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Thanks Elvis, I hated selling anything that was pressed shortly afterwards. You mentioned Janice... Wow, I'd completely forgotten about her.... Janice Thorpe?.. She married Karl Bailey, who unfortunately passed away a while ago. You've got me going now, cos I'm trying to think of Janice's brother's name. I can see him, but can't remember his name... Was it Martin? Big mate of Frank Hopkins? Were the sisters, Helen & Dianne Wood? They definitely didn't look alike! So you were originally from Skegvegas? I must say I was pleasantly shocked & surprised when I got a note from Dave Raistrick, saying that a few lads from Skeg called to the Swan before venturing up to Wigan. I know a few lads from Cambridge called, because I got really friendly with one, though for the life of me I can't remember his name. Were you there the night the Marriott 'Clan' stitched me up? Came in with a record that was 'covered'. Told me it was massive hit they'd found. Wouldn't let me put it through the earphones & after lots of persuasion they got me to put it on the decks.... Winifred sodding Attwell.... Stitched up like a kipper! Laugh? They almost wet themselves! As for collecting again, I've been caught up in it a bit too much at times. If I see a record that I think is cheap, I buy it & end up with multiple copies. The Bobbettes - Happy Go Lucky... THREE copies. It would have been 4, but one got lost in the post lol.... Seven Souls - I Still Love You, two copies, though 1 is the Demo & the other one is the stock copy. Billy Butler - Right Track, FOUR!

Hi Rob, sorry mate but I really struggle to remember names & faces, though I definitely remember your name. No doubt I'd remember you if i saw a photo. One from then, not now though.lol Maybe our paths will cross in the near future & then we can catch up? Please remember me to JEV, though he probably won't remember me now. colambretta, Rob's right, it was my old buddy Phil Kingswood, though I could understand people thinking I might have worked there..... I spent more time in there than at home.

Dave needs to stop that!... :-) I went with Studge to the Sunday afternoon session at the Twisted Wheel about 4 years ago. Had a superb day! All the really old sounds & nothing else, such as Barbara & Brenda - Never Love A Robin, Inez & Charlie Fox - Tightrope, Mood Mosaic - A Touch Of Velvet, A Sting Of Brass, Flamingos, Boogaloo Party, Robert Parker - Barefootin' etc etc It was rammed full & the atmosphere was electric!!! It was the one on Whitworth Street, but I think that's gone now. Knocked down to extend the Hotel next door, i think. Studge tells me there's another venue now up in Manchester that's taken it's place. Keeps wanting me to go with him, Dave Kettle & Maddo from Nottm. Saw Maddo at Pete Owens funeral. Yet again, I would never have recognised him if Studge hadn't introduced us, yet spent many a good night with him at the Casino. He tells me he got me to wear his old flying hat one night whilst doing my spot in Mr M's, a bit like the one Chubby Brown wears. I can't recall, but maybe it was one of 'those' nights...:-) I also remember coming back a few Sunday mornings in Phil's Cortina. As soon as we hit the M6, he'd start falling asleep at the wheel. I'd take over the driving & get us back to Mansfield.... No licence etc etc. Some of the things we used to do....... Hopefully, I'll be there at the Old Boys reunion & we can have a chat mate. Paul Lightly has asked me back onto his radio show in the next few months, so I'll get to spin a few sounds again. Thoroughly enjoyed it last time & I played all the stuff I used to use in Mr M's. 100mph sounds! Anyone ever see JEV (John E Vincent) these days? Is he still about annoying everyone?... Only joking John.

Dean, sorry mate, but I don't remember Eric. That's not to say I didn't know him. I often forget names... It's an age thing... I think. Some of the old names I can remember. Johnny Warner, Canny, Brendon, Chris & Ray the Muldoon twins, Frank Hopkins, Malc, Platt, Pags, Paul Harrison, Jambo, Kev Thompson (Another one no longer with us), Dave Kettle, Phil Smith (Smudgie),( I still see Phil at the Stags), the Marriott clan of Ivor, Chris & Rob, Johnny Trewitt, obviously Phil, Kev, the Studge's - Steve & Pete, Dianne Wood, Helen Wood, Fred Shaw, Pete Owen (Powie), his brother Yogie, Dave Wilton (Loxey), John Haslam, Terry Pownell (Still running the Cockle), Dave Vann, Cockney John, Cockney Rich, Jean Jones (Who married Brendon), Martin Jones, John Bould (Bogie). Neil Campion (Camp), Dave Harris, Chenk & I suppose the one I hung around with mostly through own teens was Rob Parker (Rosey) though he passed away a good few years ago & he never really took the step up from Motown/Atlantic/Stax etc.

