Accrington Cavern
 

Anyone remember Accy Cavern when soon to be famous groups used to perform?
What happened to my friends, Jimmy Lightbown, Tony Bikerstaff and Paul Mackey?
Remember the Wheel in Manchester?
So many memories and questions .
Who'll take pity on an expat so far away from the best part of Lancashire!

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

saw Long John Baldry there back in the day, was a great venue, remember the Twisted Wheel, n Heavan N Hell in manchester very slightly due to illegal substances.:D can vaguley remember Jimmy Lightbown but thats it soz.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

remember the cavern, and the twisted wheel in manc.
the steam packet played the cavern. must have been the same gig i
also saw long john baldry
cant remember any local names given above,but then age
catches up on us all,
illegal substanses not counted
:theband: :theband:

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

i do remember some councells that lived in accy
i think quite close to the cavern,

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I remember the Cavern, but don't remember anyone famous. Also went to the Wheel in Manchester.

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twas counsells beechy knew three of em, think it was school street area they lived.;)

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I think I remember Tony Bickerstaff did he have a brother called David? If it is who I am thinking of he is living in Great Harwood.

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Where was the Cavern? Never heard of it before:confused:

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I remember the Cavern, also remember seeing Long John Baldry there Cashy.

You and me would seem to have spent part of our misspent youths in the same places.

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yep, he married a Arrod girl Pauline Starkie (as was) :D

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Yeh, come on guys .. I haven't a clue either. :p Thought I had visited all the dives in Accy.

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twas on Castle Street, just below where the tax office is/was.:) was too classy fer you kate. lol

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Twisted Wheel Club - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
may be worth a read

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Twisted Wheel - Manchester UK -Northern Soul try this.:)

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Hey ... I used to go to Morts !! ... LOL.
Don't remember it at all ... must have opened after I got married in '64 .. didn't get out much after that .... :(

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Can't remember what year it opened, but I think it would be after 64. I'm surprised you don't remember it.

As Cashy says it was just below where the tax office is now.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

so did i, thats how i can compare.:D

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Ah tied to the kitchen sink after 64 were ya kate:D

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Thanks everyone,
Yes Dave Bickerstaff was Tony's twin although there was rather a complicated story about them being divided when very young (in fact he was also known as Tony Palmer)
Mr. Cashman!!
my cousin Alan Gilmartin in Tasmania tells me that you know a lot more than you are letting on. In fact he told me to contact Accy Web because you are a sort of expert on the period I'm talking about.
I would just like to know what happened to Tony and of course JImmy Lightbown (first love of my life!!)
I'm referring to the years 1965/66/67

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Sorry forgot to mention, I'm nothing to do with the Counsells in Accrington.
My dad came from Clayton but we lived in Oswaldtwistle and most of my relatives in Accy and Clayton are called Gilmartin.
I went to Paddock House if that could possibly interest anyone

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

check out this thread , it will probably revive one or two memories :D :D

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...deck-5355.html

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...se-old-friends may be of some interest also.:)

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Kiki Dee was on with Long John Baldry, remember cause it was sumertime and so bloody hot and steamy in there, everybody kept going outside to get some cool air, and a sly drink, The Cavern didnt last long but it was a great place. Remember the cellar part of it, used for allkinds of illicit goings on. There was a guy who used to sing ballads there, Twilight time, You'll never walk alone, he was fanfastic but cant remember his name.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Yes i remember the cavern very well and spent many great nights down the wheel. I am Dave Bickerstaff( bicky) my twin brother is called Tony Palmer, perhaps that is where you got Tony Bikerstaff from. We used to mate round with Jimmy Lightbown, Paul mackie, Tom Robinson etc. I remember seeing The Steam Packet, the band consisted of Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry, Brian Auger and Julie Dricoll. In fact i managed to find a c d of theirs not long ago it brought back some good memories.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Missed out on going to the Cavern, a source of eternal regret. I would've loved to have seen the Steampacket...my sort of music - R&B (proper R&B, that is, not the sort of plastic music they call R&B now).

As for the Wheel, well worth picking up a copy of "Central 1179 - the Story of Manchester's Twisted Wheel" by Phil Scott and Keith Rylatt. A great read!

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

So Bicky, what happened to Jimmy Lightbown,

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

jonny kidd and the pirates played ther often

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I think you might be thinking about the Vic in Clayton Martin, I think Johnny might have died by the time the Cavern opened,

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Johnny kidd appeared at the vic, he died in 66, never at cavern to best of my knowledge.:)

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Al G says it was the 'Vic'???
I don't know - our vivien used to go there
If it was the Cavern could it have been near the viaduct (close to the Princess cinema) circa 62ish? on accrington road? downsteam from the hospital?
Martin

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Not far from 'The Australian', another nefarious hostelry of old Accrington and now long gone.

