Preston Muso’s

Preston Muso’s was a discussion forum on the old site, and we present both a copy of the posts made during its existence on the old site, and a place to continue the discussion here on the new one.

Recent Communications

Kenny Jones 09:31 PM on July 10, 2010 Kenny Jones says…  Tremendous web site !  I remember 3D playing at The Lancaster – great nights ( and occasional lunchtimes ! )  So sad to hear of Ginner’s passing – I’m a bit of a recluse these days and wasn’t even aware of it until I accidentally came across this site . I also followed Smokey Joe around a bit , with Dave , Bob J. , Daz , Eddie Entwistle and Pete Morris on drums . Millen and Entwistle on guitars in the same band — WOW !! — What would I give to be able to go and see and hear that again now ? — I particularly remember outstanding extended versions of Joe Cocker’s Delta Lady and Noel Harrison’s Windmills Of Your Mind . As I’m sure you all know , Eddie sadly passed away back in 1993 and I was privileged to perform with my band Suspects at two of his memorial concerts , along with Steve Hesketh’s band , West Coast , and Eddie’s nephew Dean’s band . What a guitarist Dean has turned out to be too !  A bit about myself , as few will probably know who I am really . Years before that I played bass in Dennis Delight and before that once formed a short – lived band called Fast Parts with Reg Kielty ,from Rubi Lazer , which both Keith Dalton and Ged Carberry helped us out with behind the scenes . Our FIRST gig was at the Guild Hall Foyer , playing to around 700 !!  Great to see you guys are still around . Best regards Kenny

Kenny Jones 10:58 PM on July 10, 2010 Des , Sorry for going off track a little again , but I was wondering if you ever knew or remember one or two other groups who played around the Preston area in the early to mid 1960s. , but which I have found no reference to on the internet ?  If not , perhaps forum member / local music historian supreme , Phil Eaves may remember these ?  One was a trio called Volga Beatmen , comprising of Eddie Pearson on lead guitar , Bill Wilmer on bass and Harold Dearden on drums . Another was The Alpines with a guy called Willie Jenkinson on lead guitar , then there was The Modern Blues Quartet ( MBQ ) featuring a tall lean lead guitarist with the nickname Tams , if I remember correctly . Who was ” Tams ” and what became of him , anyone ?  Also , at the Lancaster in Preston I remember a support band called Jerusalem Smith supporting 3D once or twice , featuring a dark frizzy haired guitarist called Steve , who utilised quite a unique , aggressive bottleneck approach . Does anyone here recall his full name and / or what became of him ?  You may also be interested to know that the pale orange coloured Fender Stratocaster that Ginner always played in those days is still very much alive and well and regularly played by the fine Preston guitarist Greg Slater , who bought it from Dave in the mid 1970s. and has used it ever since . I’ve just been listening to all those Puppets recordings from the 1960s. and must say that in every respect , in my humble opinion , your version of Poison Ivy in particular is as good as ANY version ever recorded .  Kind RegardsKenny

Hi Des and everybody,Pete Morris here.I enjoyed reading the comments from Kenny Jones.I kinda remember you Kenny but not so much on a personal level.I must have seen you play a few times cos I knew everybody you mentioned.I remember MBQ with Tams on guitar and Paul Varley on drums ,Paul was a mate of mine,in those days anyway.Don’t know what happened to Tams though! The guitarist with Jerusalem Smith was Steve Fell who used to live in Lostock hall near me , but I haven’t seen him for many years That was interesting about Dave Millens strat still being used.I remember Greg Slater,where abouts does he live now. Millen and Enty in the same band wasnt always a lot of fun I remember.They were two brilliant guitarists,very different in style,but like chalk and cheese off stage together. Eddie was a moulder from Coppull and Dave was a bit cosmic in those days.I always sensed that each one was plotting against the other.Great memories though.I actually have still got some old audio tape cassettes of us playing live at the Pear Tree in Bamber Bridge. Quality not great though! After Dave Millen moved to Darwin I played with Eddy on and off for a few years in different short lived bands.I remember rehearsing for weeks on end in Chorley a new band with Eddy and Dean o Shea on guitars,a great bass player from Wigan who played with a cabaret band called Copper Kettle and singer Sheila Lee. We had just about got enough material to start doing gigs when Eddy and Sheila buggered off to the Isle of Man to do a summer season together as a duo. That was the end of that!I spent about three years after that playing with Steve Hesketh and his brother Jim and a couple of different singers doing cabaret work.Trying finally to earn a bit of money for my efforts.More clubwork followed with a band called Midnight Blue and after that I decided to call it a day.Work commitments and two young boys No spare time.I must say that I really respect Phil Eaves for his continued devotion to the cause and when I sometimes meet with Jed Carberry he’s always got plenty of information about people back in the day. Also if Jed in the other comment is the person I think it is,it’s so nice to here from you I remember you very well.Where are you now?

Kenny Jones 09:27 PM on July 11, 2010 Des , I’ve just re – read , with great attention to detail , all 10 chapters of your fascinating story , and hope that you haven’t given up on the promised ” to be continued ” chapters . One main reason for this is that looking back from this long – time fast – foward position , even though there seemed to be a brief period in the mid 60s when it was not unknown to find the likes of The Yardbirds on the same bill as the jovially rotund pianist , Mrs. Mills , the transition from supporting the likes of Bert Weedon in summertime shows at seaside theatres , to appearing at venues such as The Lancaster pub in Preston , performing songs by the likes of Cream and Jimi Hendrix seems to represent such a quantum leap , be it seen as forwards or sideways or whatever .  As I mentioned in my first message , I remember those latter occasions with great fondness , with Miffy and Kim Nicholson ( Preston’s answer to Joe Cocker ! ) guesting on vocals , and even one occasion when THE Pretty Things turned up and jammed along . I remember the drummer Fred Kelly playing too . I would be interested to know what the ” master plan ” , if any , was at that stage in your careers , with the formation and style of 3D ?  When was Jim replaced by Daz on bass , and for what reason ? and what became of Jim ?  From what I can recall amongst foggy memories , the 3D days seemed to end quite abruptly from my perspective , and the next time I saw Dave ( Ginner ) was back with Bob Johnson in a short – lived line – up of Smokey Joe circa 1972 , then so sadly , never again . What did Dave do after that during all those ” missing ” years , and to answer a question that has intrigued me for years , how did he become to be known as ” Ginner ” ?  Kind regards  Kenny

