manus

Was that the one downstairs? remember going over there a few times from Muswell Hill and stuff like The time is right and Look on your face getting plays. Quite a few of the Scots lads used to go if I remember rightly Big Jim, Speedie and Keb and others. Cheers Manus

Had some great times at the Sombrero Cheers Manus

Sorry to see Ian go. I was really pleased with the original SWONS all those great artists singing the songs that have meant so much to people over the years. I work in a University Library and we've got a collection of Folk songs recorded from the 50's through to the 80's. They are recordings of singers who are now passed away. The reason we have this collection is that one man decided that he was going to travel the country and capture the songs on tape many of them have been recorded in kitchens and living rooms and trailers and some of the singers are clearly well past pension age. If this man hadn't had the energy and passion to get out there and get these songs recorded it is possible a whole era could have slipped by without future generations knowing of it's existence. I could quibble about some of the productions but I'm not going too, I'm just glad we've got them and the younger students use them a lot. All the best Manus

Glad to hear it went well Paul I must get up there at some point but I'm hobbling around with a walking stick at the moment waiting on an operation on my knee. Still it gives me plenty of time to post on here. All the best Manus

Paul - I am definately coming to the conclusion that Alex may have put CHA on twice. I'm almost certain it was a weeknight that I saw them maybe a Thursday and it was 1978 maybe August/Sept, I think Neil Rushton had organised the tour he was certainly there. It was a Jazz funk crowd and I went down to London for work just after. My memory of the period isn't great due to over indulgence of too many shall we say stimulants but I do recall travelling over from Mick Powneys house. All the best mate and if you see Davy tell him I'm going to post a CD for him this week. Manus

Mick you could well be right it might have a nighter. It must have been around mid 1978 because I went off to work down in London for a few months almost straight after. Great times indeed Cheers Manus Just a thought but maybe Alex put the CHA on twice- wish my memory was better.

Very sad news, his voice and the effortless control he had over it , is irreplaceable. We will never see the like again. RIP Greatest Regards Manus

Yes Mick I remember the Bullion Hall All dayer - I did at a spot at it. I seem to recall Richard Searling being on at it but that might be just my memory playing tricks on me. Alex did put the Crown Heights Affair on over in Sunderland, I think it was in association with Neil Rushton who may have organised the tour, but I think it was just an evening do rather that an all nighter I was there along with Mick Powney. I just thinking today of the Copacabana that used to be a downstairs venue in Low Fell around 1971-72 - a mixture of Tamla, Reggae and Pop used to get played and it was a big hang out for ex skinheads - everyone was wearing crombies and like by then. I remember Al Green getting played a lot there. There'd been some trouble before hand one night and when we all came out there was about a 100 Hairies (greasers/grebos) waiting outside to get two guys in crombies and carrying umbrellas, who had been involved in the earlier trouble. Course everyone that came out of the club had a crombie on so it confused them a wee bit and there was a bit of a stand off but somehow it didn't escalate beyond ye old eyeballing and a bit of shouting. All the best Manus

Just remembed ala Soul nights - Monday nights at Bloomers in Newcastle 74/75 and a little later the Boilermakers in Gateshead - not sure how I forgot these. Cheers Manus

No problem Gareth My apologies for leaping in . Cheers Manus

Yes indeed - that's was what I meant but I was being polite might have been better if you had qouted Ernie's original statement Cheers Manus

Not sure of the value of the 45 - I've got the 12in - What a tune Cheers Manus

Yes Mick I think it might have been the Three Tuns where Alex put Ian Levine on - Thanks for posting the membership cards Cheers Manus

A very sad bit of news and a great loss - what a singer. All the best Manus

I hadn't realised Helen Shapiro was mixed race I'd always thought she was a Jewish girl from the east end of London and a cousin of Cliff Richards. Manus

That's a long, tall order Mick there were so many Soul nights back then. Alex's name would crop up in association with a lot of them. He ran the Coach and Eight in Durham and there was the regular night up at the working men's club at Nevilles Cross. Also there was another central Durham venue where Ian levine came up and did a spot - can't remember the name but I've got some photos somewhere, Paul Mooney and Mick Powney were there. Russ Winstanley and Dave Evison both did Soul night/ all-dayer spots at different times at the Sombrero and I remember John Manship selling records at one of the all-dayers there. There was also fairly long running nights at the Key club and the Rex at Birtley. I remember Soul Sam doing a spot at the Rex and getting a bit angry with Alex because he'd uncovered the Harry Betts tune ( maybe tune is the wrong word). There was the regular weekday nights at the Stirling House in Gateshead around 75. And a lot down the coast run by both Alex and Duncan Mc, seperately I might add. There were a lot more - all dayers /Soul nights through at Aycliffe and Darlo and varous other places, as I'm sure you know. Cheers Manus

Like that a lot. Great version Cheers Manus

Yes John I think you're right it isn't worth arguing over and I wouldn't want Mark's thread to turn into another arguing thread when I've actually enjoyed reading the posts on here. Cheers Manus

Could you please reread my posts and tell me exactly where I said it shouldn't have been played I have always championed new releases and I have never at any point been swayed by how rare a record is or not. I like Soul music from all eras and all tempos always have done and always will. I bought new releases right throughout the seventies and continue to do so. The only thing I find "perverse" here is how someone could read what I said and reach the conclusion that you have. I knew I should have stayed on the Media section. Manus

A pounder for sure -and a current release at the time. cheers Manus

Bet they'll never take the toilets - not without a specialsed frog diving team anyway

Just messing about on Ebay and noticed something by Hamilton Bohannon and remembered that his "Foot stompin music" got a couple of plays at Wigan. A bit of useless information for which I apologise Manus

Title: junior mccants help my love king Artist: junior mccants Track: ztbc Label: soul-tbc Info: great doublesider.cheersmanus view soul record info

Title: diane and the ravenettes i can't love without you rack Artist: diane and the ravenettes Track: ztbc Label: soul-tbc view soul record info