c'mon there must be loads

why don't you start it off?

Shane

c'mon there must be loads

You seem to think everyone knew him. I didn't.

why don't you start it off?

Shane

remember picking him up from his mums,loading umpteen record boxes into the car and setting off to anighter in stoke ,must've stopped at all the large venues in stoke only to be told "nah mate its not on here try so and so"turn to pete "where the f*** are we going""relax,its round here somewhere i can smell it".Finally found it ,unloads the car ,sets up shop and theres a box i've never seen before,dont ask,this box is at the back of the table unopened. This guy comes over looks through all the stuff on the table and ask's is that the good stuff in that box,"dunno mate their petes",pete was off dancing,pete comes back and this guy's still whinging"c'mon show us the good stuff"so pete says"sure you can handle it ,"yeah no prob",so pete lifts the box on tothe table very gently(im thinking you holding out on me lawson!)says to the guy "you open it "(this guys getting exited thinking he's going to get something mega rare for a quid)so he opens it and inside is pete's cat fred,really pissed off about being disturbed,claws this guys hand ,spitting all the time ,this guy's going "what the f***"pete just says to him"your not soulful enough"everyonelse in the record bar is in hysterics(roger banks crying with laughter)and this guy walking away clutching his hand muttering "theye wierd this northern soul lot ,1st time & last,&what were those pills my mate just sold me.

moved to 'all our yesterdays'

Shane

WAS DJING AT PELAW THE BALLROOM IN 1992.PETE TURNED UP WITH AL CONEY AS I PLAYED JACK MONTGOMERY ON REVUE,PETE RACED OVER TO SAY HELLO AND HAVE A BIT CRACK,AS HE DID, HE TOOK THE DECKS WITH HIM,THE SIGHT OF ALL THEM WIRES AND LEADS WRAPPED ROUND HIM HAD EVERYONE PISSING THEMSELVES LAUGHING.

REMEMBER AFTER ONE NIGHTER AFTER EXHAUSTING EVERYWHERE TO STAY HE AND AND A CERTAIN MICKEY CRUISE FEEL ASLEEP IN A CEMETRY,ACTUALLY GOT KICKED OUT OF THERE AS WELL.

WHAT A CHARACTER.

BAZ A.

would it be rude to ask what happened to pete?

when did he die and how?

it is a name that crops up all the time on the soul scene. he must have been some character! did he dj? collect?

cheers

Shane

would it be rude to ask what happened to pete?

when did he die and how?

it is a name that crops up all the time on the soul scene. he must have been some character! did he dj? collect?

cheers

Shane

some questions are best left unanswered on a public forum - it evokes a lot of emotion in many, many people.

I never really knew him - truth be told he frightened me a bit - and basically just used to yell PHWOOR at me whenever he saw me

some questions are best left unanswered on a public forum - it evokes a lot of emotion in many, many people.

I never really knew him - truth be told he frightened me a bit - and basically just used to yell PHWOOR at me whenever he saw me

thats fair enough kirsty. i dont want to upset anyone.

Shane

You seem to think everyone knew him. I didn't.you sure didnt know him from wigan Pete?

would it be rude to ask what happened to pete?

when did he die and how?

it is a name that crops up all the time on the soul scene. he must have been some character! did he dj? collect?

cheers

Shane

Shane ,real character,died tragically young in bad circumstances

collector.yes,record dealer ,yes,loony yes,soul boy yes ,he touched everyone he met with his love and knowledge of the music,everyone who knew him still misses him,you had to be there

Pete Lawson... without doubt... has to be one of the most amazing characters ever to grace the soul scene.

No one could ever love soul more than Pete Lawson did... he loved it... lived it... and died with it... and i miss him every day.

Now don't get me wrong... Pete Lawson was one hell of a pain in the arse... to everybody... but that was just Pete... and you had to love him for it... you had to... because he told you that you had to!