Kenny Jones 08:02 AM on July 12, 2010 Kenny Jones says…  Hi Pete , What a pleasant surprise to see a reply so soon after first posting here ! I’d had a gut feeling that apart from Des himself , this could be well be another one of those guestbook pages that are very seldom visited , so would not really have been all that surprised to have found my messages still showing up as the last ones posted in two or three months’ time from now !  So it was Steve FELL , the guitarist from Jerusalem Smith ? — a surname that doesn’t ring any bells , but thanks for that information , Pete , as I’ve lost count of the people I’ve asked about him who have just looked puzzled and said ” WHO ? ” then looked at me as if he and his entire existence must have been no more than imaginary by – products of my chosen recreational substances of the time 🙂  So was Tams just born ” Tams ” then , or did he have a more conventional name , too ? 🙂 I only met Paul Varley a couple of times , during his flying visits from the U.S.A . His brother Ian was a friend of mine — also a drummer like his older brother , and sadly another one who left us too soon , as did his close buddy / bass player Paul shortly afterwards , who together briefly played in a band called Nova Scotia .  Until a few months ago at least , Greg Slater still lived in the same house in Ashton that he’s resided at since 1978 . Interesting that you also played drums with Steve and Jim Hesketh — which I’d somehow forgotten . Was that with Crossfire ? — with and without Eddie Entwistle and Cliff Ovenden ? I know Carl Davis played drums with them for a while , but not always , if I recall . Steve Hesketh first started coming round to our house for jam sessions when he was just 13 years old , with a red Wilson strat. copy , and he was no slouch even at that age . Sadly Steve has become even more of a recluse than myself and last I heard from his singing wife Emma , hadn’t even touched a guitar in several years . Was you also the drummer with trio Mustang then , with Eddie and Frank Whittle on bass ?I have fond memories of Mustang and Phil Cool ( then Phil Martin ) performing at The Pear Tree in Bamber Bridge on Monday nights . Along with covering classics such as The Weight by The Band , Eddie featured a fews songs he’d written himself which I particularly liked , one called Summer Driver and the other , title not recalled but including a line about riding with Jesse James . Dean O’Shea must have been VERY young when rehearsing with you , given that as far as I recall he was a still a teenager when his uncle Eddie died in 1993 .  Finally ( and again , I hope Des doesn’t object to my ramblings here ) finding this site yesterday inspired me to look up Bob Johnson and The Bobcats , the web site of which includes a couple of musical videos / photographic montages featuring your good self , Pete , with Bob , Daz and Eddie . Most of those photos appear to have been taken from the Loon Street Gas Band / Smokey Joe in it’s 4 – piece format period , sans Ginner , but set to music performed by Bush Country with Alex Leyland , Phil Wright and that bass playing policeman , whose name I never did get to know . It brought back some great memories , I can tell you . In fact you are credited with the still photography ! Anyway , great to hear from you , Peter and and hope you keep in touch here . Kenny

Reply Delete Pete Morris 08:25 AM on July 12, 2010 by [email protected] Des, I must apologise for rambling on your guestbook page,probably about people you can’t even remember,but as we all were regulars at the Lancaster and greatly influenced by what we heard I guess its relevent to the development of rock music in Preston and many people still have fond memories of that time.In reply to Kenny Jones, Paul Varley I knew from being a young teenager and years later I worked with Ian at Baxi. He was a funny character,everybody liked him. Sadly I went to both their funerals .where I met their sister for the first time.She had come over from Australia I think for Pauls.Fred Kelly was there too,not looking in the best of health. Fred was a real drumming hero of mine,and a great help to me in the early days even bringing his brother John,who was a fine jazz player,to tune my kit properly. I followed Freds career very closely and got to see him with Rare Bird several times. Once at Manchesters Free Trade Hall. I tried my best to play like him but could never get near the subtlety he displayed. When he came back to Preston and played with Zanzibar I thought he was brilliant.I did play with Steve and Jim Hesketh and Eddy Entwhistle in the original Crossfire . ,but left to join Bush Country when their drummer Kenny Green suddenly left,I don’t think Eddie Ent ever really forgave me for that, but Steve and Jim encouraged me to do it and then got Carl Davis in minus Eddie and Clive Ovenden in. They turned out to be a great band .I think that’s when Eddy formed Mustang with a drummer from the Wigan area called John .That song of Eddie’s with the Jesse James line was called Average Man.I have it on a tape recorded in rehearsals at the Unicorn Pub.Bob Johnson is playing in Preston in August. I’ll try to get there fancy meeting up? Dean O Shea was very young. about 15/.16 when he started playing with us.I’d love to hear him play now. Regards Pete Morris

desdinga 11:56 AM on July 12, 2010 by [email protected] That’s Cool fellas, write away !!! it’s all good stuff, I admire anyone who has taken the trouble to learn an instrument, then go out and perform.So if this is one way that people can get a mention, then that’s the go !! As I recall Preston has a fine musical history, maybe it’s time to start up a Preston Page, Well lets give it a go, please advise all of Prestons musos that they can use my site.I’ll look forward to the posts.

Des , Thanks so much  for starting this forum on your web site . Thanks also for your prompt plethora of e – mails adressing all my queries on a personal level . So , it seems the orange Fender Strat. that Ginner mainly used in his 3D days was a recent acquisition at the time and not a model he ever used previously . Also the mystery guitarist I named as being TAMS was in fact called TANS or TANZ , and like his more famous namesake in the Modern JAZZ Quartet ,  Joe Williams was the vocalist in Modern Blues Quartet ( MBQ ) . I’m absolutely certain some of our ( even ) older members can fill in the gaps here !  I must say , above all else that may be mentioned here ,  The Puppets truly deserved it’s role as probably THE number ONE choice backing group for so many popular singers of the period , and it’s only a shame the group didn’t gain even more recognition in it’s own right than it already did amongst the general public . There was indeed a huge transformation in ” popular music ” in Britain in the mid 1960s. that appears even more dramatic looking back than it felt at the time . Within three years I’d moved on from buying singles by Karl Denver and Joe Brown to albums by The Beatles , Bob Dylan and John Mayall and his Bluesbreakers and by two years later it was all Cream , Jimi Hendrix  and  Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac . Indeed with the benefit of hindsight , it is not difficult to understand how and why the demands for a group fulfilling the roles that The Puppets did so outstandingly well , suddenly dried up .  That said , it couldn’t have helped that the group’s famous manager Joe Meek so suddenly left this world . Kenny

