Barry

Downstairs Main Room Plan Balcony Plan: My shit editing skills have cut off the Soft Drinks Bar - The Coffee, Tea an Pie Bar and the Leathers & Sheepskins Cloakroom at the back of the balcony. I've missed the 'shop' out near M's too.

Get to the top of the stairs - turn and face the back of the staircase looking at the back wall with the stage down and right - the doors were on the left.

M's entrance was situated up on the balcony to the left of where you see the stage in the main room - the room actually would have run above and behind the stage area in the Main Room. Walk up the (gents bog) staircase and turn back on yourself the double doors into M's 'foyer', a carpetted area about 30 foot by 15 (which would have been above the Gents bog) were on the left. The foyer walls were covered in faux wood veneer panels - big one, small one, medium one kinda thing - people usually sat about on the floor chatting. On the right hand foyer wall were two sets of doors (one either side of the small stage that housed the dj area on the othe side of the wall) that led to M's dancefloor - and facing you on the back wall to the left was the small staircase to the balcony that ran up and right. On M's ground/dancefloor we used to try and get one of the booths through the left hand door (dj's to your right) and generally facing where Wayne Hackett from Leigh would dance - you could get about four or five in a booth seat. If you managed to get through the generally locked doors at the back of M's it brought you out at ground level, which was a bit of a headf*ck - we nicked in that way on occassion and hid in the bogs til we heard the music come on. The balcony was quite a tight area at the sides (people would crash there making it more difficult to get by), prob five foot from balcony to the wall but there was a fairly decent spacious area at the back which would house carpet dancers. It was a real sweat-box when at it's height.

Went to watch a playback (small live appearance for record shop buyers) in the 90's for Omar in Manchester. The bar was in a basement with a spiral staircase leading down from entrance to dancefloor. The lighting was low and smoky and a raised curtained stage was at the back with a piano and stool on it - a stage-light trained on them. The place was bustling with industry types (free bar you see at all these playbacks ;0), an easy couple of hundred. Me and Alex Bad Ass were propping the bar up and as showtime approached Omar appeared from behind the bar and headed toward the stage - the place hushed somewhat. As Omar pushed his way through the crowd, me and Al noticed a little old bloke appear at the top of the spiral staircase and begin to make his way down to the floor. Omar and his manager disappeared behind the stage as the old bloke followed them - everybody was like 'WTF'? Omar appeared at the back of the stage, walked to the piano and began to settle himself on the stool....as the little old bloke appeared at the back of the stage and headed unflustered toward the man that was the main event. He approached Omar and tapped him on the shoulder - the both of them now in the stage lights - Omar turned and the little old bloke bent down and whispered in his ear. The whole gaff was now silent. Omar turned to the crowd, tapped the mike, cleared his throat and said.... "Taxi for Jones!" the place fell apart.

https://www.raresoulman.co.uk/d/176473/RUSHTON,_NEIL

Ya grumpy git!

Remember getting this ablum when I was a lad and wanted an OR ever since https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Record-Collector-Vol-1-20-Legendary-Northern-Soul-Classics/release/3192781

Was bidding on a mint demo a few week back on the Bay - forgot about it - went for £146.00 (Sorry - just checked - it was an issue)

How are you Mike? Pm me mate.

This week: Bobby Moore's Rhythm Aces - Go Ahead And Burn - Checker Nina Simone - Love Me Or Leave Me - Bethlehem Earl Bostic - Pink Panther - King Sunny & The Sunliners - Hip Huggin' Mini - RPR 7th son - Modesty - Wynwood Fred Wesley - Doin' It To Death - People Bethea & The Agents - One Eyed Dog In A Meathouse - Dynamo Dazzle - You Dazzle Me - De-Lite

I enjoyed it.

I don't know the guy but his charity work, as it stands, guarantees him a set and may get him his records cheaper - get yer trainers on lad and get running.

Always loved this Levine prod.

I'm amazed 1. at the neck of people and 2. at how stupid they think other people must be.

Jeffrey Daniels et al.

It's still Ike I suppose.

No 9 - ACE??? Nope. Dave

Virtually the same - slightly funkier and more produced - just love the pub singer roughness of the 7". 12" you'll get for £40/50 if you look - the 7" still brings £250 - £350 dep on con. Don't know if you're fussed but there's two True Image on Discogs - the cheap one has a fault app. https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?release_id=1260588&ev=rb

I'd a told him to go and swim.

Although I had to have the Ike Strong, it is worth checking True Image - comes up fairly regularly. It may put you on til you find a Mable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMxBTTIJdSs

Painted on my old scooter helmet bitd

Watched it on catch up in bed last night - what I did notice (and I will have to watch it again to make sure) but I'm sure Charles spoke only in record titles for the first 20 minutes.