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Yep but the last landladys still batting.;) or was when i saw her a couple of yrs ago.:)

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Believe there are photographs of both these establishments in one or more of Bob Dobson's publications!

Is it true that bare knuckle fist fights were staged there from time to time, or is it just rumour?

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If there was,was before my time, used to play football on broadway carpark wi the son after school n go back yon after first went in supping in 62.:D

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Tha must av bin still at skoo Cashy, tha must ev sterted early mate. Ah think a wer 15 wen I ed mi ferst pint.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

i was al.:D

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I can remember him at the Vic, but like you cashy can't ever remember him at the Cavern,

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Bloody Hell Alan you were a late starter weren't you mate:D:D

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Yea that was first real pint in a pub, not talking about up the backs, and on cut bank an all that. probably 13 or 14 then.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

I remember the Accrington Cavern I played there with a new band from Blackburn called Freewheelin' after a Bob Dylan Album. With me Dave Robinson John Shepherd Dave Mc Garry and Ronnie Riley. We came on first, aFollowed by a great band Wynder K Frog who then had an old school pal from Blackburn and brilliant drummer Ian Cooper. The final band that night was Alex Corners Blues Incorporated. A really great night from what I remember.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

I had a friend of mine I got to know when I lived in London. Tom Robinson from Accrington He was singing with a R&B soul band around London Pubs and clubs. He may well still be at it. He had a great soul voice.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Hi davyro
I knew Tom very well but the last time I saw him was when Ben E King was in Liverpool in the late sixties.
I have just found this pic, do you think it could be him?

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Any more pics Susan, and Davyro is that David Robinson, Susan can you put names to the guys in the photo,

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I got the pic from Google. If you google: Tom Robinson band you'll find loads on him, and if you click on images you will see him as he is now ( quite a bit older)

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Sorry to disappoint you, folks, but that's a completely different Tom Robinson Band, who were big in the late 70's with "2 4 6 8 Motorway".

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Tom was in the Francis T. Construction shown here - top notch Soul/R&B band back in the day. I do believe Tom is the tall one right at the back. francis t construction - Accrington Photo Gallery

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Hiya all
I came by this Accrington Web,by accident ..I so the programme on tv about Ginger Baker. which made me remmember when he was with the Graham Bond Organization and they played at the cavern .
And I was the DJ ! the first DJ! Happy days, I got the job because I had a big record collection and the owner Tom (from the liverpool area) asked if I would like to bring along some records ,I used 2 decks and a table .The stage was really small and the back changing room was even smaller.I lived and worked in blackburn back then,(now in southport) other bands I rememmber are the steampacket with long john baldry and Rod stewart ( they had a real bustup that night)..
I rememmber Jimmy lightbown .he was always the best dressed guy and wore a long leather coat.shirt and tie..I think he lost a leg in some crash.The last time I saw him was a t a trade show , hes business was selling plastic flowers.and he still looked the part.!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO
some time later (cant remmember ) I started Dj-ing at a club called the Disco, it was over a shoe shop on possibly abbey street, the owner was a guy called ? and his girl friend Gale .now she has a jewellery shop in blackburn, I know this because I have a jewellry shop.

Sooooooooooo
Some time later,I opened a shop called Disc and Tape exchange ,at Number 1 little blackburn road
The rest is history.

Thanks for reading this,
I hope it helps ..

mike levine

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Disc @ Tape was a good shop on top corner of little Blackburn Rd. used to pop in occasionally.:)

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As did I Mr C :D
Although the hairdressers shop above it had a stronger attraction with Connie Downes and Carol Duckett working up there, you could always get a brew. :D
Mog will remember I bet.

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Carol was brought up on same street as me, we were in same class at St Johns.:)

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Did you share the DJ-ing duties at the Disco with Big Mick Ward, Accy Corporation bus driver by day? There were certainly some great sounds spun on the decks at that little club.

Remember the Disc & Tape, picked up quite a few good records there including a number of recommendations from you. Also recall bumping into you at various record fairs back in the day. Hope you're keeping well.

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

Thanks Wynonie !
I think Mick Ward did mobile d-j ing,he bought his records from the shop, in between local bus driving then he started to drive a coach and travel away ..I think he started to have fits and had to give up driving ,,which he loved!
Its funny ,I worked at The cavern and The disco and lived at home in blackburn then when I had the shop I lived in Padiham then Simonstone .
Then when I got divorced I lived in Baxenden,,
Until moving to Ainsdale after remarrying..
Me and my son have great memories of the shop.Its even on face book.HAHA
xx

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

I certainly do Dave. 2 very pretty young ladies. Bob Burnside and myself spent a little time with them.

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I remember Disco - used to go there occasionally - also used used to go into the shop to buy discs - I also remember Connie Downes - she is a relative but have not seen her for ages!! Wow memories!!

Re: Accrington Cavern
 

So where is Jimmy Lightbown now.