Black Swan Pub

[Chris M 10]

Andy - You mentioned Average White Band ,

I was a big fan back in the seventies and can't

believe I missed them. Can you pin a date on the

show at all ?

[Roysboy56 10]

Chris

 

I was heavily involved with numerous bands who played at the Black Swan... affectionately known as the Mucky Duck in the early sixties...I first appeared there when I was 14, playing lead guitar for Pete Fender and the Strollers.

 

Other bands I played with include "Johnnie Silver and the Thunderbirds", "The Chevrons" and last but by no means least a band called "The Sheffields". We were originally managed by Pete Stringfellow I have many fond memories of my time with the band and although we played mainly in London and the south coast, Sheffield was our natural home base.

 

Sadly the band split up and I then moved on to tour with "Dave Berry and the Cruisers" before temporarily retiring from the Rock and Roll scene to live in Jersey for a few years.

 

I'm back in the area now and still enjoy playing the Gibson I bought way back in 1962. She's well worn ... a bit like myself, but we can still "sing" a bit together.

 

BTW I have for some time been trying to trace Dave Green who played bass for "The Chevrons"... does anyone have any contact details?

 

Roy Ledger

[Andyman 10]

Originally posted by Chris M

Andy - You mentioned Average White Band ,

I was a big fan back in the seventies and can't

believe I missed them. Can you pin a date on the

show at all ?

 

Never saw them myself Chris, would guess mid/late seventies but could be miles out.

 

Andy

[Nigel Womersle 10]

Terry Steeples was also manager of the Essoldo Cinema in Rotherham. I remember he and his wife well, although her name escapes me. A very good looking lady. Terry was a big guy and very sociable too. He was a great one for promotions and always on the ball to promote the films at the Essoldo. I once had a drink with him at the Black Swan - it seems so long ago - well it is.

[Andyman 10]

Originally posted by Roysboy56

Chris

 

I was heavily involved with numerous bands who played at the Black Swan... affectionately known as the Mucky Duck in the early sixties...I first appeared there when I was 14, playing lead guitar for Pete Fender and the Strollers.

 

I'm back in the area now and still enjoy playing the Gibson I bought way back in 1962. She's well worn ... a bit like myself, but we can still "sing" a bit together.

 

 

Roy Ledger

 

Hi Roy, Pete Fenders band playing a Gibson, can't be right.

 

What model is the Gibson, could be worth a lorra, lorra money by now. New kit just doesn't sound the same, no soul.

I have a fifties re-issue Stratocaster but without effects pedals it sounds a bit "tinny" even though it is a great instrument.

 

Andy

[superCol 10]

Originally posted by blondee

vaguely remeber my parents telling me it was called the Compleat Angler at one time, or have I dreamt it . . .?

 

You're spot on with name 'The Compleat Angler' (and the spelling too!) Named after a book by someone I can't remember the name of, I think. It had angling gear and books on the wall and was made out to look a bit like someones private library.

 

I used to have lunch in there during the early eighties when I was Assistant Manager at the ABC Cinema which was then only a few yards further up the hill in Angel Street. I do remember that the lunch menu was good and so was the beer! I also remember that the interior was divided in to 3 areas which made it impossible to have any live music at that time.

[Houdi 10]

Originally posted by Chris Wilson

Also, if anyone has any info regarding the general history of the building it would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks,

Chris Wilson, Boardwalk Promoter. [/b]

 

I used to frequent the Black Swan in the 70's and was under the impression that 'Mucky Duck' was a play-on-words nickname. However, it appears that the upstairs and downstairs bars had different names over the years. The Boardwalk, as it is now, was previously the Mucky Duck, Complete Angler, and the Black Swan. The other part (Under The Boardwalk), was called the Old Brewery Tap, Dive Bar (particularly apt name, I expect), and the Merry England Bar at different periods of time. Hope this is of help.

[Lew Archer 10]

Hi. My wife and I are going to be in London in mid January and I am going to try and check out some historical clubs that The Clash played back in the 70’s and 80’s. I have a book that says that the first show The Clash played was at The Swan in Sheffield on July 4th 1976 with The Sex Pistols. Is this club still standing? Is it still a club? What is the address? Do you know of any pictures of the Black Swan on the internet?

Thanks, any info would help.

Lew.

[mojo 10]

Several mentions of Vinegar joe playing at the duck, but does anyone remember their previous incarnation as Dada with Elkie Brookes and Robert palmer on lead vocals. I saw them at the duck one Sunday night, cant remember the year. Brilliant gig tho.

 

The book "The Compleat Angler" was written by Isaac Walton who later went on to find fame after his life story was made into a film all about him and his 25 brothers and sisters growing up in the blue ridge mountains of vriginia.....G'night John Boy.....G'night Isaac

[mikey 10]

Originally posted by Lew Archer

Hi. My wife and I are going to be in London in mid January and I am going to try and check out some historical clubs that The Clash played back in the 70’s and 80’s. I have a book that says that the first show The Clash played was at The Swan in Sheffield on July 4th 1976 with The Sex Pistols. Is this club still standing? Is it still a club? What is the address? Do you know of any pictures of the Black Swan on the internet?

Thanks, any info would help.

Lew.

 

 

The club is still standing and it is now called The Boardwalk

 

http://www.theboardwalklive.co.uk

 

It was indeed the place where the Clash plated there fist gig, and it still has bands playing today.

 

There is a very old picture here of the Black Swan

 

Very old piccy

[Chris M 10]

As a kid I can remember walking past the "Swan" and odly

enough it was painted green.

There was also a sign that said "What's behind the green door

tonight" and underneath this was often a poster for whichever

live artist was on at the time.

 

(Frankie Vaughan had a big hit with the song "Green Door"

in late 1956)

(I have got a version of this song by a guy called Wynder K Frogg

from around 1968 ?)

 

Not many people know that !!!

[Jchatt 10]

Remember the Mucky Duck, had my hen night there in 1972, what anight:)