come on you mecca - ites!!

Where do you start?

First track I ever heard at the Mecca and therefore forever will be associated with it was "Little Queenie" which I guess was probably a Wheel/Torch track first.

"Just don't know"

"I just can't live my life"

"Girl across the street"

"If that's what you wanted"

Absolute stone cold Mecca no 1's amongst many.

Where do you start?

First track I ever heard at the Mecca and therefore forever will be associated with it was "Little Queenie" which I guess was probably a Wheel/Torch track first.

"Just don't know"

"I just can't live my life"

"Girl across the street"

"If that's what you wanted"

Absolute stone cold Mecca no 1's amongst many.

F**k me, must have gone to the Mecca on my own

Nobody else prepared to offer up Mecca no1's?

come on you mecca - ites!!

Mecca plays what about 75%-80% of all the sounds played in the 70s, maybe more.

All the good stuff that is

F**k me, must have gone to the Mecca on my own

Nobody else prepared to offer up Mecca no1's?

It will take me till next week to type up all the records i heard at the Mecca 1st.

It will take me till next week to type up all the records i heard at the Mecca 1st.

Agree.

But I have just to name one for mesel.

The awesome "Bari Track" covered as "I miss my baby" by The Lebaron Strings. Ive got goosepimples typing this in. You just had to be there. I used to wait all night for this track to be played. Every one and I mean everyone has to be made to listen to this tune when they are starting out on the scene.

An instrumental that to me epitomises "PROPER NORTHERN" no other inst comes close to my mind. Only my opinion of course.

It will take me till next week to type up all the records i heard at the Mecca 1st.

====

Will wait with anticipatiin dave!./.

Agree.

But I have just to name one for mesel.

The awesome "Bari Track" covered as "I miss my baby" by The Lebaron Strings. Ive got goosepimples typing this in. You just had to be there. I used to wait all night for this track to be played. Every one and I mean everyone has to be made to listen to this tune when they are starting out on the scene.

An instrumental that to me epitomises "PROPER NORTHERN" no other inst comes close to my mind. Only my opinion of course.

I agree , probably the greatest inst . ever , thank God for Mike Terry !! Best,Eddie

Bob Relf-"Blowing my mind to pieces"

Carstairs"It really hurts me girl"

& Rufus Lumley "I'm standing"

Agree.

But I have just to name one for mesel.

The awesome "Bari Track" covered as "I miss my baby" by The Lebaron Strings. Ive got goosepimples typing this in. You just had to be there. I used to wait all night for this track to be played. Every one and I mean everyone has to be made to listen to this tune when they are starting out on the scene.

An instrumental that to me epitomises "PROPER NORTHERN" no other inst comes close to my mind. Only my opinion of course.

Ya great instrumental, but to me it is just pipped by a earlier Mecca classic namely Earl Wright,s "Thumb a Ride"

====

Will wait with anticipatiin dave!./.

Suppoise i asked for that

I will post some of my fav,s later

P.S. Mark i will try get some "live" stuff done for you this week.

Dave.

come on you mecca - ites!!

My first night at the Mecca the ones that stood out were :

Los Canarios - Get on your knees

Bunny Sigler - Will you still love me tomorrow

Ray Whitely - I've been hurt (assume it was him)

Esther Phillips - Catch me I'm falling

George Carrow - Angel baby

Rufus Lumley - I'm standing

and of course California Montage

Tony Jebb once told me that Phillip Mitchell - Free for all was on of the biggest sounds that ever got played at the Mecca, Phil of course got cut down in his prime with that JayBoy release

We hummed all the tunes we couldr remember in the car on the way to my uncle who lived in Lytham St Annes

Chris L

Edited November 2, 200816 yr by Chris L

Where do you start?

First track I ever heard at the Mecca and therefore forever will be associated with it was "Little Queenie" which I guess was probably a Wheel/Torch track first.

"Just don't know"

Absolute stone cold Mecca no 1's amongst many.

Oh yeah forgot about the Chubster.............. played on UK Cameo-Parkway.........

