For those who did the Mecca and the Torch in the early 70s you will no doubt know about a legendary DJ Tony Jebb.

I’ve been asked to inform our soul bros and sisters that he sadly passed away yesterday evening peacefully, with his family by his side.

RIP Tony

Rest in Peace Tony......a true ground breaking DJ who opened the door for others to follow......great memories of The Highland Room Blackpool Mecca & The Torch.......feel proud to have known him 🙏 

 

Edited June 25, 20204 yr by Sheila Hart

My Condolences to his Family  Tony was a true gentlemen who brought pleasure through his music to thousands .His early sets at the Mecca where memorable,  one of the best DJ,s Ever .

 

Agree with you John.....he had a big heart as well 💖  

Goodbye Tony, you paved the way for the soul DJs of today !  Rest in piece mate !

Paul James 

Goodbye Tony,  you paved the way for the soul DJs of today  !  Rest in peace mate !

Paul James. 

very sad! He was an icon on the NS scene . RIP Tony

One of the early pioneers  R.I.P.  Alan C

Very sad news - one of the true legends .

 

RIP Tony 

Very sad news, our sincere condolences to all.  RIP.

Very sad news! Top DJ back in the day..RIP mate

I feel very privileged to have been a friend of Tony jebb,and feel greatly saddened by his passing.a wonderful person who loved soul music and would share his passion and knowledge to everyone he met.i will always treasure the memories of visiting Tony at his mums house behind Gynn square Blackpool.a truly great DJ,and an even greater mate.

Edited June 25, 20204 yr by SteveThomson

Only met him once or twice myself - but his legend and track record stands for itself.

A sad loss to the scene, very best wishes to his family at this tough time.

Dx

Edited June 25, 20204 yr by Davenpete

The first superstar Dj, not just a record selector, this guy had genuine charisma and style to burn. Never really understood why he was so popular with the the girls 😀

RIP Tony 

thanks for the memories

now that is heartbreaking news. RIP.

I was a 16 year old lad who pestered him for his spare copy of Laura Lee- To Win Your Heart which he sold me, can`t remember how much but it couldn`t have been a lot. Absolutely top DJ of any era with a 6th sense of how to put a set together.

RIP Tony, your body may rest in peace but your soul goes marching on!

😥

sad loss.............

 

Sad to hear that Tony has passed away,an iconic deejay of the first degree who knew his music & how to fill the dancefloor,i've always said that he was the person that really got me into 'soul music' in the early 70's at the Highland Room....after my previously playing 'rock music'.For that i have always thought i owe him a great debt of gratitude.i wouldn't be doing what i do now if it wasn't for him..they may have knocked the building down,but no one can take away memories,he never really got the recognition he truly deserved in my opinion,however the music he played back then will hopefully live on,and the 

memory of his contribution to the early 'soul scene' later to become the 'Northern Soul' will be appreciated for many years to come.

R.I.P. Tony ..my sincere condolences go out to your family & friends

Remember staying over at Tony’s in the early seventies  he was a. Good cook too. Made us egg and chips for tea. RIP mate. God be with you. 

Proper northern soul DJ legend r i p Tony 

Our scene was very special in those early days thanks to guys like Tony. It’s terrible to hear of his passing.

RIP Tony Jebb.

 

Sad News RIP Tony Jebb.

Tony and Judith were great pals back in the day. Carolyn ( Mrs B now) and I stayed at their flat many times. They were a great couple and guess what, they named their son Julian. Met up with Judith at her place in Spain a few years ago for an afternoon of reminiscing, food and drink. Judith then attended the Mojacar Hitsville weekender a bit later so we chatted much more and then again at the fundraiser held for Tony in Blackpool. I met my namesake for the first time on that evening.

Last time I saw Tony was at Devere Hotel in Blackpool at celebrate Ian Levine finishing the SWONS film. Unfortunately Tony was not in the very best of health then but we had a great chat and reminisce about the good old days. I still have a letterheading which I got everyone to sign on the night.Just one story about the Mecca. I DJ'd with Tony at the Mecca when I stood in for Ian Levine whilst he was on one of his USA trips. During on of my spots, a guy requested George Carrow ( the biggest sound at the time). I didn't have it so asked Tony to lend it to me, he replied something along the lines of ' I play that, no one else'. First time I'd come across this as I'd DJ'd many times with the likes of Les Cokell, Graham Slater, Dennis Billingham etc and we'd all share our tunes if necessary. Anyway, I had enough 45s to get by on the night.😃😃

Unfortunately this Covid 19 business probably means we cannot give Tony the send off he richly deserves but hopefully the family will be able to arrange something to celebrate his life in due course.

R.I.P. our old pal

Julian and Carolyn 

Very sad News, Tony was a legend  and truly inspirational. R.I.P. 

Fred Ward.

