Yesterday I paid a visit to probably my favourite second hand book shop in the country.
Barter Books is situated in the old station building in the small Northumbrian town of Alnwick. Within a lovely setting, are a vast array of second hand books, so book lovers like myself can easily while away several hours just browsing, or sitting in one of the many comfortable chairs while drinking freshly percolated coffee and nibbling the wonderful homemade cookies.
The old waiting room has been converted into a splendid lounge where meals or snacks can be brought to you by the friendly cafeteria staff.
During the winter months, open fires ensure that the rooms stay nice and cosy - even on the coldest of Northumbrian winter days.
The shop was opened in 1991 by Stuart and Mary Manley and it has continued to grow and to thrive, quite deservedly in my view.
This being the English school summer holidays, there were of course quite a few families present during my visit, but thankfully there are plenty of books to keep children occupied.
That is when they are not watching the model railways that pass overhead on tracks suspended between the many bookcases.
Well, this was a railway station after all!
As usual, my own bookshelves are beginning to overflow, so it was a good opportunity to take a few books along to trade at the shop. I always feel that I am offered a fair price for them and I have built up a nice bit of credit for when I find that special something I have been searching for.
That didn't happen on this occasion, so I just contented myself with a good browse, a relaxing cup of coffee and then an enjoyable journey back home.
I'm sure it won't be my last visit this year.
If you wish to know more about Barter Books, check out the website on the following link.
http://www.barterbooks.co.uk/html/About%20Us/The%20Bookshop.php
I recently made reference to the Club-A-Gogo which was a Newcastle upon Tyne nightspot back in the 1960's. Created by entrepreneur Mike Jeffery (who later managed The Animals) the club was situated in Percy Street, not too far from the famous football ground, St James' Park. A narrow doorway led you up a couple of flights of stairs (the club was above the Corporation Bus canteen) where there were two rooms. On the left was the Young Set and on the right, the supposedly more sophisticated Jazz Lounge.
The list of bands that played the famous club before it's closure in 1972, is too great to mention here but for a while the local band, The Animals were the resident act there.
My own memories of the club are somewhat vague, (well, I was very young at the time). If my memory serves me right, I attended the club four times to see Cream, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Family and on Thursday 20th July 1967, I saw The Alan Bown Set.
You may wonder how I have been able to remember that specific date, well the truth is I can't but I have been helped out by one of the helpful and informative lists of gigs in the book about The Alan Bown Set written by keyboard player Jeff Bannister. The book is called 'The Alan Bown Set - Before and Beyond' published by Banland Publishing. (I suspect this book will be the subject of a future post, so watch this space). Another book to which I have referred in posts, is 'Beefheart: Through The Eyes of Magic' in which author John 'Drumbo' French also makes reference to the Club-A-Gogo.
The club was supposed to be for over 18's I believe, so looking at that date makes me wonder how I actually got into the place as I was just turned 16! However I was not alone as many of my school friends were also there. Or perhaps the over 18's rule only applied to the Jazz Lounge which was licensed to sell alcohol.
That part of Newcastle was of particular interest to us youngsters during those heady times. Besides the Club-A-Gogo, there was The Handyside Arcade, where we would hang out on a Saturday afternoon, purchasing posters (at the Kard Bar) and searching out second hand records. The Handyside was a Victorian shopping arcade with a glass roof supported by cast iron pillars. It also housed the Ultima Thule bookshop which was I believe the only place in the city that you could buy OZ magazine. A few doors further along Percy Street was Jeavons record store and also the Marcus Price clothing shop where I bought my Ben Sherman shirts and Levi Sta-prest trousers. Cool eh?
Sadly the Handyside Arcade was eventually destroyed by fire and that whole block (including the Club-A-Gogo) was demolished to make way for the new Eldon Gardens shopping complex.
They call it progress, but I'm not so sure.
If anyone reading this happens to have any memories of The Club-A-Gogo or the Handyside Arcade. I'd love to hear from you.
I should add that the club was immortalised in song by The Animals on the B-side of 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood'. Take a listen to Eric Burdon's song 'Club-A-Gogo' here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTAYlWjxUA0
I eventually found the time to visit this new gallery which is displaying vintage rock and roll photos by acclaimed photographer Gered Mankowitz.
We were welcomed to the gallery by Ben, the friendly and informative custodian of the display and he explained the general layout. On the ground floor is a room dedicated to Jimi Hendrix. Appropriately Hendrix music played through an equally appropriate Marshall amp as we admired the range of photos lining the walls. They range from relatively small black and white images taken in Mankowitz's Masons Yard studio, through to much larger and more ornate coloured shots, many in the glorious psychedelic colours of that era. All of the prints are for sale with prices ranging from £750 for the smaller items up to several thousand for the largest. All well beyond my modest means I'm afraid.
