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Yes, I had a spell in Mr M's, around 74/75 and enjoyed every single minute. Nothing better than getting the floor packed & absolutely 'bouncing'. Left the scene due to other commitments and "circumstances". I sold most of my records, (Couldn't give one of them away THANK GOODNESS!... Holly St.James - That's Not Love. Obviously that was before it became so massive), but been back and collecting again for a few years now. Been doing a spot most months over the past year or so, at the Corner House, Mansfield on Sundays. Appeared as a guest of Paul Lightly on his Radio Acacia show a couple of times and did a spot at a Swan re-union at the One Call stadium, Mansfield for my old mate Phil Kingswood. For me, Mr M's was the best place on the planet. I could play 100mph sounds solidly throughout a session and always have the floor rammed full. The energy in there was immense. It seemed the faster the record, the more they loved it. My favourite DJ at Wigan? It has to be Martin Ellis...RIP. So very sad when I heard of his passing. I'd have loved to have met up with him again after all those years. Incidentally, my name's spelt Deryke.

Can someone please give me directions to the 2nd Hand Shops & Car Boot sales where those rarities are being sold/given away?..... Or, if anyone is thinking of taking their collections to either sales outlets, I will gladly take them off your hands. It'll be a sacrifice but I don't mind putting myself out.....:-)

Eventually saw Frank Hopkins again at the Mansfield Soul Reunion on Sat 22nd Oct. Great to catch up with him after over 40 years. Yet another superb event, which was so well attended. Great sounds all night & a truly fantastic crowd. Can't wait for the Corner House All-Dayer on the 30th. Then the All-Dayer on New Years Day.

Just sold on eBay -------- £1,438.00.

Is that Jambo's Hillman Hunter in the first picture and is that Studge on the horse drawn carriage in the second? He seems to have been around long enough..... :-)

Another original on eBay.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322296907718?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT How about this one for a steal.... Dear, oh dear. Am I dreaming, or what? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THE-JADES-IM-WHERE-ITS-AT-LIBERTY-BELLES-DONT-PRETEND-ACETATE-NORTHERN-SOUL-/281946962644?hash=item41a5593ad4:g:A4UAAOSwUuFW0H6p

By the 'eck mate, that photo doesn't do it justice. Mind you, most of the best places looked pretty iffy from the outside...lol Judging a book by it's cover and all that?

Excellent Dean. Certainly brought back a few memories of the place. I just wish they'd still got the "Gentleman's Smoke Room".... :-) Most probably, if Pubs had had the choice of being smoke free, or allowing smoking in certain rooms, then 1,000's of Pubs wouldn't have shut down at such an alarming rate, who knows? But, that's a completely different subject & one I know people don't like to broach.

Forest Brown was a much smoother, sweeter taste, but you're right, nothing beat Mansfield Nut Brown & there wasn't much that could touch all the Mansfield Ales. Totally spoiled them when the Brewery was bought out & moved to Wolverhampton. The water just wasn't/isn't the same & it affected the taste.

Kev, I lost touch with Frank about 40 years ago, like a lot of the others from that era.... I remember Frank, Pags, Platt & Canny spending time pleasing Her Majesty, for borrowing some 'stuff' from a Chemist. They'd borrowed it when it wasn't actually open for business...... We didn't half do well with that 'stuff' for a fair few weeks though...lol Frank was from Warsop & his old man had his own business. Frank was an absolutely top lad... Drove a Ford Escort Mexico, or something similar. Very, very flash at the time! He also knocked about with Martin Thorpe from Warsop. Martin's sister Janice married Karl Bailey, who's another that's sadly passed on. There was Bogie, from Blidworth. Caught up with him at Geoff Davey's funeral an few months ago. I got my first two Driving Licence Endorsements with Bogie. Caught on the back of his Lambretta when he hadn't passed his test. I often used to 'Borrow' his Scooter from the Folk House. One week, he took the spark plug out, so I couldn't 'borrow' it. That didn't stop me. I got one of the others to nip me up to Henstocks on Chesterfield Rd South, bought a plug, put it in & off I went.... lol

Canny, Brendon, Johnny Warner were massively into the scene & all are sadly no longer with us. Mart B, we also cut our teeth at the Tufty Club (Folk House) when those before us were doing the Brown Cow, then the Eight Bells.. Was it Friday and Tues at the Folk House? I remember nipping down to the New Inn for a couple of Mansfield Nut Brown or Forest Brown ale.. lol... Both the Cow & the Bells were superb venues. We managed to make the Bells shortly before that packed in. Strange, how as one venue shut another started up. Probably the Swan was the best of all, (Me being a bit biased?) because it lasted the longest & I've since found out 'Soulies' from all over the place used to drop in on their way up to Wigan. I know one from Cambridge used to bring a crowd, as I got very friendly with him... I just can't remember his name though. Dave Raistrick, from Skeggy, said his crowd used to call, so no doubt there would have been others. Great times!!!

