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name: Poster 
message:  Friday 15th Oct 2010 Vine Tavern, Hope Place, Keighley (Tuesday 07 September 2010 10:41:49)
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name: Poster
message: Friday 29th Oct 2010
Pilkies (Ticket Only)
Organised by The Faith and Light Organisation.
All profits go to their efforts to help needy families and children.
Tickets cost £8 are available from the FishPeople shop or by ringing 01535667772 or 01274567760
For this event the drummer will be Graham (Stix) Dixon
(Tuesday 07 September 2010 10:39:12)
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name: Webmaster
message: Friday 27th Aug 2010 THE VINE TAVERN Hope Place, Keighley BD21 5LJ
(Tuesday 10 August 2010 11:09:18)
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name: webmaster
message: Hi Nomads,
Whilst looking for something else I stumbled across your website and tumbled straight back to the early sixties.
My name is Roger Manton and I was founder and lead singer / rhythm guitar with The Beatniks which later became The Beat Squad.
Our first line up was me, Ricky Hardacre lead guitar, Mike Pickles piano/ vocals, Derek Heaton drums and no base would you believe! We pretty soon put that right. We raided the Presidents, Keighley’s first rock band, and stole Bruce Russell their base player and his girlfriend (now wife) Linda Nixon who had a great voice. Linda came from a very musical family as you probably know and both guitar playing brothers helped us out at various times.
Later, Mike Pickles left along with Derek Heaton, so then we poached The Presidents’ drummer as well…the unforgettable Ted Earl. A sort of early version of Keith Moon in character. I remember Ted getting a brand new Trixon kit with an oval shaped, two drum, base drum. He was so pleased with this that we decided to put him at the front of the stage one night at Leeds Town Hall. He got so carried away on the new kit that he didn’t notice that he hadn’t hammered the spikes of the base drum in firm enough and… yes….he ended up going over the edge of the big stage trying to catch his beloved new base drum which was heading down into the orchestra stalls.
Ricky was a fantastic guitar player. Often in the very early days we would share a bill with a trad jazz band and some of these blokes would get very snooty about being associated with “ 3 chord merchants”
like us. Rick would just get out his big beautiful Rogers guitar in the dressing room, sit down quietly in the corner and warm up with a seamless Nuages or other Django Reinhart piece. You could see the Trad bloke’s jaws hit the floor. Later I believe Rick turned to playing jazz himself, but on piano and keyboards.
My late mother told me last year that she had bumped into Bruce Russell in Keighley and he told her that he (on regular guitar) and Rick on keyboard were playing some small gigs at golf cubs etc…. Together again after all these years.
We played all around the local area, clubs, town halls, ballrooms etc but I think the best time I had was when we went to France to play US army and air bases. One GI actually wanted us to go to the States where he would manage us “and make us really big” …wonder what would have happened if we had said yes?
Eventually we broke up and went our separate ways. Bruce and Linda played on….resident for years at the big Batley Variety Club, Rick became a TV sound man, I went to London and a career on the creative side of advertising, Mike Pickles became a BA captain flying Jumbos, Ted I last heard of years ago doing the big cruise liners with a guitarist called Murph.
For anyone who is interested in the history of bands in the area, I attach some old photos. One (blurry) is early days at the Mechanics with a stand-in base player called “Bones” but can’t remember his real name. Incidentally, we were the last band to ever play The Mechanics , it burnt to the ground the same night we played there….wonder who’s fag end it was? Another is in France showing me, some GI, Linda, Ricky and Ted, no Bruce so he must have taken it. The posed shot was taken in Central Youth Club and the even posier playing one at, I think, Imperial Ballroom Nelson.
It is wonderful to see you guys keeping the spirit of rock music alive in Keighley and obviously enjoying every minute of it. I send best wishes to anyone who remembers me from all those years back.
Happy New Year you all for 2008
Roger
Photos can be seen here http://www.thenomads.co.uk/other.html
(Sunday 13 January 2008 15:01:56)
comments: | | Les Piggin [email]
From Les Piggin, Halifax
Re: The Beat Squad 1962
I was delighted to see Roger Manton's photos and email about the Beat Squad, a group I remember with respect from 1962. My own band, Dino & the Travellers, from Halifax, had the experience of sharing a stage with the Squad on two occasions in late 1962.