Upstairs is one room dedicated to photos of The Rolling Stones and then a second room containing an eclectic set of photos of the likes of Cat Stevens, Richard Thompson, Kate Bush, The Small Faces, Traffic and a host of others.
We happened to be the only visitors at the time so Ben had plenty of time to tell us interesting stories about some of the shots. I also took the opportunity to ask him about the plans for the Club-A-Gogo which is due to open in Newcastle next year. Apparently this will not be an exact replica of the original (shame) but will be a fully operational club and will host a series of live gigs, hopefully including some by artists who graced the stage of the original club back in the 1960's. A number of artists have already donated items of memorabilia to be displayed within the club.
Back on the ground floor, I was admiring one of the larger Marshall amps when Ben opened it to reveal it to be a fridge (also for sale). Most appropriately it contained row upon row of the Iron Maiden produced beer, 'Trooper'!
There were also a couple of books for sale, including some copies signed by Gered Mankowitz himself. One was a hardback book entitled 'The Experience: Jimi Hendrix at Masons Yard' by Mankowitz and Richie Unterberger. The other was a paperback copy of 'Rolling Stones One on One' by Mankowitz and Sean Egan.
I resisted the temptation to buy either which is just as well as both are available more cheaply at Amazon.
If you are a fan of late 1960's rock music and you happen to reside in the north east of England or if you happen to visit the area (and I recommend you do), then I strongly recommend you paying a visit to this gallery. It will be open for the next twelve months.
Check out their website for further details and opening times. Also watch out for future special events and book signings.
Belatedly I wish to pay my respects to Louisa Jo Killen who sadly passed away on 9th August.
With a Celtic heritage, Louis was born and raised on the banks of the River Tyne in the north east of England. Absorbing the musical traditions of that region as well as Scotland and Ireland, he began singing in folk clubs and was instrumental in establishing the long running club at The Bridge Hotel in Newcastle where he played with the likes of Ewan MacColl and The High Level Ranters (The Bridge Hotel stands at the end of the High Level Bridge).
I first became aware of Killen through the LP record, 'The Iron Muse' on which he sang several traditional songs, most notably 'The Blackleg Miners' which makes mention of a couple of villages close to where I live - Seaton Delaval and Seghill. This song has since been covered by a number of artists including Steeleye Span and Richard Thompson.
As a singer and concertina player, Killen's career spanned over 40 years during which time he released over 40 LP's and CD's.
In recent years, Louis Killen achieved a lifelong desire and went through a gender change, becoming Louisa Jo Killen.
Her passing is being mourned in the folk world and I now find myself compelled to dig out my Topic Records anthology, 'Three Score and Ten' and play the powerful song, 'The Blackleg Miners'.
RIP Lou (10 January 1934 - 9 August 2013).
I am currently reading 'Riding Some Kind of Unusual Skull Sleigh' by W.C. Bamberger, a rather good book about the arts of Don Van Vliet, otherwise known as Captain Beefheart.
As you may be aware, 'Strictly Personal' the second album by Beefheart and His Magic Band was issued on the Blue Thumb record label. The company was formed by Bob Krasnow and as 'Strictly Personal' was to be the first release on that label, Krasnow asked Beefheart to provide a name. Beefheart chose Blue Thumb and according to Bamberger, provided his own thumbprint for the label's logo.
The label went on to issue records by an eclectic array of artists including, Dave Mason, Ike & Tina Turner, Aynsley Dunbar, The Pointer Sisters, Clifton Chenier, Love, Sun Ra, Larry Carlton and The Butts Band.
So, the next time you play a Blue Thumb recording, you will see the thumbprint of the sadly departed Captain Beefheart spinning around on your turntable.
I never knew that!
This coming Thursday (8 August 2013) sees the official opening of a new gallery in the heart of North Shields, a fishing town perched above the mouth of the River Tyne in the north east of England. Named Rock and Roll Icon, the gallery is set to feature the work of photographer Gered Mankowitz who found fame during the 1960's with his iconic photographs of The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix among others.
http://www.rockandrollicon.com/#!events/c9gx
The exhibition will effectively be a retrospective of the work of Mankowitz and will feature around 150 photographs of the aforementioned Stones and Hendrix as well as Eric Clapton, Kate Bush, Slade, Suzi Quatro and many more.
I am looking forward to visiting the exhibition at the first opportunity.
