It all Began Here

Bobby Dell and the Dellstars

This is the first band I ever played in, that's me on the left with the old harmony guitar. It was new then, back in "63" or whenever it was, that album behind my head, of the "Beatles" had just been released.  I first joined the band (group) when I was at school, I was about thirteen years old, I'm sixteen or seventeen here.  The club was called the Rockingham It was on Queen St, Manchester, It was Manchester's first gay club, the owner Reg was a great guy, and Harry the doorman was a giant (a very nice one) ... 

The first meeting with these guys was at an audition in Granada TV studios several years previous to this photo, the gay rights act of the sixties hadn't come to being, the program we were auditioning for was scrapped, We were piped at the post by Gerry Marsden at the BBC Playhouse, we never heard any more than that except the usual crap like "we will keep you in mind for future reference" 

anyway Reg and Harry and friends attacked us after the audition, saying how good we where (poor mans beetles) and they insisted to book us at their club for DOUBLE our normal money £15-00 we got £30, all they said, it was because the club was a little bit different!!!!Different on arriving at the door a tiny hatch opened and the face of Harry appeared, saying GOOD EVENING BOYS sounding like someone was squeezing his bollocks in a vice! 

I strolled through the dancing couples to find a bar maid, yes! a woman.  She told me not to worry about the strange behaviour and shown me the dressing room.  After chasing down Deansgate for Bobby, the lead singer, who had decided he couldn't hack it.  We finally did the night, It was like being a film star, the audience sat on the floor grouped in a semi circle, and clapped like little old ladies at a tea party.

We had a great night and became good friends with Reg, Harry, and not forgetting Peter Harry's boy friend. We played that club for about three years. never knew Why???? I think it was our roadie!! Incidentally Reg died in the early nineties, after fighting the battle for all day pub hours.  He owned the Rembrant at the time, my wife and i spent many an evening there.  What a guy Regie Killduff God bless him.

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