HOMEHistory of Tamworth DJs and Discos
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The Beginnings - 1964-1967
The first mention of a DJ in and around Tamworth was in October 1964 when a 'fab' DJ from Liverpool, Dave Jackson appeared at Atherstone Memorial Hall. He also appeared several times at the Assembly Rooms including a Monday night Vince Baker event "Dances to the Tops in Pops". However, an actual disco or discotheque did not appear in the town until the 7th October 1966 when 3 Star Entertainments (from Stourbridge) put on a show at the Assembly Rooms, with the Birmingham band For The Birds with DJ "Mac the Mouth" and his Discotheque.
The first 'local' discotheque to be established was at the Mile Oak Hotel which opened on November 11th 1966 this must have been an incredible site for local youngsters with “on its walls a "New York at night" scene painted with blue, white, yellow and green fluorescent paints.” And “a backcloth of coloured lights which when a disc is played flash in time with the music, these are known as a "chromatic".
At the end of November ’66 we saw the first appearance of DJ – Jeff (Geoff Ed.) Owen at the Foseco Sports and Social Club. They had their regular Beat 66 nights where quite well known bands played but now they also had something so far unseen locally, a ‘resident’ DJ. In December at the same venue another DJ appeared – DJ Kev.
The Foseco Club was members only, this was a feature of the majority of discos at the time, the ‘free for all’ disco, open to everyone was yet to appear.
1967
Into 1967 and the Foseco Sports and Social Club was rapidly becoming ‘the’ venue for top name bands and a disco with their Swinging ’67 nights. The Assembly Rooms was dying a death as a venue and the only other places for youngsters to hear music were the local working mens clubs. Birmingham promoters ‘Sounds of Midnite City ‘ had attempted to bring ‘pop’ music back to the Assems at the end of January with The Roscoe Brown Combo accompanied by a Soul Discotheque with H plus Go-Go Dancers. But…even the Go-Go-Dancers couldn’t entice the crowds and the event was a flop.
In early February a new discotheque opened, called The Attic – a soul disco at Wilnecote Youth Centre. Then at the end of the month, a feature appeared in the Herald promoting the new Crow’s Nest Discotheque at the Jolly Sailor. Under the headline: New "Jolly Sailor" Discotheque Gets Off to a Swinging Start – the disco was hoping to be a “’swinging’ meeting point for the fashion-conscious record-buying public”. The Crow's Nest was here to stay. Where other older-generation-inspired ventures failed, this one seems to have succeeded. The Crow’s Nest could become Tamworth's "in" place. Not only to be there but to be seen to be there.
Back at the Foseco, DJ Kev seemed to be appearing more and more regularly, now known as: DJ Kev "Mr. Soul" playing the latest discs - Soul and R&B Music. By April, Kev seems to have now actually got a name for his disco, the Hi-Fi Discotheque. Adverts promoted him as “DJ Mr. Soul - latest discs from Atlantic, Blue Beat and Tamla Labels”. And in May “DJ Mr. Soul – DJ With a Future (a great success last weekend at Nantwich Civic Hall)”
24th April 1967 saw another event at the Assembly Rooms - Top 20 Record Show - Top DJ, Mini Movies, Record Giveaway, Admission: 3/-.
On 15th June ’67 The Attic, disco had it’s grand re-opening at a new venue The Stone Cross in Church Street, with the Hi-Fi Discotheque. The Crow’s Nest continued to flourish combining the disco with a performance from a reasonably well known band: The Exits, Yellow Rainbow, Wellington Kitch, The Soul Seekers, The Locomotive, Floribunda Rose and The Encryption played there throughout the summer. The final night of the club at its Jolly Sailor venue was on September 1st when the great Jimmy Cliff and the Shakedown Sound performed.
August ’67 saw another disco venue opening, at No Mans Heath Working Mens Club, the Witches Brew opened “a New Dance and Discotheque” also had a band appearing, in this instance The Nice (with Keith Emerson on keyboards).
In the Tamworth Herald of 15th September 1967 the very first advertisement by a DJ appeared. Geoff Owen, the resident DJ at the Swinging ’67 nights at the Foseco Sports and Social Club was advertising his “Geoff Owen Record Show”.
On 13th October 1967, the Crows Nest Discotheque re-opened at it’s new venue: Wilnecote Parish Hall with appearances by the Graham Bond Organisation plus The Locomotive.
