Cosmos Club
Carlisle

Huge club that I believe was converted into a furniture warehouse but has now been torn down.

In the late sixties the club was a regular gig for Manchester bands - making their way through the Lake District towns in the days before the M6. Dodging the caravan set in the summer and battling the snow over the Shap in the winter.

Memories:

"Two of the guys in the band were too broke to spend the night in digs and had to spend the night in the van. It gets mighty cold in Carlisle and the van loses its heat in a very short time. Poor buggers had to get up and play football to keep warm. It must have been cold - the Hammond froze up in the van overnight and we couldn't get it started at the gig"

"The club had a large stage with a seating area behind it. I split my stage pants and wasn't wearing underpants. I had my bum showing for the rest of the spot"

"The club still very much into live music. The support band - also from Manchester - hadn't made it so the manager immediately got in a local band - he would have been lynched if he had used a dj"

I was the managing director, and did most of the running of the club, including booking all the groups and making them comfortable when thay arrived to do their 2x1 or 2x45 spots.

We had great times, we got most groups thu' the Derek Mack Agency in Warrington + Stuart Littlewood - where are those guys now?

I moved to Spain for 10 years and spent acres of time in the States. My body is well retired now, but my mind is still alive with the great sounds of the Cosmo era.

Hoping that some of the boys will touch base with me.

Les Leighton