Chris L

Suppoise i asked for that

I will post some of my fav,s later

P.S. Mark i will try get some "live" stuff done for you this week.

Dave.

==

cheers dave..

==

cheers dave..

"YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE"_CANDI STATON, ooh sorry Mark,thought you meant Mecca records that went to No1 .

"YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE"_CANDI STATON, ooh sorry Mark,thought you meant Mecca records that went to No1 .

I,m sure it only made No2 in the charts

Reason being cause me, Ginger and Andy Riding had a bet with Phil Duckworth.

If it made No1, Phil had to run thou town centre nude (we all had our fingers crossed)

Got to be, Carstairs & James Fountain, then came along Mr Gil Scott Heron, these changed the style & direction of Northern IMVHO & I loved it but there was still a couple of stompy types that stand out in Sidney Barnes- I hurt on the other side & although people would sooner kiss a cows arse than admit they liked or danced to it, Baltimore & Ohio Marching Band's - Condition Red, which was massive & filled the floor, although of course I never did, now where's that cow gone?

Take care,be safe & Don't lie you know you liked it,

Spot.

Got to be, Carstairs & James Fountain, then came along Mr Gil Scott Heron, these changed the style & direction of Northern IMVHO & I loved it but there was still a couple of stompy types that stand out in Sidney Barnes- I hurt on the other side & although people would sooner kiss a cows arse than admit they liked or danced to it, Baltimore & Ohio Marching Band's - Condition Red, which was massive & filled the floor, although of course I never did, now where's that cow gone?

Take care,be safe & Don't lie you know you liked it,

Spot.

Yes I danced to Condition Red, but how many didn,t belive that was the right name when it was first played, with all the cover-ups at the time?

P.S. I still don,t mind it, but wife thinks it belongs in Blackpool Tower not Blackpool Mecca

Got to be, Carstairs & James Fountain, then came along Mr Gil Scott Heron, these changed the style & direction of Northern IMVHO & I loved it but there was still a couple of stompy types that stand out in Sidney Barnes- I hurt on the other side & although people would sooner kiss a cows arse than admit they liked or danced to it, Baltimore & Ohio Marching Band's - Condition Red, which was massive & filled the floor, although of course I never did, now where's that cow gone?

Take care,be safe & Don't lie you know you liked it,

Spot.

Talkin about James Fountain, I remember at one of the all-dayers at the Ritz.

Richard,s last record of is set says "just to prove i,m from Wigan here,s Joe Hicks Don,t it make jou feel funky"

Colin up next 1st record "just to prove i,m from Blackpool James Fountain Seven day lover" Pure Class.

More so cause Joe Hicks had been dropped from the Mecca playlist for over a year!

(where they dj at not where they live)

Oscar Perry - "I Got What You Need" & "Mainstring" - those two tunes remind me of The Highland Room more than any others - plus of course the wonderful, wonderful Mel Britt.

The Atlanta Disco Band - Bad Luck

ella weez - leroy hutson, lend a hand - bobby hutton, vernon burch - frame of mind.......................

I,m sure it only made No2 in the charts

Reason being cause me, Ginger and Andy Riding had a bet with Phil Duckworth.

If it made No1, Phil had to run thou town centre nude (we all had our fingers crossed)

No1 in US billboard charts Dave,,,get 'em orf!!!! .

ella weez - leroy hutson, lend a hand - bobby hutton, vernon burch - frame of mind.......................

All pure class. Still got all three LP,s

The bet with Phil was UK charts

Eddie Foster - I Never Knew

MASSIVE

Edited October 24, 200816 yr by Dave Turner

Kenny Smith...Danny Monday....Eloise Laws.....Timmy Thomas....Joe Hicks.....Imperial Wonders....Jobell Orchestra....Herbie Mann....Just Brothers..Felix Cavelier...Lou Johnson...King Herison...Mel Britt..James Fountain...Danny Reid...and manymany more.

Crown heights affair - Dreamimg a dream

Arthur Prysock - When love is new - Full Lp version

To me THE CATACOMBS was far superior to the Mecca.

