Seven Stars (Heywood)

The Severn Stars’ was in Heywood. It was all things to all men; a pub, a concert hall and a boxing ring. The choice of bands helped fill the place every weekend with the trendy local talent.

Seven Stars crowd dancing to The Santa Fe Reunion 1968 Probably one of the most popular venues outside the City Centre. Remember going there when we didn't have any bookings. Saw Pink Engine on numerous occasions there. Let me know if I am wrong, but wasn't their lead guitarist blind?

DJ on a Sunday was called Graham Richards really good Rock DJ 

Pete King 

I used to go to the Seven Stars nearly every week, being a Heywood lad. I saw groups there before they made it big, including Supertramp, Be Bop Delux, plus other great bands like Hackensack, Gypsy, Pepper Tree (always in awe of their harmonies), Pink Engine, who had a blind guitarist Billy Hall, Soul Sect plus others.

Ted Tuksa - 18/1/09

I'm a Rochdale lad that used to visit the Seven Stars with my mates regularly on Thursday and Sunday nights.

I remember the band with the blind lead guitarist, I can't remember his name or the band name, but I know he died some years ago. It was published in the Rochdale Observer. I also saw him doing an acoustic set in the Derby pub as was and he was equally brilliant!

I didn't see them but I heard that UFO once played there.(can anyone confirm) My memory is not as it used to be, but I'm sure I saw Budgie once play there,when Pete Boot was their drummer and he did an awesome drum solo.(again can anyone confirm) I do remember however a group called Jab Jab that I saw.They were Black guys that came from the dressing room to the stage in like grass skirts,blowing whistles,chanting e.t.c,they were fantastic.The lead guitarist had a Hendrix style/sound.

Oh! for the good old days when the DJ played such delights as "The Faith Healer" and "The Black Velvet Stallion"

Chris - 24/11/09

I was in a prog/rock band called BODY. We performed on about 15 occasions at the Seven Stars from 1976- 1997. It was a brilliant venue and I have many happy memories performing there. Some friends of ours TRACTOR played there as well.

Thanks for letting us perform there.

Can anyone remember us performing there? If you can please e-mail me j.michael.bleasdale (at) homecall.co.uk

John Michael Bleasdale
4/5/10

I was the keyboard player in a band called The Pennine Five, and we played on quite a regular basis at The Seven Stars in the 60's. It was always a venue I enjoyed playing at because we were normally booked to play for a full week, so that meant that we could leave all our gear set up ready for the following night. This made life a lot easier than having to pack everything up.

The pay at the Seven Stars was not brilliant, but it was great fun.

I would love to hear from anyone who either remembers me or the band. I would especially like to hear from other members of the Pennine Five.

David Kay
22/7/10 

I was about 10 years old in the late sixties. We hung out around the back of the Stars on the wreck.

Saturday night was the best night, we would sometimes help the bands in with their gear and get a tanner and a few broken drum sticks or we would get a clip around the ear and told to bugger off!

We would sit at the back doors listening to the bands - having to go home before the the bands had just got warmed up - we had to be in for 9.30.

Then sunday morning first there first served for the money that had got lost in drunken buffoonery and fights. I'd id be there six oclock collecting the conkers on the way to my paper round, a nice little bonus as the sunday papers were very heavy.

Gary Parkinson - 19/12/10

The band with the blind lead guitarist was Pink Engine. I saw the band at the Bee-Hive, and asked if I could be their lead vocalist. I was auditioned and somehow got the job, my first, and played at The Seven Stars with them many times.

I would lead Billy the blind lead guitarist onto the stage. He was excellent believe it or not, his day job was as a piano tuner. The rest of the band was very good and a good laugh, the bass player had a wicked sense of humour.

I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM HIM, OR ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BAND ,OR ANYBODY THAT KNEW THE BAND, ATTENDED THE SEVEN STARS GIG,OR ANY OTHER GIGS WE DID as I cant remember the year, songs we did at The Seven Stars or any of the other gigs we did.

I  think we played once in Llandudno but I'm not sure. So please if there,s anybody out there, who has any of this information, I'd love to hear from you.

Rob Tonge - 17/3/11

I was DJ here on Fridays & Saturdays 1971-1972.
I started to make Saturdays more of a northern soul night and got many people coming in before the Richmond Club opened. I played many of the sounds popular at the Twisted Wheel. It got absolutely packed.

Phil Hart -  4/1/12

THE SEVEN STARS was a great venue ! I played guitar in the SLEEPWALKERS & it was a regular gig with a good stage, great room sound & was always crouded.The pay was not good but that didnt matter.We also used to go to see other groups on nights we were not playing ... the pub owners certainly had the right idea on how to pack a place without charging too much for the beer ! Shame they can't come up with a similar idea to prevent so many pubs closing.

Ken Porter - 26/4/2013