He was outspoken... honest... loyal... fair... absolutely and completely bananas... manic... so unbelievably funny... loud... yet shy if you can understand that... a lost soul... obsessive... so intelligent... annoying... loving... and the most soulful person i have ever met.

This is a great thread... even if you didn't know Pete... you will piss yourselves at the stories you'll hear about him.

Here's the man himself.... TIP TOP!

I think I've got a clip of him being interviewed at Stafford years ago. I think it was the "Chasing Rainbows" documentary.

Is it the same guy??

I think I've got a clip of him being interviewed at Stafford years ago. I think it was the "Chasing Rainbows" documentary.

Is it the same guy??

Braces... teeth missing..... four beats to the bar.... yep that's our Pete...

I remember getting his emidisc list off him in the back bar but can't relate that person to the one who's on the Stafford video

Braces... teeth missing..... four beats to the bar.... yep that's our Pete...

top five records tattooed on his chest,ask all the big boys on the scene,Pete was a diamond pm me joan and well swap stories

top five records tattooed on his chest,ask all the big boys on the scene,Pete was a diamond pm me joan and well swap stories

wasn't it the words to sandi sheldon or something?

WAS DJING AT PELAW THE BALLROOM IN 1992.PETE TURNED UP WITH AL CONEY AS I PLAYED JACK MONTGOMERY ON REVUE,PETE RACED OVER TO SAY HELLO AND HAVE A BIT CRACK,AS HE DID, HE TOOK THE DECKS WITH HIM,THE SIGHT OF ALL THEM WIRES AND LEADS WRAPPED ROUND HIM HAD EVERYONE PISSING THEMSELVES LAUGHING.

REMEMBER AFTER ONE NIGHTER AFTER EXHAUSTING EVERYWHERE TO STAY HE AND AND A CERTAIN MICKEY CRUISE FEEL ASLEEP IN A CEMETRY,ACTUALLY GOT KICKED OUT OF THERE AS WELL.

WHAT A CHARACTER.

BAZ A.

Once he actually found a place to sleep on my bedroom floor.If they go to sleep in soul heaven it would have soon became soul hell with Petes snoring.I´m terrible myself but this was unbelievable.Mind you,if they do sleep in soul heaven it wouldnt be heaven for Pete anyway.Bless his soul.

Living near Ormskirk I new Pete from the early Wigan days. A couple of stories. I remember him outside Wigan waiting to get in, and were stood next to the kerb. A car comes along, Pete just jumps in front of it & shoputs BOO!. Luckily, the driver stopped before it hit him. For Pete Smith, yes it was the same guy. He used a recording studio, for his emidiscs, also used by the top DJs at the time. The owner used to tape all the sound that the other people got pressed up and give it to Pete. That's how Pete had all the top sounds on EMIs.

I have others, but I only knew him for a short time on the scene, as I moved on & joined the Navy. I last saw him at Stafford in '84 when Gene Chandler Was on, and had a good verbal with him. great guy.

Paul

wasn't it the words to sandi sheldon or something?

No, definately top 5 Jerry Williams, Duke Browner,Ray Whitley etc.

Living near Ormskirk I new Pete from the early Wigan days. A couple of stories. I remember him outside Wigan waiting to get in, and were stood next to the kerb. A car comes along, Pete just jumps in front of it & shoputs BOO!. Luckily, the driver stopped before it hit him.

He did that with me in London once, the car was unfortunately a police car, I spent a good 1/4 convincing the police I was looking after him and he'd forgot his medication!

Used to spend a lot of weekends in Pete's company.

He used to come over on the train Thursday maybe Friday.. leave something.. usually his tablets... on the train... do 2 nighters... an all dayer... about a dozen or so heads... and then get some poor unsuspecting soul to give him a lift home.... could be Monday.. possibly Tuesday.... usually it would be Wednesday or Thursday..

Never forget when he was living in Southport... Pete was convinced the reason he always felt shit on a Sunday night wasn't due the fact he'd just done 2 all nighters... an all dayer... a dozen or so heads... or that he hadn't had any tablets since Thursday... oooh no...

