i used to be a singer and guitarist in Newcastle in the 1960s in the MAYFAIR with The Gamblers (they became Billy Furys band) i then was a singer with George Ricco on the Bailey circuit and we moved to Jim Wrights 2 rooms in gallowgate Newcastle. Just been reading a comment from Pete Wallis from May 2015. Many people (including myself) have mentioned photographs, or rather a lack of them and I wondered if it would be at all possible to make a plea for any photos your readers may have relating to 60s clubland 1972, Please forgive me if this is something youve already covered but photos bring back so many memories it may be worth another go? On club nights the occasional drunken troublemaker would be invited upstairs to the wrestling ring and taught the error of his conduct!HAPPY DAZE!!! Ive lost touch with my dad who was the bouncer with Tommy at the go go club. old nightclubs in south shields. Had a great time in the 60s. Had some good nights at the Majestic. In North Shields, for quite a long time in the 60's, the basement of "The Jungle" was a night club. Others such as the unique Grotto, built among caves on the seafront at Marsden, are very much still with us. Naturally had my photo took with him as well. Our 10 photographs from the ChronicleLive archive recall some of the many and varied pubs, past and present, of South Shields, As anyone who's ever done it will vouch - South Shields is a great place to have a night out (in normal times, anyway!). From the Soap . Some magic names and places. He also played at The Cavendish and LA Dolce Vita. The event is free to enter, with collection buckets out for those who wish to donate and will run from an early time of. It opened in 1959 and ran for around 6 years. Billy. please call me, if you dont want to speak here i TOTALLY understand, Worked greys club 1974 worked night club then casino had great memories also worked moulin rouge dean street for Teddy berg when they took over the bottos etc. They always wore wine coloured suits and cowboy small ties. I was a teenager in the 60s and along with my friends we went to a lot of the clubs mentioned, especially the GoGo, Downbeat Club, the Pickwick in Whitley Bay, and sometimes the La Dolce Vita. My credentials for getting the job to the best of my knowledge were I was a pro wrestler along with my tag team partner Jason Joe Robson from the Teams Gateshead and my hobby, hypnotism. I spent so many happy weekends there in the 70s and remember being devastated when it closed down and we all had to transfer to the dolce. Does anyone have a list of bands appearing at the Ballroom in the University Union in the 1960s, Eclection, Family, Jethro Tull, Graham Bond, Taste, Pink Floyd , Alex Harvey for starters. As well as the Crescendo he ran the Club Tempo in London and the Pentland Club in Edinburgh. Has anyone out there got an actually photo of Bloomers with its name on the building been looking for years .thank you. I remember going to the GOGO, but could only go in young set. I have googled and tried Face book but without any success. Nick Brandon, the singer (his stage name) worked at Wards the printers in High Bridge. Chunky on drums used to work at Cut-Outs at the top of Byker Road before they were taken over by Field Cartons and moved to Killingworth. Oh I could go on all day. thank you. he was garbage and so were we! Regards George, Re Photographs and Tom Oxley. The sixties may have belonged to London but in the seventies The NE was the place to be for the clubs! I was best friends with Pongo (Keith to me) and for a short while roady for them. He was an alto sax/clarinet player with Don Smith in the 60s and I worked in the cloakroom for about a year. He had a son with cerebal palsy who needed to attend Prudhoe hospital on a regular basis and he felt he needed some sort of base in the north east. Any info would be really appreciated. I was about 17 when Wilson Picket pulled me up onto the tiny stage at the Newcastle Club aGoGo Jazz Lounge. It was a no-brainer that these lads were something very special. #93 Roger. Spent my late teens / early twenties in Newcastle 66 77 Worked in theatre but then at Change Is from 69 onwards till it turned into Bloomers, but have fond memories of all the venues listed here as well as Change Is. Its no wonder that London gangsters such as the Kray twins were keen to get in on the action. Hello .would anyone have any information on Ken White..he was in a double act..Collins and Wright I believemy Dad was Ken and My Godfather was Lenny. The top map is an old street plan of the city with the various venues marked with coloured dots. I used to work at the Oxford with Don Smith and Jims 2 room as singer with the trio. Lovely to see Ray Grehans name mentioned. FANTASTIC SITE. so thank you for that! Had some great evenings there in the late 1950s as well as any evenings at the Oxford Gallerys and the Majestic. However good atmosphere,great friendly bar. Davey, worked at club agogo sadly passed away yesterday morning great man. Jean x. Reading this took me back to my childhood. My father was Carl Hersman who played keyboards. The Beatles played for 5 bob. The Sounds Londoner Ronnie Pipe on piano Herbie Flowers bass Des ??? I remember I had a blue suede Levi jacket with leather collar that I bought off Kenny Richardson/Davy Hembro. I also worked through Ivan Burchall, as well as for myself. My dad, George McGuinness, was the pianist at the Mayfair in the 60s. I later joined the Gamblers backing Billy Fury. The Majestic Ballroom on the junction of Westgate Road and Clayton Street was originally built as a cinema. Two Scotsmen together in a nightclub, what could possibly go wrong! 