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Pitches/phoenix....20 Yrs Since


Lfcjunkie

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I did miss that thread John ...I did get the tapes as well..came across a box full of tapes in the loft the other day and they should be in there..Fridays were hard having to rush around etc...but hey you had longer to get over it ..I'd be buzzing off the atmosphere and music for the rest of the weekend and scouring the record lists etc..

dave

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Thanks guys,

Yes you're correct it was 20 years ago only a few weeks back.

In fact I guess you missed the thread I put up with a link to Mixcloud where you can hear the very first Soul Solution Sampler Tape we did:

YES JOHN...........I STILL HAVE THE TAPE !!

 

WASN'T ONE OF THE FIRST NIGHT NEARLY SNOWED OFF ???

 

SOUL SAM WAS GUEST DJ ME FINKS.............HE COUDN'T SHIFT HIS MOTOR AFTER THE GIG.......

 

A FEW WALKED TO KB'S.........SAM MADE SHORT WORK OF THEIR FOOD & I MANAGED TO SHIFT THEIR COGNAC !!!

 

:yes::thumbup: :thumbup:

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SOUL SAM WAS GUEST DJ ME FINKS.............HE COUDN'T SHIFT HIS MOTOR AFTER THE GIG.......

 

 

 

 

He had a similar problem at a niter in Rotherham back around 82/3. Got a flat tyre as I recall and got the bouncers to change it for him so he could go home. That was in his blue Vauxhall Chevette period.  :lol: Can't see todays doormen being quite so obliging…..

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Yes, we had snow on the first night and also a year later on the first anniversary.

It was the latter where Sam got snowed in and stayed at Kev Briscoe's house for a couple of nights until it cleared enough for him to leave!

well.........woz only a year out johnno!!

 

oh to be 41 again :glare:

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Thanks for the memory's Dave and all.

 

Yes, I'd agree it was a fantastic venue.

 

20 years eh? Where did they go?

 

Have been thinking about doing a reunion at some point, if enough people are up for it.

 

Then again, if we're not careful on the scene we'll be doing more reuniting... than uniting... if you get my drift!

 

Either way, they were great times and the music was truly 'across the board' quality Soul.

 

The attached was a tape of a representative playlist from the early months.

 

I think there were two more, if I'm not mistaken.

 

JB, I guess you'll probably be able to put your hands on this stuff and upload them :)

 

Anyone any memorys of the records played?

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

 

 

 

 

post-4120-0-92899400-1423768112_thumb.jp

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Bobby Womack - How could you break my heart - was the one for me truly awesome tune in perfect surroundings .

that reminds me dave of the night we walked in to hear the best three 'on the bounce' so to speak when Sean spun Luther Ingram 'trying to find my love'. Tommy Tate 'if you got to love somebody'. Bobby Womack 'give it up'...3 masterpieces of soul that you'd have a job to beat to go together..left a mark on me did that ..can you tell i still recall it sftrr all these years!

Dave L

Edited by lfcjunkie
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The attached was a tape of a representative playlist from the early months.

 

I think there were two more, if I'm not mistaken.

 

JB, I guess you'll probably be able to put your hands on this stuff and upload them :)

 

Anyone any memorys of the records played?

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

Yes Sean, it's in hand, two more tapes were done - I'm on with 'compiling' them at present and will put them up on Mixcloud in the near future.

 

In the meantime, I'll go through my 'press cuttings' and see what I can dig up from there first  :thumbsup:

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OMG! that reminds me of the night we (me, Flanny and Ged Lunt) came over from St Helens, we used to be descibed collectively as the 'Scousers'! .....and we got snowed in, we should'a turned back miles before but the Pitches force was strong and we though F**K it get there a have a fookin' good night and worry about getting home later.........Great, not to be missed for the world nights over the border :yes:

 

Wouldn't have been the same without the 'Scousers' Baz!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

Edited by Sean Hampsey
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Just chatting with my brother on site the other day freezing our nuts off...usual stuff football and soul music ...reminiscing etc. I mentioned pitches/phoenix being my favourite venues at the time and I still rate it as one of my all time favourite venues...anyhow we came to realise that it must have been 20yrs since it started!! 20 f....ing yrs! ..hard to wonder where the time went..what a venue no snobbery up front tunes from the likes of Mel Waiters. Rue Davis the fantastic Lee Morris Ann Nesby the Skip Mahoney on on Wonder Watt..loads of available underplayed stuff (the dj's were so open minded they broardened a lot peoples minds.Sean Hampsy.Tats.John Benson.Kev Briscoe..plus the guests dj's)..that got over looked else where...Gary with the record bar ...how cheap was he!..Rods Voices from the Shadows mags ...good times...what a venue off site at 4-30pm home washed changed and darn to Rotherham. .I couldn't drag my carcass out on a Friday after work now but christ it was worth it then!..so happy 20th Pitches /Phoenix...I'll never forget it ...

