In an attempt at playing my part in making this site as interesting as possible, I felt it may be amusingly nostalgic to remember some of our favourite sounds.  Not the obvious Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Hawkwind and Jethroe Tull, but more the music we used to boogie on down to at the South Harrow Bird's Nest and the Kingsbury Bandwagon.

Here we go:

1) The Whispers - My Girl

2) Johnney Waklin - In Zaire

3) Sweet Sensation - Sad Sweet Dreamer

4) The Trammps - Zing Went the Strings of My Heart

5) Moments and Whatnots - Girls

6) Issac Hayes - Shaft

7) Disco Tex and the Sex-O-Lettes - Get Dancing

8) Venus - Shocking Blue

9) Hues Corporation - Rock the Boat

10) Dave & Ansell Collins - Double Barrell

11) The Upsetters - Return of Django

12) Desmond Dekker - The Israelites

Have I just really embarrassed myself?

I remember The Bird's Nest very well, even to the point when it became "Circles".  I'm very much an 80's disco bunny I'm afraid.  And on that subject does anyone listen to Virgin radio on Friday and Saturday evenings?  It's a bit like reliving your late teens and early twenties! "John Revel and his Wheels of Steel" no less.  He even has a "Cheesy" record choice every so often which more often than not brings back the disco memories. Some of the songs from that era that I remember (although I can't remember all the artists' names or song titles, that fading brain cell problem again) were The Hustle; The Spanish Hustle; Kung Foo Fighting by Karl Douglas; Labelle - Lady Marmalade; Zoom - Fat Larry's Band; The Fatback Band; John Congos - He's gonna Step On You Again; Rufus - Tell Me Something Good; James Brown - Sex Machine;

I also recall some of the more esoteric rock groups that we (some of us anyway) listened to at a pub in Richmond, the name of which escapes me for the moment, such as Mother's Finest; Acupuncture; both of which somewhere I've got recordings by.  On the subject of ageing rockers though, I have to admit just today to buying the latest Hendrix compilation, some of us just got that stuff so burned into our brains that we have to get a fix on a regular basis or we descend into dribbling incompetence - even outside of office hours.

Sorry if I've taken the subject slightly off your original line, but my recollections are far more influenced by the rock, that was the serious stuff, disco was something to pull birds by!  You couldn't take it too seriously at the time.

Incidentally, I have vivid recollections of the Lower Sixth Common Room with Monteith-Hodge yelling "Put a bit of Mayall on, Suzz" to Steve Simmonds every breaktime for about a year!  Also the Upper Sixth Common Room with Paul Nicholson's Colosseum album being left on the turntable over a weekend to be turned into a 12" ashtray by the time it was found on the Monday morning.  Speak to you soon.

The other place to go if you had a leaning towards rock was the Railway in Harrow.  I went there a few times when I wasn't sure if my life revolved around leather jackets and mototbikes or the disco lights of the Bandwagon.  Regulars to the Railway were Sue Jones, Trish Bradley and Sue Cameron all rocking the night away live bands and classic rock and roll records.  If my memory serves me right the word 'Greasers' was the expression used.

Another place that Nicky Spinks and I used to hang out was the Chandos School youth club where we used to bring our records in to play at full blast on the record player.

I still think about school days when I listen to anything by the Beatles, particularly from their White album and Sargeant Peppers.  Also the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.

At a party last New Year's Eve that I went to with loads of 40 somethings it was incredible/sad? that when sounds of the sixties CD went on how everyone knew the words automatically and memories of being able to wear short skirts and hotpants with high heeled platform boots prevailed (I guess for the guys it may have been having long hair and a size 28 inch waist)

The pub in Kingston was The Charter, in case anyone remembers, Ian Mac, Andy Wiseman, Steve Simmonds, Derek Wade, Paul Nicholson, and others I can't quite recollect.

Also much frequented - The Tithe Farm/Barn on a Sunday night, groups like Ace (remember the single "How Long"?), Ian Dury, Dr. Feelgood etc.,

- and The Oldfield Tavern.  I recall seeing Pan's People performing live there, nothing like on the tv! they were all 5 foot nothing with zits covered in pancake makeup, still good for a few fantasies though!

