General Chat

CB...I had a blouse from Biba - all I could afford lol. Plate blue, oh god I remember it so well! Two of my friends worked in London and I used to meet them up there on a Friday evening....one week another friend came and we were headed for the Whiskey.. We were all members but the next friend wasn't and all the way up to Town on the train I was rehearsing her...how old are you? what year were you born? Until she was perfect - obviously we were under age! When we arrived at the club I showed my membership and my friend had to fill out a form, we thought we were clear until she felt a tap on her shoulder and the question - how old are you? I held my breath and as she spoke I knew she would tell the truth!!! She did....I was allowed in to tell my friends we would meet them at the station later.. We both went to Shaftesbury Avenue Bowl....I was furious with her!!! lol. Went the following week though! Jacquie xxxxx

Bella Have you tried eye lash curlers, if you heat them up with hair dryer before use, you get a superb result, they really do make a difference! PS Dont heat them too much or you will burn!

Remember Ready Steady Go. We lived for that programme when I was at school and the Pirate Radio ships! Every week we used to watch RSG to see if any of our mates had got in and larf at them just waving about to the slow songs.

Used to wear them in the 6o's they were great, got them trimmed nicely and looked quite realistic. those were the days. Germaine. x

Heather, The Flamingo was in Wardour Street. It shared the same address as the Whisky a' Go Go, which was the disco we went to. Georgie Fame & the Blue Flames were the resident band there on Wednesday nights in 1964. Their live album was recorded there. Biba was wonderful. Before they had the big shop in Kensington High Street, it used to be a little shop, then it took over one of the old department stores. There was another boutique in Kensington Church Street that we used to go to, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was called! My Mum used to live just down the road from Cathy McGowan's 'recycled' (secondhand) shop in Chelsea. It's still there, but I don't know if its still hers. I used to stop and look in the windows when I was walking past, and the memories came flooding back, seeing all those clothes, shoes and handbags from bygone days. Never mind Biba, it's more like Evans these days!!! LOL CB >|<

I remember seeing Desmond Dekkers van parked outside his house - it was so old and rusty, I wondered how it ever got them anywhere. The Flamingo, forgot about that one - my sister used to go to The Disco - it was the first one and thats what it was called.What was the one Georgie Fame used to play at? Gawd, the memory going, eh. And there was a club, I cant remember its name but the guy who owned it had a big flash american car parked in the middle of the dance floor downstairs. Couldnt do that now, eh? I can also remember saving up for a whole month - hardly eating or going out so I could buy a skirt at Bibas. Oh brilliant times.

Oleander, Strange you should mention the Nashville Teens. In 1977, I was working as a office temp, and I had a booking in Wimbledon, near where I was living then. I was told it was a music company and given an address but nothing else. When I got there, it was Jet Records, owned by Don Arden. He was in America at the time, so his son David was running things. There were several guys working there, flitting in and out of the place all the time, and two of them were the singers from the Nashville Teens - one tall and one short. I can't remember their names now, but I recognised them. They weren't recording then, of course, and I wasn't really sure what they did - it was quite chaotic there, but fantastic fun and I got to meet a few 'names' and talked to lots of others managed by the Ardens on the phone. It was a shame I had to leave, but the lady I was replacing came back, and there wasn't enough work for another person. I've spoken to Georgie and Alan Price at clubs and once had a chat with Jeff Beck after a Yardbirds gig and got his autograph. Silly woman, I lost it somewhere along the way. Saw Desmond Dekker at the Surrey Rooms at The Oval in about 1969 too - a great night. Famous people were mostly very relaxed in those days and didn't mind meeting and talking to fans. They weren't all surrounded by 'heavy' mnders. The only one I met that I didn't like was Keith Moon. He really was an 'Orrible 'Oo! CB >|<

Oh Petunia...Gino Washington....Aamen...Aamen...A amen amen amen!!!! John Mayall and his blues breakers, Nashville Teens (local group) Georgie Fame, Alan Price with and without the Animals, Yardbirds, Cream- bit later. I made a Mary Quant Dress...black and white!! My sister was a trainee hairdresser so I got all the latest styles....short one side long the other, big W cut in the back!! Then had a curly perm and had it cut almost to my head....Grecian goddess!! lol Used to go to Flamingo, very dark!!! lol The Whiskey a go go!! Birdland in St. James' . Used to learn all the latest dances and then go back to local places and show off!! Ricky Tick at Guildford and Windsor and Atalanta in Woking!! What an era!!! Jacquie xxxx

