The Blue Note
Gore Street

Memories

I used to work at The Blue Note when John Fogel owned it. Pat Dempsey (ex Ivans Meads) worked there and managed a group, can't remember the name but the lead singer was called Tony and I remember going to the Cavern in Liverpool with them, also to the recording studio at Nield & Hardy record shop.

I also met Viv Annis there who married Ian Starr. His dad had a hairdressers on the corner of Whitworth St and Princess Street called Lou Starrs and was well known.

Viv and Ian lived in Withington and Didsbury and always had a full house.I went to his 30th birthday and there were several well known people there. When I worked at the Blue Note the DJ was called Les and later it was Dave Lomas and Dave Phillips."

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The Blue Note was just a great place to sit and come down after being in the Wheel all night. It was dark and warm and nice. When it closed we use to go to the Top 20 which was nothing like the Blue Note or the Wheel.

I have some great nights thinking of the good times in the Blue Note and the Wheel.

PS went there to wait untill it was time for the train back to Carlisle, which cost me 13shillings and 9pence return, half price of course.

Bill Elliott

I went to the Blue Note from about late July 66 to Jan 67. You could get alcohol.  I think the brewery was Mitchell and Butlers. 

Roger Eagle was the DJ spinning the very best music.  The place was full of coloured lads who never caused any trouble.  I remember they loved Junior Walker  - how sweet it is to be loved by you.

Friday night the place was packed  - a prelude to the Wheel all-nighter on the Saturday but of course Roger was missing so the music wasnt as good as the  Blue Note as Roger had all the magic sounds . He broke all the great sounds there (don’t laugh at this)  - Reach Out by the Four Tops  - he had it ages before any one else.   Knock on Wood  - again ages before anyone else. 

I know these 2 records are so well known now but in August 66  - wow . Then records like Boogaloo party – that’s enough - I could go on and on about records that became the bedrock of what we know now as northern soul.

Jim Hynes

The Blue Note was my first venture into non-folk territory and a pal and myself would bathe in the ambience.

We danced that 'side close side' step. I offered a lift to one beautiful girl who I'd bravely danced with - she took the offer in my old open top TR2 and introduced me to unexpected moves before dashing home somewhere in NE M/cr.

I met her two years later at Bradford Union, I was keen to re-engage but she was headed to the USA.

Roger Baker
10/1/09

I am still married to the girl I met there in 1969. Worked on the bar for a time (no alcohol). Broken piano on the small stage. Held my brothers 21st. party there (Graham) in May '69.

Remember John's blue Alvis car. Pass out to the Waldorf next door, what else, oh yeah, everyone meeting at the Gay (Grey/) Dolphins prior to going to the all-nighters.

Great time, great music.     

Tunji Thomas
23/12/09