The first was at the Empress Ballroom, Huddersfield, about October 1962. We were a very young (17-18) and inexperienced band, just starting out, with only a few gigs behind us. This was our first time at the Empress and our first time playing with another band. The Beat Squad seemed to be highly professional seasoned veterans, having played at US bases abroad.
After seeing the photos I can remember Roger as the vocalist but my strongest memories are of the others in the band. The lead guitarist, a big guy, was certainly a great player. I seem to recall he had a green Gretsch and a Vox amp. In the band room he demonstrated to us the opening chords of Carole King’s ‘Might as well rain until September’ and other tasty stuff. During their act I believe he donned a cape and a big hat and played a fabulous version of Malagenia.
I remember the drummer with his beautiful Trixon kit, driving the band with a great sound. The bass player played high up the neck of his guitar – to avoid blowing his speakers he told us. I believe they each wore different coloured suits and they applied stage make up before going on – unbelievable!. They had various speaker cabinets placed around the stage to give a wide sound spread. They were full of confidence and they blew us off the stage of course. We were very impressed and realised just how much we had to learn.
A couple of months later we met up with the Squad again, this time at Burnley Mecca on New Year’s Eve, 31 December 1962. The house DJ was playing the Beatles’ ‘Please Please Me’ every 3rd or 4th record. On this occasion we actually managed to pinch a bit of the Squad’s act – in the middle of ‘Whole Lotta Shakin’ – bringing the volume right down for several choruses and sitting/lying down on the stage, before jumping up again at full belt (I couldn’t do that now!). As we went on before the Squad we got away with that one, to their evident displeasure!
Sadly, we didn’t hear of the Beat Squad again after that. Did they really split as early as 1963?
Our band went on, with changes of personnel, to see out the 60s and Dino and I, now in our mid-60s, still do occasional gigs. We’ve played our first 80th birthday party! Guitar playing has remained an important part of my life and I still have most of the old group gear set up at home.
So, thank you Roger and your fellow Beat Squaddies for providing me with memorable formative experiences.
Anyone with an interest in pop music nostalgia will find much to absorb them in the two books ‘Small Town Saturday Night’ vols. 1 & 2 by Trevor Simpson. They catalogue in meticulous detail the top acts which performed in Halifax in the 1960s, with much previously unpublished material. They also go into detail about the many local bands performing at local venues, some of whom went on to the big time. A great read. Have a look at the website: www.smalltownsaturdaynight.co.uk
03.08.10 18:06 |
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name: Webmaster
message: Beat Herder Festival completely back to basics festival http://www.beatherder.co.uk/ What's the postcode for GPS? Try BB7 4LH. It's the other side of the road but the nearest you will get.
(Sunday 20 June 2010 18:28:10)
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name: Webmaster
message: NEXT NOMAD EVENT Friday 30th July 2010 THE VINE TAVERN Hope Place, Keighley
(Sunday 20 June 2010 13:48:52)
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name: poster
message: NEXT NOMAD EVENT
Friday 3rd July 2009
THE KINGS HEAD
South Street
Keighley
(Wednesday 24 June 2009 14:45:24)
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name: Webmaster
message: NEXT NOMAD EVENT Friday 28th May 2010 THE VINE TAVERN Hope Place,
Keighley
(Wednesday 26 May 2010 14:13:42)
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name: Webmaster
message:
 NEXT NOMAD EVENT Friday 30th April 2010 THE VINE TAVERN Hope Place, Keighley
(Saturday 27 March 2010 21:45:40)
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name: derek lister
email: derek_rorkesdrift
message: To any former members of Bradford's Rock and Roll Groups 1954-1966.
My name is Derek Lister and I was the disc Jockey at the Majestic and the Gaumont Ballrooms in Bradford from 1960 until 1965 under the name of 'Dal Stevens'. I also had a Rock n' Roll Group from 1959 until 1960 called 'Dal Stevens and the Four Dukes'.
At the moment I am writing the definative book of Bradford's rock and roll years. The book title will be 'The Who's Who of Bradford's Rock and Roll Years from 1954-66'.
If you were a member or know someone of the many local rock and roll groups that performed during those years, would you please contact me to hopefully be included in the book.
I alo require any rock and roll group photographs taken at that time and also any photos of any 'Teddy Boys' of that era.
Those who will be included will each from have a small Biograpphy of themselves from early years until the present day.
Many thanks
Derek A J Lister
tele:01274 511915
e-mail derek_rorkesdrift
(Sunday 21 March 2010 18:57:52)
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