Jump to content

Inter City Soul Club


Soulsmith

Recommended Posts

Formed in late 70s by a bald headed geezer who looked a bit like Kojak.

He DJ'd under the not truly original name of err.....Kojak.

I think the aim was similar to one of Soul Sources - putting people in touch.

"Networking" - thats 2 things I've said tonite that I regret !

Does any one have any info on the club? Any stories? Did it actually work?

Col.

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest taffy

Formed in late 70s by a bald headed geezer who looked a bit like Kojak.

He DJ'd under the not truly original name of err.....Kojak.

I think the aim was similar to one of Soul Sources - putting people in touch.

"Networking" - thats 2 things I've said tonite that I regret !

Does any one have any info on the club? Any stories? Did it actually work?

Col.

link

actually formed around 74 colin :)

Link to comment
Social source share


actually formed around 74 colin :)

link

I think the idea was to unite the UK soul scene, both Northern and "southern". I don't think we ever go to the stage of Russ Winstanley sharing a stage with Chris Hill.

Weren't the first Yate nights under the Banner of the Intercity Soul Club?

I remember them putting on an allnighter in Plymouth while I was under basic Naval Training, and I think I stayed awake allnight in sympathy.!!

Paul

Edited by Paul r
Link to comment
Social source share

Formed in late 70s by a bald headed geezer who looked a bit like Kojak.

He DJ'd under the not truly original name of err.....Kojak.

link

His name was John Harvey (and considering the amount of bald heads on the soul scene nowadays, he was obviously ahead of his time in more than one sense :) )

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Social source share

John Harvey aka Kojak owned a record stall in Worcester run by a guy called Roger who used to work for graduate. They sold the latest pressings and a few second hand things.

Think the first night of the ISSC was at the New 67 club in Wolves. I went, it was pretty strange. John Farrell played there. He died a death but so many of his records were ahead of their time.

The famous Queens Hall night at Leeds in 74 was an ISSC night wasn't it? Enough said.

I think John Harvey also gave a chance to some local DJ's - including a guy called Mac from Malvern (?) who had quite a following around Worcester.

I believe that JH's interest in the scene was purely financial. I knew him reasonably well for a while and he had little real interest or love for the scene.

Where is he now!? Any sightings since 75?

Edited by Dayo
Link to comment
Social source share

Formed in late 70s by a bald headed geezer who looked a bit like Kojak.

He DJ'd under the not truly original name of err.....Kojak.

I think the aim was similar to one of Soul Sources - putting people in touch.

"Networking" - thats 2 things I've said tonite that I regret !

Does any one have any info on the club? Any stories? Did it actually work?

Col.

link

John Harvey

Advertised all nighters at Sheffield Top Rank, might have been a joint promotion, but downgraded them to 8pm-2pm, licensing problem I think. The magistrates and Police preferred to keep all the drugs at Samanthas :) . This was

around 74/75. I remember Sweet Sensation doing a PA at one of them. Oh, and Levine told me to 'f*ck off' when I asked for a record, and threatened to have me thrown out when I called him a wanker.

I've loved him ever since.

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest taffy

think they ran yate first. remember going once and it was cancelled about 1975 went to an alldayer the following day at botley in oxford.still got some original membership forms somewhere with a po box address in shrewsbury.

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest martyn

think they ran yate first. remember going once and it was cancelled  about 1975 went to an alldayer the following day at botley in oxford.still got some original membership forms somewhere with a po box address in shrewsbury.

link

Seem to remember an all-dayer in Yarmouth in 75 as well

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest Awake 502

Can't believe I have had this nearly 29 years...... how time flies.... sigh..

First visit to Yate all those years ago, seemed to take forever to get there from South Yorkshire...

:D

post-1832-1112224391_thumb.jpg

Edited by Awake 502
Link to comment
Social source share

John Harvey aka Kojak owned a record stall in Worcester run by a guy called Roger who used to work for graduate.  They sold the latest pressings and a few second hand things.

Think the first night of the ISSC was at the New 67 club in Wolves.  I went, it was pretty strange.  John Farrell played there.  He died a death but so many of his records were ahead of their time.

The famous Queens Hall night at Leeds in 74 was an ISSC night wasn't it?  Enough said.

Went to one of his Nighters in Portsmouth in 76, we were all in Torquay for the summer, strange night from what I can remember. Think most of his nights were

in the S/West when he moved up north they floped.

The Queens hall do was run by the International soul Club not Inter City Soul Club

Another Crap Night , think I went with Trevski ?.

Ian

Link to comment
Social source share

Guest lifeandsoul

He did the first allnighters at Yate. Upstairs he used to play a lot of current soul/ funk - dunno why but I remember things like Chocolate Milk - action speaks louder than words, Tony Camillos Bazuka, maybe Crystal Glass.

he did all dayers at Tiffanys in Bristol, remember seeing edwin starr

I thin Blue Max, maybe Colin Curtis, John Farrell DJ'd amongst others. Probably got some memorabilia somewhere as he was probably the first to do Northern in this part of the world. can't say it was a raging success though.