We used to go to a pub in South Kenton as well which had a live band regularly - was it The Windmill?

God, these memory tweaks are wierd, things I havent thought about in more years than I care to recall.  This site is making me use more brain cells than I've used in ages.  Well done Roger for starting this thing going!

I went to see Fleetwood Mac at the Tithe Farm, King Crimson at the Watford Town Hall & Stray at Harrow Tech.

Sad thing is that last year my husband took me as a surprise to see Roger Chapman (ex Family) in Southsea (that is not the sad bit), the sad things is we have now seen him a couple of times since and are going again on the 3rd Dec, so if any one remembers him and fancies a really good night out (he is still excellent), then let me know and I will give you details (it is in a place called Worcester Park, near New Malden).

The last concert we went to was his Birthday bash in April (Sharon Baker will confrim this as we dragged her and her husband along as well).  We went for a curry before hand and had a few beers, then when we got the place we had a few more..... At the end of the evening we were invited upstairs to his party, I was chatting to someone (dont ask me who), and I was told "Roger is free to talk to you now" my response (helped my more than a few bottles of Becks was "I have waited 26 years to meet him, he can wait 5 mins for me"!!! Oopps. (that was before I had insulted everyone from the Isle of White as a bunch of cross eyed, interbreeds)

All was forgiven, and we reminisced about gigs of old, the good old days ... what a sad bitch!

I remember seeing the Chi-Lites at Watford Top Rank (before it was Bailey's or Destiny's or whatever).

The Railway Tavern in Wealdstone is, of course, a famous Rock 'n' Roll venue.  Pete Townshend smashed his first guitar there.  He leapt up into the air and it hit the low ceiling over the stage.  He lost his temper, so the story goes, and the rest is history.  The Rolling Stones played there as well.  I believe Screaming Lord Sutch was at one time talking about turning it into a Rock 'n' Roll museum.

I remember the Oldfield at Greenford well.  I was with Nnelg (Glenn Starling) and a few others one night when the slow sounds came on.  Nnelg walked around the whole dance floor asking birds to dance.  They all refused.  Well, you would, wouldn't you?  Imagine if a guy asks you to dance after he's just been knocked back by 30 other birds.  You wouldn't exactly be flattered at being number 31 on Nnelg's list of desirable females in the place, would you?

From the Oldfield we graduated to Scamps in Hemel Hempstead, Sands in Luton, Crackers in Wardour Street and the Global Village under the arches at Charing Cross.

What about the sundown club by tottenham ct road station, st marys youth club on the kenton road tudors opp the railway before that it was called the labour hall where all the "tasty geezers" stood looking hard waiting for the next "bit ov bovva" while listening to james brown and obscure reggae beats these were our songs we thought we were the only ones who knew them.  Actually in a way i wish i hadnt found this site a few days ago because my head is stuck in 1970 and its making me sad.  I had such a laugh does anyone understand where im coming from?  lest i forget the lyceum on a monday night

pete mayes

by the way the railway is being turned into a mosque.  i still live round here the area is finished its a dump

Karl

I used to work at the Global Village.  Every Wednesday it was GLADES night (I cannot remember what that stood for, Gay Liberation against ......???)  It is now a Gay Club called Heaven.  There was an episode of the Sweeney filmed there years ago, in the part of the club they called the Tropicanna (I was that bar maid).  On the Wednsday nights I used to not only work behind the bar, but was a "bouncer" as none of the Macho Men Bouncers wanted to search anyone!

Hi. some of those songs bring back fond, and not so fond, memories. I remember the Diana Ross 'Touch me in the morning' song, as the one that saw me and Stephen Henney through our major break up ..... yawn! yawn!.  I also remember Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, but only because Lee went out with a real grown up (ha ha), and he educated us in grown up sounds! Anyone remember the discos that used to be held at Canons Park? Near the Whitchurch playing fields I believe.  Lastly, what was the pub near there, was it The Target?  That brings back memories of 'Hey there lonely girl', but can't remember who sang it.

Lee,

I didn't know we had a film star in our web community! I seem to remember that barmaid was topless - or was that an episode of Minder?