So sad to hear of Tony's passing. First met him as an 18yr. old making my 1st trip to the Mecca - early Nov. 1971.

Watched Leicester City lose 3-2 at Old Trafford on the Sat. afternoon in the rain and drove through the sleet to Blackpool and grabbed a B&B - The Argyle on Central Dr. a few hundred yds from the Mecca. Remember like it was yesterday - that top floor cloaks - amazed to see people with their Adidas bags etc changing to t's or vests and in to the Highland Room - low ceiling / claymores and shields and the music - a real eye opener. Blues & Soul has a lot to answer for. Mr Godin was right. Hooked - went up and asked Tony for a record - can't remember what but always remember his response - not dismissive or sarky but a firm 'don't play that anymore, played out'. Not an expression I'd heard before. Later he approached me after completing one of his set's and asked 'Where are you from mate' Leicester, we get a few up from there, Yes there's Blakey - do you know him. No but I soon did - buying his Earl Jackson ABC demo. Became a regular from then and Tony lent me a couple of sounds to take back to Leicester to DJ with. An Ollie Jackson and more remarkably in 1972 - Triumphs - I'm coming to your rescue - Okeh - purple stocker - absolutely massive foot to the floor acrobats nirvana. Can you imagine that now. I took it back a couple of weeks later. Got to know the Blackpool main man - apologies Ian +  Gilly / Tash / Wendy Lofthouse / Colin etc.  Saturday afternoon sessions with the London crowd round at Levine's. Cannot believe its been nearly 49yrs. RIP

Steve Frost

another early pioneer leaves us............heard his sets around the  torch days at various venues and a big  name in all conversations  about djs around those times. r. i .p x

Hi All - It is my opinion that Tony was the very best DJ on the scene, The records played by him were Northern Soul to my ears, Tony was genuine & honest with his play selection, as such so was Tony as a Soul Brother, he loved our music and to watch the dance floor come to life,  I send peace & love to all Brothers & Sisters who enjoyed Tony at the TORCH & MECCA,  However at this sad time It's his nearest & dearest  SHEILA  & all relatives & friends who loved Tony the man, we will always remember him.  So on behalf of those who travelled North in 72 - 75 from North Herts who will feel as I do full of sadness, especially my mate Mick Smith who was a very  close friend of Tony, there are tales and story's to be told, but not now it's not the right time, but from us all Tony LOVE & PEACE...REST IN PEACE SOUL BROTHER #1 .                      A BIG RESPECT TO YOU. FROM ME D the DRUG.

DAVE KIL.

 

Edited June 28, 20204 yr by dthedrug
to add missing part of my comprehension?

Well Dthedrug...I totally understand this is a time for grieving for someone special who has passed, but I'm sure I'm one of many who did not know TJ personally but would love to hear the stories of his escapades in the world of northern soul right at the beginning.

You cant really get much more prestige as a dj than being at the Mecca and torch leading the way.

I was fortunate to listen to Martin Ellis around 78 reminiscing about his experiences of the 'heydays' and hung on every word.

When your ready, let's have the memories.

Respect

Ed

 

have split off the posts that are more about the mecca fashions etc to a new topic here as felt better suited

 

just so aware

mike

I know what you mean - learnt my lesson the hard way - Shetland wool 9g roll collar to the Junction - never sweated and itched as much to this day - It depended how good a footballer you were whether you had an Adidas bag back then. I had one, played in the 1970/71 FA Youth Cup & don't forget it was a Mecca ballroom - collar & tie ( saw numerous punters being sent over the road past the car wash to rent a tie from the cafe - did it myself ) Remember that relatively low ceiling and high numbers relative to size created a sweating heaving mass at times particularly when Tony dropped on George Carrow or the Fuller Bros and the place went loopy - Mystic arm waving to Bob Relf - to me as a 18yr old 6th former studying LOL for my A's I always arrived mohair suited but the serious dancers were of course better prepared, obviously not all Adi bagged but the fact the Highland room had it's own separate cloaks from the home of the divs downstairs enabled changes to be made but not allowed downstairs. Hairs on the back of your neck just thinking about what new sound TB was going to play next.

Blackpool is a sad place this week after such a loss, he was such a nice man and a Top Top DJ

RIP Sir

Edited July 1, 20204 yr by Blackpoolsoul

On 27/06/2020 at 21:03, Mr Fred said:

Very sad News, Tony was a legend  and truly inspirational. R.I.P. 

Fred Ward.

Hi ,  is Mr Fred ( fred ward )   the brother of Rob Ward  and a friend of Ian Novashelski ( Nova) ?

Hi , just joined this site , i have just been remembering the 70s and early 80s when i lived in Huddersfield , im 66 now and have fond if sketchy memories of the northern soul boys in the town.   I worked with "NOVA" ( IAN NOVASHELSKI)  he was a friend of Rob Ward and his brother Fred , just wondered if anyone knows if these guys are still knocking about.