Pete , Thanks so much for providing all that detailed information , all of which I find so interesting that you wouldn’t believe !  I didn’t know you worked at Baxi , which surely means you must know also my old friend Dave Norris !  Of course , Phil Eaves once wrote a priceless book ( circa 1992 ) about the history of the Preston music scene , called Xtrabop ( well actually it DOES have a purchase price of just around £5 or £6 ! ) but I once loaned my copy out to someone and never saw it again ! Whilst on the subject , Phil has also written a book called Amethyst Nights , about the legendary ” underground music ” club , which he founded along with his old faithful muso friends , Terry Nightingale and Tony Derbyshire . Here’s a link to Phil’s current web site :  http://www.myspace.com/phileavesmusicianauthor I’ll try to make the Bob Johnson gig in August , Pete — as you will note from the link above , Phil himself will be busy again performing himself that night !  One minor problem is that if you have only this avatar photo to go by , you may not even recognise me any more — that was taken 20 years ago , and life has finally taken it’s toll on me since then 🙂 Kind regards Kenny

Whenever I think about the history of Rock ‘n Roll in the Preston area , I always think of a great character I mentioned in my second post above , Harold Dearden . I mentioned Harold as being the drummer with Volga Beatmen , who supported the Rolling Stones at the old Public Hall in 1964 , but there is far more to the most amical , most amazing guy you would ever wish to meet . Des mentioned that he thought he remembered Harold as a SAXOPHONE player , but I suspect he may perhaps be mixing him up with Harold Salisbury ?  Here is a link to an article published in a local newspaper from four years ago : http://www.lep.co.uk/news/features_2_1844/riversiders_are_ramblin_on_1_153737 And here is another article from the Lancashire Evening Post , published just before Harold’s 70th. birthday last year . http://www.lep.co.uk/news/features_2_1844/big_interview_harold_dearden_1_163049 It’s interesting  that in the above article ( which I only discovered myself a few minutes ago while researching )  from the literally hundreds of different musicians that he’s shared a stage with over 54 years of entertaining , Harold singles out Eddie Entwistle as the most outstanding . I remember going to watch that Chorley band he mentions quite a few times .They were called Tom Ham Squash . I recall one particular freezing cold winter’s night circa 1969 , upstairs at the Hollingshead pub in Chorley , where they performed an incredibly superb extended version of White Room by Cream , with a guest guitarist called Reg Altham , who at that time looked very much like Eric Clapton in his very long haired and drooping moustache / psychodelic phase Cream days ,  jamming along with the brilliant Eddie Entwistle , whilst kneeling down throughout the performance . Even Harold looked a lot like Ginger Baker in those days , too , but a bit wilder  ! I don’t think I will ever forgive myself for NOT attending  Harold’s special birthday gig mentioned in  that second article , especially as it  was held literally within a stone’s throw of where I now live . The truth is , I stopped getting the Evening Post a few years ago and knew nothing about the event until after it had been held . Ah well — belated birthday greetings , dear Harold — and I hope you have many more to come yet !  Regards to all  Kenny

Here’s a link to the web site for the third Preston live music legend I’ve highlighted today ! http://bobjohnsonandthebobcats.co.uk/ I really enjoyed checking out the VIDEO link , which our friend and fellow correspondent Pete Morris played a major part in producing . Although only  really montages set to a couple of recorded songs , the images capture how well the guys LOOKED the part in those days , as well as SOUNDING it . Even just listening to those basic recordings , Johnson’s  vocals sound even better to me now than I’d realised at the time , and that is saying something !  It seems as ridiculous as it does sad that these few snapshots represent the only ones I’m aware of on the entire world wide web , of such a legendary musical figure as Entwistle . I’m sure if some of these local guys had been in the right place at the right time , they would have become most worthy household names worldwide ! Kenny

Here’s the address of the web site of LITTLE FREE ROCK , the band from Preston formerly known as Purple Haze , of which the previously mentioned , sadly departed Paul Varley was the drummer . http/www.illingworth70.freeserve.co.uk/ For some reason , the links from here seems not to be working , but a nice example of the Cream influence in one of their original songs here :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyDsiCgMPNI I remember attending the Purple Haze concert at Preston Public Hall that seemed so instrumental in so dramatically changing the lives of these three local lads . Their subsequent swift  rise to national fame surely gave hope for other Prestonians with stars in their eyes . Again , so sad that so many of these talented musicians are no longer with us , which is all the more reason , in my opinion , to make sure they are forever remembered  via this wonderful thing called the internet , which was something almost unimaginable not all THAT long ago . Kenny

Ginner and Miffy involved in this interesting project :  http://www.holyground.co.uk/gaga/ scroll down to just below halfway on the page :  Kenny

What a small world the musical community can be ! Yesterday I was thinking about the first ” pop groups ” I ever saw playing live , one of which was a resident group at Butlin’s , Filey in 1962 called Sandra and The Boyfriends . I was amazed to find a quick google search brought up the following pathe news promo video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmN0yrhDfWQ About ten years later , singer Sandra changed her name to Alice Springs , fronting the band called Slack Alice , then in the late 1970s she turned up again as lead singer with a band called Darling , the drummer for which was none other the recently mentioned , sadly missed Paul Varley from Preston !  Kenny

. Mel here, hope everybody’s ok.I remember a lot of bands use to play in the Plough at Lea Preston during the 60s. ! don’t know if you played there Des, but I did see Bob Johnson and the Bobcats there in the mid 60s. I’m a little bit younger than you lads so I was under age for drinking at that time. But our kid knew Albert the landlord so I managed to sneek in, at that time Bob was singing numbers like Nashville Cats by Loving Spoonful and One Night by Elvis, and the very talented Dave Millen doing the Sabre Dance.Other bands on there at that time were The SaintsI don’t know what became of them but it was good stuff. it was a good pub the Plough but unfortunately its been knocked down now and replaced with houses.

G’Day MelThanks Mel,I had a look at your my Space address, wonderful nostalgia, great pics,Yes, Bob is a big favourite of mine, big influence in the early days.I’d love to be at the Gig. Here’s a link for Bob’s site  http://bobjohnsonandthebobcats.co.uk/ Sad to hear that the Plough has been demolished~~Des

hello Mel here, I knew many years back from my older botherthat Dave Millen had backed some big stars and one being Billy Fury, but that was all our kid knew about the situation,so it was great to read the full story on your website.It must have been fantastic experience for you and Daveto be backing the likes of Billy Fury, a great singer withso many great songs, I would have loved to have seen you lads playing all those years ago.

Hey Des Thanks for the link to Bob’s site.Sorry you can’t be at the gig ,it would have been nice to meet you. all the best Mel.