Sharon, I can't think what the pub was called by the school playing fields, but I remember drinking in there with Mac, Paul Nick, Geoff Boxer etc.  The Target is the MacDonald's on the A40 at, believe it or not, the Target Roundabout.  They used to have topless barmaids there on a Sunday, although for some reason they've cut that out since it became a MacDonald's.  Maybe that's where I'm getting confused with the Minder/Sweeney/Global Village connection.

Peter, I remember Tudors!  What have the town planners done to the Wealdstone we all grew up with and loved?  (Remember the outdoor pool before Harrow Leisure Centre was built?).

Not that I ever went up there, but does anybody remember Wigan and Northern Soul Dancing?

that pub near whitchurch fields is either the Green Man or the Queen of Hearts

No I was not topless, perish the thought, how come you 'lads' always manage to bring the conversation back to breast?? Oh yes of course I forgot, it's because you're Boyz!

Karl, you really do have a lot to answer for... your "top ten" sent me scurrying to the record collection and in my excitement I managed to kick my beer all over the lounge carpet much to the amusement of Mrs Brian!

Anyway, for what it's worth, here's a few I loved:

Montego Bay - Freddie Notes & The Rudies (performed live at the Railway, Wealdstone)

Love of the Common People - Nicky Thomas

Pickney Gal - Desmond Dekker

Young Gifted and Black - Bob & Marcia

Monkey Man - The Maytals

Vietnam - Jimmy Cliff (backing music to an assembly presented by Bill Latham, Pete Mayes and Brian Gray circa 1970)

Spirit in the Sky - Norman Greenbaum

Leaving Rome - Jo Jo Bennett

It All in the Game - Four Tops

Abraham, Martin and John - Marvin Gaye

Pennie, interesting to hear you mention the Chandos club; I can remember going there with Nicky myself a long time ago.

The pub near to the Whitchurch playing fields has to be the Green Man ... I think?

But finally, Mayesy is quite right....the place to be seen in the late sixties/early seventies was the one and only St Mary's in Kenton.

That's right! The pub by Whitchurch playing fields was the Green Man. The Queen of Hearts is at the bottom of Honeypot Lane.

All of this reminds me of a gang a few of us joined at the time.  The Honister, we called ourselves, after the council estate at the top of the Belmont Rattler.  If Chris Horton ever decides to contribute to this website, he'll back me up on this, as will Charlie Dack, if Chris e-mails him in Germany.

We weren't exactly a "hard" gang or anything.  Just a collection of skinheads, a greaser and a couple of long-haired twats like myself.  At this time in my life I was dressing ridiculously.  I would buy second-hand army shirts from that shop just over the bridge in Wealdstone (it's still there), tie-dye them in purples, greens and pinks, and wear them above tie-dyed trousers.  What a knob!

Nnelg lived on the Honister Estate just a few houses down from another skinhead called Gorm, and they decided to form the gang.  Gorm was a tall, ugly bloke - come to think of it, unless he's had a nose job and his eyes widened, he's probably still a tall, ugly bloke - who strutted through life with a distinct swagger, leaning back and raising his knees up and out to the side with every step. Gorm looked the part.

When I walked around Belmont Circle with Nnelg and Gorm I knew that all eyes were on me.  I knew that everyone was thinking, "Look at him, he knows Nnelg and Gorm."

And in case you're wondering why his parents christened their lovely little new-born baby "Gorm", trust me, it wasn't their first option.  I think they originally called him Jeremy or something, but an older skinhead renamed him Gormalistic-Spasticpower, and the abbreviated version stuck.

The solitary greaser in our gang was, of course, Charlie Dack.  Those of you who remember Charlie will have to admit that he was cool.  He was Downer's version of the Fonz! The reason Charlie was cool was that his older brother and sister, who were both bikers, virtually gave him free reign.  He grew his hair long and got a leather jacket for a Christmas present, and was allowed to stay out until all hours of the night.  I envied Charlie his independence.  He was a good bloke, and I've always regretted losing touch with him.

Now I've gone about all this in a bit of a long-winded way, but I'm setting the scene for my first encounter with a Dr. Marten boot.  It was at a youth club night at Chandos or somewhere close by.  While most of the clientele were skinheads, identifiable by their No. 1 crops, Ben Sherman's, red-tag Levi's and D.M.'s., I was distinctly individual with my exclusive blue & yellow psychedelic shirt and red crushed-velvet flairs.  This is true.  I still have the photographs.

