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Post by snidepunk on Feb 10, 2007 19:39:44 GMT
In my mind, The Grand Hotel in Leigh was one of the most important music venues for local talent to play. I remember seeing Burning Idols, Synix, Kronstadt Uprising, Autumn Poison as well as it giving us our first gig. Does anyone know what happened to Ian Cox, who ran the music upstairs? What happened to The Dalmations, Capital Rose and Michaels Toy? Anyone got any memories of bands that performed there or any experiences in the bars downstairs? Wernt there 4 bars?
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Post by weeble on Feb 12, 2007 23:36:58 GMT
The Grand was always a top night out. One distinct memory was when the skinheads started a riot upstairs then the cops turned up then all hell broke loose!! I got picked up by my collar and belt and launched across two tables and straight through the (open) window,landing in the recently dug over dirt amongst the roses,opening my eyes and seeing Gip on his back giggling! Went to the bar,got a pint each and went back upstairs flanked by loads of old bill and saying we'ed just got there and "what's happening officer?,what us?no we're good boys and do'nt hit me". Good times.....
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peter
New Member
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Post by peter on Jul 4, 2007 17:30:03 GMT
Ian Cox is now a painter and spends his time either here or his house in Gozo (off Malta) I saw him a couple of nights ago at Bar Lambs strangely enough. He's still interested in promoting and is trying hard to get my current band some gigs in Gozo or Malta. Ian also used to blow sax with us sometimes, although I think that may have been a spin off band from the Regs called the Red Torpedoes, but my memory's a little hazy- it was 27 years ago!
Dave Barker from Michaels Toy ( and The Regulators before that) designs kitchens (I think) and lives in Leigh with his partner and kids. I think he still records at home but we're not really in touch.
Chris Ward of the Dalmatians was running a deli in Leigh called Gusto for some time, but that's now shut down and he's dropped off the radar.The Dalmatians were friends and rivals of my band at the time, the Regulators. Ian Cox's brother Angus was their drummer,and the last time I saw him he tried to persuade me to join hands with Jesus. Mark Dowdeswell was on bass, who was still playing up 'til about 5 years ago when I did the PA for his band The Po'crackers, but once again don't know what he's up to now.
Oh, and yes there were four bars, a small one on the front left primarily for old codgers, which I often used if I wanted a seat. It was knocked through in the early eighties to make one big bar. The other two bars are pretty much unchanged.
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filf
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Post by filf on Jul 7, 2007 6:26:37 GMT
I remember the Regulators, my sister was dating Paul Dawson who produced an EP for them. Cant remember all the tracks but one was "Short and curlies" i think. Paul also produced a Demo for my band, the Icons, at spectrum studios. The engineer there was called Wawrick or somthing simmilar i think?
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vicar
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Post by vicar on Jul 8, 2007 13:11:33 GMT
Wasn't Ian Cox the DJ who used to run the Musicians Workshop on Monday nights at the Zero 6? Or was that someone else?
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Post by anabdab on Jul 8, 2007 17:51:34 GMT
I remember turning up at the Zero 6 and being asked for proof of my age. I was quite insulted at the time but nowadays the evidence is all too visible
Kirk, how are you getting on with that CD? The nation awaits with baited breath
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vicar
Full Member
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Post by vicar on Jul 9, 2007 23:03:16 GMT
I remember turning up at the Zero 6 and being asked for proof of my age. I was quite insulted at the time but nowadays the evidence is all too visible Kirk, how are you getting on with that CD? The nation awaits with baited breath Andy, I'm still trying to track down one last master tape that I was involved with. Once I have that I will be getting the whole lot transferred to digital. You will be one of the first to know when it is done mate.
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Post by anabdab on Jul 10, 2007 18:28:27 GMT
I remember the Regulators, my sister was dating Paul Dawson who produced an EP for them. Cant remember all the tracks but one was "Short and curlies" i think. Paul also produced a Demo for my band, the Icons, at spectrum studios. The engineer there was called Wawrick or somthing simmilar i think?
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Post by anabdab on Jul 10, 2007 18:58:01 GMT
I think the guys name was Warwick Kemp, a thoroughly nice bloke and a very competent sound engineer as I think my friend vicar would agree. With a little help from Dave Higgs he helped us produce a very professional sounding session. It was from this session, I believe, that the track "I`m Going to the Pub" that appears on Southend Rock was taken, but I have had a medicinal glass or two of red wine so I may be talking complete bolleaux, pardon my french.
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gary
Junior Member
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Post by gary on Jul 11, 2007 5:19:22 GMT
Kronstadt Uprising also recorded at Spectrum with Warwick. Nice Guy. The mixing desk was an old one from Abbey Road which led to lots of speculation as to who had used it before. The studio sadly burnt down a few years later.
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peter
New Member
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Post by peter on Jul 11, 2007 22:02:04 GMT
Paul Dawson did indeed produce our EP at Spectrum with Warwick. Synchronicity would have it that I now play in a band with Pauls' brother, Rick, who I never knew at the time. I still have a box full of those EPs in my attic - I posted one recently to someone in Holland who'd found me on Fiends Reunited. Any other takers? (ho ho)
There was a local band that actually covered one of our songs but I can't remember who they were. Or which song. it was on that EP though, which narrows it down to 4 songs.
I don't think Ian Cox was the promotor at the Zero 6 but my memory is a little hazy - I remember some woman called Gerry(?) who was a kind of Annie Nightingale wannabee. And I thought Telecaster Ted was in there somewhere.
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Post by South-Punk Admin on Jul 15, 2007 14:24:11 GMT
Ahh, you're right - I do remember an Annie Nightingale-esque lady at the Zero 6 whom used to introduce the bands. I can't quite put a face to her unfortunately. I mainly associate her with being there on the 'Musician's Workshops' nights on Mondays if memory serves.
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Post by rickxprey on Aug 15, 2007 23:53:49 GMT
may be a little late replying, ian reading was the dj on muso work shop nights, it was abit of a rock n roll/blues affair before the young upstarts of punk appeared on the scene, jesus i think i still have a hang over in me from back then,
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Post by Ando (Steve) on Aug 20, 2007 21:24:38 GMT
the 1st punk gig i ever went to was at the Grand, went with 2 punks ,Slug an Alice, shit myself when a load of Basildon Skins turned up wreaking the place, (was only 16 an a Southend Skin) good night after they cleared off, only track i can remember was Animal
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Post by South-Punk Admin on Aug 23, 2007 15:58:43 GMT
Remember The Grand gig well - Got to give a salute to poet Giaco whom carried on reciting his between band agit-poetry whilst having lighted matches flicked at him by the aforementioned Basildon Skins!
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