Hi everyone

Being to young to have attended the Highland Room in its NS heyday, the current mentions of Colin Curtis in other threads reminded me of a question(s) I've been wanting to ask for some time.

You quite often hear the phrase 'legendary Highland Room last hour play' or some such thing on a similar note, but what was this all about, the tunes I have come to asscotiate with this are generally what we would now call Crossover.

I would have thought these were way to slow for the time ?, how did this last hour mid tempo madness come about back then & was it intended or something 'we' have put a spin on with hind sight ?.

I also wonder, was this when a lot of people had left to get the coach to WC, therefore few preople left so no dance floor pressure ?.

How did people at the time perceive the 'Legendary Last Hour', was it something you were aware of, or just happened & you didnt really give it much thought ?.

Was 'Curtis' Colins real name or an alias for DJing ?.

Answers on the back of a fag packet pse.........anyone enlighten me with any of the above pse, I'm genuinely interested.

Best Russ

Edited February 27, 201213 yr by Russ Vickers

I also wonder, was this when a lot of people had left to get the coach to WC, therefore few preople left so no dance floor pressure ?.

Best Russ

I reckon thats what happened.

Kegsy

Imo it was intended.Adding another dimension to the scene.Not all about 100mph stompers.In hindsight,probably what i class as xover,but not sure of genre's anymore.

Trying out new stuff,seeing how it was received.Dont think there's any more "spin" on this,than any other rose tinted view of a venue.

Just accepted it was different from other venues last hour's.

His real name is Curtis Collins.

Edited February 27, 201213 yr by KevH

he was playing what he liked i think, a lot of it was what would be termed crossover now but then it just fitted also at the last hour as has been said the all nighter goers had left and the (people who liked a drink) were left maybe this influenced it meant you could shuffle instead of fling yourself all over the place lol

His real name is Curtis Collins.

His real name is Colin Dimond, changed it to Curtis as Dimond sounded too pop.

Anyone who hasn't read it a great interview on him.

https://www.djhistory...ws/colin-curtis

Edited February 27, 201213 yr by Dave Turner

cant really remember it thinning out too much for the last hour, but it is a while ago now, always stayed till i heard california montage then headed off to find a lift over to wigan, happy days

His real name is Colin Dimond, changed it to Curtis as Dimond sounded too pop. Anyone who hasn't read it a great interview on him. https://www.djhistory...ws/colin-curtis

That was a great read, thanks for that. It's great to see the Northern scene from a different perspective, especially when he describes the vibe in the funk room in Locarno circa 1980 when next door in the main room the Northern scene was dead on its arse.

I don't think you can underestimate the influence of the last hour's Mecca tunes on the rest of the Northern scene of the day. It was massive and fuelled a great diversity that made great all-nighters like Cleethorpes and St Ives legendary. So many of the plays from the time were great, new or recent releases and it's a real shame that the oldies/revival scene of today seems to have filed under the new labels of crossover, funk or modern soul, and therefore tagged as not relevant.

Thanks to all for the replies so far....great reading.

Best Russ

he was playing what he liked i think, a lot of it was what would be termed crossover now but then it just fitted also at the last hour as has been said the all nighter goers had left and the (people who liked a drink) were left maybe this influenced it meant you could shuffle instead of fling yourself all over the place lol

Nothing to do with drink whatsoever - also played what other prople took along at times although he shyed away from playing Sam Fletcher (true). Still the most inventive DJ ever.

That was a great read, thanks for that. It's great to see the Northern scene from a different perspective, especially when he describes the vibe in the funk room in Locarno circa 1980 when next door in the main room the Northern scene was dead on its arse.

huh there where more in the main northern room than in the jazz funk room !

Jelly bean sandals...in the jazz funk room...LOVED IT !

huh there where more in the main northern room than in the jazz funk room !

huh there where more in the main northern room than in the jazz funk room !

I agree Toad. I went to the Locarno a lot around that time (and Pulse years later - another story). Quite liked going in the funk room too, but I don't remember it being packed.

Either his dateline's wrong - '81 or '82 or he's getting his club's mixed up.

Went to Romeo and Juliet's around this time and he would have been absolutely right. Northern room upstairs (plush for the time) and a shitty smaller funk room downstairs. The funk room was packed and the Northern room wasn't. Colin Curtis comes onto the decks in the northern room and I'm thinking "this'll do me" and he gets on the mike and says something like "if you want to hear northern then FO downstairs this is now the funk room". He would have been right (sadly) about the racial mix too.

huh there where more in the main northern room than in the jazz funk room !

Maybe in the mid afternoon but the Bali hai didn't start filling up till about 7pm, I'm talking 1980-81 here. The northern crowd arrived earlier in the day for sure. There may have been more people there but all I remember are long, boring, atmosfear-less (see what I did there!) afternoons in the main room. In the evening the jazz funk room was jumping. And I went every fortnight, it was only 20 minutes away on the number 45.

I don't remember any of that stuff in the early 70's.............think it must have been later on.

You could get yourself up for the Ritz all dayer in Manchester, 25th March, both Colin Curtis and Ian Levine will be on the decks, and them

that should be ask them directly

I reckon thats what happened.

Kegsy

Knew it was something special - despite common myth it was all Colin, Ian used to do it also and Colin occasionally danced!

Pity no one taped a few like the main spots.

To be there for California Montage was just something so special. Anybody got a tape? (wishful thinking)

Edited March 17, 201213 yr by chartertime