Later that month saw further attempts to revitalise the Assembly Rooms as a venue with an appearance by Jeff Beck (Hi-Ho Silver Lining) and The Parchment People. Also on the bill was Mickey Dunne DJ as well as Go-Go Dancers. The same DJ also appeared in early November with The Vogues plus The Fyx and again the Go-Go Girls! The third and final attempt by Manbourne promotions to succeed at the Assembly Rooms featured the Fantastic Wynder K. Frogg plus The Bark and Mickey Dunne DJ. I’m not sure if the Go-Go-Dancers turned up that night!
Whereas 1967 had seen a great upsurge in the popularity of the discotheque, that of the ‘live’ band, notably appearing at the Assembly Rooms, had plummeted, with only 50 people turning up at the Wynder K. Frogg gig.
What exciting times would 1968 hold for the disco?
DJs and Discotheques - 1964-1967
1964
10/10/64
Saturday Star-Spot
David Jackson (Fab DJ from Liverpool)
The Interns, The Diamond Boys (from Birmingham)
Atherstone Memorial Hall
Admission: 5/- 8.00pm-11.30pm
12/10/64
Every Monday – Dances to the Tops in Pops
Presented by that crazy DJ from Liverpool – David Jackson
The Interns
Assembly Rooms
17/10/64
Saturday Star-Spot
Barry St. John (The 'Bread and Butter' girl herself)
Blue Tomes, David Jackson (DJ)
Atherstone Memorial Hall
Admission: 5/- 8.00pm-11.30pm
19/10/64
Dance to the Tops in Pops
David Jackson (DJ)
Admission: 2/6 7.00pm-10.30pm
1966
07/10/66
3 Star Entertainments Presents
For The Birds (Fabulous new group from Birmingham)
Plus your resident DJ "Mac the Mouth" and his Discotheque
Assembly Rooms, 8.00pm-11.00pm
Admission: 3/-
18/11/66 - Tamworth Herald Feature
Discotheque Opened At Mile Oak
A new Discotheque in the Mile Oak Hotel opened on Friday night complete with the "new stereo big-sound" and with the appearance of an exclusive nightclub.
The Discotheque with its adjoining bar, has on its walls a "New York at night" scene painted with blue, white, yellow and green fluorescent paints. This absorbs the ultra-violet light from eleven tubes hanging from the ceiling, giving the decor extra fascination; the effect has to be seen to be believed.
At the far end of the room, behind the jukebox which contains 100 singles and, 60 LPs and 120 EPs covering a range of musical tastes including the latest "pop" and Italian music, is a backcloth of coloured lights which when a disc is played flash in time with the music, these are known as a "chromatic".
The idea of a Discotheque originated in Paris and then spread to America. Mr A. Levy, local representative of the Headingley Company in Yorkshire told the "Herald" that it was his company that brought the Discotheque to Britain and described Discotheques as "having an on beat sound in a off beat setting."
Mr Levy, continued: "the general standard of entertainment for young people in public houses is very low with. We hope with Messrs. Bass, Mitchell and Buttlers, to select the best public houses in the Greater Midlands area and open up our Discotheques there.
The new Discotheques will be in a radius of a few miles of each other so young people will be able to visit a large number of them, which will all have different decor, but possess the new big sound and chromatic lighting which we have specially developed to meet the requirements of the Discotheque.
29/11/66
Beat 66 - The Times (Columbia recording artistes)
Foseco Sports and Social Club
Plus discotheque with our resident DJ - Jeff Owen (Geoff - Ed.)
30/12/66
Beat 66 - The Times and Zero5 and Discotheque - DJ Kev
Foseco Sports and Social Club
1967
13/01/67
Swinging ‘67 - Discotheque DJ Geoff
Foseco Sports and Social Club
26/01/67
Swingin' 67 Discotheque
Foseco Sports and Social Club
27/01/67
Dancing To Records
Foseco Sports and Social Club
28/01/67
Sounds of Midnite City
The Roscoe Brown Combo Soul Discotheque With H
Plus Go-go Dancers
Assembly Rooms
10/02/67
Swinging 67 to Pipsways (Manchester)
plus Discotheque - D J Bluebell
Foseco Sports and Social Club
12/02/67
Soul Discotheque
The Attic Wilnecote Youth Centre, 7.45pm-10.15pm
Admission: 2/-
17/02/67
Swingin' 67
Plus Discotheque - DJ Kev playing Soul Music
Foseco Sports and Social Club
22/02/67 - Tamworth Herald Feature
New "Jolly Sailor" Discotheque Gets Off to a Swinging Start
 |
| Mod-clad Jayne White receives her membership card from Mo Tulk as other hopeful members wait. Midway through the evening people were being turned away, with the "House Full" notices going up. |
Two draughtsmen, an apprentice engineer and a bank cashier have taken it on themselves to brighten up Tamworth’s allegedly dull teenage social life.
