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Blackpool Mecca No.01s


Wiganer1

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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.

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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 ohmy.gif

Nobody else prepared to offer up Mecca no1's?

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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. :thumbsup:

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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. wink.gif

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

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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. wink.gif

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

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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 :rolleyes:

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

Chris L

Edited by Chris L
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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.............. thumbsup.gif played on UK Cameo-Parkway.........

Chris L

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

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) :yes:

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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. :ohmy:

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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? :lol:

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

Spot. :D

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? smile.gif

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

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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? :lol:

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

Spot. :D

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! smile.gif

(where they dj at not where they live)

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I,m sure it only made No2 in the charts :rolleyes:

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!!!! :yes: .

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest biggray1

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.

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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.

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Guest souldancer

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.. :thumbsup:

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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

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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, :D:lol:
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  • 2 weeks later...

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)

thumbsup.gifthumbsup.gif:lol:

Chris L

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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'

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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

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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? :rolleyes:

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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.

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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?

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Dave Turner

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.

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  • 1 month later...

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 by steveluigi
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  • 10 years later...

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 ..

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Edited by stevegods
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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.

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