Hi Des, had a great night at the bitter suite in PrestonLast sat, Bob’s still got that old magic, sang some of the old songs brought the memories back. Phil Eaves and the band did a fantastic job backing Bob and to top the evening off I managed to have a word with Bob too. in the break. a good night all round. cheers Mel

Good stuff with some of the posts. Read the most recent one and saw someone mentioning Dennis Delight. I remember seeing them in my home town in North Wales. We used to make the trip to the Joiners in Chorley regularly and it wasn’t unusual to see the local bands from North Wales and the Wirral on at the Joiners and vice versa. Our band was Bill the Murderer and our weekend up there started at the dinner time session on a Sunday plus another go in the evening. A couple of us from that band are still doing the occasional show but there’s no venues like the Joiners and others around here now. I’m trying to recall some of the venues that our agent Mike McCormack (think I’ve spelt that right) sent us to. There was a good one in Bamber Bridge and a pub and nightclub in Preston that were great. I’ll have to see if I’ve got some old diaries around with the names. Our biggest fan up there was Eddie Entwistle and we always looked forward to speaking with him – classic bloke and sad to know from this site that he passed away.

Steve Aldridge Member Posts: 2	Just remembered a story Eddie told me while I was up there one day. He was big mates with the bloke who ran the SAI shop in Coppull. He’d gone round there one Sunday to have a go on the gear and for some reason they thought it would be a good idea to get every amp and cab connected up and let rip with the guitar. Hell of a sound by all accounts but a bit impractical for touring. Eddie was laughing his head off trying to finish the story. This must have been where Billy Gibbons got his idea for the guitar shack from quite a few years later,:D
October 19, 2010 at 4:11 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Nick Holme Member Posts: 3	Hi Des. I came across your site when I was tootling around the web following the sad news of Bob´s death recently. I remember many of the names mentioned in the forum but most were a few years older than me and at that age a few years is like a different generation. My first claim to fame is that my fathers family bakery used to buy its meat from Terry Nightingale when he had his shop in Plungington Rd. Second claim to fame was starting a band with Greg Slater before he joined Dennis Delight. Third claim is recording french horn on a song with Fran Ashcroft – and subsequently having Fran engineer some recordings of my own (Fran is now a famous record producer and sound engineer).  I remember the start of Amethyst although I was too young to go (probably 14 or so at the time). I started a blog site some time ago and tried to get something going like you have here but it never took off and lapsed last year, but I have a couple of pages of my own memories of the early 70´s in Preston if anyone is interested. Regards, Nick ( you can now read Nick’ memories on a separate page just below Preston Musos~~Des)
May 15, 2011 at 1:34 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Tony Green Member Posts: 6	Desdinga at July 12, 2010 at 4:12 AM Kenny Jones 09:31 PM on July 10, 2010 Kenny Jones says…Tremendous web site ! I remember 3D playing at The Lancaster – great nights ( and occasional lunchtimes ! ) So sad to hear of Ginner’s passing – I’m a bit of a recluse these days and wasn’t even aware of it until I accidentally came across this site .I also followed Smokey Joe around a bit , with Dave , Bob J. , Daz , Eddie Entwistle and Pete Morris on drums .Millen and Entwistle on guitars in the same band — WOW !! — What would I give to be able to go and see and hear that again now ? — I particularly remember outstanding extended versions of Joe Cocker’s Delta Lady and Noel Harrison’s Windmills Of Your Mind .As I’m sure you all know , Eddie sadly passed away back in 1993 and I was privileged to perform with my band Suspects at two of his memorial concerts , along with Steve Hesketh’s band , West Coast , and Eddie’s nephew Dean’s band . What a guitarist Dean has turned out to be too ! A bit about myself , as few will probably know who I am really .Years before that I played bass in Dennis Delight and before that once formed a short – lived band called Fast Parts with Reg Kielty ,from Rubi Lazer , which both Keith Dalton and Ged Carberry helped us out with behind the scenes . Our FIRST gig was at the Guild Hall Foyer , playing to around 700 !! Great to see you guys are still around .Best regardsKennyWell Kenny, it seems our paths must have crossed from time to time, I played in Hard Cash, I now play in a band called off the rails, our bass player Nigel Watkins played with Rubi Lazer, I used to be good mates with Dave Booth (did`nt he play in Rubi Lazer), if I can remember rightly Ollie Trump who was the bass player in Time had a stint in Denis Delight, I used to go to school with Ollie and Ken Nichol, I havn’t seen either of them for years, I used to go and watch 3D at the Lancaster great band, was`nt Fred Kelly in 3D ?, I have lost contact with pretty much everybody from around then, the only person I have spoken to recently is Phil Eaves, I have a few photos of some of the venues we played at in the past if anybody wants to see them, Clouds, r and r club Kirkham, old flag market with Bradys and Dixons in the background, Moor park etc. Anyway cheers Kenny
May 20, 2011 at 2:25 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
desdinga Member Posts: 4	G’Day All,yes indeed Fred was in Three D , he took over the drum stool when I left .Three D was originally Dave Millen Daz Smith and  Des O’Reilly.~~Des
May 20, 2011 at 5:53 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Thanks to Nick , Tony and Steve for your contributions to these forums since I last visited . Very interesting recollections !Kenny
May 23, 2011 at 2:16 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Phil Barnes Member Posts: 2	Hi Des.i remember Tans very well, Paul Varley left my band The Hookers to join him in the MBQ. His real name,so Im reliably told by Kev Savage is Malcolm Tansley Tyrell and he’s living somewhere in Deepdale.
May 24, 2011 at 2:21 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Tony Green Member Posts: 6	MEL POWELL at July 29, 2010 at 1:48 PM MEL HERE, HOPE EVERYBODYS OK.  I REMEMBER A LOT OF BANDS USE TO PLAY IN THE PLOUGH AT LEA PRESTON DURING THE 60S. I DONT KNOW IF YOU PLAYED THERE DES, BUT I DID SEE BOB JOHNSON AND THE BOBCATS THERE IN THE MID 60S. IM A LITTLE BIT YOUNGER THAN YOU LADS SO IWAS UNDER AGE FOR DRINKING AT THAT TIME BUT OUR KID KNEW ALBERT THE LANDLORD SO I  MANAGED TO SNEEK IN . AT THAT TIME BOB WAS SINGING NUMBERS LIKE NASHVILLE CATS BY LOVING SPOONFUL AND ONE NIGHT BY ELVIS, ANDTHE VERY TALENTED DAVE MILLEN DOING SABRE DANCE.OTHER BANDS ON THERE AT THAT TIME WHERE THE SAINTSAND DUO DO, I DONT KNOW WHAT BECAME OF THEM BUT IT WAS GOOD STUFF. IT WAS A GOOD PUB THE PLOUGH BUT UNFORTUNATELY ITS BEEN KNOCKED DOWN NOW AND REPLACED WITH HOUSES. Hi Mel, I can tell you a funny story about the Plough, it was our 1st gig ever, and we had learned all chart stuff, Thunder clap Newman, Pictures of matchstick men etc, Pat Ruffles who was`nt in the band at that stage came along, (pat Ruffles was very talented musician, he played the drums really well stood up !, he could play a guitar fairly well and he could sing really good too), Anyway we borrowed some extra amps from “Southward electronics (I bet some of you remember that particular shop), when we got in the plough it was full of bikers, we started playing and they started booing shouting play some rock stuff, we managed to scrape through the 1st set, went outside and extremely quickly learnt a few different 12 bars that Pat Ruffles knew the lyrics to, when we went back inside they all seemed really angry and where shouting play some rock, we played the twelve bars we had just learned, and the 2nd set was ok they even shouted for more, but we did`nt get paid (not surprising really), we had hired a guy with a van to shift the gear in, and when we went outside he had gone, we ended up wheeling the amps all the way back to Alan Southwards shop, it took us hours lol.
May 24, 2011 at 6:39 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Great recollections, Tony ! I went watching bands a few times on Friday nights in the Plough in the summer of ’69 and was probably there on that night you mentioned.For some reason the only song that stuck in my memory from those visits is a rendition of the Crazy Elephant hit , Gimme Gimme Some Lovin’ . I wonder if that was by your band ?Of course I remember Southwards ( or was it Southworths ?) little music shop next to Elsie’s pantry at the bottom end of Friargate ! Elsie’s meat and potato and butter pies and apple and black current squares were my favourites for years 🙂 — but Johnson’s on the old Tithebarn Street just along from the old bus station sold great ” mey’t ‘n prata ” pies too !
June 8, 2011 at 5:42 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

