Alleyoop

Do you mean the Jnr walker poster that Fred Perry have used in an advert. If so, it is from a concert put on at the City Hall by Stringfellow after the Mojo had closed. John

Bit belated reply to Roggerts comment above. Don’t know anything about any woman from Pecks or a youth in a top hat and cape (sure it wasn’t the Duke of Earl paying a visit?) but the Chicago records Stringfellow played – Tommy and Cleve you mentioned, the Alvin Cash album, Billy Stewart “Teaches old standards new tricks” etc album and the Billy Butler stuff definitely all came from Mike Ward from nearby Grenoside rather than Chicago. Main reason for writing however is to remind people of the Mojo/mod charity night in Sheffield this Friday night (3rd June) at the Niagara Club, Niagara Road, S6 1LU. Loads of Mojo favourites being played by 5 djs along with R&B sounds from the citys fantastic King Bee and Birth of the Cool nights. 7.30 -1.00, a fiver on the door. John Marriott

Pmd you

Pm sent re Jimmy Moore.

I can lend you the actual record if you want to copy yourself Ady John

Were coming along on the 1st May Shane. looking forward to it John

Yes Shane, Club 60 still there. Not far from the fantastic Shakespeare - former King Bee venue and soon to be home to "Birth of the Cool" night. By the way Fred did you see that scan of the Attic flyer that mentions you that I posted on the Mojo fb page a bit ago. John Marriott

Cheers John

Cheers for replying John to my post. Not sure where to start with replying to those new comments above. Haven't got much time this morning. Basically the Esquire was opened a couple of years (1962) before the Mojo and the crowd were a continuation of those who went to the then closed Club 60 across the city centre in Shalemoor. Very jazz orientated, beatniky and studenty crowd really. I went to both clubs throughout the years I mentioned in my post. Not sure about the anomosity towards the Mojo you mention. Could well have been with the older jazzers that attended the Esquire but none with anyone I knew. Friday nights were particular good at the Esquire. Esquire closed in '67 like the Mojo and really had the same playlist as the Mojo certainly in the last 2 years of its life (an example being Lot of Love by Homer Banks which Barry Campbell the Esquire dj played as a new release the week before the Mojo) and other odd locations in Sheffield (Locarno ballrom etc) to be honest. The big difference that made the Mojo different was as I said was the imports that Mike Ward had. Stringfellow did get records from London (he was down weekly with RSG) but he did have a standing thing with Wilson Pecks shop in Sheffield centre for new releases that he would listen to there weekly. One thing that I dont think I've seen documented, I never saw hardly any demos played by him - all seemed to be regular releases. He could have been eligible to get them in his position but didnt seem to get any. The Mojo book from good few years back by the way for anybody who hasnt got it was a real missed opportunity I feel. The guys who did it are genuine enough but compared to the Wheel and Plebs and even the Club 60/Esquire books its a pale shadow of what it could have been. John Marriott

Was not gonna comment on John (Roburt)s original piece but as someone posted it onto the Mojo facebook page that I'm heavily involved with and I commented on it there, I thought to be fair I'd repeat it here. John piece did capture what the club was about well but and I now quote myself from facebook "Unfortunately he missed out the main key fact that differeniated the Mojo play list from other clubs of the time i.e. where Stringfellow got the US imports he played. Stringfellow bought and played the UK releases which he got from Sheffield record shops (mainly Wilson Pecks) every Thursday. The US imports all came from Mike Ward who was getting them from US radio stations and bringing them to Pete. So the exclusive at the time plays for example like Billy Butler (Right Track and Boston Monkey) , Alvin Cash (She shot me through the grease) and one of the Mojo anthems Billy Stewarts Exodus were all provided by unsung hero Mike. Those tracks incidentally all from LPs also." Growing up in Sheffield I attended the club from March '65 to its demise in Oct '67 and it was one of my main influences in setting me on the soul collecting path. Dont think John must have known him but I just didnt want Mikes very important and key contribution not being included in what appears to be an ongoing discussion. John Marriott

Pm re Oscar Mclollie Des

Pmd you John

Just one more comment Stevie. We were lucky enough to see Jerry 2 days after Valentines day at Blues Alley - he did 4 nights there. Absolutely fantastic show. He's in his 70's now and obviously all the tones in his voice aren't as powerful as he was all those years ago but still a great charismatic performer. Opened with "Cooling out" and closed with a beautiful "For Your Precious Love". Great tight small proper band (no synths etc) with the added bonus of brother Billy on guitar. The only was you'll see him now is over there. He doesn't fly and didn't come over to Italy to receive an award he got at the Porretta Fest a couple of years ago. John Marriott

I'll have it if still available. PM me for details of payment, pick up etc John

Hi no PM in there. John

Has the Chuck Armstrong a B side or is it same both sides. If it has a B side I'll have it please John

Tonys making his annual pilgrimage up North and as usual on the Right Track on Salford City Radio this Sunday. Now extended to 3 hours the show will run 7.00pm to 10.00pm UK time. He'll be playing his usual tasty blend of unissued tracks (including more Fame stuff), future Ace/Kent issues plus lots of other interesting titbits. The show is on 94.4fm if listening locally, elsewhere on the web on www.salfordcityradio.org. You can ring the show and him on the studio numbers 0161 793 2944 or 2942. Or email in righttrack@salfordcityradio.org Show will be available afterwards on the listen again facility on the Salford Radio site or on www.therighttrack.og.uk John Marriott

PM'd Brett F about his earlier Mojo mention. Bit off topic now for this thread John Marriott

Bloody hell- just beat me to it Mr Rounce. I was going to put it on. Actually Diana isn't coming along so you can say what you want (within station rules of course). Seriously Tonys selections are always interesting and are genuinely exclusive so listen it and phone up or email in with any comments. John Marriott

