The Leadmill Late 80's

surfinjim · 12-09-2006, 05:37

Anyone got got any favourite memories or stories from the Leadmill from the late 80's to early 90's, circa 1988 - to 1994.

This is roughly the period that I worked there, and I'm just interested in any snippets that I might recall.

I used to work behind the main bar on Friday and Saturday nights, and more often than not on the Jazz for lunch on a Sunday.

A couple of my favourites;

You used to get solid plastic pint pots which we'd throw about in the air or at each other for a jape. One night, one of these pots hit the fans that reside above the main bar and smacked a punter on the side of the bonce at the end of the bar. He went down like a sack of spuds. We laughed heartily, but got a severe b*ll**king. The guy was non the worse for it.

Do you remember the little bar that sat on the edge of the dance floor near the cloak room. One night a cs gas canister was let off in the main bar and the "Amazing Grace" record came on to evacuate the club. I was working in the little bar that night and pulled down the shutters and got merrily hammered.

It would be nice to hear some stories from very happy times for me.

Cheers
Jim

only_me · 12-09-2006, 07:51

Hi Jim, i actually worked on the leadmill when it was being rebuilt from some old factory. I went in there Thursdays during the years you mention, great times the place would be packed. Was you there when a lot of people from the student games were coming in ?. I remember Percy on the door, and a kid called paul behind the bar, do you remember him and what he did?. Went in there on a thursday a few years ago and the place was nowhere as good as 80s/90s or maybe im just getting old lol.

Ousetunes · 12-09-2006, 08:37

The band I was in rehearsed in a large room above the Leadmill in the autumn of 1988. It was ideal but there was always the inevitable stairs to contend with and we were, naturally, reluctant to leave our equipment there.

I used to enjoy the Leadmill but in a sense it became a victim of its own success. The queues became too long, you had no guarantee of getting in due to moronic bouncers and the place became too busy for my liking. The thought of going there these days sends a shudder down my spine (though that applies to going to any nightclub).

I've seen a couple of decent bands there, both in the early-to-mid 1990s. Shed Seven were great and Dodgy were also excellent before they received too much airplay and 'sold out'. The La's (sic) on the other had were disappointing. I also recall a group called Everyday People who were quite impressive.

surfinjim · 12-09-2006, 23:51

[QUOTE=only_me] I remember Percy on the door, and a kid called paul behind the bar, do you remember him and what he did?.

Only-Me. Yes I know Percy, he was there all the time I worked there. His brother is Uriah Rennie, don't know if you knew that.

If you mean Paul who was the bar manager, then yes I know him. We were pretty pally at the time. With the "What he did?" are we talking about how he came to leave the Leadmill????

Jim

only_me · 13-09-2006, 10:03

Yes

samsmum · 13-09-2006, 18:24

all i can remember about the leadmill in the late 80's/early 90's was the ceiling dripping on you towards the end of the night...yuck!!!

oh, and the great chips you used to get from that little cafe ... last time i went in the leadmill was about 3 years ago, and i agree with ousetunes - it wasnt as good as it used to be.

surfinjim · 13-09-2006, 22:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by only_me

Yes

I don't think it would be a problem to post it seeing as he was convicted for it!

What do you think?

Would have been even funnier if he'd gotten away with it. I seem to remember he managed to get locked into the cellar as well to make it more convincing....... Don't know how he managed that.

mgblade · 14-09-2006, 17:01

yep i was there a lot of friday nights late 80,s. sometimes on a saturday as well,could be wrong but didn't you pay to watch a band then after they would chuck you out so you'd pay again to use the club.
a friend of a friend was determined to be a dj and he got a slot, DJ MORGAN was his name.
i used to talk to one of the bar staff always wore a FRANKIE t-shirt, about collecting FGTH records, cant recall his name though.
some of the bouncers were quite scary esp a coloured woman, not to be messed with.if you were caught smoking weed they used to nick it off you, i presume for themselves cos they didn't lob you out.
sure i was there when the cs gas went off, remember been moved out and lots of police arriving but can't recall why.
happy days, have been since agree its not as good..

surfinjim · 14-09-2006, 23:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgblade

yep i was there a lot of friday nights late 80,s. sometimes on a saturday as well,could be wrong but didn't you pay to watch a band then after they would chuck you out so you'd pay again to use the club.
a friend of a friend was determined to be a dj and he got a slot, DJ MORGAN was his name.
i used to talk to one of the bar staff always wore a FRANKIE t-shirt, about collecting FGTH records, cant recall his name though.
some of the bouncers were quite scary esp a coloured woman, not to be messed with.if you were caught smoking weed they used to nick it off you, i presume for themselves cos they didn't lob you out.
sure i was there when the cs gas went off, remember been moved out and lots of police arriving but can't recall why.
happy days, have been since agree its not as good..

On a saturday night you'd pay to get in and see the band and then stop all night although there was usually a big exodus around midnight once the band had finished.