9. i also fondly remember the great Ken Maddison we worked together often. At the Dogs Bowl in South Shield we played with Chris Barber and his band, What a great guy Pat Halcox was, Also on the bill was Soonny Boy Williamson, that late great Southern states blues man. What a great site this is, many personalities mentioned I knew well. Bounce Back 2 the Old Skool . In its hey day the Quay Club was a popular late night watering hole for both local and national musicians after completing their own gigs in the city. dancing from 1969. Absolutely loved it. Another of those in attendance was Marcus Levey, who with his twobrothers ran La Dolce Vita before selling the club to the Bailey Organisation in 1965. Saw Alan Bown Set, Downtown Faction and a group from Teeside(?Rivers Invitation)there. Her stage name was Julie Johnson. old nightclubs in south shieldscharles upham daughters. I love this blog I am originally from Sunderland and have been trying to recall some of the clubs from this time this site has hit almost all of the ones I went to (mostly on Wearside) starting with the Seaburns cats night out on Wednesday nights, the Cellar (lying about our ages to get in) the Grange, the Bay Hotel and Wetheralls. Anyone coming to the club during that period would have had to have been let in by me. 2. Eileen Burnett wrote the book South Shields Pubs, published by Amberley, in 2014. It was situated at the junction of Newgate Street and Low Friar Street. Plus Dave living in W. Bay! Sadly Bob and Alf are no longer with us R.I.P. Fantastic memories of Newcastle and the North East club scene. Also the GoGo and the majestic, many others wish I could turn the clock back, just to revisit these places. Sunderland. Thank you Dont know how she knew cos she had never been there!!! ideal for struggling musicians. They did a lovely beans on toast. Now a block of flats. Jill, Hi Jill, Gordon Clegg worked for the Post Office and passed away last year. I still love to dance but have ditched the false eyelashes! There is a good article by The Evening Chronicle when the last record went on sale in auction. Hi June I do remember the Palleta, it used to be the place to go during the day, they cannot have done much business as we all used to buy one drink and make it last for hours until we got kicked out. Would anyone know where I may get hold of a photo of the Gay Trouper pub. That totally made my day, especially after having visited his grave just last week. Does anyone remember anyone from there? Under new management I. I never got to playground, when bloomers closed we all migrated to la dolce vita for a while but was never quite the same yes, loved dancing but fortunately my best mate Lesley was the same and we both hardly ever sat down ! Hi I know Tommy and Davey findlay, Jesmond. Can you remember what the music was that was played at the start of every evening- was it by the BarKays? The clubs Jeffrey ran in NEWCASTLE explain now why a lot of the music groups of the ROCK groups of the era needed 2 PULL!!! Ziggy's 19 Bars & Clubs By C9460ITmarkg The club was opened on 6th February 1963 by the Levey brothers from Wallsend. Cheers. I seem to recall that The Rocking Berries played there on one occasion in the Spring of 1967 and they dedicated Hes in Town to my girlfriend Margaret Armstrong. I think Wednesdays was Cats Night Out mainly only records being played but Saturdays it was bands,The Kylastrons were a favourite I remember in their leather trousers playing Hall Of The Mountain King with loads of echo. My best friend married one of his friends (later divorced). I was a DJ at sloopys,(along with Dave), Bloomers, The Oxford plus many more including a club in Whitley Bay on the Esplanade. Bumped into old school friend, Hylton Valentine and his mates (Animals) there on occasions. Should additionally have said that John Harker was also still at school when he met me after school in my uniform and wasnt someone older who hung around at school gates!!! Best wishes, Trevor. My father never wavered in his belief that Michael was not guilty of infamous murder of Angus Sibbet the fruit machine man/ and said he was odds on the fall guy. I briefly played guitar with the George Ricco Band, rotating between Wetherals, La Dolce Vita and the Cavendish, 1965/66, Suzanne, Of course I remember your dad Jimmy, many great times working together. Read more about the Marimba on this link. Thanks to Roger, I have been able to share memories with someone else who was working in Change Is at that time and I know he mustve played great music as I was always the last one dancing every night! Happy days indeed!!! Hi David, great to hear from someone who worked in so many places, back in the disco days, doing such an important job by providing the fab music. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Hope all is well. Owner, Sandford Goudie, opened a second La Strada in Sunderland in 1967. Great site. Hello, this has been a great read. Starting with the Downbeat Jazz Club in 1960 and most of the other venues mentioned. From enjoying a post-work tipple to celebrating the football result on a Saturday evening, the pub is the hub of the community, and an iconic part of Britains high streets.. Just found a post from Jane Maddison whos dad Ken Maddison was my bandleader for many years after I left groups to settle down. by | Jun 15, 2022 | seguin accident report | is money matters america legit | Jun 15, 2022 | seguin accident report | is money matters america legit Driving my dads car along the wet cobbled Melbourne street to visit The New Orleans Jazz club on a winters night in the early 60s to see what I thought of the music / jazz experience set me up for life. and myself on Hammond Organ. Just stumbled across it whilst looking at pics. The last couple of times I've been in the beer has been very poor, I tried the Landlords bitter and old speckled hen but both were tasting dodgy. La Strada in South Shields opened around 1962 and ran throughout the 1960s. There was mutual respect there. Robbie use to lean out of the passenger window as they were driving around shouting LOOK NO HANDS ! The builders had only erected the wall a few days earlier HAPPY DAYS !!! Gordon Livingstone. He told me he had a photo of Ronnie Kray with a bloke sitting on his knee! I have never heard of Tom Oxley, but would love to know more. The photos are of the Crusaders (with manager Dave Golden in the dark suit) and the Crusaders with Jimmy Tarbuck and Ray Ellington in 1963. AGE OF AQUARIUS future existence. Ill post a comment as soon as I have anything to report. The building that held the club has long since been demolished. The club was situated on the ground floor and in the basement of an old building on the Side, almost opposite the Crown Posada public house. Used to visit all the above clubs including the strange Muscle Inn..the Downbeat was something else.I cant even remember a Gents toilet being there.but there was a backyard that we used! Happy days! But the Gogo was the best of them all I remember seeing Chris Farlowe, Brian Augers Trinity, Spencer Davis Group, The Family, Zoot Money, Geno Washington, Georgie Fame, Otis Redding. could.nt aford a leather jacket I was an early mod, not wantin any botha, then bought me 1st real bike from kens on westgate road. The resident band at the Crescendo was the Del 5, the singer was Billy Wilson from Gateshead, there was 2 sax players one was Peter Parkinson from South Shields but Im sorry the other name eludes me. Cube in the spotlight A scene from. What a tremendous website with loads of nostalgic detail of the early music scene in North East. Sounds as if those were the days alright! A former nurse said she feels "lucky to . Even better was the fact that he was actually staying at the same place as we were, the Pheasant Run Hotel. Newcastle in the mid to late sixties had a vibrant night life which, outside of London, was probably the best in the country for wining, dining, dancing, music and gambling. I wanted to tell him but I chickened. I then returned to a normal life !!!! In the late 1950s it was converted to a ballroom and became the Majestic. It was said that the floor levels could be permutated fifteen different ways and that the dcor could be changed at will by projecting images onto the curved walls. Thank you. Hi Does anybody remember the Dolce Vita house band, a guy named Robbie was the bass player and I cannot remember the names of the drummer, organist and lead Guitarist. Big hair and big eyes and John with his shoes wouldve been 65 We married in 1976 and continued to go out to Scamps and are still married now. I remember Chic, he did incredible things with the sound and lights. I left England in 1966 to emigrate to Canada but still look fondly back to my younger days and great music in Newcastle. Eileen, In the late fifties I played many of those venues, usually singing and paying guitar in the group called The Black Cats and The Billy Gamblin Trio. Magnum Is now Unit, but was known as one of Southsampton's main gay clubs in its heyday. This pub used to have a bad reputation but what a change, visited for Sunday Lunch and enjoyed a lovely meal, a good choice of meals served Carvery style, with the largest choice of vegetables we have ever seen. Facebook Instagram Email. Good times- great musicians. The demon drink (Pernod) was to blame. My Dad used to make roulett tables for Ray Grehan in the 60s, Hi my name is Helen Findlay the daughter of Dave Findlay. Dusk was known for its huge New Year's Eve events, staying open till 7am. Alfie. Sloopys Disco was opened upstairs at the Dolcey. Check out our Memory Lane local history website. However most photographs Tom took were of customers and he sold them copies. Lorraine, its lovely to hear how much you enjoyed going to Bloomers