THE BEATLES PUBLIC HALL PRESTON

MEL POWELL Member Posts: 11

Did anybody out there see the Beatles at the public hall Preston in 1963 this was the last concert the Beatles did in Preston and Beatlemania had started. I was too young at the time but our Dave was there .He told me he had never seen anything like it before and never seen the likes since. The excitement created by these four lads was phenomenal. I believe in those days there use to be a few novelty acts on before the main act such as jugglers and a magician, but really all the audience wanted to see was the Beatles so the guys before them would get some real stick, stuff being thrown at them any thing to get them off. When the show was over the Beatles left in a jag and its believed that John Lennon wrote ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ in the back of the car on the way home from this concert.And the rest is history. cheers ~~Mel

June 8, 2011 at 5:00 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

THE OLD BLACK BULL FRIARGATE PRESTON

MEL POWELL Member Posts: 11	What about the old Black Bull in the early 1970s.  I seem to remember Irish music was very much on the scene at that time and the Bull was the place. There use to be a band called ‘duo do’ who used to play there quite regularly, I dont know if anyone remembers them. they consisted of a drummer and a guy on the electric guitar, they had a real good sound. as well as covering old Irish songs they did a good job on quite a few 1960s numbers such as The Searchers ‘Walk In The Room’ and Del Shannon’s ‘Runaway’. a very popular place way back then, and the pubs is still the same inside today, I think it’s about time they got the decorators in. I’d love to know what happened to this talented home grown band. cheers  Mel
May 30, 2011 at 6:55 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Hi Mel , I have only vague memories of that duo playing at the O.B.B. Wasn’t the guitarist a Preston guy called – – – – – ?  KELLY , who played a black Gibson ? The pub hasn’t altered very much and still hosts live rock bands , although I haven’t been in there for a few years now .
June 1, 2011 at 12:23 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
MEL POWELL Member Posts: 11	Thanks for that Kenny, yeah I remember the guitar. there where some good pubs in Preston at that time and it always seemed safer than what it is today . Unfortunately some of the pubs are not here any longer like the Boars Head and the theatre pub. I remember upstairs in the Boars Head packed to the rafters and the juke box blasting out some of the great songs of the day. I dont know if you remember Kenny there use to be this guy who use to come into Preston and park his rolls royce outside the Boars Head and nip upstairs for a few pints, it was unusual to see a guy with long hair driving a rolls royce in Preston in those days. Other good places were the Black Horse (Peters Bar) Jolly Farmer and Dog and Partridge. and what about the Warehouse still going today, my son goes there now and again. good days ~~Mel
June 3, 2011 at 4:54 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Hi Mel , I was a regular in all those bars at one time or other !  I can’t think who the long haired Roller owner may have been – but it wasn’t me that’s for sure ! 🙂 – Those were the days when people could just park their cars practically right outside wherever they were going to ! Played in a crammed Warehouse many times circa ’79 – 80 with D.D.
June 7, 2011 at 4:57 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
MEL POWELL Member Posts: 11	Hi Kenny. Our kid remembers you playing in the warehouse about that time, a good club good music. From the mid 70s I was living in Chester doing the pubs and clubs there.I mentioned in a previous post I own one of Frank Halliwell’s old guitars. I bought it off his uncle some years ago, I hope Frank doesn’t want it back. our Kirk who plays in a band called the Escobars said that Frank was playing at the ‘Mad Ferret’ last year and went down very well. cheers ~~Mel
June 8, 2011 at 4:17 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Amethyst Nights