The female bouncer sounds like Winnie. She went on to be one of the bar managers. Don't know what she's doing nowadays.

I remember DJ Morgan. He was resident for pretty much all the time I worked there. The guy with the FGTH t shirt sounds like my mate Sean. He was from Luton with a bit of a late 80's mullet going on.

Jim

Halibut · 14-09-2006, 23:56

I remember seeing The Mighty Lemon Drops at the Leadmill, in about 1987. Excellent; my brother his mates and I were quite drunk (and had smeared our faces liberally with Calamine lotion for some reason unknown). Also saw The Family Cat around the same time. Went to the Jazz on Sunday lunchtime thing too - good food and groovy tunes. Newspapers. (I think kids were allowed in too ) Like being at home, but better.

Damon · 15-09-2006, 09:07

How about that series of satirical revues they used to have on Fridays in the mid-eighties - it was called The Sheffield Friday Show or something like that. It was fairly patchy, which is only to be expected when they were writing a lot of material so quickly, but the whole concept was entirely commendable. I recall you could pay to see that, then hang around and stay for La Videotech (Mark 1 version).

Hmm, and, I recall a bloke in shorts and a bowler hat working on the turnstile in the early days. Strange.

mgblade · 15-09-2006, 09:43

just remembered some more-
guy with beard who used to dance on his own, then at the end of the night go out and unlock his push bike from the scaffold next door. he'd then drunkenly wobble off into the night, no lights on either.he must have been pulled by the police. we saw him quite a few times though.
queing to get in for a band, there was a lad who was quite obviously under age trying to get in.he'd scratched off his DOB on his passport and tried penning a new one over the top, made a right mess, passport would have been knackered. the bouncers thought it highly amusing and had a good giggle, needless to say he didnt get in.

Merry_Legs · 15-09-2006, 10:46

I remembered queuing at the bar for a pint of cider and Old Peculiar when the Cramps came on. I said "I really like this song, what's it called?" and a bloke said "You've got good taste". I said "Thanks, do you know what its called?" Then I felt really stupid.

mum23 · 27-01-2007, 14:02

I worked behind the bar in the leadmill for a few years, between 91 and prob 94. I think I know who you must be surfinjim. Could be wrong. I havent kept in touch with anyone from there.
I have some fab memories from those days :-)

melthebell · 27-01-2007, 14:23

i only really went to a few gigs at the leadmill

although i remember chumbawamba playing and there was some nazis heckling from the crowd ..not sure but i remember they got beat up eventually??

i also went to see jah shaka and mi mate was at the front by the speaker and he'd been partaking in a bit of weed and alcohol, when the dub bass kicked in he promptly threw up over the barrier lol

only_me · 27-01-2007, 15:19

Hi melthebell, hope surfinjim dont mind me going off subject but jah shaka is a great sound. I dont know if you ever seen the film babylon (1980) but it involved the jah shaka sound, he was actually in the film as well.

melthebell · 27-01-2007, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by only_me

Hi melthebell, hope surfinjim dont mind me going off subject but jah shaka is a great sound. I dont know if you ever seen the film babylon (1980) but it involved the jah shaka sound, he was actually in the film as well.

yeah i used to have a few jah shaka lps back in the day and love babylon, its one of my fave films ever.
trouble is ive not been able to locate it to buy OR download as yet

yeah the other soundsystem is played by aswad i believe

JohnM · 27-01-2007, 15:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgblade

but didn't you pay to watch a band then after they would chuck you out so you'd pay again to use the club...

They didnt start doing that till quite a few years later. In fact in the mid 80s the main band would come on at 11ish, but then they started putting them on earlier to get two crowds (one for band + one for disco), then they twigged they could make even more cash by throwing everyone out after the band & making them pay to come back in again!

I was a regular on saturdays for most of this period & saw some great bands - and as it was so cheap to get in - didnt matter if they were rubbish - you just went to the bar till the disco started!

I think the most surprising band, who I'd never heard of before, were the Fench Funk Federation - a big french funk band (strangely enough) who took the roof off the place - they were brilliant. Janes Addiction (89?) also goes down as one of the best gigs I've ever been to anywhere.

surfinjim · 30-01-2007, 04:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by mum23

I worked behind the bar in the leadmill for a few years, between 91 and prob 94. I think I know who you must be surfinjim. Could be wrong. I havent kept in touch with anyone from there.
I have some fab memories from those days :-)

You need to give me a few clues mum23 as to who you are then?

I used to work on Friday and Saturdays only, and had another job during the day. I lived at Grenoside at the time when I worked in the Ledders.
I used to knock about with Sean (from Luton, now lives in Michigan) and Kim (from Gleadless, now lives in Norway).

I think I know who you could be, but I need a clue as old age is setting in.....

Cheers
Jim

Mattym · 31-01-2007, 18:28

Gig wise- i only remember seeing Bassomatic.
DJ wise- Carl Cox, Astrix & Space, LTJ Bukem & many more.
Remember going to a very good boxing day rave up- probs '91.