Steve L, it's really strange that your comment got me thinking about what had happened. I suppose it was very much like our crowd. We used to be in the same position with those that went before us. The one's who regularly visited the Twisted Wheel. I used to see one of them at the Stags, Johnny Ward, but he's not been for a fair few months now. I hope he's ok, because he's had his health issues. His brother Chris was in our crowd.Like me, they came from Forest Town & when the Crombie era was in full swing, Chris was the one who had a SALMON PINK made, when we all had blue ones...I was in awe of the stories the older crowd used to tell. Then our turn came, then yours & so on. No doubt there were lads who looked at your crowd & were scared of you & no doubt the same happened in other Towns country wide Remember Julian Jelenek, the Tailor, on Clumber St. who used to do all our alterations & did the sewn-in seams on our trousers etc etc? Hoping to be at the Soul Reunion on Sat 22nd & the Courthouse on the 30th. You'll have to come up for a chat...If you recognise me? Just look at the photos above. The round fat b*stard is me....

Dave Kettle has attended both the last 2 events at the Cornerhouse. It was magical to catch up with him after all those years (About 40) Studge scares EVERYONE....lol Do you remember he went with a girl called Christine for years & everyone assumed they'd be together forever? Bit like John Wragg & Betty... Dean, did we speak at the last Cornerhouse do? Was it you who said you weren't old enough to get into the Swan & you and some mates used to stand outside listening to the sounds?

Mart B, are you sure you wanted to broadcast that Big Ivor is related to you?..... LOL!!! I still see the big daft lad (He does me laugh) at the Stags & not too long ago I managed to persuade him to go to the Cockle for a few hours. He was like a kid at Christmas, chatting to all the old mates. Problem is, he's too accustomed to sitting at home now with his "pipe & slippers". I'll also try to get him out for one of the Cornerhouse or Masonic Hall do's.

Ivor bought you a pint? Give over.... If that's true, then you've got something no one else has. This is absolutely true. Their Chris told me about when they were younger (In the going down town era). He used to stick his Wrigley's on the bed headboard at night & then use it the next day. Chris said he'd have about 4 or 5 pieces & then pick the one that had the most taste to it. KevH, you're probably right about Maddo. He was/is a big Forest fan, but I always thought he was a Nottm lad. Apparently, so he told me, one night when I was DJ'ing in Mr M's he'd got me to wear his flying helmet. I think it was something like the one Chubby Brown wears, though I can't remember. Jambo lived on the Coxmoor estate, Warwick Close., not far from Studge, who I think still lives on Glenside. Jambo's mother didn't like me, she thought it was me leading him astray... lol JB also lived on that estate. His parents house backed onto Studge's. He's yet another one who's sadly departed. Big mates of Trev, who's also gone, and Geoff Whitton. Geoff's still keeping the brewery profits up at the Cockle & the Cornerhouse.lol

Forgot to mention John 'Bald Eagle' who I met again at the Cornerhouse. Tells me he used to give me lifts here & there in his Mini-Van.

For the life of me, I just can't remember Jambo's real name, yet we went about together for quite a while. Unfortunately the 'gear' ultimately took it's toll on him. He had a Hillman Hunter, an ex Fire Chief's car, with a 999 reg number. Boy, did it shift and believe me, he made it on trips up to the Casino & back... lol Platt & Pags are still knocking about, though well off the scene I'm told. Pags has been seen walking his greyhound/s along the MARR road. Frank Hopkins was at a Soul Re-union a couple of years ago, though we didn't speak, as neither of us recognised each other. Dennis Palmer was there. I'd not seen him for about 40 years. Bogie was there, missed him too, though caught up with him at Geoff Davey's funeral. Only tend to see a lot of the old boys at funerals, which is sad. I can't remember Betty Jameson going with Jambo though. She had years with John Wragg when we all used to go to the 'Tufty Club', then she was with Trot Thompson for a long time. Always remember her in the 'Two-Tones' & the Monkey Boots during the skinhead era. Tough cookie, was Betty & she'd fight anyone, male or female. Sadly she passed on some years ago. Studge, as we all know is still around & I often see Smudgie Smith & Big Ivor at the Stags... Smudge actually dropped it out a few months ago that he was never REALLY into the Northern sounds... Said he was more into Heavy "Head Banging" stuff & only went to the Swan, Wigan etc etc to be with the lads... I always thought he was strange..lol Does anyone's memory go far enough back to the Cow & then the Eight Bells? Remember Sat afternoons at the Bells? Stew Butler, with his WW2 Willey's Jeep parked outside. His dog, called Fred, after Fred Mellors. Vicious little b*stard. It was ok until you got too close to the Jeep. Much different to these days, when the "In Crowd" congregated in one Pub. There was then the Horse & Groom & then the Belle Vue, run by John, Verne & Cam, under the name of 'The Colours' & then the Swan. Many, many fantastic nights Dj'ing in there, with Phil Kingswood, after we'd persuaded Arnie Scutt that Northern Soul was what almost everyone wanted.. Dianne & Helen Wood? Dave Kettle? Drew Shannon? to name a few.... Also mammoth amounts of time spent in Syd Booth's on Regent St. Eddie's tattoo parlour at the side of the Shoe Co.? I lived to regret visiting his place one Tues night at about 10.30pm. No way was I having a tattoo. No, never, not no way... We were all absolutely bladdered and the lads said, if you have one we'll pay for it... Being a tight sod & always ready to take owt for nowt, I went with it. BIG MISTAKE! Big Ivor? He could peel an orange in his pocket. Always carried two fag packets. One was full & the other had one in it, so when it was his round, it was, "I've only got one". Tight sod. Strange how I can remember some things, but not others when people talk about them... Also struggle with a lot of names & faces. Someone mentioned Chalky on this thread. I remember the name, but not a face... I remember Denny from Nottm & Maddo, also a Nottm lad.. Met him again at Powey's funeral last year...Caught up with Dave Kettle at the Cornerhouse in July & I'd not seen him for about 40 years. Great times that I'd gladly live through again, given the chance ....