Pete was convinced the fish he used to get from his local chip shop for his Sunday tea was off...

Anyway... walking down Lord Street... a bloke walking the opposite way... on the opposite side of the street.... minding his own business... suddenly gets hit.. full in the face.. by an airborn fillet of cod in batter...

& Pete's shouting across to him... "Oi mate... is that fish off or what?"

I'm PMSL here... suppose you had to be there..!

Used to spend a lot of weekends in Pete's company.

He used to come over on the train Thursday maybe Friday.. leave something.. usually his tablets... on the train... do 2 nighters... an all dayer... about a dozen or so heads... and then get some poor unsuspecting soul to give him a lift home.... could be Monday.. possibly Tuesday.... usually it would be Wednesday or Thursday..

Never forget when he was living in Southport... Pete was convinced the reason he always felt shit on a Sunday night wasn't due the fact he'd just done 2 all nighters... an all dayer... a dozen or so heads... or that he hadn't had any tablets since Thursday... oooh no...

Pete was convinced the fish he used to get from his local chip shop for his Sunday tea was off...

Anyway... walking down Lord Street... a bloke walking the opposite way... on the opposite side of the street.... minding his own business... suddenly gets hit.. full in the face.. by an airborn fillet of cod in batter...

& Pete's shouting across to him... "Oi mate... is that fish off or what?"

I'm PMSL here... suppose you had to be there..!

Sounds a bit fishy to me Joan

I wouldn't claim to have been one of Petes best mates, but on the times we met he seemed to be totally genuine "100% I'ts my life Northern Soul," and he lived it to the full

"Good on 'im", as we say in Shrewsbury.

We miss you Pete,

Cheers, Paul 'n' Mandy

Edited August 24, 200618 yr by soul shrews

WAS DJING AT PELAW THE BALLROOM IN 1992.PETE TURNED UP WITH AL CONEY AS I PLAYED JACK MONTGOMERY ON REVUE,PETE RACED OVER TO SAY HELLO AND HAVE A BIT CRACK,AS HE DID, HE TOOK THE DECKS WITH HIM,THE SIGHT OF ALL THEM WIRES AND LEADS WRAPPED ROUND HIM HAD EVERYONE PISSING THEMSELVES LAUGHING.

REMEMBER AFTER ONE NIGHTER AFTER EXHAUSTING EVERYWHERE TO STAY HE AND AND A CERTAIN MICKEY CRUISE FEEL ASLEEP IN A CEMETRY,ACTUALLY GOT KICKED OUT OF THERE AS WELL.

WHAT A CHARACTER.

BAZ A.Is mickey still around (alive)

WAS DJING AT PELAW THE BALLROOM IN 1992.PETE TURNED UP WITH AL CONEY AS I PLAYED JACK MONTGOMERY ON REVUE,PETE RACED OVER TO SAY HELLO AND HAVE A BIT CRACK,AS HE DID, HE TOOK THE DECKS WITH HIM,THE SIGHT OF ALL THEM WIRES AND LEADS WRAPPED ROUND HIM HAD EVERYONE PISSING THEMSELVES LAUGHING.

REMEMBER AFTER ONE NIGHTER AFTER EXHAUSTING EVERYWHERE TO STAY HE AND AND A CERTAIN MICKEY CRUISE FEEL ASLEEP IN A CEMETRY,ACTUALLY GOT KICKED OUT OF THERE AS WELL.

WHAT A CHARACTER.

BAZ A.

Are you sure? Round at kebs old flat/scwat?,He played J Montgomery,dearly beloved.................for hours and hours,over and over,at least a hundred times

Mickey Cruise is still around - alive is another question

Saw him at Nige Shaw's funeral and have to say Mickey looked better than I've seen him for a few years - lovely piccie of him too in events at Netty and Azza's wedding looking very smart

Heard the story about the flying fish off Paul Hamer a few years back Joan - really funny!! Spent a few nights/days with Pete many years ago ... can't remember much about them though !!

