Len

Ahem, yes. This is why I got the contract drawn up - And he signed it bless him! It now resides in my record room - We both have a copy (Obviously)........ ........I Gary Holyman promise no matter how confused Len gets, agree not to sell him any of his own records. Signed Mr Gary Holyman. All the best, Len

Yep, I getcha - You meant you 'don't care who is behind the decks' (as long as they can D.J) in a 'goes without saying' kinda way - Noted. The rest of the post also agreed......And approved All the best, Len

....Hang on, I'll go back and read your post again. I thought you said "I don't care who is behind the decks", and I took that literally - back in a minute. Len

I'm a good D.J, but a sh*t collector! ...."What's that called again?"....."You just f*ckin' played it!" lol ..........Here come the comments........... All the best, Len

I would have liked to see Ady Croasdell in more places other than The 100 Club - He's done Life-line once I know which was great. I saw Colin Law D.J at Life-line and The Wilton btw, and enjoyed both. Dave Vanner is pretty unknown, he wasThe Embankment Club resident, which was running at the same time as Albrighton (pushing the boundaries as much as the locals would allow - and some) Maybe not the first to I know, but Dave was playing 'Wade Flemons - Jeanette' back in 1994. Gilly I'm sure would vouch for him. .....but this isn't really 'return to the decks' so sorry about that Russ - I'll get me coat All the best, Len

I care very much 'who is behind the decks’ playing the records - how a set is put together makes a heck of a difference, and a D.J’s personality can transform a set....This has been discussed briefly before, and I remember a point made by some one, they said that Butch and Andy Dyson don’t exactly ooze with ‘Stage Presence’. This is true…..or is it? I think being who they are (and there are others) as in people with such ‘ammunition’ (records, knowledge, experience, down time) that in itself gives them a ‘presence’ and deservedly so. It may look to some like they just solemnly go and ‘plonk’ some records on, but there’s a lot more to D.J’s like that - they don’t ‘light up’ a night by doing just that, that’s for sure. Play lists mean absolutely nothing to me as a guide to how good a venue is, and I never read them. I focus on who’s playing the records, and trust their judgement on what they choose to play at any given time - ‘The time is right’ an’ all that. I wish I'd been around when the likes of Guy Hennigan, Keb Darge, Colin Law, Jocko and 'the like' were 'at their height' going by stories and tapes I've heard - Such passion and knowledge 'oozing' out of them....Or was it aggression? - Loved it, whatever it was N.B - As I said, not a criticism, I have seen both Jocko and Colin Law (and Guy and Keb come to think about it) 'in my time' and I was still impressed with what they had to offer....but back then? Wow! All the best, Len

It sure does, as does D.Jing......There you go - 2 'Electric' topics to be discussed! Not forgetting the seriousness of this topic of course, also I hope some good news is on the horizon for Craig. All the best, Len

Yes, lovely times mate. I have always said to the wife (Nina) that she has been spoilt because she was going to The 100 Club since she was 16 years old, she didn't understand things 'around these parts' (Northants) ,....Yes, very spoilt, and very lucky to be in the thick of The London Scene. I also count myself as lucky / privaliged to have experienced the 90's down there (and across the country) at that time - All very healthy, and not to be repeated, because it wouldn't be the same. I also loved Ben Summers little event - Shelly's. All the best, Len

Why are we always looking back? I agree some great D.J's there, but some have simply 'had their time' and they would be the first to admit it, because it's not a criticism. Gary Spencer - fantastic, but he's 'gone fishing' and I doubt would have the same 'impact' that he did when he was 'on point' - D.J's at their height, is when they are still 'doing it' with the rest of us - Carl Fortnum hasn't really stopped, so (to me) still has loads to offer. Nothing wrong with 'wheeling em' out every so often for nostalgia purposes, but careful now, or we'll end up turning into the exact thing we moan about! All meant in the nicest possible way of course All the best, Len

Yep, Gary Holyman - 'A D.J's D.J' (A regular D.J at 'The Den' btw) So much to offer, and not used enough in my opinion.......and he ain't bothered - That's what makes him so great (don't tell him I said that) All the best, Len

That is where it probably 'filtered' down to the Mod Scene from - quite a few did, and (to me) Spanish Maiden was a huge 'Mod' record, because on that Scene is where I heard it (not quite as 'way back then' Russ....but, far enough!) Great record btw. All the best, Len

I did say ‘sometimes’, because I have also been to some great nights like those (also to some very bad ones) I was just saying that if the monthly ones went down to 3 or 4 a year, these ‘40 attendees’ each month venues would attract more people, and get even better (than they already are) Some of the venues that do only do 3 or 4 a year are now suffering, which is (partly) because of these monthly events. Yes, the ‘Underplayed’ Tag has (as you say) run its cause - Also, some people can’t seem to tell the difference between the tunes that were ‘Underplayed’ for good reason, and the ones that were ‘Underplayed’ because they were genuinely missed - that in itself has caused the ‘Underplayed’ Tag to become something that puts some people off (and I don’t blame them) All the best, Len

Just an observation - I've seen many posts by guys putting on 'Under Played' nights, stating things like…."We only get around 40 in, but we'll keep going each month" I know a 'well done' is in order for trying to do what you all do, as this part of the Scene is extremely difficult to make a successes, but surely the same 'rule' applies with ref to 'what we all agree on, but no one is doing anything about' - Don't put so many on.....if 5 x 'under played' events customers (40) went to the same event, there would be 200 people = Great music AND great atmosphere!...... Don't get me wrong, I do understand the ol…..“I'd rather 40 like-minded people, over 200 others”…..to a point, but come on - sometimes there’s not much atmosphere even with 40 (so called) ‘Right’ people. All the best, Len

