Does anyone remember these Manchester DJ's ?

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by totouk

My best friend loved his camp fashions so we got refused entry on a couple of occasions so didn't go back.

toto

I'm surprised about that as I used to see all types in there although it was 95% cloney.

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by totouk

I lived in Stoke in the mid to late 80s (and beyond) and remember Roy very well, he seemed a quiet man but his mixing was great, he changed that club completely with his mixing skills. I never went anywhere else on a Saturday night. I probably saw Sandra Dee there!

Yes toto he brought decent music & mixing to Stoke for the first time! & yes we must've rubbed shoulders on the dance floor; I bet I know you to look at as I've got a good memory for faces (but not names!) Do you remember one of the club owners (Ray, I think) always trying to get punters to go back to his dungeon? & the many PAs such as Lily Savage & Hazell Dean & Miquel Brown? Life was fun back then.

[greg fenton]

Thanks again. Sounds like Roy must have been very influencial with his mixing and choice of music for the Archway...

Does anyone know if he was from Manchester originally, and if he played any other clubs before Archway.

PS I have a number of music reviews and top 20 charts from Mancunian Gay mag to post up soon from Les Cokell.

[Broomfield1965]

I went to the Archway from almost the night it first opened its doors to its swansong when 'Rockies' opened (too big a rival emerged for it to survive, and we gay boiz always want something 'new' on the scene, don't we?). Wayne and Harry were the frontline 'owners' (though I understood that a woman had backed it with some moolah).

Roy span the discs and there was also a guy who would play live keyboards along to the tracks, something I had never seen before nor since! From what I remember, he lurked by the downstairs toilets... He only lasted about 6 months though I think?

Roy was a fantastic DJ, the best I ever heard for mixing, phasing and re-editing tracks live 'as it happened'. He was usually the first to play stuff that would eventually take the place (and other clubs) by storm. I remember him playing "Male stripper" on a few occasions early on in it's run, and the floor would clear, leaving only a few people (me and my mate for 2!) whirrling madly. Of course, give it a week or so, and you couldn't get elbow room on the floor it was so packed. Same thing with "you spin me round..." I seem to remember. Roy was a nice guy, though he could be a bit shady when it came to telling you what a particular bootleg was (I used to be dead cheeky and just grab it and look, later that next week ordering it from Record Shack in London, they always had the best boots).

Didn't Slack Alice do Stuffed Olives (I was introduced to Lisa's "Jump shout" and Bobby O there).

Les Cokell (does anyone have his LP by the way?) did Heros and he was good too, mixing the newly emerging "boys town" music with more chart bound numbers.

For me, Archway will always be the seminal gay club of Manchester, and Roy was the reason most of us turned up week in week out, to dance our tits off for 3-4 hours of non-stop dance classics (Even "slave to the rhythm" as I recall - not many brave enough to spin a slowee like that in those days and get away with it!).

Good for me to know that I am not the only one left out of that bucnh who still remebers - dance on!

[ianmusic]

ive got the album that les mixed i'll have to dig it out i can't remember the track listing off the top of my head im sure theres a couple of abba tracks on it cheers ian

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by Broomfield1965

For me, Archway will always be the seminal gay club of Manchester, and Roy was the reason most of us turned up week in week out, to dance our tits off for 3-4 hours of non-stop dance classics

I totally agree! I always say that it's the best gay club I've ever visited in the UK, I even preferred it to London clubs like Heaven & Bang! The atmosphere was unique & the music fabulous. Rockies was bigger but it never had the same atmosphere somehow. Whenever I go down Whitworth Street I really wish I could go back 23 years & it was still there.

[IrishTony]

Hi There, unfortunately I have found this thread for all the wrong reasons. i knew Roy very well from 1988 to 1992 or so when he dj'd in Excalibur (owned by Bob (passed a good few years ago now) and Ray) in Stoke On Trent, or Hanley to be more precise. His then partner Chris ran the record shop in the club for him. After that he moved to Mates ( I think that was the name) nightclub also in Hanley owned by the late Colin Murphy. Tonight bored on my computer I googled him and this thread is the second result of my google. The first was Music Beat Records which is the name Roy used for his DJ Retail Ventures.
Spookily and chillingly the site is still up and the last review of new releases by roy is dated 1999. I figured then he must have passed away and then discovered this thread. How sad we fell out of touch. Maybe someone is paying for the hosting of the site as a tribute.
He was a top class DJ and a good friend for those few years and I have about 15 tapes (well it was a while ago) that he mixed and a heap of vinyl that he got for me too. ITs all a bit dusty but there are some interesting white labels in there and I am moving them all onto cd now before they deteriorate.
I must have rubbed elbows on the dancefloor of excalibur with a few of the posters on her, so here's to ya.
Cheers , Irish Tony

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by IrishTony

Hi There, unfortunately I have found this thread for all the wrong reasons. i knew Roy very well from 1988 to 1992 or so when he dj'd in Excalibur (owned by Bob (passed a good few years ago now) and Ray) in Stoke On Trent, or Hanley to be more precise. His then partner Chris ran the record shop in the club for him. After that he moved to Mates ( I think that was the name) nightclub also in Hanley owned by the late Colin Murphy. Tonight bored on my computer I googled him and this thread is the second result of my google. The first was Music Beat Records which is the name Roy used for his DJ Retail Ventures.
Spookily and chillingly the site is still up and the last review of new releases by roy is dated 1999. I figured then he must have passed away and then discovered this thread. How sad we fell out of touch. Maybe someone is paying for the hosting of the site as a tribute.
He was a top class DJ and a good friend for those few years and I have about 15 tapes (well it was a while ago) that he mixed and a heap of vinyl that he got for me too. ITs all a bit dusty but there are some interesting white labels in there and I am moving them all onto cd now before they deteriorate.
I must have rubbed elbows on the dancefloor of excalibur with a few of the posters on her, so here's to ya.
Cheers , Irish Tony

Nice to hear from ya Tony. I was at Excalibur most Saturday nites in the late 80s/early 90s dancing my buns off! Enjoy that music! Roy's mixtapes were fabuolous.

[westernplumber]

Saturday nights are usually hi nrg 80s/90's at Legends in the tunnel bar (if it gets busy) these days where you can relive the same vibe as of old..all mixed by the fab DJ (dont know his name?). Just like the old clubs..all men!!

[SandraDee]

Originally Posted by westernplumber

Saturday nights are usually hi nrg 80s/90's at Legends in the tunnel bar (if it gets busy) these days where you can relive the same vibe as of old..all mixed by the fab DJ (dont know his name?). Just like the old clubs..all men!!

Last time I was in the Tunnel on a Saturday nite there were a few women and some very annoying, very drunk men. I haven't been since.