1960s Menu

Paul J. Davis - Spike The Mighty Ruler

I first came to the Island in June 1965. At the time I was doing a one night a week DJ stint at an all nighter, "The Crazy E" club in Birmingham, and then ferrying the two owners to Portsmouth on a Sunday. They were spending much of their time on the Island and finally became the "two men from Birmingham" that took over The Flamingo Club.

I was very broke at the time and collected enough empty Coke bottles at a club in Portsmouth to raise the 4s 6d for the ferry fare over to Ryde. Chris and Steve (the two Brummies) arranged with Clive Meddick for me to do a spot at the Disco Blue. Johnnie Dunn was resident DJ and chief cook and bottle washer at the time. (He was also Head Waiter at The Royal York to be replaced by Mr. Alcock when Mr. Bottoms took over. (They made a great team!!)

They had never seen a "real" DJ before. Clive gave me a fiver and said if ever I wanted a job it was there. I went off to Bognor to DJ the World's first (and last) Teen Hotel and had a great season. I left there to work as The Actions roadie. This lasted six weeks, most of my wages were paid in first quality Lebanese and I couldn't hack the pace. Desperate for work I thought of Clive Meddick and arrived at the Disco Blue on the day Clive had sacked Johnnie Dunn. Sue Furmage also gave me a very warm welcome, even more reason to settle on The Island.

I will list, in no particular order, the venues on the Island I was involved in.

  1. Disco Blue. Clive's dad called me The Bear, I called myself Spike the Mighty Ruler after a great Buster's All Stars track and Wilf Pine beat me up for refusing to play "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" by Jimmy Ruffin in the middle of a dance seque. He was after some 'richard' or other and wanted to dance.

  2. Royal York Hotel with the Meddicks and The 69 Club. I compered all the major shows and knew many of the well known bands, Simon Dupree, Andy Fairweather Low, The Gass, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, etc. (I had worked with other bands like Spencer Davies, The Move, Georgie Fame, The Small Faces, The Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall, The Moody Blues, Tom Jones!! etc., etc. in Birmingham and had also been a roadie for some time with Pinkertons Assorted Colours and The Action). I also compered the televised Gene Vincent show from The Royal York. (Not even my own mummy recognised me!)

  3. Shanklin Pier Ballroom (George Boynton Promotions)

  4. The Chequers Club (Chris and Steve from Birmingham). I remember well Ten Years After. We drove around West Cowes during Cowes Week singing All You Need Is Love!! (or was that Skip Bifferty). Chris and Steve were staying at a hotel at the bottom of George Street. The parties we had there!!

  5. The Seagull Ballroom (Big L. Speakeasy, it was tied in (loosely) with Radio London and was one of their advertised venues) with the Meddicks and Peter Van Buren. I used to go over to Portsmouth on the ferry and bring the star turns gear over in those little Post Office wagons they used to have on the pier. (The last dance at this venue was with Simon Dupree. 1500 people turned up. My DJ box was up on the balcony above the stage. The building was swaying so badly whilst the band was on we called in surveyors who discvoered the metals legs on which the Seagull was built were so rusted you could push a screwdriver through them!!)

  6. The Ship and Castle (with that nightmare woman Ross AND her son!)

  7. What's now the indoor bowling green at Ryde Airport. Black Sabbath, Matthews Southern Comfort etc., etc.

  8. Keats Inn

  9. Medway Queen with Hinge and Bracket et al.

  10. Ryde Queen (some great hen and stag nights)

  11. Blitz Night Club (Derek Smith's club in Newport)

  12. The Oasis Ballroom

  13. The Labour Party fete in West Cowes??

  14. The bar at the first Island festival.

  15. The newspaper concession on the second.

  16. Shift controller for Exhibition Caterers at the third.

  17. Lakeside with 5 Alive (last but not least)

Sincerely

Paul Davis (Spike)

PS I also played straight man to Malcy Lawrence. (My dog hasn't got a nose. How does it smell. Bloody awful. etc.) It was 1966-67.

1960s Menu