I also hear that the organisers of this show have plans to recreate the Club-A-Gogo which was a venue in Newcastle upon Tyne which hosted some of the top names of the 1960's including The Rolling Stones, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, The Animals and Jimi Hendrix.
Full details are being kept secret at the moment, but the exact facsimile of the club is scheduled to open somewhere in Newcastle next year and there are plans for some of the original acts to appear there.
I intend to write more about the Club-A-Gogo soon, but will also keep you posted regarding the Rock and Roll Icon exhibition.
Last night I had a pleasant sea front stroll along to the Park Hotel in Tynemouth which for the past 30 years or so, has been the venue for the annual Free Convention. No, that doesn't mean it costs nothing to get in, it means that it is a celebration of the 60's/70's rock band - Free. The 2013 convention which took place last night, was special because it featured rock legends Andy Fraser and Chris Spedding.
We arrived too late to see Malcolm Bruce (son of Cream bass player, Jack) which was a shame but we were in plenty of time to join the massed audience to see Andy Fraser and his band welcomed onto the stage. Immediately, they launched into 'All Right Now'.
Fraser was of course the bass player with Free (only 15 years old when he joined the band) and remained with them throughout their relatively short life span. Alongside him were legendary guitarist Chris Spedding, who has played on more albums than I care to mention, and a young up-and-coming singer/guitarist called Tobi, who I am sure is destined to be a star of the future. They played mainly original material but besides 'All Right Now' they also threw in 'The Stealer' and then encored with the inevitable 'Mr Big'. Inevitable because it perhaps better than any other song in the Free canon, showcases what a superb bass player Fraser is. It was worth the admission charge just to witness that! Oh, and Spedding also got to do his 1975 'hit', 'Motorbikin''.
During the break we were entertained by one of Fraser's female backing singers and then Geoff Docherty was introduced onto the stage.
Docherty is something of a local legend having promoted most of the gigs that I attended in and around Newcastle in the late 1960's and early 1970's. He told us how he managed to sign Free to play at Sunderland's Bay Hotel for the exorbitant fee of £35. He then introduced the main act - Freeway.
I have seen this Free tribute act on a number of occasions and for some time they featured former Back Street Crawler and Beckett singer, Terry Wilson-Slesser. They have since gone through a couple of line-up changes but they continue to deliver a great set of Free and Bad Company covers. Last night was no exception and for a few numbers they were of course joined by Andy Fraser.
Clearly a great night was had by all and some lucky guy won the raffle and got to take away Andy Fraser's signed Gibson bass guitar. Sadly it wasn't me!
The music press is getting pretty worked up about the forthcoming release of a long lost album by Arthur Lee & Love. Entitled 'Black Beauty' the album was recorded for Buffalo Records in 1973 but the label folded and the album has remained unreleased for four decades.
It is now to be issued in various formats and is being hailed by the rock music press as 'a lost masterpiece' and a 'wonderfully, eclectic collection of songs'. 
I would agree that it is an eclectic collection. But a lost masterpiece? I don't think so!
I am a massive fan of Love and regard 1967's 'Forever Changes' as one of my favourite albums of all time. After his release from serving five years of a twelve year prison sentence in 2001, Arthur Lee returned to the music business and with the band Baby Lemonade, went on the road billed as Arthur Lee & Love. I happened to see them play twice and thought that they were simply superb. Then, tragically in 2006, Arthur Lee died.
Why then can I not get excited about this forthcoming release? Well, simply because I happen to have a bootleg album which features unreleased music from throughout Lee's career, ranging from The L.A.G.'s (1963), through The American Four (1964), Ronnie & The Pomona Casuals (1965) and on to Lee with Baby Lemonade in the early 2000's. The bootleg also includes all of 'Black Beauty'. And frankly, it is nothing special.
By the time 'Black Beauty' was made, Lee had ditched all of the original members of Love and replaced them with some fine musicians. However, it simply was not Love. The material on the album takes in blues rock ('I'm Good and Evil'), a Jimi Hendrix clone ('Midnight Sun'), his take on The Rooftop Singers' 'Walk Right In' and a cheesy attempt at reggae ('Beep Beep'). The latter being truly dreadful!
I accept that the bootleg album is hardly high quality sound and I understand that the official 'Black Beauty' album will be far superior in this respect, however better quality sound does not necessarily mean better quality music.
Despite all the hype about this 'lost masterpiece' I would advise you to spend your hard earned cash with caution. This is probably for completists only and others would be best off digging out their copies of the real masterpieces, 'Da Capo' and 'Forever Changes'.
Don't say you haven't been warned!