Link to comment
Social source share

Went to one of his Nighters in Portsmouth in 76, we were all in Torquay for the summer, strange night from what I can remember. Think most of his nights were

in the S/West when he moved up north they floped.

The Queens hall do was run by the International soul Club not Inter City Soul Club

Another Crap Night , think I went with Trevski ?.

Ian

link

I think they also did a regular night in Bournemouth one summer (76?).

Link to comment
Social source share

I think John Harvey also gave a chance to some local DJ's - including a guy called Mac from Malvern (?) who had quite a following around Worcester.

Where is he now!?  Any sightings since 75?

link

John "Kojak" Harvey started Yate, but pulled out at the beginning of '77, numbers were low by then but it was stil fun :D:D Dinks from Portsmouth took it over, revitalised it, got Clarkie, Tony Ellis etc. in,and that's when it got really good. Mac didn't work much, if at all, for Kojak but later DJ'd and supplied the equipment for Dinks's Southern Soul Club Yate niters.

I thought JH died some years back??

When Herr Steve Smith recovers from his whistle-stop UK visit, I'm sure he'll supply some interrrresting anecdotes shhh.gif:D as he DJ'd for Kojak!

Jerry.

Link to comment
Social source share

  • 9 months later...
Guest Billy Anorak

I remember John"Kojak"Harvey bringing his Inter City Soul down to Newquay Cornwall in the mid 70s.He used to do nights in The Blue Lagoon and in the club opposite which was owned by Bernard Manning,it did reallt well and was a success I think....Newquay back then as now was and is full of people from "up north"so a lively crowd was assured.

Link to comment
Social source share

We never cleared this up - is John Harvey still living? And anyone remember his mate ex Graduate Records in Wolverhampton, Roger someone... They were partners in a record stall on Worcester's market before Kokak started the Inter City thing.

Link to comment
Social source share

This link

https://www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/gigs-1976.htm

is quite interesting if you're into nostalgia. Shows Kojak playing at the Callifornia Ballroom in 76.

Amongst others it lists a performance by Bobby Womack - Admission £1.50!

Interesting to see who played there in 67; Maxine Brown, The Vibrations, Edwin Starr, The Jimmy McGriff "organ trio", and many more.

:P Wow!

Link to comment
Social source share

  • 10 years later...
On 10 January 2006 at 16:02, Dayo said:

We never cleared this up - is John Harvey still living? And anyone remember his mate ex Graduate Records in Wolverhampton, Roger someone... They were partners in a record stall on Worcester's market before Kokak started the Inter City thing.

John Harvey is definitely deceased. I would say sometime in the nineties.

I recall him being in Silverdale's record shop in Glasgow's Argyle Street in the mid seventies. John Anderson sold a lot of records to Silverdale's possibly before he moved to King's Lynn, hence the attraction.

Kojak held a small meeting in a hotel in Sauchiehall Street around that time outlining some plans which I recall as being a bit OTT. Honestly cannot recall what they were however.

If anyone has a huge amount of spare time on their hands they could ruffle through Blues & Soul mags circa late seventies to find out why Kojak upset Dave Godin rather much.

Again, I can't remember why.

 

 

Link to comment
Social source share

On 05/07/2016 at 19:53, David Meikle said:

John Harvey is definitely deceased. I would say sometime in the nineties.

I recall him being in Silverdale's record shop in Glasgow's Argyle Street in the mid seventies. John Anderson sold a lot of records to Silverdale's possibly before he moved to King's Lynn, hence the attraction.

Kojak held a small meeting in a hotel in Sauchiehall Street around that time outlining some plans which I recall as being a bit OTT. Honestly cannot recall what they were however.

If anyone has a huge amount of spare time on their hands they could ruffle through Blues & Soul mags circa late seventies to find out why Kojak upset Dave Godin rather much.

Again, I can't remember why.

 

 

Didn't know that he did upset Dave Godin, I remember Dave giving Kojak a good write up in his column in the mid 70's. Can't remember what year it was but Dave had left B&S by the late 70's.

Link to comment
Social source share

I was one of the original intercity s c dj's for a while in 74. Launch was at new 67 club in wolves. Edwin Starr performed. Dave Godin was guest of honour - gave me K C Sunshine Band, Qeen Of Clubs to play! Dave mcaleer, Pye was there gathering info for future Pye DD releases. Apart from Ian Levine can't remember who else dj'd that night. 

