Mick Howard

Webby Got yer tickets for St Ives yet? Anyway, 3 memories from the Casino: 1) First time there - not least being overwhelmed by it, the number of people, the absolutely precise clapping, not being able to get onto the dance-floor but most of all a feeling of being watched.... 2) Tobacco stains on my white t-shirt from the condensation drips off the ceiling.... 3) The quantity and colourfull array of gear being carried by the Birmingham crew when I travelled up with them on their coach one time (with a guy called Mick funnily enough from Chelmsley Wood) not to mention the driver who stashed it under the internal engine hood.... Mick

Effin brilliant tune. I remember Gaz Kellett getting me my copy & presenting it to me at a surprise party in Halifax organised by my ex when I came back from Saudi in 87 - I nearly burst into tears.... Obviously theres the other version by Marlena Mars (I think) on MGM but I also had an alternative vocal by Tommy Frontera called Merry-Go-Round on Palmer - its' not a great tune by any standards but unusual if only for the fair-ground organ type thing going on over the track. Mick

Really, really interesting but not being able to find out any info about a particular singer isn't very unusual. This is so true of a lot of tunes on the Soul scene. A guy whose friends lets say egg him on to cut an acetate following which no label where it's 'hawked' wants to take it up is surely doomed to failure as obviously this guy was. Granted, its a very nice blues but not that much different to many in the late 50's & early 60's so...... Mick

I have an old cassette tape of Jr Walker & The All Stars that I taped on a Bush recorder at St Ives (probably haven't even listened to it for 30 years and its probably rubbish - but I did manage to capture them doing I Ain't Going Nowhere - effin tremendous). Does anyone remember that gig and the year - think it might have been just before Christmas 76(ish)... It was absolutely rammed not only with UK soul folk but also a bunch of US servicemen and women from the bases in East Anglia. Mick

Sassy I think the previous release was called Skinny Jeans and it was also rather good. Still retro though and nothing like the real thing........ Mick

An offer of a decent job (i.e good salaries) in the North, East, West or even South of England for both me & Ali plus an offer we couldn't refuse on our current house to allow us to move from Scotland which is pretty much a desert these days for all-nighters & the cost of travelling is too much these days. Basically if I lived nearer to all nighter venues I would probably go more often. Mick

VM does everything on this record bar sing the bloomin' thing. Mick

Martyn Didn't know those guys - I think I took that photo to get the feel of the place really. Bottom photo is me on the left, my mate Nick who was also in the RAF on the right and then Tony Rudd from Wisbech at the front. They were taken in the roller rink bit which only started to get used a bit later. I think that it was just the smaller place first wasn't it? Mick

Martyn I was also in the area recently & did my own 'pilgrimage'. Your'e spot on and I agree that it looks like its ready to be demolished. Isn't it funny though how much bigger things seemed when one was young; Wagon Wheels were as big as.... well, wagon wheels and the Wirrina was HUUUUUUGE (it was called a Stadium for goodness sake) but seeing it again after 30 odd years really puts it into perspective. I felt a bit sad as it was the first all nighter I ever went to - the long hot summer of 76 - ahhhhhh....... Mick

Don't know how short it is & of course it 'aint everyone's cup of char but Paulette Love You Babe must be under 2 minutes... Mick

Terry from Manchester (sadly I don't think he's with us any more) playing cowboys & indians on the coach going up to Scotland (Glenrothes or Allanton - I don't remember which). John Kingan driving me and Chuddy (his car) around Hyde Park about ten times after the 100 Club 'cos he couldn't figure how to get onto the right road out - I took over the driving after the 1st services on the M1! Me; never been so mashed as to do anything so stoopid:shhh: Mick

Webby Its all relative though isn't it depending upon when. For example paying £30 in 1980 surely ain't the same as paying £30 today - and so on... For me I stepped up a gear when I paid Pete Lawson £80 in two installments circa 1986 for Ron Baxters This Is It! That was the first of many serious expenditures for some very nice tunes all of which on todays market are in the mid to high £100's. Wish I still had em..... Mick

Webby Used to know KW well back in the day (thats the trouble with monikers - you can't tell who they are). I think that CC was an all time fav of many including me (CC for Prime Minister we used to say). As for a revival, check this out /calendar/1/event-13673 Mick

Back on thread. Probably not first played there or even discovered during the St Ives years but the three that remind me most of the place are: Chubby Checker - You Just Don't Know Interplay - Derek & Ray KayGee - The Nitelighters Mick

Macca Don't remember Johnny going with Lynne and Johnny and I were good mates but you're right she certainly was a charmer. I'm not a member of FaceBook & don't intend to be (enough time spent on here) but wouldn't mind getting in touch with Johnny as I haven't seen him for a number of years either - the last time I saw him was the early 90's at Yarmouth weekender - check this photo out. Mick

Martyn Cheryl Bush from Norwich - she was in the year below me at School.... Mick

Here Macca I used to go out with a girl from Hitchin for a short while called Lynne but I can't remember her surname - maybe its one & the same girl. The one I was with had a half sister called Julie (their nick-names were El & Ju). She was probably the best looking girl I ever went with in my life & I thought I was in luuuurrrrve! She told me that she was emigrating to Oz at some point and I lost contact with her around 78(ish). Wish I had a photo to reminisce - oh to be 18 again indeed!!!!! Here are some photos though. Mick

Mike Twisted Wheel does sound right now you mention it. I like it too & (shhh) the Bitty McLaine 90's version..... Mick

I was told that the last record (not sure if that means THE last or the last each week) at one of the older venues (Torch, Wheel I'm not sure which) was It Keeps Raining by Fats Domino. Is this right? Mick

I'd have to agree with Webby. Not saying that there aren't any but in 35 years on the scene I've never met a 'scouser'! Warrington and Southport yes but any nearer to the Mersey and I reckon they'd give you blank looks.... Mick

Well find me one then.......(lol)

Current value please & anyone got one for sale? Mick

Gilly Must have been mashed then thinking I heard an acapela version. Did DR do anything acapela that you had 'cos I swear I heard it on one of your tapes round yours? Mick

Not sure about a full blow version with backing track but I definitely heard an acapela version by Ms Ross so why not. The acapela version was on the Motown tapes that Gilly got a hold of back in the mid 80's. Not one of my fave songs even by Shawn Robinson but the backing track is stonking. Mick