Probably mate, probably.... Those ear phones lasted a long while. I've JUST thrown them in the bin. Ross, great quality, but the foam disintegrated.

$1473? That's great, the more the merrier for me. Another copy last year fetched $1800. My copy certainly beats the 'Pink' one hands down. Almost given to me at the Casino about 1974. I was selling a few duplicates & had Mike Post's Afternoon on the Rhino, on pressing, for sale at £8. This lad came up & said, "Will you take £4 & this record?" Being a bit of a softy, I accepted & just chucked the record in my box. When I got home I played it & thought, it's not bad. Played it for some of my fellow DJ's and they thought it was awful, so in the box it stayed. I then quit the scene, for various reasons, sold off most of my collection (though always stuck with the music, playing the sounds regularly from tapes). I just couldn't give that record away! Then, when I took early retirement, about 9 years ago, I started to search the net for everything Northern Soul & noticed a massive sound was by an artist called Holly St. James. I thought that name sounds familiar, so up into the loft I went & sure enough there was a very nice copy of Holly St. James, That's Not Love... I often wonder if the lad that bought Mike Post off me realises what he gave me as part payment?

Not the last 2 mate....... LOL!

Going back to the original topic, about Steve Wilson. As it was posted in 2006, I assume 'Okehgaz' found him? If not, then Steve regularly reads these columns. He's living in Derby, or was a few weeks ago. Saw him Saturday, still "suffering" at the Stags... :-)

Not sure if any of these old photos might bring back a few memories? On the first one, the mottly crew were; Back row from left, Chris Marriott, Jambo (Sadly passed on), Phil 'Smudgie' Smith, Paul Harrison, Steve 'Studge', Platt, Malc & Fred Shaw... seated; Frank Hopkins, Pags & John Haslam. The next one has, left to right, Kev Thompson (another who's sadly passed on), 'Big' Ivor Marriott, Frank Hopkins, Chris Marriott & for the life of me I can't remember who it is on the extreme right. Those photos were taken outside the car park at Wigan. It would be great if most of them manage to make the Soul Reunion on the 22nd at The Masonic Hall The third image is yours truly... From then, NOT NOW. Still a handsome brute though, as you can see from the fourth photo......WHAT WENT WRONG???!!!

It certainly had me going...lol I've text & emailed all my mates about it & was asking them (Those not into Northern) if they'd got an old copy lying about in their attic... :-) Thanks for letting me know...

Time Yuro - It'll Never Be Over For Me, was up for auction on eBay. It was described as a VG copy, though played Mint... Mint with crackles at the beginning? Anyway, I had it on my 'Watch' list & checked on it's progress this morning. It sold yesterday for?.......... £30,000!!! (See this link) Yes, that's what it says, £30,000. Is that right? Does that make it the most expensive 7" of all time? https://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=252364194021&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2565 Has the world gone completely mad, or am I missing something? The record itself is great & I appreciate it's getting rarer & rarer, but £30,000? I think the last one I saw, which was a MINT copy, went for about £1,400.... £30,000???... Best of all, there were several people bidding on it. I wish I had a couple of copies spare... :-) If I am missing something & it was a hoax, please let me know.

I mentioned Johnny Warner in an earlier comment & I know many of you know John. I've just had a text message from Steve Studge, saying Chenk has told him the sad news that John has passed away. I don't know any other details. Yet another Mansfield Old Boy who departs....... RIP John.