For a start I found it impossible to score at the MECCA, AND REMEMBER YOU HAD TO GET A TIE TO GET IN THE MECCA-If you didn't have one you could buy a piece of rag from a nearby shop for a £1 and put it round your neck to get in. As soon as you were in you were allowed to take your tie off........What a farce.

Rag shop must have been coining it!

BUT I went there to here one sound at the time

This was HOAGY LANDS-THE NEXT IN LINE

One night after Mecca shut I got a lift to THE LANTERN at Market Harborough and they were playing NEXT IN LINE there.!

I ran up to DJ stand and it was on STATESIDE!!!!!!

I could not believe my eyes.

At that time it was only known on Laurie.

After tons of bartering, I got it for all my weeks wages and most of the records out of my box.

WOW!

More about this story in my life story to be published next year I hope.

UP IN THE HIGHLAND ROOM HOW ABOUT ..WE THE PEOPLE..MAKING MY DAYDREAM REAL....SUPERB..

Ronnie McNeir - Sitting In My Class

Maurice Williams - Being Without You

Jobell - Never Gonna Let You Go

Stanley Woodruff - What Took You So Long

Sidney Thomas - Look Let's Make Love

All have special dancefloor memories for me..

Destination Unknown, Delrays inc for me. Anyone remember they played "the next biggie" straight after midnight on or just after midnight on New Years Eve, the only one I remember was Betty Baker "Marching out of your life" anyone remember any others?

BH

Destination Unknown, Delrays inc for me. Anyone remember they played "the next biggie" straight after midnight on or just after midnight on New Years Eve, the only one I remember was Betty Baker "Marching out of your life" anyone remember any others?

BH

Lord had a few good times there, then onto wigan...could never do it now,,lol

Loads of great soul, funky style tunes played there....you had to be there....

Sure , FRANKIE LOVEMAN CROCKER - TON OF DYNAMITE ..played there ?

And, ELOISE LAWS - LOVE FACTORY..

JO ARMSTEAD - GOT THE VIBES..... ALL top stuff.... martyn

Lord had a few good times there, then onto wigan...could never do it now,,lol

Loads of great soul, funky style tunes played there....you had to be there....

Sure , FRANKIE LOVEMAN CROCKER - TON OF DYNAMITE ..played there ?

And, ELOISE LAWS - LOVE FACTORY..

JO ARMSTEAD - GOT THE VIBES..... ALL top stuff.... martyn

frankie,c/e,laws/josie jo,just three brill mecca tunes imo,

frankie,c/e,laws/josie jo,just three brill mecca tunes imo,

Hi, Were these First of the new year tunes?

BH

come on you mecca - ites!!

Lorenzo Manley - Swoop down on you

Olympics - Same old thing

Jimmy Thomas - Where there's a will

Richard Temple - That beatin' rythmn

The Festivals - Music

Little Richard - Don't want to discuss it

Rose Batiste - Hit & Run (although to be fair Ian Levine had already brought it to the Wheel)

Chris L

The Festivals - Music

Ive not heard that for YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Destination Unknown, Delrays inc for me. Anyone remember they played "the next biggie" straight after midnight on or just after midnight on New Years Eve, the only one I remember was Betty Baker "Marching out of your life" anyone remember any others?

BH

the new year 1977 one was thelma houstons 'dont leave me this way'

Now this is unusual I think

The Brothers - Are you ready for this was played at Wigan but

The Brothers - Were you ready for that(From the Dont Stop now Album) was played loads at the Mecca

I remember watching Andy Lett(Epic) Sliding across the floor to this and I was mesmersied by the string arrangement.

Will someone please confirm this was the case as regards to which one was played where!

Cheers Steve

Now this is unusual I think

The Brothers - Are you ready for this was played at Wigan but

The Brothers - Were you ready for that(From the Dont Stop now Album) was played loads at the Mecca

I remember watching Andy Lett(Epic) Sliding across the floor to this and I was mesmersied by the string arrangement.

Will someone please confirm this was the case as regards to which one was played where!

Cheers Steve

I thought they were both played at The Mecca?

