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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 9:49 am
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In 60s Liverpool there were over 200 bands of varying degrees of quality.
A few club owners advertised an "Audition Night" with a prize of £20.00 About $250 at today's value.
So they got about 10 bands for the price of one.

When we first started we fell for that one only once.

In today's Liverpool there aren't many bands at all, and Pubs and Clubs are closing down with regularity.

This Nanny Government of ours have banned smoking in all Pubs and Clubs
(Pubs are Public Beer Houses or Bars to you)

The customers have deserted in droves and now drink and smoke in the privacy of their own homes. while watching TV.

I don't smoke myself but I have no objection to other people smoking.
I don't know how we managed in the past without the Government looking after our health. Who wants to live forever anyway.

This, of course, has decimated the entertainment industry over here.
Has the USA done anything like that and if so has it had the same effect?


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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:29 pm
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Five or six years ago We used to play a bar in Frederick, MD that allowed smoking. It was a converted warehouse with a large interior area but I would still come home reeking of smoke and it didn't make singing any easier. We have had increasing smoking bans over the past 5 years. I don't smoke so I welcome the ban in the clubs we play.

Everyone said that the ban would kill the business of the bars and restaurants and it did take a while for the crowds to come back but most good bars are surviving.

People over here in the US have been getting used to more and more bans on smoking. First it was movie theaters and places of work but now just about every area around Washington D.C. has a smoking ban in effect for restaurants and bars.
Class action lawsuits have driven many businesses to uphold smoking bans .

Resturants have had no smoking sections for years and many complained when the ban was extended to the entire restaurant but smokers just go outside or put up with the fact that they can't smoke inside anymore.

I also think that the popularity of smoking has lessened in the US.
There are not the same number of smokers anymore.

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If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum.


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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 2:14 pm
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That is encouraging to hear.

I hope that the same thing happens in the UK because there are hardly any Pubs open compared to the past.

The ideal situation would be Pubs and Clubs packed with customers, as they used to be but without the smoke.

As I said before. Other people smoking doesn't bother me. And I could put up with it if it meant business returning to what it was before the ban.
But I accept that a lot of people do not like being in a smokey atmosphere.

Every Pub Manager blames their declining earnings on the Smoking Ban.
Maybe after a time things will pick up as they have done in the States.


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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:52 pm
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Mersey kid, I want you to know that I'm extremely interested in your story so please go on! It's not every day you get to hear the story first-hand of a real musicians struggle in the 50s - 60s. Don't listen to these dudes, keep going!! :D


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Posted: Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:59 pm
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Thanks Gazzy
I'm working on it.


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Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:29 am
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WTF??!!! :?:


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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:12 pm
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Hey J.T. (Merseykid)- I think we are all due for another chapter if you are up to it.
I hope you are O.K. and haven't lost interest.

Bassman Bill

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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:11 am
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Hi Bill

No I definitely haven't lost interest.
I have been busy with my business interests, which takes me away from my home computer sometimes for a week or so.
All my information is kept at home either on disc or on my hard drive.

Although there are computers at the place I am working I need to refer occasionally to my files. This job will be finished soon and I will be returning home.

I will soon be coming to the chapter which provoked the heading to my thread.
"My sad story"
But not until I have prepared the ground.

Regards

Johnny T


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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:10 am
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Thanks, Mersey! I was gettin worried we would be left hanging!

Waiting with interest.


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Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:51 pm
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The Hi Cats had been booked to appear on a club in the heart of Wales (Which is Part of the UK).
On a large island called Anglesey, supposedly where the original Britons came from. (Hence the name Anglo-American)

I was surprised, and pleased, to see that we were booked to appear again with Sonny Webb and the Cascades, our two bands always got on well together.

The club was affiliated to a political party “The Labour Party”
(Yes that’s the original way to spell Labour)

The audience comprised mostly, of customers aged from late twenties to retired
These clubs were totally different from the youth clubs we usually frequented.
The different age group required a different repertoire of songs from modern to old, usually stretching back to the early fifties. We had, of course, practised a list of songs to suit all ages, which was why we often got these sorts of bookings from the Agents.

We liked playing on this type of venue. There was no urgency.
There was always a bar. (Although I couldn’t drink alcohol as I was driving the van, being the only one with a driving licence)
These clubs always had their own Combo. Usually a Pianist, or Organist, a Bass Player and a Drummer. This meant that we had plenty of breaks while they played.

The audience were always game for a laugh especially the women.
As time went on the audience got more intoxicated and more responsive.

Roy couldn't take us that night so we were driving to the gig in my old plumbing van

On the way to the Gig I had noticed that the van was having trouble climbing hills, and there are a lot of hills in Wales.
This had me worried because Liverpool was about a hundred miles away and Wales is a very mountainous region and the pitch black unlit road to Liverpool was sparsely populated.
A breakdown, with a van full of expensive equipment, would have been catastrophic. It was also wintertime and snow was very likely, and boy, does it snow in the Welsh hills, also no engine would have meant no heater.

I mentioned this to Kenny Johnston and he told me that his van was playing up too. It was burning a lot of oil.
We decided that, after the gig, we would travel home together in case one of us broke down.