On Friday a new discotheque opened at the Jolly Sailor in Tamworth. A club which promises to fulfil the needs of Tamworth's young generation.
It is designed by young people for young people. Arnold Walker (18), Vic Walsh (20), Glyn Lees (20) and Martin Edge (18) were bored with what Tamworth had to offer and decided to do something about it.
After months of work they have turned an upstairs room at the Sailor into a "swinging" meeting point for the fashion-conscious record-buying public. It was an instant success.
Before the doors opened on Friday night, Martin Edge said he would be happy if they could get a hundred members. Halfway through the evening people were being turned away and the doors locked on well over 100 teenagers moving and swaying to the heavy rhythm of over-amplified pop music.
The Crow's Nest was here to stay. Where other older-generation-inspired ventures failed, this one seems to have succeeded.
The Crow's Nest, Arnold, Vic, Glyn and Martin built could become more than just a club, it could become Tamworth's "in" place. Not only to be there but to be seen to be there.
Now there is no need for the traditional teenage cry of "there is no where to go in Tamworth."
Four young men who have the talent as well as the will to provide some thing of use have given teenagers a place to go on Friday nights.
Will it go the way of the folk club and flop after a couple of weeks of frenzied interest? The answer is with the teenage public.
24/02/67
Swingin' '67 - The Tribe (London)
Plus Discotheque - latest soul music - DJ Kev
Foseco Sports and Social Club
26/02/67
The Attic Discotheque
Wilnecote Youth Centre, 7.45pm-11.45pm
Admission: 2/-
05/03/67
DJ Kev "Mr. Soul" the latest discs - Soul and R&B Music
Foseco Sports and Social Club
23/03/67
And every Sunday - Discotheque - DJ - Mr. Soul
Foseco Sports and Social Club
21/04/67
Foseco Sports and Social Club
Swinging 67 – Sound Society
Hi-Fi Discotheque – DJ Mr. Soul latest discs from Atlantic, Blue Beat and Tamla Labels
24/04/67
Top 20 Record Show
Assembly Rooms Tamworth
Top Groups, Top DJ, Mini Movies, Record Giveaway
Admission: 3/-
14/05/67
Hi-Fi Discotheque
DJ Mr. Soul – DJ With a Future (a great success last weekend at Nantwich Civic Hall)
Foseco Sports and Social Club
15/06/67
The Attic, Stone Cross
Hi-Fi Discotheque
Grand Opening
16/06/67
Rogues Gallery plus DJ
Foseco Sports and Social Club
23/06/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – The Exits
23/06/67
The Locomotive plus Discotheque
Foseco Sports and Social Club
30/06/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – Yellow Rainbow
07/07/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – Wellington Kitch
21/07/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – The Soul Seekers
28/07/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – The Locomotive
04/08/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – Floribunda Rose
18/08/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – The Encryption
25/08/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
This week featuring – Wellington Kitch
31/08/67
No Mans Heath Working Mens Club
The Witches Brew
A New Dance and Discotheque
The Nice
Admission: 2/-
01/09/67
Crows Nest Discotheque – Final Night
Jimmy Cliff and Shakedown Sound
Tamworth Herald – 15/09/67
Geoff Owen Record Show Advertisement
17/09/67
Swinging 67 – The Shavelles (London)
Foseco Sports and Social Club
Plus the Geoff Owen Record Show
24/09/67
Swinging 67 – The Ferris Wheel
Plus DJ Geoff
Foseco Sports and Social Club
07/10/67
Swinging 67 – The Gass
Plus DJ Geoff
Foseco Sports and Social Club
13/10/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
Re-opening Tonight
Wilnecote Parish Hall
Graham Bond Organisation plus The Locomotives
15/10/67
Tuesday’s Children
Plus The Geoff Owen Record Show
Foseco Sports and Social Club
20/10/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
The Traction
27/10/67
Jeff Beck (Hi-Ho Silver Lining)
And The Parchment People
Also Mickey Dunne DJ and Go-Go Dancers
Assembly Rooms, 8.00pm-12 midnight
Admission: 10/-
03/11/67
The Vogues plus The Fyx
Mickey Dunne DJ and the Go-Go Girls
Assembly Rooms, 8.00pm-12 midnight
Admission: 10/
03/11/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
The String Beats
10/11/67
The Fantastic Wynder K. Frogg
Plus The Bark (for purists)
Mickey Dunne DJ
Assembly Rooms
17/11/67
Crows Nest Discotheque
Milton Jones Band