Dave Longbottom

me and my bro were talking on a freezing cold site a few weeks ago about it too.... best of times looking back even got to dj there once at a birthday do..with the regular spinners and a couple more guests added on..some real bargains in the record bar..one of the highlights on the soul callender imo

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me and my bro were talking on a freezing cold site a few weeks ago about it too.... best of times looking back even got to dj there once at a birthday do..with the regular spinnerscontroversormantonuests added on..some real bargains in the record bar..one of the highlights on the soul callender imo

Got quite a few bargains there dave. ..Sammy Ridgeley on hit-sound and Tony Lampkin on SRI for £8 each + plenty more and lp's...i also consider it the best times i've enjoyed ,also enjoyed the Phoenix as much , Mike Wards first hour was ace..controversial as Mike was he played some fantastic tunes...records cheaper (even then they didn't hurt your pocket)and we was younger!Remember you both guesting there and Blake. .etc

dave L

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Thanks Kimbo, Dave, Jim, Baz etc. :thumbsup:

 

Here's a photograph taken at Pitches of the Pitches and Phoenix DJ's.

 

Left to Right : Sean Hampsey, Tats Taylor, John Benson, Kev Briscoe.

 

We all look very much older now (except John Benson who we are convinced bathes daily in Royal Jelly).

 

And yes, we're all still putting a shift in 'occasionally' too!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

post-4120-0-94700900-1423931643_thumb.jp

Edited by Sean Hampsey
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Thanks Kimbo, Dave, Jim, Baz etc. :thumbsup:

 

Here's a photograph taken at Pitches of the Pitches and Phoenix DJ's.

 

Left to Right : Sean Hampsey, Tats Taylor, John Benson, Kev Briscoe.

 

We all look very much older now (except John Benson who we are convinced bathes daily in Royal Jelly).

 

And yes, we're all still putting a shift in 'occasionally' too!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

Cheers Sean!

I wondered who had that original photo, all I could find was a photo copy out of Echoes with it in.

 

Hair today, gone tomorrow for some of you eh!  :D

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Thanks Kimbo, Dave, Jim, Baz etc. :thumbsup:

 

Here's a photograph taken at Pitches of the Pitches and Phoenix DJ's.

 

Left to Right : Sean Hampsey, Tats Taylor, John Benson, Kev Briscoe.

 

We all look very much older now (except John Benson who we are convinced bathes daily in Royal Jelly).

 

And yes, we're all still putting a shift in 'occasionally' too!

 

:thumbsup:

As I say many a time. I've had brilliant times made great friends heard and danced to great music. I don't regret any of it. Those two venues were up with the best of them. I cant understand people on other threads moaning etc.Just glad I got to BE THERE and enjoy and look back as I have on this thread. Kimbo

 

Sean

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Bought some great records from Gary On the door .

 

from memory i got green issue of under the streetlamp for £3 

only after i'd met him  did i start getting his lists Black Knight Records and bought some Brill stuff  Straight Jacket, Caviar, Etc.

 

Great Venues

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Bought some great records from Gary On the door .

 

from memory i got green issue of under the streetlamp for £3 

only after i'd met him  did i start getting his lists Black Knight Records and bought some Brill stuff  Straight Jacket, Caviar, Etc.

 

Great Venues

i bought one from him too martin..he had stock... wish i bought more with hindsight..i did buy multiples of some things but not this or jessie james... he had 100 of them

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i bought one from him too martin..he had stock... wish i bought more with hindsight..i did buy multiples of some things but not this or jessie james... he had 100 of them

yeah know what you mean 

 

he had stock of many things i remember Doug Banks £40  and Philharmonics on Soulin £15

 

hindsight is a wonderful thing ! Not

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Right, I've fired up the scanner a done a few from that first year. First off is a playlist, from Echoes, affectionately called "Pitches Bitches"!

 

attachicon.gifSoul Solution Pitches Bitches Autumn 1995.jpg

 

Next up is a 'newsletter' we put out, originally from an article in Derek Pearson's mag, Shades of Soul:

 

attachicon.gifPitches The Soul Solution p1.jpg    attachicon.gifPitches The Soul Solution p2.jpg

 

Finally, an article from Echoes around the time of the first anniversary, with a short review of the second tape we gave out at the back end of 1995.

 

attachicon.gifSoul Solution Pitches 1 year Echoes Jan 1996.jpg

 

That's all for now - thanks for the interest!  :thumbup:

 

They're brilliant John.

 

Playlists were streets ahead, looking back, even though I say it meself!

 

Great stuff matey.

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

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I was a great time for soul around South Yorkshire around this time, especially across the board soul music, no boundaries.   Canal Tavern setting the standard and Pitches and The Phoenix following suite.

Oh yeah another top nite Chalky. See you guys next Lifeline Lisa n meselfs first visit to the Stoke venue.

