The Esquire Club

[crookesey 633]

Message as follows:

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To whom it may concern.

 

I read an article on your news page asking did anyone remember the Esquire Club on Leadmill Road and the Club 60 down on West Bar.

 

Well here's a blast from the past for your older city (60's vintage readers), I was the manager of the Club 60 in a quantra deal done with Terry Thornton, which incidentally he never backed up in times of need, just took the money when times were good.

 

But that's not the story, the story really is on the number of up and coming groups that played at the Club 60 in the mid 60's, for what I might ad in those days was a very small fee. Some of the notable groups we had

were: Joe Cocker and the Grease Band, Dave Berry and the Cruisers, Jimmy Crawford and the Ravens (whatever happened to him ?, his real name was Ron Lyndsay, he was a champion school boy swimmer), Eric Burdon and the Animals, The Rockin Berries, Frankenstein and the Monsters, Screaming Lord Sutch, The Fortunes and many more. We nearly booked the Rolling Stones in their very early years, but Terry Thornton said they hadn't received very good reviews from down South, so we didn't bother (bugger).

 

The big problem with the Club 60 was you could only get about 350 people in, and in a three cellar complex that was mighty crowded when full. The club worked well for a while, but unfortunately when the River Don rose in the winter, the cellars were suseptible to seapage, and manys the day that we had crews mopping three inches of water out for a Saturday night openning, and the damp smell left behind was not pleasant. But the club enjoyed success for a couple of years, but then as with all small venues the crowds went to bigger and better clubs, and we really needed to spend a heap of money on it, which (I) did not have at the time.

 

The main rivals were the Esquire Club, which eventually covered three floors down on Leadmill Road, and Pete Stringfellow's Mojo Club, which also did very well at that time, and as they say the rest is history.

 

I actually went to to old Grand Hotel (now long since gone) to pick up Sonny Boy Williamson, who was quite fluid at the time for a performance at the Esquire Club in it's hayday. He was not quite sure where he was, but I remember his performance that night, and he never missed a beat on stage, as they say he was one of the old masters. The same thing happened with Lightning Hopkins when he came to the Esquire, but they were old pro's and the music was pure soul.

 

Well there you go, we had a lot of faithful followers in the old days, and I'm sure many of them may still have a fond memory or two of the old Club 60 down on Shail Road. Funny enough I can't remember the name of the pub whose cellars we used, perhaps you could research that for me.

 

PS: Dave Berry and the Cruisers are playing in Queensland this coming weekend, and I believe Frank White is still with him, they go back a long way.

 

Best Regards: Tony Land, an old Handsworth boy

 

Great post, we must have known each other, I knew Scott William, Kenny Slade, Dave Green, Pete and Geoff Stringfellow, to name but a few. I recall the Graham Bond Organisation appearing at the Esquire, Ginger Baker was on the drums, I had a chat to him during a break, he's a top guy. I can't believe that Terry Thornton is still in prison, I didn't know him but knew his son Phil.

 

What great days they were, now look at us, posting on a bloody forum.

[rainbow2411 11]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perry Scope View Post

I have been working with Terry Thornton, the former owner of Club 60 and the Esquire on a much revised book about the great days of the early 60s when Terry brought a host of international stars to Sheffield, and also promoted Joe Cocker, Dave Berry and a load of other promising local musicians....regrettably Terry passed away on 10th January and the book will now be a tribute to his early successess...if anyone has any other memories of the club scene from that era or who knew Terry, please respond.

Thanks

Is this the man who used to go with eileen caulton.

If so just google his name.

The terry thornton I remember got locked up for nail bombing a woman.

__________________

I remembered this post from 2010 regarding Terry but there was no follow up information so I am not sure whether it is correct

.

[Jim Hardie 527]

Here

[rainbow2411 11]

Thanks for that but it's not the post I was quoting from, I found this one in the entertainment chat dated 16.01.2010 Re: Loss of Terry Thornton - and early 60s club life but I'm not as clever as you, I haven't a clue how you do that 'link' thing

[le-joker 10]

Yeah, and I think his pianist that you saw was a young Elton John.

[mossdog 10]

Great post, we must have known each other, I knew Scott William, Kenny Slade, Dave Green, Pete and Geoff Stringfellow, to name but a few. I recall the Graham Bond Organisation appearing at the Esquire, Ginger Baker was on the drums, I had a chat to him during a break, he's a top guy. I can't believe that Terry Thornton is still in prison, I didn't know him but knew his son Phil.

 

What great days they were, now look at us, posting on a bloody forum.

I was bass player with Scott William Combo in those days,and I well remember Supporting Graham Bonds Organisation one night when they were there.(Gingers eyes were somewhere on planet Zep!).

[mikep57 10]

I was bass player with Scott William Combo in those days,and I well remember Supporting Graham Bonds Organisation one night when they were there.(Gingers eyes were somewhere on planet Zep!).

 

Does anyone remember or know what happened to Al Wood (with the moustach) who played bass double base trad at club 60?

[crookesey 633]

I was bass player with Scott William Combo in those days,and I well remember Supporting Graham Bonds Organisation one night when they were there.(Gingers eyes were somewhere on planet Zep!).

 

Did you also play bass for Cocker, and have coffee in the Concourse Suite (ABC cinema) with Scott and Kenny? When I mention Kenny drinking coffee, you will recall that the pubs didn't open until 7:00 pm on Sundays in those days.

 

My mate and I booked the Scott William Combo at the YMCA in Fargate, I had to go searching for them and finally managed to prise them out of the Brown Bear, I recall a certain drummer and a bass player who could hardly stand, but still played very well, any comment?

[mossdog 10]

Did you also play bass for Cocker, and have coffee in the Concourse Suite (ABC cinema) with Scott and Kenny? When I mention Kenny drinking coffee, you will recall that the pubs didn't open until 7:00 pm on Sundays in those days.

 

My mate and I booked the Scott William Combo at the YMCA in Fargate, I had to go searching for them and finally managed to prise them out of the Brown Bear, I recall a certain drummer and a bass player who could hardly stand, but still played very well, any comment?

I was the first bass player to join Scott alongside Dave Hawley and Rick Elsom.I eventually left to join Frank White and Dave Green took my place! There were four drummers while I was with Scott,so I do not know the drummer that night.the bass player would have been me or Dave Green(either would have been a candidate)............I only played once for Joe at the student union as a dep,for Dave Green,alongside Dave Memmott and Dave Hopper.I think we were on with Screaming Lord Sutch.

[crookesey 633]

I was the first bass player to join Scott alongside Dave Hawley and Rick Elsom.I eventually left to join Frank White and Dave Green took my place! There were four drummers while I was with Scott,so I do not know the drummer that night.the bass player would have been me or Dave Green(either would have been a candidate)............I only played once for Joe at the student union as a dep,for Dave Green,alongside Dave Memmott and Dave Hopper.I think we were on with Screaming Lord Sutch.

 

I was just digging mate, I was beginning to think that you were Dave Green. I have obviously seen and heard you play, but sadly can't nail the performance/s, I really rated Dave and Kenny, you must have been good to play where you played.

[rainbow2411 11]

I was the first bass player to join Scott alongside Dave Hawley and Rick Elsom.I eventually left to join Frank White and Dave Green took my place! There were four drummers while I was with Scott,so I do not know the drummer that night.the bass player would have been me or Dave Green(either would have been a candidate)............I only played once for Joe at the student union as a dep,for Dave Green,alongside Dave Memmott and Dave Hopper.I think we were on with Screaming Lord Sutch.

 

Did you play with Steve Denton?

[mossdog 10]

Did you play with Steve Denton?

I certainly did!