R2OK!

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1189 Location: London

This was a rare treat. I learned more from this, than any Dusty documentary I'd heard or seen before. Part Two next week. Wonderful stuff.

She'd have been 80 today... Sad

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00045ys
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Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

I've still got that to look forward to Raver!

Have just listened to 'Dusty at the BBC' that was on Sat/Sun morning14/15 April 2-3am. It is supposedly introduced by Johnnie Walker but it certainly didn't sound like him to me.......It went out originally in 2012. I was sewing so it was pleasant to listen to.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

Raver you were spot on, this is a fabulous documentary! I'm just catching up with the 1st episode right now.

All those fantastic songs and it takes me right back to those days remembering Ready Steady Go. I always loved the early Motown songs from just hearing them once (well that's all you sometimes got back then!), but you remembered them because you never knew when you'd hear them again.

Those tours of the 60s as well, my Mum used to take me!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1189 Location: London

I'm genuinely thrilled that you've enjoyed it, Helen. Probably even more than I did, given your extra memories. What a groovy Mum you had!

Also, I've yet to listen to part three, so I have to thank you for posting this, otherwise I'd have forgotten.
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Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

I think Mum enjoyed them as much as I did! Raver I actually met Dusty (and Madeleine Bell) when she was rehearsing for her week in cabaret at Newcastle's La Dolce Vita in (I had to Google the year!) 1965. I found these links which may be of interest.

https://www.facebook.com/DustySpringfieldOfficial/photos/a.259236324118618/2321928881182675/?type=3

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/owner-legendary-newcastle-la-dolce-14014149

My Dad knew the Leveys well as he had his office on the 3rd floor of the same building as the 'Dolcy' as it was known. I may have told the story before but Monday was rehearsal night from around 4 pm. So if there was someone 'decent' on I'd go down to the office after school (I was about 12/13 at the time) and sit at the tables or sometimes stand at the door. It was fantastic! Mum saw Tom Jones, it was around It's Not Unusual time but I didn't see him. Dad used to have a dance band in the 50s so knew some of the club backing musicians so I guess I was just very lucky to be there at the time! I often wished that I was a bit older though as I was too young to go to the clubs etc.

H

PS Enjoy the 3rd episode!

Also this is another link to the Dolce. https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/newcastles-la-dolce-vita-nightclub-14251443

We also knew the brother of the murdered person mentioned..........
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1189 Location: London

Thanks for those links and the reply, H. I hadn't heard the story before.

I particularily enjoyed the last article about the Dolce Vita, as it mentioned some of the names that appeared, or even going there after a gig, as Ella did. That's a 'Wow!' moment in itself! Not to mention the Beatles...it really was a North-East Talk Of The Town

That picture of the three blondes singing is The Lana Sisters, I would guess, with Dusty in the middle. It's not captioned, but looks like it to me.

And fancy The Krays worming their way up to Geordieland. It's like Get Carter!

How lucky you were to witness some of it, H. Even if not as much as you would have liked to. But top see Dusty and Madeleine rehearse...another wow!

I'm about to listen to part three...
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Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19382 Location: Cheshire

They were the Kaye Sisters, I remember the names but that's about all.

You won't believe it but I had Ella's autograph, but not from the Dolce, it was on a paper serviette from my Dad's 24 hour restaurant where she must have gone after the visit to the Dolce. She had been appearing at the City Hall where all the tours went to. My Uncle got it for me and I had it for years but it's disappeared from the house we live in now, at least 20 years ago.

Raver it's only when I catch snippets of things, like on the Dusty documentary, that I remember things and realize what was happening.

Re the murder mentioned, which was front page news at the time but as an 11/12 year back then didn't mean much to me. 10 years later a very nice couple visiting from Edinburgh walked into Dad's office and they were introduced to me as 'so and so blogs' (I was working for Dad at the time). Several years later in conversation Dad told me who they really were, their real names and it made sense to me. I guess in business you get to know some shall we say unsavoury people, he never met the Krays but there were a few 'characters' on Tyneside back in those days!
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1189 Location: London

Ah, the Kaye Sisters. Second cock-up I've made this week!

Oh, H. I bet you turned the house upside down, looking for that serviette. Of course I believe it!

I fully understand what you mean about having the memory jogged and then things making sense etc. It's amazing what can be unearthed after lying dormant for many years...

'The One-Armed Bandit Murder' sounds very sixties, doesn't it? I can imagine there were some right 'characters' Unsavoury and otherwise! We certainly had them down this way, back then.
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