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I was a great time for soul around South Yorkshire around this time, especially across the board soul music, no boundaries.   Canal Tavern setting the standard and Pitches and The Phoenix following suite.

 

Too right, great times. Canal Tavern under control of Mr Dearlove was the absolute business! Pitches and Phoenix tremendous too. What a pity Just Soul doesn't seem to be a regular night on the calendar any more!

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Too right, great times. Canal Tavern under control of Mr Dearlove was the absolute business! Pitches and Phoenix tremendous too. What a pity Just Soul doesn't seem to be a regular night on the calendar any more!

 

Don't forget Rod was carrying on the excellent work of Gary Welsh at the Canal Tavern.

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'Kinel!! 20 years!

 

Pitches was perfect & Phoenix phantastic. My favourite times. 

 

Marie Franklin, Being In Love Ain't Easy off Gary for a fiver. Oh yes. (And many, many more similar besides)....

 

Tomorrows Wish, My Love With You.... not heard that out since I don't think..... Criminal! Diggin it out now as I type.....

 

Didn't we end up 'upstairs' at Phoenix? It's a bit hazy now.... :-)

 

20 years? Insane. 

 

 

 

 

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99.9% sure the Curtis Hunt wasa Mike Ward spin/find..he told me himself it didn't have a name on it he called his supplieritin the usa ...who didn't know who it was but the person called out to someone "who did the 'don't ever wonder'thing"..to which a shout came back 'Curtis Hunt'!....I took it tongue in cheek..and wondered if it got lost in translation. .lol....and maybe an anagram..lol..

fantastic tune though I have it on tape ..somewhere.....one he said 'you'd have to prise from my dying hands to part with it'...to me all the dj's were as good as each other they all threw up surprises...was the Marcia Hines lp track first played by Steve Plumb there?

Dave L

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Canal Tavern, Thorne, was easily the best venue in the country for a very long while; when under Gary and Steve Kilgour and later under the auspice of Rod Dearlove.

 

The playlist from those years set the bedrock and tone of the 'crossover' scene for years to come.

 

Rod Dearlove, to me, was one of the very best collector / DJ's.

 

He always displayed excellent taste and wit. A great entertainer on all levels.

 

Proud to say Rod worked for us at The Phoenix in Dec 1998 - Can't remember if he did Pitches or not? Guys, can you recall? (I do know I only got to work at his venue, Thorne, the once, so I guess that was about right :D). 

 

I think Dec '98 was the last night, from memory!

 

See photograph & flyer of the night below!

 

Superb!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

MORE FREE BEER FOR JB !!!!!

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First went to Pitches with Barry,Ged and Flanny. In the back with Flanny and his big box of records. Snug.

might have been snowing that night as well.

loved it, so brought my own posse the next time and carried on to The Phoenix nights.

After the first time with the Scousers, I don't think I ever missed a night, even though it was a good 2 hr journey and we always got lost (pre sat nav) and I was always working the next day!

Music was fantastic, the guys were very welcoming, Gary's records were ace, and cheap.

So many memories. At The Phoenix one snowy night (was it always snowing) we where coming out to the car, and there was a drunken bloke urinating on the car. He turned round, while still pissing and started talking to us. It was Mike Ward!

Allreet Andy. Good night tonight eh. I'm a bit pissed.

what can you say? Just glad we didn't come in my car that night!

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Rod Dearlove, to me, was one of the very best collector / DJ's.

 

He always displayed excellent taste and wit. A great entertainer on all levels.

 

Proud to say Rod worked for us at The Phoenix in Dec 1998 - Can't remember if he did Pitches or not? Guys, can you recall? (I do know I only got to work at his venue, Thorne, the once, so I guess that was about right :D). 

 

I think Dec '98 was the last night, from memory!

 

See photograph & flyer of the night below!

 

Superb!

 

:thumbsup:

 

Sean

I've got Rod down as DJ along with Bob Cosby & Gavin Page for the Saturday April 5th 1997 opening night at the Phoenix.

 

Kev has some info as well, he might be able to check if Rod did Pitches, but I can't see any mention in the stuff I have and certainly don't remember!  :P

 

Last one was actually Friday August 28th 1999... according to the flyer I have  :D

Edited by John Benson
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Here's a review from 1999 in Love Music Review.

You were a little out there Andy - that was taken from LMR #7 which was dated April 1998.

The review you did was for a night on Friday August 29th... which then makes it from the year before - August 1997!  :D

Check out the calendar for that year:

https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/?year=1997&country=9

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One of my favourite tunes from Pitches was by Skip Mahoney but I can't remember any details. Can anyone shed any light?

Pretty sure it was Sean that used to play it.

It was 'send your love to me" on wonder watt...think you're right about Sean playing it ..I was told it was a song Skip recorded for a wedding?

Sean maybe able to tell us more?..It was a monster tune..especially the key change and Mahoney tears into it..

Dave L

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