I enjoyed that gig in Anglesey.
The manager asked me to do a bit of comparing on the mike, offering prizes to the audience for carrying out various actions, or filling particular criteria, the funnier the better.
The club provided the prizes.
I was supposed to give prizes, by asking a club staff member, named Albert, to walk among the dancers then stop the music, everybody would stand still and the prize was presented to “the couple to the left of Albert” or “the nearest person wearing glasses”.

I’m afraid my sense of mischief took over when they asked me to become the temporary compare.
One of the prizes, I presented, went to the first female who could prove to Albert, that she was wearing blue knickers.
I blush when I think of the result, and so did Albert.
It’s a good job everybody was slightly drunk.
There were some fine legs in that crowd.

At the end of the show everybody stood while they sang the Welsh National Anthem. There are some fine singers in Wales and they sing the Anthem in harmony like a choir.
It was now time to face the rigors of the journey back to Liverpool.

The Cascades van went first and we followed behind.
It wasn’t long, however that I flashed my lights to them and they pulled over to the side of the road.
“What’s wrong “ It was their bass player; Joe Butler.
“I can’t see where I’m going,” I said. “Your van is spewing thick black smoke out of the exhaust pipe”.
They revved the engine.
“Oh my god” he said “it’s got a lot worse”
“We’ve got plenty of petrol in the tank but we have only got a small can of oil”
“Let’s hope we find a garage that’s open” I said
Our van was also having trouble. It was obviously only firing on three cylinders instead of four.
We started off again, but this time we went first.
The hills were the worst.
They were very steep and the van slowed down to about ten miles per hour in some places. The Cascades van had to slow down too.
Joe started to flash his lights.
I pulled over to the side of the road. Joe and Kenny got out.
“What’s wrong” I said
“The oil light has started to flash”
“That is serious” I said. “Your engine could seize up. Then you WOULD be in trouble”
I remembered that I had a pint of oil in the van under the drivers seat.
“I’ve got a pint of oil you can have” I said.
I felt under the seat and retrieved the oil. “I don’t think that will be enough to get you home though” I said
Kenny was grateful, “ It will just have to do” he said.
“Lets hope we find a garage that is open”.
We started off again, mile after tortuous mile and apart from the stars, not a light to be seen. I noticed that the petrol gauge in our van was much lower than it should have been.
This was a worry. The van was obviously using much more petrol (Gas) than it should have

The Hi Cats had fallen fast asleep in the back of the van.
My brother Dave was in the passenger seat making sure I didn’t fall asleep at the wheel.
The Cascades started to flash their headlights again.
I pulled over. I knew what was wrong this time.
Joe Butler was driving. “The oil light is starting to blink on now and again” he said.
“The engine must be getting worse” I said.
“We’ll carry on a bit longer, but if the oil light starts to stay on, you will have to pull over to the side of the road and turn the engine off”.
“We’ll carry on till we find a garage and bring some more oil back to you”.
It was absolutely freezing, so I knew that we would have to be pretty quick getting back. There was no room in our van to take the Cascades, and with our van also having engine trouble; the extra weight would have made things much worse.

We both started to move off into the darkness.
I was expecting, at any moment, to see the Cascades headlights flashing again.

Mile after mile went by. Then in the distance I saw a light.
Thank God.
It was a Shell Garage.
We both pulled in to the forecourt.
I shouted to wake the band up, who had slept throughout.
Everyone climbed out of the van, bleary eyed, and piled into the garage shop and began buying chocolates, drinks and sandwiches.
I got myself a cold pint of fresh milk.
We were so relieved to find a garage open in this god-forsaken part of the UK.
I filled the tank up to the brim, to make sure I didn’t run out of gas.
Kenny bought two gallons of oil.

We arrived at the Mersey Tunnel at about 2 O’clock in the morning. After dropping Mal, the drummer off.
He lived on the Birkenhead side of the river.
We waved goodnight to the Cascades and made our way home.
I was absolutely knackered, and I still had to drop each of the Hi Cats at their home address.
Dave tried to keep me awake by engaging me in conversation, but it was difficult.

I finally got to bed at three in the morning.


Last edited by Merseykid on Fri Jun 19, 2009 6:33 am, edited 3 times in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:27 am
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You guys were lucky to make it back. Vans are a pain but you had to have them to haul the P.A. gear back then.

I always hate the morning after a late night gig. Getting up to go to work is no fun after only three hours sleep.

J.T - at this point,were you working a day job or was the band your only source of employment?

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If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a drum.


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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:39 pm
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No.
By this time we were earning enough to turn fully professional.
We were using some top agents. and beginning to get our act together.

We had even done a gig for the BBC.


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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:07 pm
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Mersey,

your writing does a terrific job of holding interest! :D Perhaps when things seem complete you could compile it all into one large post for us? :wink:


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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:18 am
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Thanks for that Toronado.

It's little remarks from people reading this thread that give me the incentive to take the time to write.

I know there are a lot of views but it's still nice to get feedback.

JT


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Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:38 am
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You did a gig for the BBC!

It would be cool to hear any Hi-Cats recordings that the BBC has in their archives.
Is there any chance of that happening? Or am i getting ahead of you?

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