Edited August 25, 200618 yr by Mandy

Are you sure? Round at kebs old flat/scwat?,He played J Montgomery,dearly beloved.................for hours and hours,over and over,at least a hundred times

That was the day I got "Smokey" off him ,after having a break from Jack Montgomery,he played it fifty times.

Mickey Cruise is still around - alive is another question

Saw him at Nige Shaw's funeral and have to say Mickey looked better than I've seen him for a few years - lovely piccie of him too in events at Netty and Azza's wedding looking very smart

Heard the story about the flying fish off Paul Hamer a few years back Joan - really funny!! Spent a few nights/days with Pete many years ago ... can't remember much about them though !!

Funny thing that ,after spending any time in pete's companyyou tended to forget which was left and which was right(or was it up and down ,i forget)Tell mickey he still owes me money

That was the day I got "Smokey" off him ,after having a break from Jack Montgomery,he played it fifty times.

Thought the argument about the meaning of christmas between pete and click at stans was going to come to blows until you wobbled in and started tree hugging

Tell mickey he still owes me money

Funny thing that ,after spending any time in pete's companyyou tended to forget which was left and which was right(or was it up and down ,i forget)Tell mickey he still owes me money

Join the queue

YES HE IS INFACT HE TURNS UP AT SOUL OR NOTHING AND PIERCEBRIDGE WHEN I DJ,DEFINETLY ONE OF MY FAVOURITE PEOPLE ON THE SCENE,BUT WHEN HE TEAMS UP WITH KEV JOHNSON -WELL [LIKE THE OLD DAYS,CHAOS ALL AROUND],BIT LIKE THE BUSES BACK HOME AFTER WIGAN 1979,TRUELY CHAOTIC.

TAKE CARE

BAZ A.

Are you sure? Round at kebs old flat/scwat?,He played J Montgomery,dearly beloved.................for hours and hours,over and over,at least a hundred times

OH YES JACK WAS HIS MAIN MAN [ALONG WITH BUTCH OF COURSE,]WHO CAN REMEMBER PETES INTERVIEW IN SOUL UP NORTH WHEN HE INTERVIEWED BUTCH]THINK IT WAS SOUL UP NORTH ,STUFF OF LEDGENDS THAT INTERVIEW.

BAZ A.

OH YES JACK WAS HIS MAIN MAN [ALONG WITH BUTCH OF COURSE,]WHO CAN REMEMBER PETES INTERVIEW IN SOUL UP NORTH WHEN HE INTERVIEWED BUTCH]THINK IT WAS SOUL UP NORTH ,STUFF OF LEDGENDS THAT INTERVIEW.

BAZ A.

I was in the same room.........

Tell mickey he still owes me money

You and everybody get in line................. lying really,its more inportant than money,vinyl.........

HE ALWAYS MAKES ME LAUGH..THAT'S PRICELESS !!!!!

I was in the same room.........

can u tell us more ? wat was said etc, sounds like a great character

OH YES JACK WAS HIS MAIN MAN [ALONG WITH BUTCH OF COURSE,]WHO CAN REMEMBER PETES INTERVIEW IN SOUL UP NORTH WHEN HE INTERVIEWED BUTCH]THINK IT WAS SOUL UP NORTH ,STUFF OF LEDGENDS THAT INTERVIEW.

BAZ A.

It`s in The Gospel

Get visions of Butch shitting himself incase he puts another tape in

can u tell us more ? wat was said etc, sounds like a great character

cant remember much,sat crouched behind a table.............2 nighters every weekend at least bakc then,as for sounding like a great character,maybe you should get to know me first

Two Stories I have of Pete

The first, after an all-nighter somewhere (can't remember where) he came back to mine (my ex wife and my house in Halifax) and before I knew it he stayed for about a week 'cos he couldn't be bothered going back and facing his Mum - and the fact that there was a recording studio in Huddersfield with a 60's ampex 'cutting' machine for his EMI's !