Nick Holme Member Posts: 3	I´ve just bought a copy of Phil Eaves book “Amethyst Nights” from Action Records on Church Street and I must say it has brought back lots of memories. Bear in mind that I was 14 when it opened and 17 when it closed, so I shouldn´t have been to any of the shows given that it was on licensed premises. I can only remember going to 2 or 3 towards the end. Brownsville Jug Banned and The Amazing Blondel were both fantastic. One of my older sisters had bought the album Evensong so I knew some of the material. I remember at one point the guy playing stand up bass got a bit carried away and for some reason karate chopped his bass causing a big crack to appear down the front. I see from Phil´s book that both bands appeared there in mid 1972 which was also the time of the Preston Guild so those were almost certainly the ones I went to. The third is a bit harder to place. I´m convinced that I also saw Trapeze there after Glen Hughes had left to join Deep Purple and they were now a 4 or 5 piece with a mini moog synth. Previously Trapeze had appeared at the Public Hall as a  3 piece – recently returned from a tour of the states and they were fantastic. I wasn´t surprised when I heard that Deep Purple had poached Glen. Anyway there´s no mention of them in the list of acts in the book so maybe It was somewhere else.Another band getting a mention (but not one that I saw personally) is Daddy Longlegs, a sort of country rock band from the states. I mention these because some time later I somehow acquired an album of theirs that had a crayon drawing of a hairy face on the front and legend has it that during one of their trips to Preston they stayed at the house of a local muso and one of the band did a drawing of him, and that´s the drawing that ended upon the front of the album.There were many of the bands that appeared there in the early days that I knew the names of quite well. The reason being that, as I mentioned in my other memories post, Terry Nightingale supplied the meat to my parents bakery and so I knew him (in fact as a 14 year old I was in awe of him – he didn´t earn the name “string strangler nightingale” for nothing) and for a time I collected old posters of gigs and plastered them on my bedroom wall. I can remember Barclay James Harvest, Stoned Rose, Kevin Ayers, Barbed Wire Soup and more. At the time I had no idea who any of them were and its funny now to see who was in some of the bands. Barbed Wire Soup must have been the fore runner to Dennis Delight, and I notice Ollie´s name cropping up in a Time gig in late 1970.  One last comment. There are quite a few Memoirs” from people who went to gigs at the time – many of the names I recognise. One comment is from John Watkins who played lead guitar in the band Orchid that I mention over in my memories. John mentions a gig at the Hibernia club which was where Amethys was hosted on Thursdays. This was after Amethyst had closed. I was at the same gig with one of my bands – can´t remember which one. I think I did a poor version of Born To Be Wild. I remember Steve Hesketh being at the same gig (did he do a stonking version of Gloria by Focus) and also Fran Ashcroft. It was certainly a buzz being on that stage. Thanks for the memories ~~Phil.
June 3, 2011 at 4:03 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Hi Phil ,  I was one of the earlier members of The Amethyst club and hardly missed a Thursday night there for the first year or so . I remember  the bands Max Cannon , If , Clouds and Sleep playing quite early on along with the more local bands . Barbed Wire Soup had Frank Halliwell on vocals and Dave Gregson on lead guitar ( both founded Dennis Delight ) with John Shaw on bass ( his dad John ( Jock )  taught me English at Preston Grammar School !) and John McCauley on drums . Stoned Rose featured my old friend Pete Hughes on lead guitar . I think you meant ” Sylvia ” that Steve Hesketh played so memorably , as opposed to ” Gloria ” ! .  –  Happy Daze 🙂
June 7, 2011 at 5:09 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Where Are They Now?

Tony Green Member Posts: 6	I haven’t seen some of my old muso mates from Preston for years, I just wondered if anybody has come across any of them ?, Howard Richardson Drummer, Pat Ruffles drummer, Kev Savage guitarist, Ollie Trump Bassist, Phil keyboard player with Harry Hermit (I never knew his second name), Dennis Greenwood from Greenwoods music shop, Ken Cook flute/vocals, Steve Fell guitarist Jerusalem Smith, Dave Booth, Ian Varley drums, Danny Fowler guitarist, Pete Duerden drummer, I would be surprised if anybody has come across any of them but you never know. cheers Tony
May 20, 2011 at 2:46 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
desdinga Member Posts: 4	G’Day Mate.!!Wow, a few names there man. I only know a couple ,Dennis Lancaster who used to be in the music shop in town, good guitar player too.Ian Varley I kew a guy called Paul Varley who played drums with both Purple Haze, then a name change to  Little free Rock with Peter Illingsworth.He then went on to The Arrows and had a TV show Sadly Paul died a couple of years ago.
May 20, 2011 at 5:40 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Tony Green Member Posts: 6	I was quite good friends with Ian Varley (Paul Varleys brother), I hav`nt seen him for a few years, there was another good guitarist called Reg Altham, When we played at the Amethyst club in Preston, I met quite a few other good musos there, Steve Hesketh (fabulous guitarist) he was with a band called Final selection, I sold my SAI bass bin to his brother Phil, there was a sax player called Yak ?, a few years ago one of my mates John Kenny (Rubian) played at the Bridge Inn pub in Penwortham and they had a special guest with them Keef Hartley, I`m afraid Keef was not at his best, but it was nice to meet a guy who had done so much for music. cheers Tony
May 21, 2011 at 5:33 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
MEL POWELL Member Posts: 11	With regards to Reg Altham my brother Kenny Powell knew him very well.I remember seeing him play in the Ship Watery Lane Preston with Jerusalem Smith about 1974. I remember him playing Black Magic Woman, he was good on lead, our Ken said he was as blind as a bat without his glasses and a lot of times he didn’t wear them. all the best Mel
May 23, 2011 at 6:03 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Phil Barnes Member Posts: 2	I recently met up with Kev Savage who was in my very first Preston Band ‘The Hookers’ this band was also Paul Varley’s first band way back in 1963. Kev’s alive and well and living up the road  from me in Ribbleton. I often go and see him for a chat about  the old days.
May 24, 2011 at 2:13 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Hi Tony G. ,Sadly , Paul Varley’s younger brother Ian , died a few years ago , his good friend Paul ( once bass player with Ian in a band called Nova Scotia , circa 1973 ) passed away alarmingly shortly after Ian . Steve Hesketh’s older brother  is Jim , by the way , not Phil . Jim was almost as brilliant on bass as his brother Steve was on lead ! I’ve no news about Reg Altham , but remember him playing lead guitar with Tom Ham Squash at the Hollinshead pub in Chorley ,  one freezing winter’s night in 1969 , with the legendary Harold Dearden on drums Reg was on his knees , playing a rendition of Cream’s White Room . It could have been juts a guest appearance as I’m sure the late great Eddie Entwistle was the official lead guitarist with Squash . I got to know Reg Altham about 12 years later for a while , and had a jam or two with him , as I recall .  Dave Booth has been living in Australia for quite a few years now . Steve Fell was the name of the Jerusalem Smith slide guitarist that I couldn’t think the name of in another post I made here last summer .  Never knew him personally .
May 24, 2011 at 6:24 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Some of the names recently mentioned have reminded me of another sadly departed one from the late 1960s.  Preston ” muso scene ” . Although never a musician himself , Eddie Rose ( alias Hippy Ted ) — a kind of Mark Bolan lookalike , sadly left us in the late 1990s.  Ted was a real ” face ” and a great ” gentle intellectual ”  character from the early Amethyst Club scene and far beyond .
May 24, 2011 at 6:29 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Preston memories and connections, funny experiences