Thinking back on it now, I probably deserved a kick up the arse just for looking so stupid. And this, of course, is exactly what happened.  As I wandered aimlessly across the dance floor my arse made the acquaintance of a steel-toe-capped Dr. Marten.  To be kicked up the arse is one thing, but to be booted by a Dr. Marten adds a whole different dimension to the experience.  Not only is it humiliating, it's bloody painful as well.

I spun around with fire in my eyes, landing a round-house kick on two of the skinheads.  As they hit the floor I lunged at a third one, my elbow smashing his jaw and then knocking him out with a side swipe to the head.  I immediately took up the stance, loose and ready, all senses on alert, shoulders rolling.  Out of the corner of my eye I could see Sue Jones and Pat Bradley regarding me with a new-found admiration.  But I had other things on my mind now.  As a skinhead leapt at me I stepped lithely aside and shot a perfectly-timed side-kick into his ribs.  He hit the floor hard.  I sensed, more than saw, another skinhead jump and with a deft tuck-and-roll I threw .....

Actually, none of this is true at all.  I just made it up.  I did turn, but I didn't have fire in my eyes at all.  Concern and apprehension more like.  Just then somebody, Gorm I think it was, said to the skinhead who'd booted me, "Hold up, that's Karl, he's alright."

"Oh yeah?" said the skinhead scowling at me, "Alright then."

I smiled back benignly.  Happy to be making friends.

Bigbadwoolf AKA Susan Woolf here ......

There are certain singles that can only conjure up images of maroon and blue, and smells of misty autumns back at school after an easy summer.  I particularly remember Hole in my Shoe by Traffic as being a significant single when I started at Downer in 1967.  It used to waft from the Lower IV common room by the netball courts.  I always loved Traffic especially John Barleycorn and Low Spark of High Heeled Boys which remind me of some great people who haven't yet spoken up on this dialogue.

Young Girl by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap conjures up strong images of the 3rd year.  The 6th form and a certain track by Mountain which was used, in most unlikely juxtaposition, as the intro to Walden brings back good memories. Anything by The Beatles post Sgt Pepper is also very schooly.

Another good one for reminiscence is Pinball Wizard by the Who.  If anyone reading this went on the School Holiday to Italy in 1969 you may remember this too.  (If you were there then start a new message because it could be fun)

As for places to go I am glad to admit to a slightly misspent youth listening to bands on a low budget or even for free at places such as the Roundhouse and Hyde Park.  I still tingle when I hear Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother and remember the music bouncing off the buildings around the park.  The Roundhouse often had bands that were just about to rocket to stardom, perhaps doing their first live act.  T Rex (post Tyrannosaurus Rex) and support band America was one good example.  I saw the Who there Xmas 1970 and I know that some of you saw the Stones or Pink Floyd there in early 1971.  Mysteriously, I was banned from seeing the Stones in either Hyde Park or anywhere else as my folks thought they were too subversive.  I seem to remember getting free tickets to go to the live John Peel sessions at the BBC for several of us to see Family.  There were also a couple of big concerts that a crowd of us went to: Jethro Tull at Wembley Empire Pool (Arena) and ELP + Genesis at The Oval. Good times.  Were you there too?

Can anyone remember that around 1969 they decided you could enter assembly with the record of a particular classes choice which they banged out on an old record player our choice was lets work together by canned heat what a bloody memory ive got!!! mind you about that time i got into a lot of trouble for drug abuse i went into a chemist picked up a bottle of asprin and told it to f**k off!!! brian vietnam!!! im in bits dave and ansil collins in the long hot summer of 70 what was it called

brian,

that assembly we gave do you remember walking on with our trousers given the"skinhead"look about 4 inches above the ankle showing our socks off yours were white mine yellow bills red and the murmour that went round as we walked on people probably thinking "what the f**k are they doing up there" great days i would like to discuss the mass rape in 3d in 1968 when"reggae"sheppherd burst in bashing every body and screaming not only can i hear you i can SEE you!!!!! but thats probably for another time when im 80 maybe!! so many stories and so little time