And the second, at a soul nite in Preston I think it was, he was sitting with his records next to Derek Pearson who's also a nice lad but I think Derek had taken some you know what and was getting a little bit loud so Pete just got up, never said a word and poured his whole pint on top of Derek's head.

Mental he surely was but that was his character and I loved him for it.

Mick Howard

(ex Yorkshire - now Scotland)

No, definately top 5 Jerry Williams, Duke Browner,Ray Whitley etc.

i always thought he had the lyrics to JW tattooed on his chest?

knew him when he shacked up at Netties in Wigan late 80's - great character and got to know him quite well then. rememeber him having a huge suitcase full of records there with a few i wanted at the time -'have 'em' he said! still got them now.

i always thought he had the lyrics to JW tattooed on his chest?

knew him when he shacked up at Netties in Wigan late 80's - great character and got to know him quite well then. rememeber him having a huge suitcase full of records there with a few i wanted at the time -'have 'em' he said! still got them now.

remember whwen he did his own fanzine(forget the name)he was one of the first to interview the hermit that was Dave Godin,he got really exited about speaking to the man who coined the phrase"northern soul",saw him a few days after said interview"how did it go Pete""he looks like a tramp and talks shite .boring old twat"

remember whwen he did his own fanzine(forget the name)he was one of the first to interview the hermit that was Dave Godin,he got really exited about speaking to the man who coined the phrase"northern soul",saw him a few days after said interview"how did it go Pete""he looks like a tramp and talks shite .boring old twat"

I think the Fanzine was actually called the 'Gospel acording to Dave Godin'.

I agree with everything Joan said about Pete, and having just watched Apocalypse Now - he was kind of like the mad Colonel but in a Soul way.

I remember one of the first Cleethorpes weekender and pretending to be a rabbit with him in one of the caravans after the first or second all nighter - I was just in stitches for hours, no one could make you laugh like Pete - he was one of the scenes true characters. To me his passing was more like the passing of an epoch.

I also rememeber very vividly being in a car with Pete taking him somewhere, probably with Mike from the South coast (another funny twat who still has all my best tapes from the peroid) . You never wanted to drive with Pete as a front sit passenger - he knew nothing about cars but then think it really funny to start shaking the steering wheel - I just didn't know any other idiot who would do that kind of thing. F***g twat. I miss him.

Keep this forum going he would love all the attention

I also rememeber very vividly being in a car with Pete taking him somewhere, probably with Mike from the South coast (another funny twat who still has all my best tapes from the peroid) .

Is that Mike Field?

If it is ... was just talking about him yesterday!!

He looked like Pete... dressed like Pete... danced like Pete... absolutely fantastic guy.

Think about him often... anyone know what he's up to?

Great guy... never forget one time he picked me, Pete and Edwin (from South Wales) up to take us to Scotland (i think).

Pete insisted we pick up this hitchhiker....

awh... Pete was mental that day... spraying everyone in the car... fantastic!!

Where's Edwin when you need him... he'll have a few tales to tell for sure!!

CLASSIC......so many stories and too many to tell. visited our house in Blackburn sooooo many times and made us wet ourselves laughing, even looked after my kids!! Best story is him chucking some records out of the sun roof of the car on the way back from Stafford, to stopping at Sandbach services were all the serving ladies knew him and trying to eat cream cakes on a sunday morning. The best for us is the queue at Parr Hall Warrington shouting at Shaun Gibbons and his flat cap. He came to a very sad end and the funeral was spectacular... lots of sunglasses and tears and the reading by Dave Godin.. he would of been proud.. all the locals thought someone famous had died...BUT THEY HAD!! Pete will never be forgotten. Speak of him often and he will always bring a smile to our faces. Happy days

Stu and Penny

Blackburn

remember whwen he did his own fanzine(forget the name)he was one of the first to interview the hermit that was Dave Godin,he got really exited about speaking to the man who coined the phrase"northern soul",saw him a few days after said interview"how did it go Pete""he looks like a tramp and talks shite .boring old twat"

Stuart arranged "The Gospel According to Dave Godin" for Pete and that is another Classic comment. He used to stay at our house all weekend when the mag was being put together. Hard Work springs to mind...but bloody funny. Have Petes essays still in safe keeping at our house!!!!