Sadly, that about sums it up. Best to focus on the nice people, and the fact that most are honourable - I believe that anyway. Not that I know the guy personally (but we’re all ‘feeling it’) has any news come of Craig’s Records as yet? All the best, Len

I have to confess - I read it, and took it literally, thinking ‘god that was lucky’, and presuming you must have had a nice Shiny Record Box that the Burglars were attracted to…..God, I’m thick at times! - Unless I missed it because it was so ‘bad’ Nice one All the best, Len

Maybe we should start 're-activating' some old threads. As time has passed, people change their views, or maybe completely missed some. Seriously (as you have pointed out) some subjects do get done, over and over again - maybe Mike could see if there’s anything of interest 'lurking' in the archives and pop one up each week…..I bet there’s some cracking ones to ‘bring to the surface’ again - he’s just got to find them amongst all the ‘O.V.O’ threads All the best, Len P.s - I daren’t’ ‘re-activate' my 'What do you do for a living?' thread....I thought that had 'legs' and come up with some bizarre posts, like "I'm a Brain Surgeon" (or whatever)....alas, it didn't happen like that - In fact, someone posted "This is the most boring thread I have ever seen" (Which was my biggest ‘fear’ when I posted it up)…..and that kinda killed it.....I cried for a week....ok two weeks….I’m still soar now….. P.p.s - Sorry, 'off topic' - I'm liking this thread regardless

I recon this needs re-activating…..Apparently a ‘Massive’ Leicester sound, but I think it’s been ‘shelved’ for 20 years now — It’s such a shame, that once records have ‘been done’ they sometimes get forgotten. Well at least by D.J’s that are only after the latest ‘must have’ - Meant in the nicest possible way of course (because I’m nice ) ….Queue, someone saying “I played it last month at ‘So and So”….I couldn’t give a sh*t - I didn’t hear it….and that’s what matters to me and ‘my ears’….That quote always makes me smile by the way....“Plenty of sounds were new to ‘my ears’"…..Who else’s ears are you going to use?!!! …Sorry, I ‘digress’….. Joyce Bennett - The New Boy All the best, Len

....especially if they are cheap.......Sooooooo many have been left 'under used' - There's an absolute 'Wealth' of tunes to be 're-discovered' / 'Someone to say it was played at Stafford' / and enjoyed once again .....and I'm only talking about the 'Midtempo Stompers'.....hang on - Is that an 'Oxymoron'?....Like 'Good R'n'B'.....Or 'Police inteligence' All the best, Len

When 'out and about' you have to be very careful about your records - more so nowadays I’d say (correct me if I’m wrong here) The ‘Soul Bros Trust’ thing is still there ‘in the main’ though — I’ve had some ‘god awful’ people round my house over the years (meant in the nicest possible way of course! ) and for some reason ‘it’ is never an issue, and (as expected) at the end of the ‘session’ all records in everyone’s boxes are ‘present and correct’….except for the covers of course! I suppose, the above is all very nice until it does happen to you (ref your own home) my guests always come through various ‘connected’ channels, so I just presume everyone’s cool - I hope that feeling continues, because it’s a nice feeling when you think about it. I left a sales box in the record bars (all open for folk to look through) at both The Wilton All-nighter and The Burnley All-nighter all night, I 'forgot' I wasn’t a record dealer and went ‘off’ to enjoy my night. Nothing was stolen, and any that did sell, the buyer asked whose records they were, and I was pointed out - That trust thing was definitely there. In hindsight I may have pushed my luck a bit far there - never the less, it’s nice to know some of us are still loyal All the best, Len

Yes absolutely right, and makes sense of course. I used to like it when an evening event (of any nature) ended, a quick clear up, then the Nighter started - Hence the queue! All the best, Len

Hi Manus, In answer to your question - Yes, there is a now a 3rd option. I personally think starting Nighters at 9.00pm discourages people from staying until the end because 8 hours is more than plenty for most people. The 100 Club used to start at 1.30am until 8.00am, and most danced to the very last record - If nighters started at midnight, we might even see a queue once again! I can see why promoters have done this early start though, as some of those that do the ‘early shift’ simply wouldn’t come if an event started too late. I don’t like the fact that these ‘Early Birds’ are sometimes ridiculed simply because they don’t stay until the end - At least they attend. Obvious factors of this, is that people have now got ‘grown up’ stuff to do, so simply can’t do Nighters as they once did, with some not wanting to anyway - instead preferring to book a hotel. All these points have ‘thinned out’ some Nighters. Considering the ‘Double Shift’, and the point about public transport, I don’t know what the answer is, 1.00am — 7.00am? At least there could be a nice ‘build up’ at a warm up do down the road, then off to ‘part 2’ - The Nighter! ……What time did the ‘Nighter’ round my house finish mate? All the best, Len

Soul-source is a competition - Surely you know that Pete! All the best, Len

Classic! - I know, it's blo*dy annoying when the table has no cross braces Len

....You'll get there one day Brian...... Len

Absolutely, except just the odd person asking about tunes of course. I've D.Jed at places where there were so many people on the stage; I struggled to get to the decks. Apart from the risk of someone sneaking off with a box of records, it was a pain in the *rse, whilst trying to work. All the best, Len