This month marks the 20th Anniversary of the first ever soul night held at Bretby Country Club near Burton on Trent.

The first event was held on March 8th 1991, DJ line-up of Beano, Dave Ingle, Chris Anderton and guest DJ Steve Smith.

I have since lost touch with Dave and Steve but still keep in touch with Beano.

I promoted the event as a soul night for 4 and a half years before handing it over to Chris King and Dave Thorley who ran very succesful nighters there in the mid to late 90s.

Sadly, the venue is no more and houses stand on the site.

Maybe some people would like to share their memories of the venue?

Cheers, Chris

Loved the soul nights Chris and had the pleasure of Djing there. Steve Smith tried to swap his demo of Jesse Davis with my issue

All the Dj's put some thought into their sets and carried on wher the 80's left off with quality rare soul. Great record bar as well which was well stocked every time with all the main dealers of the time.

Don't think I have any flyers for these nights.

This month marks the 20th Anniversary of the first ever soul night held at Bretby Country Club near Burton on Trent.

The first event was held on March 8th 1991, DJ line-up of Beano, Dave Ingle, Chris Anderton and guest DJ Steve Smith.

I have since lost touch with Dave and Steve but still keep in touch with Beano.

I promoted the event as a soul night for 4 and a half years before handing it over to Chris King and Dave Thorley who ran very succesful nighters there in the mid to late 90s.

Sadly, the venue is no more and houses stand on the site.

Maybe some people would like to share their memories of the venue?

Cheers, Chris

Chris, you created an event that will live long in the memory of many on the soul scene, innovative, friendly and a real meeting place. It was a great little club (well when I say little it was a bit of a 'Tardis', with it's three rooms) and the two owners were real nice guys. But a bit of a bugger to get to unless you lived in Burton , those final 15 miles from Ashby and all the speed cameras were a nightmare.

Be proud, great event.

Cheers

Dave

Edited March 10, 201114 yr by Dave Thorley

Has some great nights there Chris probably the best Soul night there was at the time, we had along wait till Albrighton took over yes it was that good

Chalky,

I think you were one of our early guests. I think Andy Mac asked me for a spot for you!

Here is a copy of one of the early flyers...the dayers were always a very special event!

Chris.

Chalky,

I think you were one of our early guests. I think Andy Mac asked me for a spot for you!

Here is a copy of one of the early flyers...the dayers were always a very special event!

Chris.

Those nights early on in Bretby's history were great Chris. The last soul night I went to before I dropped off the scene for a few years.

Had some great nights at Bretby...always a good selection of tunes

Steve Smith turned me on to loads of good tunes ...used to D.J. often down here in South Wales..remember him playing his "Dan Brantley" c/u at porthcawl....top man

only went once and that was to the very same alldayer, brilliant the best alldayer ive ever been to, loads of records for sale,and everybody who was anybody was there, first heard king george played by cliff,a bit of a treck from the north east but well worth the travel. it was a red hot day i remember , we got lost and i was bursting for a pee, i was in full flow on the road side.when pete lawson came past hanging out of a car window hurling abuse lol, col

Edited March 12, 201114 yr by colsoul

Chris, you created an event that will live long in the memory of many on the soul scene, innovative, friendly and a real meeting place. It was a great little club (well when I say little it was a bit of a 'Tardis', with it's three rooms) and the two owners were real nice guys. But a bit of a bugger to get to unless you lived in Burton , those final 15 miles from Ashby and all the speed cameras were a nightmare.

...................

Dave,

Really appreciate the comments mate...especially as a lot of records we played at Bretby were in fact old mid tempo Stafford tunes!

The owners, Keith and Dave were great guys, I got to be very friendly with them and used to go on golfing weekends with them too! I saw Dave a couple of years ago in Tesco in Burton, he lives in Spain now......

I ran the event for four and a half years. In the end i just felt like I had done everything i wanted to do with it. I then passed the venue on to Dave and Chris and to be fair they took it to the next level with the excellent nighters, live acts etc. had some great times there under your promotion.

Chris

Thanks for letting me play there so often Chris. Many good memories and laughs .Even remember Tony Parker chinning someone one night(very non-soulfull ) some brilliant sounds played over the years on what i would say an across the board night generally, the all-dayer with the Scots was also fun

................

Steve,

Great to hear from you. Without doubt you were the main man there as far as breaking "new" tunes goes. It was an honour to have you as resident mate.

Great memories too, there was a real innocence in those daysand a real desire to find new or underplayed tunes, whatever it was it worked!

Hope you are keeping well.

Keep in touch.

Beano sends his regards..........

Chris

I'm sure there are two or three tapes of Steve's in the garage from this period. When I get the chance I will dig them out.

Thanks for letting me play there so often Chris.

Few tunes from me

Demanding Man-Sensations-Way out

I found someone-James Wayne -Key Lam

Steve

Didnt know it was you who first played the sensations I still remember when you came rushing to me when I played James Wayne for the very first time at Hip City ... was great to have you with us last saturday night ...hopefully soon again,

cheers

marc

Bretby was my first allnighter in 1996, having not taken much interest in northern soul for 10 years. It was Chris King's 40th birthday bash with three rooms and a marquee for record dealers. It was a fantastic night. I remember hearing stuff I hadn't heard for years like Detroit Executives, Marie Knight, Ad Libs which I never appreciated before.