Penny

Edited August 29, 200618 yr by frenchie

CLASSIC......so many stories and too many to tell. visited our house in Blackburn sooooo many times and made us wet ourselves laughing, even looked after my kids!! Best story is him chucking some records out of the sun roof of the car on the way back from Stafford, to stopping at Sandbach services were all the serving ladies knew him and trying to eat cream cakes on a sunday morning. The best for us is the queue at Parr Hall Warrington shouting at Shaun Gibbons and his flat cap. He came to a very sad end and the funeral was spectacular... lots of sunglasses and tears and the reading by Dave Godin.. he would of been proud.. all the locals thought someone famous had died...BUT THEY HAD!! Pete will never be forgotten. Speak of him often and he will always bring a smile to our faces. Happy days

Stu and Penny

Blackburn

Long time no see ,Stuart,you cuold make up the most outrageoustory you wanted aboutPete and anyone who knew him would beleive it, Still on my mind after allthis time

Long time no see ,Stuart,you cuold make up the most outrageoustory you wanted aboutPete and anyone who knew him would beleive it, Still on my mind after allthis time

Regards to penny,i agree with your comments about Col at the stafford reunion,he never changes,he was born an ugly twat Salmon

Is that Mike Field?

If it is ... was just talking about him yesterday!!

He looked like Pete... dressed like Pete... danced like Pete... absolutely fantastic guy.

Think about him often... anyone know what he's up to?

Hi Joan - Mike Field thats the man. Always drove around in 6 litre gas guzzlers from what I can recollect. Pete was probably spraying (more so than usual) when Mike asked for Petrol money for the 100th time.

I would like to see Mike too... to get all me good tapes back. Last time I saw him was years back, he said he was jacking nighters to take up...professional golf coaching or something. Lived down on Hayling Island - probably had to pay the SAS alot of money to stop them blowing up his bungalow. Mike was funny & a good mate. I can just see Mike and Pete dancing - unique!

I think I've got a clip of him being interviewed at Stafford years ago. I think it was the "Chasing Rainbows" documentary.

Anyone know where I can get a copy of Chasing rainbows - Pls PM me if someone would be kind enough to stream it for me?

Is that Mike Field?

If it is ... was just talking about him yesterday!!

He looked like Pete... dressed like Pete... danced like Pete... absolutely fantastic guy.

Think about him often... anyone know what he's up to?

Great guy... never forget one time he picked me, Pete and Edwin (from South Wales) up to take us to Scotland (i think).

Pete insisted we pick up this hitchhiker....

awh... Pete was mental that day... spraying everyone in the car... fantastic!!

Where's Edwin when you need him... he'll have a few tales to tell for sure!!

Last I heard he was teaching golf in Austria!!

Pete Lawson... without doubt... has to be one of the most amazing characters ever to grace the soul scene.

No one could ever love soul more than Pete Lawson did... he loved it... lived it... and died with it... and i miss him every day.

Now don't get me wrong... Pete Lawson was one hell of a pain in the arse... to everybody... but that was just Pete... and you had to love him for it... you had to... because he told you that you had to!

He was outspoken... honest... loyal... fair... absolutely and completely bananas... manic... so unbelievably funny... loud... yet shy if you can understand that... a lost soul... obsessive... so intelligent... annoying... loving... and the most soulful person i have ever met.

This is a great thread... even if you didn't know Pete... you will piss yourselves at the stories you'll hear about him.

Here's the man himself.... TIP TOP!

Totally Agree, got introduced to him by a friend at allanton allnighter in about 91'

A very intelligent and misunderstood by some man.

D. Taylor