It was Roger Humphrey from wolves- a bit older than us but a great guy, I used to work with him at Graduate. In 74 he let me in on his secret supply of top sounds. Although I never knew he was working with John Harvey in Worcester. John Harvey was based in Shrewsbury at the time, he was a showman & had his own tour bus! I think he just jumped on the soul bandwagon as it was about this time that the scene began to explode into the mainstream. His vision was to form a club that would unite the soul world under one banner & of course he would make his fortune. But it was all relatively short lived. Dropped me when me & Neil Rushton promoted Dudley Zoo & we wouldn't put under IC banner.

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Social source share

  • 4 months later...

Found the advert for the ICSC Blackpool weekend whilst browsing on ebay. This thread came up when i was searching around looking for any info on it, Steve G mentions above that it was cancelled, a shame as there's some great artists on there.

Ebay Link - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blackpool-inter-city-soul-club-Bessie-Banks-Delfonics-etc-1975-magazine-advert-/311299956031?hash=item487aec5d3f:g:HVYAAOSwv0tU6Px2

 

 

blackpool soul weekend dec 75.jpg

  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
Social source share

Me and my mate Neil Brewin went to the New 67 Club (Former Noddys Night Club?) that night. I remember going early, as we thought this was going to be rammed and a big queue of soulies...How wrong! We went straight in without no fuss, I think that was the setting for the night. I remember people leaving early and we decided to go before it finished. The location of the club was not in the best of places and frequented by Ladies of the night, Dealers and Pimps and of course they were in that night. We never bothered going to another ICSC venue again. 

Link to comment
Social source share

  • 3 years later...
On 31/03/2005 at 08:21, Steve G said:

 

 

I think they also did a regular night in Bournemouth one summer (76?).

Inter City were involved in nights at The Chelsea Village Bournemouth around 74/75 but John Harvey was not part of it, I do remember him from from Yate, mostly because he played disco/funk which was not why we were there but be honest I do not remember him being involved with Inter City. Kev Roberts came a long a few times but the nights had evolved from some great very small venues rune by Keith Clark and Steve Sheppard, they stated in about 72 and were my first intro to "proper northern soul" both great people with some great records between the and Keith organised my first trip to Wigan in 73, I was only 15 at the time!. My only memory of Inter City was that the bastards still owe me £5 that I paid as deposit to a trip that they had arranged to the first Wigan anniversary but they did a runner with everyone's money

  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

I remember going to an all-nighter at Yate swimming baths sometime in 1976/77 run by Kojak in a small very dark room, a nighter to remember for all the wrong reasons. Also went to the village Bournemouth where in a side room a northern night ran alongside the main room full of normal nightclub revellers about 1975.

Link to comment
Social source share

The Chelsea Village was the end of Northern Soul nights for Keith Clark, us locals owe him a huge debt of gratitude for all of the great music that he and Steve Sheppard introduced us to. The first soul night he held were in a workings men's club , it was a tiny place above a shoe shop in Boscombe. This was towards the end of 1971 and me and my mates were only 14 and it finished after the last bus had gone which meant a 6 mile walk home! Thankfully a few months later he moved it to a small room above a beef burger restaurant in Bournemouth called Busters, which halved the walk home, we had some great night there and met some great people, some who are still good friends today.

  • Up vote 1
Link to comment
Social source share

  • 1 month later...
On 13/07/2016 at 13:41, billbaker said:

 

It was Roger Humphrey from wolves- a bit older than us but a great guy, I used to work with him at Graduate. In 74 he let me in on his secret supply of top sounds. Although I never knew he was working with John Harvey in Worcester. 

Yes - Roger was a great guy.  He turned up quite a few goodies. I wonder if he's still with us?

Link to comment
Social source share

On 30/03/2005 at 11:01, Guest said:

 

 

John Harvey

Advertised all nighters at Sheffield Top Rank, might have been a joint promotion, but downgraded them to 8pm-2pm, licensing problem I think. The magistrates and Police preferred to keep all the drugs at Samanthas :) . This was

around 74/75. I remember Sweet Sensation doing a PA at one of them. Oh, and Levine told me to 'f*ck off' when I asked for a record, and threatened to have me thrown out when I called him a wanker.

I've loved him ever since.

I went to one of the Inter City nights at Sheffield Top Rank in 74. I'd only been in 5 minutes when the Sheffield Squad moved in and rounded all our crowd up and bussed us all down to the cop shop.

Edited by Soulfulhound
Link to comment
Social source share

On 03/10/2020 at 09:10, Soulfulhound said:

I went to one of the Inter City nights at Sheffield Top Rank in 74. I'd only been in 5 minutes when the Sheffield Squad moved in and rounded all our crowd up and bussed us all down to the cop shop.

Remember it well.... strip search at the cop shop, the magistrates fine, them were the days  :(

Edited by petewsheff
Spelling
Link to comment
Social source share

  • 1 year later...

Get involved with Soul Source

Add your comments now

Join Soul Source

A free & easy soul music affair!

Join Soul Source now!

Log in to Soul Source

Jump right back in!

Log in now!


×
×
  • Create New...