"Castle Rock". The Album


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Can anyone remember one summer on the Victoria Embankment, there was an outdoor rock concert featuring local bands, which led to the release of an album called "Castle Rock". I was about 13 and it was the first live gig I ever went to. I remember a song "first teenager on the moon" or some such.

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The only album i recall with that name was put together by my former Trent colleague Graham Neale, early 80's featuring local rock talent, it had a predominanty blue cover, could that be it?

Looking at the pic below confirms it isnt!

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  • 8 months later...
Can anyone remember one summer on the Victoria Embankment, there was an outdoor rock concert featuring local bands, which led to the release of an album called "Castle Rock". I was about 13 and it was the first live gig I ever went to. I remember a song "first teenager on the moon" or some such.

I do vaguely remember this. I'm pretty sure that local band Gaffa were one of the bands appearing. Certainly the song First Teenager on the Moon was one of their well-know numbers. It used the Fireball XL5 theme as part of the tune!

IIRC Gaffa appeared on a TV music programe one midweek early evening and played the song as one of their two allotted. Anybody use to see Gaffa at The Imperial Cooler Bar like I did? Happy days.

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I saw Gaffa there in the late 70's early 80's supported by 'Ted Turnip and the Whistling Worms'!!!!!!!!!!!!

great days

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Just dug out an old album here by Gaffa. It's called 'Neither Use Nor Ornament'. Recorded in 1978 at Berwick Street Studio.

Featuring:

Wayne Evans - mouth almight, bass

Mick Barratt - drums, vocals, piano

John Maslen - reverse guitar, vocals

Eddie Smith - tremulant geetar, vocals

The disc has fourteen tracks and to say it was recorded by a pub band almost thirty years ago sound not half bad actually. I liked those guys, they were always a great night out down at The Imperial.

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The girl in the picture (Dawn Foxall) went on to join The Marcel Marceaus in the mid to late 80,s ,we used to have them on at The Mardi Gras (Beer Kellar)

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The girl in the picture (Dawn Foxall) went on to join The Marcel Marceaus in the mid to late 80,s ,we used to have them on at The Mardi Gras (Beer Kellar)

Yes mate. I thik I remember her appearing with Gaffa too. The Nottingham music scene was a bit incestuous then wasn't it? Good days (and nights) though.

I'm going to show my ignorance because I never actually got to the Bier Keller. I know it was somewhere near Midland Station but where exactly?

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Opposite side of the road and diagonally left from the main entrance to the station is a tall building ,the Bier Kellar was up the steps, there is a set of double doors that was the entrance ,it is just up the road from one of BIPs haunts 'The Vat and Fiddle'

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We had loads of 'big' and 'little' acts on there over the years, We had T'Pau and Wet Wet Wet before they were famous, Freddy and the Dreamers, (Regularly) Dave Berry and the Cruisers ,Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band,after they were famous,The Mac Lads, Dumpies Rusty Nuts,and other infamous bands over the years

I nearly managed to book Phil Collins to do a secret gig there once to promote his follow up album to 'No Jacket Requred' but he pulled out and went some where else instead

We regularly had Jim Bowen, not as an entertainer he just used to come in for a drink whilst waiting for his train home after filming 'Bulls Eye'at the Central studios on Lenton Lane.(Nice bloke ,he always bought us a drink)

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We had loads of 'big' and 'little' acts on there over the years, We had T'Pau and Wet Wet Wet before they were famous, Freddy and the Dreamers, (Regularly) Dave Berry and the Cruisers ,Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band,after they were famous,The Mac Lads, Dumpies Rusty Nuts,and other infamous bands over the years

I nearly managed to book Phil Collins to do a secret gig there once to promote his follow up album to 'No Jacket Requred' but he pulled out and went some where else instead

We regularly had Jim Bowen, not as an entertainer he just used to come in for a drink whilst waiting for his train home after filming 'Bulls Eye'at the Central studios on Lenton Lane.(Nice bloke ,he always bought us a drink)

I'm envious, I was a big fan of Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band! Superb live act.

Some good stories there especially the Phil Collins one. I had no idea that so many different artists appeared there as I thought it was just the tradtional Karl and The Heidelbergers nights that featured. Cheers for the info.

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Alan Hayes (of Arriba fame) bought the lease on the place after the Bier Kellar went tits up in the early 80s ,and ran it as a live music venue (Fridays and bank holidays) Metal Mickey's Rock night (Saturday) Ray Robinson Sunday show ie disco and silly games,Wednesday was Indie bands. Then on the third Saturday of the month we had the traditional Bier Kellar night,one month with 'Karl and the Hiedelburgers' the next we had 'The Amazing Bavarian Stompers'

Unfortunately the lease ran out in the early 90's and the factoy (who owned the basement area) wouldn't renew it as they wanted it for storage space. Miserable bas**rds, although that era had long since passed and it was dying a death, so it was better to shoot it to put it out of it's misery I suppose but you have jogged a few good memories for me there Stu. ta

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  • 5 months later...
I'm envious, I was a big fan of Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band! Superb live act.

One for you then Stu

Geno Washingham & the Ram Jam Band play for free as part of the City Pulse Music Festival on Sunday 25th May 2008 Old Market Square

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  • 1 month later...
Can anyone remember one summer on the Victoria Embankment, there was an outdoor rock concert featuring local bands, which led to the release of an album called "Castle Rock". I was about 13 and it was the first live gig I ever went to. I remember a song "first teenager on the moon" or some such.

Yeah, I went. It was either 71 or 72. Sorry but it was all a bit of a blur.

I remember enjoying it a lot though.

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I do remember the concert - I even remember it being a warm summers day. As for First Teenager On The Moon, that was a Gaffa song.

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I do remember the concert - I even remember it being a warm summers day. As for First Teenager On The Moon, that was a Gaffa song.

Did this track get discussed recently or am I having a Deja Vu moment ,and I was talking to SWMBO about them??

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I mentioned it earlier in the thread. Gaffa used to play the song every week at The Cooler Bar in The Imperial. I still have a recording of it on the Neither Use Nor Ornament album they recorded. Loadsafun!

"Oh my god, why did you create her

I cried as I teetered on the edge of a crater

I don't care if I get back to the ground

'Cause I'm giving up the world and my paper round

To be...the first teenager on the on the moon."

They just don't write 'em like that any more! :-)

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  • 7 months later...
Can anyone remember one summer on the Victoria Embankment, there was an outdoor rock concert featuring local bands, which led to the release of an album called "Castle Rock". I was about 13 and it was the first live gig I ever went to. I remember a song "first teenager on the moon" or some such.

I didn't think anyone had ever heard of this album - except our accountant at work. He bought this LP from my mother after my father died. Apparently there was a bit of worth to a copy in good condition. Not sure why though as I hated it.

Amazing what you find in these pages.

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RE the Bier Keller

I remember it being the Spontaneous Underground in the late 80's, lots of psychedelic rock bands played.

Big Baz from the Salutation had something to do with it.

It didn't run for long though.

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Big Baz was doorman there (When it was called The Mardi Gras) from 83 to 86 when he left to run the 'Sal' I don't remember him opening a club there though (certainly not in the 80s anyway) as I was there till 90ish when it closed down.

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