Singing to myself: Memories are made of this..... Remember all those make-up tricks, and the hair, I wanted mine to be like Sandie Shaw, cos I was tallish and skinny and hated wearing shoes. Used to sellotape one strand of hair from the side under the chin, then the opposite one across, so that when I woke up it would have stayed straight and curved under like Sandie's. Had a boyfriend who went to work in an Hotel in Russell Square, and another friend who had a bedsit in Victoria somewhere, can't remember now. My fella used to know Elkie Brooks so I used to hitch hike to London and spend the weekend with him at my friend's bedsit, and he would take me to Club 100 or Ronnie Scott's and then we would go back to Elkie's and stay over. Wonderful times - much better than all this binge drinking at the same old clubs etc. Also recall the local Jazz cellar under a pub, would't be allowed to open now- - it was a deathtrap- only one staircase in and out, packed in like sardines, watching Alan Price, John Mayall? Jimi Hendrix, etc etc and the wonderful Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band. Kids today don't know half....

YES, The Ram Jam!!! Hee hee. I had an boyfriend who lived just up the hill from there. Blue beat - One step beyond was on the radio the other day and I was nodding my head as I drove along in the car. Oh they were brilliant times werent they. I remember have alternate black and white nail varnish on my fingers with little stick on transfers on them!!

I remember Prince Buster. We used to go to Brixton market and buy Bluebeat singles. Did either of you ever go to the Ram Jam Club in Brixton Road? It belonged to Billy Preston, but it didn't do very well and closed down quite quickly. The Flamingo was my favourite in the early 60s - I loved Georgie Fame. Liked the Marquee as well and the 100 Club in Oxford Street. Trouble is, I get confused these days about who I saw where. I remember seeing The Who, The Move, Manfred Mann and the Small Faces, but not where they all were. Too much of something at the time, I think! LOL CB >|<

Heather, If you go to Photospage, page 11, on page 2 of my 'Picture This...' album, there's a pic of me in 1965 in the white stockings (summer version). I had the lacy ones for winter and red tartan ones as well! I was glad to see those stockings and tights come back last winter, but I'm too huge to wear them now. CB >|<

Oh god, thats right, Steve Marriott! We used to have a lot of groups living round us in South London. Do you remember The Marmalade, that gingery haired guy, cant remember his name now, went to school with sis and only lived a few doors up. The Stones were all around our way too. Do you remember Prince Buster - blue beat, wasnt that terrific music. We must have lost about half a stone every night dancing, mustnt we, no wonder I was skinny then!

Steve Mariott.....we used to go see them to....brilliant.. We had a club like that with a spiral staircase and only one way in and out...if there had been a fire..... Jacquie xxxx

I remember going to one club called The Iron Curtain - looking back it was a bloody death trap - you walked in singly and if there had been a fire, gawd knows what would have happened. I remember standing right in front of the Small Faces there strutting my stuff and when I crept and spoke to them at their break time - (I cant even remember his name now, Steve something) said 'What a shit hole this is'. Well I was only 15 and quite shocked by his suggestion of debauchery at that time! Things quickly changed though!

CB and Heather.... In the local club in my nearest town we used to have Hash Trays in the ladies loo's!!! This was a dancehall that had the first sprung floor in the South! Used to see the likes of Eric Clapton with John Mayall..the days when he drank coke!!!! lol They were the best of times!!! Jacquie xxxx

Oh God Oleander, dont throw them out, youd get a fortune for them one day. Are they in a little plastic box, white at the bottom and the cover is see-thru (I just suddenly remembered that). Yep, those were the days, wasnt it great. I was thinking the other day in the garden, back then Morning Glory meant something totally different to a climbing plant (and I dont mean what young men suffer from!). Do you remember the white stockings sort of net, not fish net, sort of knitted by holey? Blimey, Id also forgotten about the painted on freckles too! Oh guys, Id love to have a time machine.

Oleander, Weren't they just! Best time to be a teenager, I reckon. I don't mind being ancient now, as I've got so many great memories to look back on. Swinging London, they called it - and they were right. CB >|< X

And the white lipstick CB.

I was clearing out the other day and found a pair, still in their box...used but ready for action....think it's time to say goodbye to them....although they do remind me of one of the best times in my life....as you all say late 60's - London Clubs - Mods - oh happy days!!! At least I never had to paint freckles over my nose....spent my life trying to disguise them!! lol Jacquie xxxx