Tony Green Member Posts: 6	When I originally started to learn how to play guitar, I started having lessons with Reg Welch, however after a short period of time Reg stopped giving lessons and passed me onto another tutor called Steve Alexander (I haven’t come across Steve for about 40 years), as it turns out my brother-in-laws sister who was called Christine Livesey married Reg Welch.My 1st stab at a band was with a drummer called Phil Rothwell, Phil later became good friends with Phil Cool and they did some work together, Phil Rothwell took his own life 4 or 5 years ago.I was in several bands over the next few years, but whichever band I was in we always struggled getting a bass player, so I decided to give it a go and I joined a band called Hard Cash, Hard Cash were Howard Richardson on drums, Sam Hill on guitar and vocals, Kev Chapman on lead, and me on bass. We had two roadies Nick Walker and Mick ?, everything seemed to move really fast from there, we had gigs coming out of ears, we seemed to be going places, we played at Preston public hall a few times, on one of the occasions it was a charity event, us and Ed Stewart (Stewpot), it was full of young girls.When we came on they all started screaming LOL, we kept turning round looking to see who they were screaming at !!!, then we had to sign autographs for ages (I wasn’t used to signing autographs, I’ll bet mine looked like a 3 year old had signed it).We played at various venues around Preston, at one stage we had a an Austrian music professor after managing and backing us, it was the guy who wrote March of the Mods and various other old hits, he wanted us to do a track he had written called “Streets”, it was really corny and he wouldn’t let us change it, he wanted us to wear suits and ties with go go dancers on stage with us, we played at Preston public hall dressed in suits with the go go dancers, we were a rock band not a cabaret band, and we decided to decline his offer, he then gave the track to Bryan Ferry but he let him alter it totally, it was a success for him.We also made a record with a studio somewhere near Lancaster, the studio owner was the guy who when recording the Beatles in their early days was the one who told them ” you wont get anywhere with a name like the Beatles”.We played at Liverpool Empire in a country and western competition, the dressing rooms had just about every famous signature possible on the walls, believe it or not some of the other bands were sabotaging other bands equipment, cutting plugs off and pouring liquid into amplifiers, the judges were Faron Young and Tex Ritter, you had a 20 minute slot, we did our spot, and Faron Young said “I am not too sure whether that was country and western or not, but I did like it”, we certainly were not country and western, maybe a bit of country rock perhaps, we came fourth out of about 30 bands, not too bad really.We were the 1st band to play in the open in the middle of Preston, the 1st time we did it, it was a Friday night and we set up in front of the Jolly Farmer and the Market Tavern, within minutes all the pubs emptied and came out to watch us, it was absolutely magic. We got our electricity from some odd looking sockets on the posts holding the covered market roof up (apparently unregulated current), it started raining and when Sam & Kev were singing you could see electric going across their noses LOL, we stopped playing and Sam said “has anybody got any old tennis shoes we can borrow ?”.We got a provisional recording contract with MCA records, we got some really big gigs in the pipeline, Liverpool stadium, Wembley arena etc it was only support with no money, we played a gig near London and on the way home there was a row between between the bands manager, Howard and Kev, the band split up, I was devastated. I went for an audition with Joe Cockers backing band, very good musicians, very professional, but to them it was a business, to me it was enjoyment, half way through the audition I thought this isn’t for me, and I decided to leave the audition, I packed up and sold all my gear and didn’t play again for 32 years.Then about 5 years ago I met a guy called John Kenny (Rubian), I had a few guitar lessons from John, just learning lead solos, started a band called Off The Rails, and that’s what I am doing now, if you want to know anything about Off The Rails, have a look at www.offtherails.me.ukI hope I haven’t bored you all to death, thanks for reading this, all the best, Tony
May 21, 2011 at 5:02 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Nick Holme Member Posts: 3	Hi Tony, so it was outside the Market pub that I saw Hard Cash – it must have been before the ring road was built. And it was Nick Walker, not Turner as I put in my memories who was your roadie and went on to play Bass in Old Tennis Shoes. I lived on a farm with the Old Tennis Shoes guys for a little while out near Hurst Green. I could tell you a few stories about that! Did Reg live in Whittle-Le-Woods? I jammed a few times with a guy called Reg at the house of a drummer who went on to become a pro drummer on the TV – can´t remember his name though – Greg I think. He´d been at school with my mate Bernard Kehoe who formed Orchid.Interesting one of the names you mention in your other post, Pete Duerden. The name rings a bell and I´m fairly sure he was the drummer in my band Rock Hard who was always breaking sticks. We didn´t last long as a band and only did one gig at St. Anthonys.Regards all. Nick
May 22, 2011 at 4:41 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Tony Green Member Posts: 6	HI Nick, I know quite a few stories about Nick Walker, some quite amusing some not, He once came to Newquay with me and one of my mates,we were sleeping in my mates van, in them days we all had fairly long hair, Nick had almost black hair, we all had a wash in some public toilets and Nick had just washed and dried his hair, he was wearing all black clothes, as he came out of the toilets a seagull swooped down on him and shit all over his hair which ran down his top and onto his black pants, the more he tried to clean it off the worse it got,.Pete Duerden was always breaking sticks, we used to call him peak freans assorted mainly because all his drums where different makes but also because some of them were like biscuit tins, I used to get on with Pete quite well, his mum and dad had a plant hire firm in Fulwood.Reg, it depends which one you mean, Reg Altham I thought he lived somewhere in Bamber Bridge, Reg Welch lived in Ashton when I used to know him, I`m not sure where he moved to when he got married to Christine.anyway all the best Tony
May 24, 2011 at 6:20 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

You Tube

[email protected] Member Posts: 3	Hi Pete Morris here.On You tube search bar type in tw28st for another collection of Smokey Joe/Bush Country pics set to Bush Country playing Helping with Enquiries also some footage of Bob johnson playing at Chipping village Hall last year Kenny ,what is your phone number I could ring you on Friday night about.9-30 if thats ok.
— July 14, 2010 at 6:45 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
Kenny Jones Member Posts: 15	Thanks Pete , I found those pics and the Chipping Village Hall footage . I’ve sent you a private e – mail  Kenny
July 15, 2010 at 3:49 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