I didn't expect to hear anything I'd know in the modern room but heard Mary J. Blige, Blackstreet, Maze, Incognito and sother great stuff. Gavin Page was on form.

Everyone was very friendly and it reinspired me to get back into it, so I have a very soft spot for Bretby.

To mark the 20th Anniversary I will be holding a Bretby special on my radio show on Monday 21st March.......

"This Month marks the 20th anniversary of the first ever soul night at Bretby Country Club.

To celebrate I will be playing 2 hours of the records that made Bretby a very special venue..hear sounds such as the Miracles, Little Tommy, Original Cadilacs, Don Gardner, Isleys,Mandrill etc

If you attended Bretby (under any promotion) please email in your memories to studio@thisisthecat.com.

Looking forward to having you along to share the sounds and memories of this very special venue!

Listen on-line at www.thisisthecat.com 9-11pm Monday 21st March."

I'm a nuneaton lad now, but when Bretby soul nights were on, me, Bob Gair & our Coalville comrades never missed a single one. We always used to get there early to catch most of Beanos spot, cos what great tunes he used to play + i bought some great tunes from there

As for Steve Smiths spots, it was miss it at your peril cos he was the best dj on the scene at that time (up there with Gilly & Simon Hunt)

All the best & thanks for bringing back some memories

Rob Gray

Hi Steve, we all missed Jonah, me, bob & simon always finished up at the Monsoon (Jonahs local), even when i was blitzed i always finished the night with a lamb tikka lol then Jonah would get more beer down us....HAPPY DAYS

Hope you're ok matey

Rob

Rob, It was always good to have you Coalville boys along, regular fixtures in the record bar!

Great days and great memories. Johna was a sad loss...top guy.

Will pass your comments on to Beano, he will be chuffed....still about the only guy in Britain that aint on the net!

Cheers, Chris

hi Chris, thanks for the reply, what a shame the place has now gone or you could have had an anniversary do there

Hope you're keeping well

Rob

Rob,

I am fine thanks Mate, Hope all is good with you.

Yeah I drove past it the other day on the way to visit Wayne..unrecognisable from the old days, just a big gate with some nice houses behind it.

I was in the loft the other day and came across some pieces of the original dance floor! I picked them up when they were knocking the place down..more for a bit of a laugh than anything...might give a piece away as a prize on my Bretby Special radio show on Monday night!

Chris

Bretby for me was as goood as it gets,i had such wonderful times there.It should never be forgotten this was Chris Andertons event it was his baby and he ran it in excelant fasion.As time went on i got to know the owners of the building and i have to say that the physical lay-out of the venue was as good as anywhere ive attended prior or since.Thankyou Chris for asking me(making me express) my self in the form of spinning a few,there was some great records played at Bretby,they also allowed me and my then wife to bring along our daughter for the alldayers so enableing us to attend.Great times and such happy times.Thank-you Chris.Gilly

Gilly,

It was an absolute honour and a pleasure to have you DJ at Bretby...not to mention an education.

We had some great times up there mate...appreciate your support and help for making it special.

Chris

Guys, Just a reminder that I will be broadcasting my "Sounds of Bretby" one-off radio show on www.thisisthecat on Monday 21st March 9-11pm.

It would be great to hear your memories of this great venue, under any promotion, please email me in the studio at studio@thisisthecat.com

Hope you can make it...if not listen using the "listen again" feature anytime.

Chris.

Went to (just about) every one of the niters there (95-97. If I remember correctly, was the first one on something like a Tuesday night due to the way New Years Day fell - bloody coldest winter for years. Used to take me (it seemed) just as long to get from the M1 exit at Coalvillle to Bretby as it had done the previous 100 miles from London. The modern room always reminded me of Thorne in layout and indeed new sounds. It was never really busy attendance wise upstairs but a regular, friendly crowd, many of whom I'm still mates with and see around today. Always remember around the Spring of 1996, when the event moved back to the Sat night, the hour at the end downstairs in the oldies room (modern room shut 60-90 mins before the northern), and the most glorious sunny morning coming in, think Chris King might have even been playing Main Change!!! Always really busy down there for the last hour or so. Yeah, great venue, great times and cos it was a bit remote, no chance of n'er do wells rolling in either. Think I even went on the first date with my wife there as well!!!

Sounds I remember (upstairs anyway)

Black Men United - You will know (Carl Macintosh Mix)

George Benson - When Love Calls (I think this was the first place I can ever remember that getting aired via Dave Thorley)

Margie Coleman - How I miss you (reminds me to get that on later, a tune and some)

Steeplechase - Never coming back

Aleshure - Shower the world

Mighty Clouds of Joy - I'm ready

James Robinson / Mark Johnson - Daydream

Theodus Ealey - Might be losing you

Flourescent Smog - All my life

Tashan - Romantically Inspired

Laurence Hilton Jacobs - Wonder Woman

Repercussions - Tests of time

Adeva / Frankie Knuckles - Too many Fish (Paul Simpson mix)

Michael Cooper - Gotta get you undressed (a record that IS just modern soul)

Identity Crisis - Summertime

Changing Faces - Happiness is

Brotherly Love - Whole lotta you in me / Sweet little Rita / Lifeline (????)

Ann Nesby - In the Spirit / I'll be there for you / Seasons

Jesse Graham - When I think of my baby

After 7 - G-S-T

Otis & Shugg - Journey

I'm thinkin' - blimey what an upfront playlist that was!!!