Steve L, nah it's not big Ivor. 'Chenk' is known as the 'Professional Mourner'. We think he just turns up at the Crematorium just in case he happens to have known someone. :-) He's there at every funeral, though we were shocked that he missed Geoff's on Weds. Spoke with Phil this morning via text & we both said the same thing. We hope it's not our turn next for that big dance floor in the sky! There's a big Gold Soul, Mansfield Old Boys reunion at the Masonic Hall on 22nd October & I'm planning to go there. Hopefully, I can see some faces & put names to them. It should be a good night, with Kev Roberts (I still keep in touch with Kev), Ginger Taylor, Brian Rae, Oz & Snowy, plus a few of the local DJ's, Phil, Studge, Steve Goody, Paul Lightly, Rob Smith, Dennis Bradbury + guests

KevH, you should have said something. There are others who I've met since those early days that said similar things. For instance, Steve Wilson, a cracking lad originally from Mansfield, who now lives in Derby. We both support the Stags.. (We all have our cross to bear..lol) & we were sharing views on one of the Stags websites. Neither of us knew who it was chatting on the website. We arranged to go to an away game & I was going to meet him at his house in Derby. He said that when he opened the door he was gobsmacked that it was me. Was I embarrassed by his reaction? You bet! I was a sodding DJ, yet he was treating me like a king. Even now, he tells the story of how one of his 'Heroes' came knocking at his door. He still embarrasses me, calling me his hero & a legend. Generally now, It's sad but true, I only get to see a lot of the old Mansfield lads when we go to funerals. I was at one on Weds, for Geoff Davey & there was Big Ivor Marriott. Also there was a chap I'd not seen for about 40 years, 'Bogie'. I would never have recognised him now, which I think is usually the case, because we've all got older & some of us uglier. I got my first fine with him. Riding on the back of his Lambretta. Aiding & Abetting No Full Licence & No Insurance. £5 fine & two endorsements. We were talking about the old boys that have departed this world & it's frightening how many have moved up to the dance floor in the sky. Dave Humphries, 'Powey' (Pete Owen), Trev, JB, Bob Maddison, Canny, Brendon Muldoon, Jambo & a lot of others. I was saddened to read a few years ago that Martin Ellis had passed away. A great DJ by anyone's standards & a really nice chap. He always managed to do a spot despite never seeming to have any records... :-) About a year ago, I bought a record off eBay, from someone in Skeggy. When it arrived there was a note inside asking if I'd do a spot at a gig in Skegvegas. It was from a guy called Dave Raistrick? Apparently, him & a few of his mates would often come to the Swan before heading up to the Casino. I didn't know that! I'm assuming it's 'SKEGSOUL', who's posted a comment on this thread. Many of the old crowd always say the same thing... We wouldn't have changed anything about our youth hood in Mansfield. From the Folk House (Tufty Club), The Brown Cow, then the Eight Bells, the Horse & Groom, the Belle Vue & then the Swan. Great times that sadly can't be re-visited., but the memories, though somewhat clouded & fading, live on

I was browsing the net & came across this site. I was amazed that I was still remembered! Even more amazed at some of the complimentary comments! I'm sorry to say, I don't remember anyone from the posts, though I would if I could see their faces from back then, apart from Phil Kingswood, who I still see & keep in contact with. To correct a few inaccuracies. I was from Forest Town & may have done the Jolly Friar, though I don't remember. I worked for the Electricity Board, later Powergen, then E-on, not British Gas. Retired early at 54yrs old from E-on, some 8 years ago, & since then have got right back into the Northern sounds, though I never really stopped listening. Over the years the old cassette tapes took a regular pounding. Since retiring & having more time on my hands, over the past 8 years, I've managed to build my collection back up, thanks to eBay. Attended the Whitby Weekender about 4 years ago & been to a couple of the Mansfield Old Boys reunions. I was guest on Paul Lightly's Radio Acacia programme a few months ago, so I'm not completely off the scene. My memories of the Swan, Mansfield, Samantha's, Sheffield, Mr M's at Wigan, the All-dayers at Nottm Palais etc etc? Still got some, but the grey matter ain't what it used to be, plus a lot of the time, I may have been under the influence, which didn't help... :-) One very vivid memory from Wigan was one particular night, trying to sell a few pressings & duplicates I'd got. I had Mike Post, Afternoon on the Rhino, on the old Soul Beat label. I was asking £8 for it. This lad, from the North East, as i recall, said "Will you take £4 & this record". Being a bit of a softy, I said yes & chucked the record he gave me into my box. When I got home I played it a few times & thought it was ok. A bit pop'ish, but would make a decent 'Dancer'. I played it for a few of my mates, who declared it as crap! Really crap! Some time after, I quit the scene & sold off most of my collection. However, I couldn't even give this record away!!! Many years later I was reading an article about Northern Soul & noticed the artists name & how her record is really popular & fetching quite a few quid. Up into the loft & sure enough, it was still in there. The record is Holly St.James - That's Not Love, on ABC Demo. the last time I saw it go on eBay, it fetched $1,800. Not bad for £4? Bet those I offered it to wish they'd taken it off my hands... :-)