General Discussion Forum

Sticky: Puppets

Desdinga Administrator Posts: 10	I’ve recently been contacted by some of Prestons musicians, asking info about the Puppets and telling me info about other Preston Bands.If you have anything to say about Preston’s music scene, your welcome to say it here.Warning~~ any stupidity or simply bad and uneccessary behaviour will be deleted .Des O’Reilly8)
July 12, 2010 at 4:09 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
MEL POWELL Member Posts: 11	I REMEMBER SEEING BOB JOHNSON IN 1972 WHEN HE WAS IN THE BAND SMOKEY JOE AT THE GALLERGREAVES PUB INBLACKBURN. BOB AS WELL AS DOING SOME OF HIS OWN STUFF HE ALSO COVERED SOME CLASS SONGS SUCH AS FIRE AND RAIN JAMES TAYLOR, AND NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN, MOODY BLUES. I DONT KNOW WHO THE DRUMMER WAS BUT HE HADONE OF THESE DONGS HUNG UP BEHIND THE DRUMS WHICH HE USED AT THE END OF THE NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN, IT ADDED A GREAT FINISH TO THE SONG. LATER THAT NIGHT EDDIE ENTWISTLE JOINED SMOKEY JOE ON STAGE  AND KIM NICHOLSON TOOK UP VOCALS ON A JOHN MAYALL NUMBER CALLED ” ALL MY LOVE” HE WAS A GOOD PLAYER EDDIE AND BOTH BOB AND KIM PUT THE SONGS OF GREAT, A VERY MEMORABLE NIGHT. CHEERS MEL
August 8, 2010 at 5:26 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Bush Country by James Tucker

[email protected] Member Posts: 1

I started getting interested in the local club/pub scene about 1969 (I was 19). Later in the very early 70’s I wemt out a lot with George Scott and Ged Carberry and Maggie Baldwin, all the usual suspects. I think I went to every gig the Band played in Preston. It was always a good time and of course plenty of Crumpet around! I was at the Big Draw Rock Club when the video was recorded. George Scott had a lot to do with organizing that venue and did the light show too. He arranged dancers and decor and everything. Bob used to come around to Ged Carberry’s little car place in Eldon Street for a smoke and he would sit and play guitar and sing a few songs. Good times. I still have a cassette tape of the London Recodings that George gave me and I still play it on occasion when I’m feeling melancholy. I was talking with my dad one day and Bob Johnson came up somehow. Dad told me that when he was Concert Secretary at Maudland Labour Club he used to book Bob Johnson and the Bobcats on a regular basis as everyone liked them. This was 50’s/60’s. So my family have been listening to and enjoying Bob for over 50 years! First time I saw Bob he was driving a Ford Mustang up the hill on Blackpool Road from the Cattle Market Car Auction (he was a car dealer and so am I) I said to myself there and then, “that is cool” I’m going to do that one day. That’s the way Bob was, even without knowing it, an inspiration to people. Not only his music, but his all self.

— July 28, 2013 at 2:42 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Miffy has left the building Mar 03 2013

Desdinga Administrator Posts: 10	Miff, Preston legend passed away on mar 03 2013.David John and The Mood great band.Sad to see you go Miff RIP~~Des
March 4, 2013 at 4:13 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Blessed Sacrament Ribbleton

[email protected] Member Posts: 3

In 1963 I used to frequent Blessed Sacrement School hall on Sunday nights when they put on nights of live music featuring local bands and quite a few merseybeat bands. I remember David John and the Mood playing there,Ray Lewis and the Trekkers.the first time I ever saw Dave Millen play with a trio called Group Three with Reg Welch on bass and Tommy Holmes on Drums.I can also remember seeing the original Hollies with Graham Nash,The Big Three,Lee Curtis and the Allstars with Pete Best on drums,Rory Storm and the Hurricanes and the original Midnighters with the late Keef Hartley on drums and Reg Welch on lead guitar. Fabulous nights.no bar or anything,more like a youth club. The older lads,including my older brother Dave Morris used to go for a drink first in the nearest pub beforehand which was probably the Bowling Green in Longridge Road,before the Ribbleton pub was built. I was only 15 at the time so went straight into the hall.     I just wondered if anybody out there knows who the hell it was who organized those nights because it was absolutely wonderful.There was a great atmosphere and I never remember any kind of trouble.Great memories!     Pete Morris(drummer with Bob Johnson in Loon Street Gas Band, Smokey Joe and Bush Country)

— December 3, 2011 at 8:05 PM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply

Bob Johnson

phil eaves Member Posts: 1	Hi Des,Sorry its been so long since I last made contact with you.Bob received a tremendous send off on Thursday, some three hundred people attended his funeral in Chipping – the church was packed to capacity !It was a very emotional occasion and just goes to show how  many people had such high regard for Bob. Whilst Bob had not been in the best of health for some time I never thought the gig we did at Chipping village hall on the 27th.March would be the last. We had plans to play a further 2 or 3 gigs later this year along with Phil Cool – but alas !As you may imagine many local muso’s attended his funeral – it sometimes seems these sad occasions are the only time we all get together nowadays – but there was a feeling that we should try and get together in the not to distant future and organise a memorial / tribute concert to Bob with proceeds going to a worthy cause.A great man and dear friend sadly missed. All the best to you DesRegards Phil Eaves.
May 21, 2011 at 10:30 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply
desdinga Member Posts: 4	DAVE 09:09 PM on July 09, 2011 I finally received the DVD of BUSH COUNTRY performance at “Big Draw Rock Club” aka “The Club Royal”, Market Street, Preston in 1976.The original was filmed by a good friend of mine, Barry Jackson.It was filmed on pre-vhs equipment in black and white.The Quality is as good as we can get seeing the age ALMOST 40 YEARS.Line up is as follows :- BOB JOHNSON vocalsTONY WRIGHT Lead Guitar, backing vocalsALEX LEYLAND Guitar,Mandolin,Violin, backing vocalsPETE MORRIS DrumsDAVE “DAZ” SMITH Steel Guitar and Bass GuitarDAVE MORRIS Guitar and Bass GuitarPADDY BROWN KeyboardsMany thanks to my buddy MICK JORDAN for posting on YOUTUBE You can find them on tw28st If you look closely you will see WALLY “the Roadie” and hear the voice of DARRYL EDWARDS …D.J. and MChope y’all enjoyP.S. I must admit to feeling quite emotional watching these especially now we have lost both BOB and PADDY. It was a pleasure to be in the band and you can see what fun we had. And MY GOODNESS didn’t we ROCK DAVE MORRIS               http://www.youtube.com/user/tw28st
July 10, 2011 at 8:26 AM Edit Delete Flagged (1) (unflag) Quote & Reply