and glad the memories made you smile! The band consisted of George Richardson vocal/ piano, Billy Mordue/ drums, John Edwards/ bass, wonderful musicians, great times. In 2011, north east photographer and author, Ian Wright who now lives in Las Vegas, had the bright idea of organising a get together for the people involved in the sixties club scene. You know, that little moving side to side that all the Motown groups did on tele. Yes my mate the late Geordie Short was the drummer, they were regulars at the Bombers club and Central club and were resident band at the now demolished Mount Pleasant club until Geordie passed away. They made an acetate demo at Morton Sound in Carliol Sq. I remember you, Dave Elliott, Bob Anderson and my other dads mate Alf. I was really 56 but had big hair and platforms. Used to go to the GoGo Young Set,we were only 14/15 , sit and watch the older ones dance then go home and practice, following week we were there on the dance floor, giving it large.. The Mayfair Ballroom opened by the Mecca organization on 12th September 1961 and continued to be a major venue in the city for 38 years. The line up was Ken Brady, Jimmy Crawford, Alan Blacks, Barry Preston, Spud Tate ( sadly passed away ). Finally, in relation to the Seaburn Hall in Sunderland we also used to go there does anyone remember Ronnie Stephens and Ray Huntley great dancers. Loved both Dave and Tommy Findlay `you may already have it? Oz disco nightclub The date of this photograph remains a mystery but it shows the Oz disco nightclub in Garden Lane. 30 left on 9 February 2013. Before then, they always return false. They were on the beaten track, but does anyone remember Billy Bottos Club on Shields Road (owned by a big local bookmaker) and the 69 Club, which was managed by Tot and Gloria Anderson, who also used to manage The Avenue in Whitley Bay, just opposite the Pickwick. Bob Redhead. My favourite thing to do was go immediately to the clubs ( can you believe I used to think going to the pubs a waste of good dancing time!) The Majestic closed as a music venue in 1967 and became the Gala Bingo Hall. What a night!!!!!!! The club was opened by the very Famous radio DJ Simon Dee. Kennedy's Bar South Shields 5 Bars & Clubs By steveL794 This is a great Little bar great atmosphere and is such a welcoming bar, well worth a visit great chilling bar 3. How long would it take you to save for the home of your dreams? Happy days .most of the time.no mention of New Orleans jazz club at Forth Banks..I assisted on the door and behind the bar at timesand I used to play with a local band called The Pilgrims..named after the Arcade in Pilgrim street where we were based ..always used to end up at the Asia Chinese on Bath Lane where the cheapest thing on the menu was Curried chicken livers with boiled rice for 2 bob in old money Our selection of photographs recall an era of social club beauty contests, colliery wagons,. Further to my last comment, some of the regulars I remember from La Dolce Vita were The Barton Brothers (Andy and Phil), Brian Stanners, (Formula One) and Pauline Hall (Fenwicks) They also used to play to a younger audience at the Hop in Whitley Bay. Many thanks for the site. But who were the men and woman who owned and ran the north easts iconic clubs and kept us entertained throughout the sixties? Ronnie P knew all about them being a Londoner tho little heard of them in Newcastle at the time.He said women and children wernt safe from them. Chic was there when I was set upon by a couple of London thugs connected to the Krays, I remember one of the patrons saying that buggers goin back to the smoke with a couple of cracked ribs. You may remember us as Jean and John the tall couple who danced a lot! Sharing the ladies toilets with the staff from the bus company in the same building. so it was really interesting to read the posts from Dave Pinder, Shani Lawn and Jo Slater, who also have connections to that time. Equally we are desperately trying to find an internal shot of Scamps? anybody remember? To Anna (156) yes I remember The Kontors. Amongst those talked about were two men who were heavily involved in the north east club scene in the sixties Mike Jeffery and Ray Grehan. Saw Ralph Brough our lead singer some years ago, we were running the Peterlee half marathon, theres a change. The Cavendish Club at the bottom of Grey Street opened as a nightclub in the early sixties and became part of the Bailey Group. Fantastic read! Let me know and Ill ask Roger if he could help us exchange email addresses! The North East in the 60s as a wonderful time for musicians and performers and I am so pleased to have been there. Also played drums on I Keep Singing that same old song, Heavy Jelly (Skip Bifferty). After he left the Gamblers he went to work for Ray Grehan. Change Is was financed by comedian, Bob Monkhouse who teamed up with Newcastle entrepreneur Ronnie Markham in an attempt to open a club that would offer something different to the many other clubs in the city at that time. My name is Bryan Jeffrey ex singer with The Playmates, The Mafia And The Surf Board, a lot of our time spent in Germany and Switzerland.