..surely. WOULD YOU???????

look forward to it mate

sURE IT WAS sAM PLAYED IT AT LIFELINE....BEEN A LONG LONG TIME ! PH

CAN'T BEAT THE OLD CHESTNUTS Riker and SKF lorries in collision...road was blocked for a week!!!! SHOULDN'T MAKE LIGHT REALLY, ITS HORRIBLE WHEN THE FUC--RS COME OUT OF NOWHERE, IN YOUR DIRECTION. PH

I HEAR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE AT THEIR WITS END , AND I UNDERSTAND ITS THEIR VIEW. But for me its great, i'm enjoying it like when i was a young man!! I had a major epiphany type moment at my first Prestatyn(well any weekender), went there in a state of unease, but left realising my state of mind regarding how people saw me was wrong, my friends were always there, i was just unapproachable due to my lack of esteem. It was great i went home for once quite liking myself, and ever since my whole self portrayal, and different appearance has meant i now make new friends, and old ones who i avoided can talk to me, and me them, and its great. Got my music back where it was, dance more than ever, use things in the right way, to enjoy myself, and that was my biggest step from my big 'ole. I am getting married this year, still amazes me too! not even i wanted to be with me for yonks!...Sandi has been the new crutch to go under the opposite arm-pit to the Smokey one that kept me just about above the gutter for so long....love 'em both , but in different ways LOL. Collecting records, even had the odd spots, that however now seems to have dried up, but so what, can play at home, and get to avoid the politic etc....... Did do all the local do's and nighters for a while, but now simply cherry pick events....still only maybe 200 real hardcore nighter people, with 30 plus years of growing with the music, and i choose to go to the events that cater for us.I see two distinct scenes, the hectic social, popular events, fair play they love it, i go occasionally to catch up with people, but avoid any musical expectations, and at times get the odd suprise...keep it going you lot! Yes our crowd has less people, still weekly venues, and a few that now want to go with the top line up, Lifeline was a beacon, now there is a bit of Lifeline everywhere, i cant do it every week financially, and there are old mates who at times gripe, we dont support them, sorry its not personal, we are broke assed mothers! And thats my scene, if i had the cash, kids have flown the nest, and im usually up all weekend anyway, i'd be there every time...its great!!....however Sandi is not up for that, so she is my saftey valve i suppose, but i still have a blow out when ever im out, its been my lifelong hobby, won't stop now, not now im finally getting the full scene experience, in high definition. Not interested anymore what people say, or think, batled that for 25 years, f--k 'em, just keep on keeping on, do what you feel, let the worrying, gossipy folks get on with it, bet they aint even got it right anyway, i know exactly what ive been, and what i am thinking, hee hee hee!!!!!!! Its great, still see loads of people who cannot hide their pleasure in the scene, dancers, record people, or theose of us fully engaged in mind and body in the joys of this fantastic scene we inhabit....its a unique experience, that for a time i forgot is our home, our comfort zone, and where we belong....and i aint going one step back towards that hole, its great!! We have to accept diversification was our mistake, not once, twice, or single figure times, oh! for the days of one room, one music SOUL, and the chance for everyone to get an ear for what was always a scene based on new music, that coulnt last for ever just give me good music...aint that what its all about, and if you can go home in the morning having heard a fair percentage of what you like, then who can complain....every fuc--r it sounds like at times!!!...come on get yourselves back on line....i dont want to be out on my own, but at least then i might get a spot or two. Politics...why would anyone who lived through the result of MThatcher, and the destruction of our welfare state and industries ever wanna go there again....oops better get off my soapbox, even my lot aint socialists these days, leave em to it...we've got bigger heads to fry!!! LOVIN' IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!! HARPO XX

"Neil, all i can say is.............. I always thought Mick Smith had fantastic taste, and after reading your book, i still firmly believe, he had it in the right pile from the start" All the best old mate PH

Heard lyricist lived next to a library, the librarian had a speech defect, could not say words of more than 3 letters "get bok, back or you get a fin" "uck ,you sti our fin up our ars"

Heard lyricist lived next to a library, the librarian had a speech defect, could not say words of more than 3 letters "get bok, back or you get a fin" "uck ,you !! sti our fin up our ars"

It would, and i'm just expressing my personal opinion, nor indeed questioning anyone elses, be what must be a rare example of the U.S.A. having better "taste" than us on this side of the pond. Maybe, as in the case of certain household cleaning products, or sweets, bok to bak, is cheyenne for "bag of shite"!, and if released would upset some people, where it may however tell scholars that phonetically the translation fits the meaning!!!! LOL PH

Pete Smith and i in our attire worn at Weston Super Mare 1963/4 Bank holiday mods rockers etc.. but we preferred a casual beach wear style, real trendy guys Later we had varios fads leather coats, foppish frilly shirted "turks" Sandi in top hat n tails at TOTW, a great improvement on that shitty Ric-Tic puffa jacket she won at Hinkley finally bass summer ball dj style

I was cross over it first time i heard it, i was playing along with Cliff many great soul records, simply 'cause, they were good, and it was where my taste had reached prior to my stuff going!!! Only catergory for me is......is it good???.......you can't make people like stuff, but when you are on a roll, and are tuned in , it can become in most cases , not all second nature to drop tune after tune that goes, its confidence and self belief, as in all life, sadly i am not onlt confident in my lack of confidence, thats why i stay awake all weekends so i dont never wake up on non work days...its worked so far!!

Then theres the tie him to a tree in cannock chase option, so he gets bummed to death by orienteering gay rambling society members..we meet last sun every month....ooo0ops!!!!!!

Sort of happened to me not as a dj but running a room at an event...new dj came in offered to buy the room from promoters and run it as an entity, didn't happen but if it had id have said fuck ya venue, but then it was not me paying, and if it made good business sense i suppose, they are not in it to loose, saying that any promoter who is in it for simply profit, is not only a quite bad outlook for profit, but also a mercenary atitude, genuine good effort and intent always shine through. But anyway me and the guy get on great, he's a real full on devotee, and its never been mentioned between us 'cause it dont matter. Saying that im coming from my current position, many years ago i had my legs chopped from under me, via lies, from what was always considered mine, along with, but never without my imput, venue. Guess what it never was on at the recognised venue again, and died within a couple of follow ups, later being replaced by a smaller venue......so there!!! I was finally told the reasoning many years later, id sold some of my collection, yet i still always did the recognised best spots, but again when the pound note signs flash before the eyes it can get very cutthroat business when involving pirates, and bukkin'fukkenears. In the end i pulled through and invested my time and 22p in the business, extracting coconuts from botle nosed dolphin droppings, sadly it never paid, knew i shouldn't have listened to Swoz ph