Musical memories for northerners

[delb0y]

I recall going to the Hammersmith Odeon a few times - it was an easy London venue to get to for a country boy from the shire. Little Feat (twice), Tom Waits, and Frank Zappa, all come to mind. Great venue!

 

[Accy cyclist]

I do remember Shelley stopping and threatening to walk off - my memory was that it was about spitting/gobbing - but I may be wrong about that detail. So it could well have been the same gig. I wasn't a punk.

I saw them again years later in Clapham London but they would have been in their 30s - not quite the same - rather odd to see 30 year olds singing about teen angst.

Yes, it might've been spitting as well, but i'm sure beer mat throwing was involved. I saw Siouxsie and the Banshees at the King George's Hall and she/they also threatened to walk off if the spitting didn't stop.

 

[Accy cyclist]

ah I didn't imagine it

http://www.philjens.plus.com/pistols/pistols/lodestar.htm

The pistols did play Ribchester. Truly Bizarre - there's sod all in Ribchester.

I also have the dimmest memory, maybe faulty, that some mates at school knew about the gig happening but pretty sure they didn't go. How the hell would you get to Ribchester of an evening/night without a car?

I heard they played the Lodestar and also The Boomtown Rats played there as well. We used to go to The Lodestar on Saturday nights in the late 70's very early 80's. You'd get there by catching the last bus there from Blackburn Boulevard bus station at about 10.15. You'd get home either by taxi or in my case if there weren't any taxis, walking the eight mostly uphill miles home.

 

[Blue Hills]

I heard they played The Lodestar and also The Boomtown Rats played there as well. We used to go to The Lodestar on Saturday nights in the late 70's very early 80's. You'd get there by catching the last bus there from Blackburn Boulevard bus station at about 10.15. You'd get home either by taxi or in my case if there weren't any taxis, walking the eight mostly uphill miles home.

yes it was the Lodestar - there's some interesting stuff on the web about the Lodestar and the woman who I think ran it. The Boomtown Rats (who I never thought much of) gig there was the one that brought forth a very critical quote from Geldof about Clitheroe, but it is possible that he was actually in his ignorance talking about Ribchester. Clearly you were a dedicated music or something fan accy, though your tale confirms my idea that Ribchester was/is a pig to get back from after a night's debauchery.

edit - it quite possibly was about clitheroe as it seems that Geldof didn't sleep (with the fishes?) in Ribchester but in Clitheroe at the Vic.

https://theboomtownrats.blogspot.com/1977/05/

 

[Dave 123]

Would they be the tribute group from Bradford, for the ones from Westhoughton?

houghtonweavers.com

View: https://youtu.be/WcK_-rSNT7w

 

[Accy cyclist]

yes it was the Lodestar - there's some interesting stuff on the web about the Lodestar and the woman who I think ran it. The Boomtown Rats (who I never thought much of) gig there was the one that brought forth a very critical quote from Geldof about Clitheroe, but it is possible that he was actually in his ignorance talking about Ribchester. Clearly you were a dedicated music or something fan accy, though your tale confirms my idea that Ribchester was/is a pig to get back from after a night's debauchery.

This song always reminds me of those Lodestar days. Walking home could take about 3 hours,depending on the weather and beer consumption.


I had some very odd black pants in those days that were kind of baggy and pleated at the top, then slimmed down to drainpipes at the bottom. I remember wearing them to the pub when we all had the day off for the Charles and Diane wedding in 1981.

 

[Accy cyclist]

there's some interesting stuff on the web about the Lodestar and the woman who I think ran it.

Without looking at the site i'm sure it was 'Margo' Grimshaw who owned and ran it.🤔 she was (maybe she's still alive) a former shoe factory worker who went on to run several pubs and such businesses in the Blackburn area. I think she owned The Dirty Duck pub in Blackburn which was the first pub in the town to have strippers. I also heard she'd serve topless herself behind the bar. My mum used to say "She's a bit of a star her"! I took that as she put it around quite a lot.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Here she is.....

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/opinion/margo_grimshaw/

 

[Blue Hills]

Without looking at the site i'm sure it was 'Margo' Grimshaw who owned and ran it.🤔 she was (maybe she's still alive) a former shoe factory worker who went on to run several pubs and such businesses in the Blackburn area. I think she owned The Dirty Duck pub in Blackburn which was the first pub in the town to have strippers. I also heard she'd serve topless herself behind the bar. My mum used to say "She's a bit of a star her"! I took that as she put it around quite a lot.

yep I had the idea that she was quite a "character" and pretty outspoken - never knew her, never went to the Lodestar, never saw a pub stripper until London.

edit - just seen the telegraph link you posted - cripes - wasn't aware of all that - clearly not a woman short of stuff to say.

 

[Accy cyclist]

and some others which i'll post about later when i remember.

Just remembered Billy Idol and Generation X, The Rezillos at the time of their 'hit' Top Of The Pops, The Skids and The Ruts.....or was it The Members?🤔

 

[Accy cyclist]

I also saw Showaddywaddy at The Cavendish nightclub, about 1979/80.

Also Edwin Starr at the Martholme Grange night club ( 4 miles from Great Harwood) in 1987, but i was working behind the bar at the time. I think Jimmy Ruffin might've played there when i was working, but not 100% sure. 🤔

Not north west but still 'northern', i saw the Rolling Stones at Newcastle's Saint James Park and a month later at Leeds Roundhay Park in 1982.

 

[Accy cyclist]

yes it was the Lodestar - there's some interesting stuff on the web about the Lodestar and the woman who I think ran it. The Boomtown Rats (who I never thought much of) gig there was the one that brought forth a very critical quote from Geldof about Clitheroe, but it is possible that he was actually in his ignorance talking about Ribchester. Clearly you were a dedicated music or something fan accy, though your tale confirms my idea that Ribchester was/is a pig to get back from after a night's debauchery.

edit - it quite possibly was about clitheroe as it seems that Geldof didn't sleep (with the fishes?) in Ribchester but in Clitheroe at the Vic.

https://theboomtownrats.blogspot.com/1977/05/

Do you recognise this place? 🤔 That's my 1975 Austin Princess second from the front by the way.

 

[Blue Hills]

Do you recognise this place? 🤔 That's my 1975 Austin Princess second from the front by the way.

View attachment 615017

No, never went, not sure where it is/was, but remember it being mentioned - maybe by my mum. So must go back a bit.

 

[Blue Hills]

Just remembered Billy Idol and Generation X, The Rezillos at the time of their 'hit' Top Of The Pops, The Skids and The Ruts.....or was it The Members?🤔

I worked with the drummer (ex at that time) from Generation X for a fair while. In fact in a sense I was his part-time boss. I even took some photos (very bad I'm sure) for a planned much later comeback of his with another local band he had got involved with.

 

[Blue Hills]

In connection with a certain theme of folks playing small venues in times of old, looking around for something entirely unconnected I came cross this - for groups used to of course play colleges, many with somewhat ropey small spaces.

Jimi Hendrix at Sussex University with a stage made of tables roped together with mats on top.

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/broadcast/read/49226

sod woodstock.