Now this is unusual I think

The Brothers - Are you ready for this was played at Wigan but

The Brothers - Were you ready for that(From the Dont Stop now Album) was played loads at the Mecca

I remember watching Andy Lett(Epic) Sliding across the floor to this and I was mesmersied by the string arrangement.

Will someone please confirm this was the case as regards to which one was played where!

Cheers Steve

"Are You Ready............." became more popular at Wigan. Think "Were You Ready ...... "was far to "disco" for the Casino.

Always preferred "Were You Ready........." - Warren Schatz production is superb - agreed, the strings are blinding.

Great record - however even the thought of attempting to dance to it now gives me a hernia - wonderful memory though Steve.

Just a few that come to mind outside the norm;

You better run - Ruby Jones (Curtom)

Mama I wish Id stayed at home - Deneice Chandler (Lock)

Todays man - Mark Putney (Ovide/Atlantic)

Funny Feeling - George Wydell (Tangerine)

Passport - Al Wilson (LP track)

Boogie Down - Van Mccoy

Mr Nice Guy - Catch

Night Owl - Rosalind Clark (WB)

Anybody got any more live Mecca downloads?

Back for a second helping....................

Thats What I Wanna Know-James Carr

The Festivals - Music

Ive not heard that for YEARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Paul, its on refsoul if you search for it.

What a happy feelgood sound that is.

Esther Phillips- What a difference a day makes, Carstairs - It really huts me girl, Was Willy J and Co - Boogie with your baby one as well? God yes! and what about a forgotten one 'Tolouse - Lindberg 2 on 'Magique records (Canada), top track, should be revitalised. Also 'Mystic Moods - Astral Trippin' on 'Soundbird', another one rarely played these days. One more addition from the top of my head was another one by 'The Brothers, 'In the pocket' def' got played at the Mecca, not sure how may times though.

Edited December 25, 200816 yr by steveluigi

On ‎24‎/‎10‎/‎2008 at 21:39, Guest Dave Turner said:

Eddie Foster - I Never Knew

 

MASSIVE

 

Yes, absolutely Massive.. 

The Triumphs...Walking the duck

One of my favourite venues ... loved the style ,the sounds and that trip up the escalator  ... as for records , well it would have to be The Carstairs “it really hurts me girl”  and Montclair’s “ Hung up on your love “ . 

 

Also bought a few pieces of the dancefloor when they ripped it up and sold it off for £10 each ..

Edited January 22, 20196 yr by stevegods

Can't remember records but I will never forget that tartan carpet  and the palm tree's 

Steve

For myself as well as others Bob Relf not only brought the house down but was the subject of conversations for months afterwards. Otis Smith of course even if the Catacombs has first claim the memories of it's first play at then Mecca are still with me.

After that there's a whole host. Timothy Wilson's version of 'itching' doesn't get much of a mention but went down great. Detroit Sound Jumping at the Go-Go, Sons of Moses, Bobby Treetop, Little Joe Cook, Reperata's Panic, first heard Lorraine Ellison's Call Me Anytime there Lou Pride which other places laid claim to but a first for me there. Linda Jones Just Can't Live My Life just blew me away as it did the rest. Bobby Patterson My Baby's Coming Back, Lillie Bryant, Gwen Owens, Little Johnny Blair and keeping with the funkier side I always enjoyed Ladies Choice.

So stretched the point a little perhaps not all Mecca firsts but first for me and to get that lot mixed in with some of the top notch sounds already playing elsewhere meant it was a good time to be around.

Got 6 copies of this in a soul pack from soul bowl around 78.

Took me years to get to like it.

How big was it? Or not as the case may be.

Ed

 

 

On 08/10/2008 at 11:17, davetay said:

 

 

Yes I danced to Condition Red, but how many didn,t belive that was the right name when it was first played, with all the cover-ups at the time?

 

P.S. I still don,t mind it, but wife thinks it belongs in Blackpool Tower not Blackpool Mecca

Always hated Condition  Red  Seven Day Lover one of the greatest records ever played on the scene a SOUL record not just a northern soul record no what I mean