Don't often post but the mention of Voilet Mays shop(s) got me all misty eyed. Didn't know about the book but will be ordering it after this. I grew up in Sheffield and her old shop on South Street was such a part of my young life. Date wise can't remember when I first went there but was probably mid to late '64. By March '65, I was already going to the Mojo in Sheffield and 100% into soul but before that I had been into general pop mainly from the US. I loved Luxemburg and from there and the US Record Mirror charts and used to copy down titles and take them down to Voilets to search the singles racks. The main stumbling block was cost of course even at 2/- ish a record and I was still at school till mid '68. When I've looked back over the years the stuff I got in there was incredible but what's always amazed me (and I didn't think too much about it at the time) was how few people wanted the same things I did. I could literally leave stuff I wanted and couldn't afford for ages till I could. I only got Lp's at Christmas and birthdays and I remember she had the Miracles "The Fabulous Miracles" on Stateside up on the wall for weeks before I got that (and the Markeys Last Night album on London from the 10/- standard racks) one year. She got records from people just coming in off the street and selling them, new deletions she bought up etc but from when I first went in she did have a box on the counter of new 45's on Island, Blue Beat, Black Swan and related labels ska stuff including of course Sue - almost all the basis of my Sue collection came from there. When she moved to her new shop behind the Moor at the end of the 60's , she gave me the Sue poster she had up from above the counter from I reckon '66. These new singles were of course the full then retail price but she did have one at times two boxes of "specials" on the counter. These were more expensive then the standard racks - I think 3/6 and 4/6. Here would be records she thought she would get more for and despite being a jazz fan through and through she did know that she could get this for early blues and R&B 45's,Oriole soul singles, rare Parlaphones and Londons etc. The shop was also frequented by local teds mainly just after R &R - great for me as they would discard for example certain unwanted Londons as being too soully. She didn't appear to get many new demos in there although I'm sure reps did offload records in there - the place for them in Sheffied was Kens market stall in the rag market (but that's another story). I never really took to the shop she had on the Moor - her basic 45 price had rocketted by then and she never had the one off obscurities as before. I continued to take stuff I picked up in various junk shops etc (way before boot sales) to her and she didn't give anything like she did at the old shop. Being where it was in the city the new shop was also very studenty hippyish and certainly lacked the wirky slightly seedy atmosphere as before. Also by this time she was also stocking the first pressings (on Soul Sounds etc) and being visited by people from out of town looking for the same Northern tracks. I know people have mentioned imports in there (presumably those cleared from US warehouses and turning up in the UK in late 69 early 70's) but I don't think she had anything like the quantities elsewhere in the area - the junk shops in Attercliffe and Pitsmoor had loads of ABCs and Chess Group over a few weeks for example. The aforementioned Ken himself had a lock-up in West Bar full of these US cut outs - far more than dear old Voilet had. Still a legend tho' John Marriott

It was Earl King with Irma Thomas band - he was tremendous John Marriott

Hi John, i have old workmates who went regular to the Mojo, John Needham, his wife Marina was hat check girl etc, and they said Stevie Wonder in 67 was fanatstic, Jesus i was 3, you are lucky people to have been be born at the right time. Brett That's absolutely amazing Brett. Not seen or heard of John and Marina since the mid '70's when we moved to Manchester (John had since left the soul scene and was actually into Quo at the time). My wife Mo was in fact the other cloakroom girl with Marina, her then best mate for years and years. They did it so they could get in the nighters free. They were supposed to get paid as well but Mo said Geoff Stringfellow (Petes brother and co-owner) would conveniently often disappear when this was supposed to happen. Yes it was a magical time which really did significantly change when the Mojo shut - what memories tho' - Ike and Tina, Lou Johnson, Clyde McPhatter, Edwin (when he adsolutely very first came over), Inez and Charlie Foxx, Soul Sisters, Garnet Mimms etc If you fancy PM me we could talk further on John and Marina John Marriott

Ian Dewhirst, on Yesterday, 10:05 PM, said: I got spoiled by the first gig I ever went to - Sam & Dave @ Sheffield Fiesta in early 70's. Absolutely unbelievable performance when they both came out into the audience at both sides of the venue and just blew the place apart. I thought all gigs were gonna be like that! Seen most acts over the years but I've never seen a performance as good as that first one! Ian D >>> I was there at that one - It was early '73 - and as Ian says they were great! My favs: Hit the Road Stax tour - Manchester '67 with the aforementioned Sam and Dave, Otis etc Stevie Wonder - Sheffield Mojo '67 Four Tops - Sheffield City Hall (1st tour) '67 Inez Foxx - Sheffield Romeo and Juliets '72 (16 people in the audience!) Joe Tex - Prouts Alambra New Orleans '80 Bobby Womack -Manchester Apollo '84 Irma Thomas - Colne '92 (somebody mentioned this previously - it was a truly consumate performance - seen her many times before and after at various places in the US (including her club), Holland, Italy etc and she has never topped the Colne performance. Bit unfair to say Bobby Bland was "shite"though - he wasn't in the best of health at the time) Spaniels - Wembley Rock and Rock Fest London'91 Jerry Williams - Lowton '98 Dells (of course) - Trentham Gardens Stoke '99 Rance Allan - Memphis 2003 Sorry just realised that's 11 - Some many others I'd like to mention, Marvin in Manchester, Rosco Robinson in Utrecht etc etc including the Betty Lavette show at King Georges Hall mentioned above in '92 and she still had Rudy Robinson with her -best performance I've seen of her too! John Marriott

Both sides of the fantastic Major Lance 45 are on the recent Ace CD "Birth of Soul - Chicago soul special" (in my opinion their best release this year). Take a listen to that then search for the 45 John Marriott