The Leadmill Late 80's

[surfinjim]

Anyone got got any favourite memories or stories from the Leadmill from the late 80's to early 90's, circa 1988 - to 1994.

 

This is roughly the period that I worked there, and I'm just interested in any snippets that I might recall.

 

I used to work behind the main bar on Friday and Saturday nights, and more often than not on the Jazz for lunch on a Sunday.

 

A couple of my favourites;

 

You used to get solid plastic pint pots which we'd throw about in the air or at each other for a jape. One night, one of these pots hit the fans that reside above the main bar and smacked a punter on the side of the bonce at the end of the bar. He went down like a sack of spuds. We laughed heartily, but got a severe b*ll**king. The guy was non the worse for it.

 

 

Do you remember the little bar that sat on the edge of the dance floor near the cloak room. One night a cs gas canister was let off in the main bar and the "Amazing Grace" record came on to evacuate the club. I was working in the little bar that night and pulled down the shutters and got merrily hammered.

 

It would be nice to hear some stories from very happy times for me.

 

Cheers

Jim:thumbsup:

[only_me]

Hi Jim, i actually worked on the leadmill when it was being rebuilt from some old factory. I went in there Thursdays during the years you mention, great times the place would be packed. Was you there when a lot of people from the student games were coming in ?. I remember Percy on the door, and a kid called paul behind the bar, do you remember him and what he did?. Went in there on a thursday a few years ago and the place was nowhere as good as 80s/90s or maybe im just getting old lol.

[Ousetunes]

The band I was in rehearsed in a large room above the Leadmill in the autumn of 1988. It was ideal but there was always the inevitable stairs to contend with and we were, naturally, reluctant to leave our equipment there.

 

I used to enjoy the Leadmill but in a sense it became a victim of its own success. The queues became too long, you had no guarantee of getting in due to moronic bouncers and the place became too busy for my liking. The thought of going there these days sends a shudder down my spine (though that applies to going to any nightclub).

 

I've seen a couple of decent bands there, both in the early-to-mid 1990s. Shed Seven were great and Dodgy were also excellent before they received too much airplay and 'sold out'. The La's (sic) on the other had were disappointing. I also recall a group called Everyday People who were quite impressive.

[surfinjim]

I remember Percy on the door, and a kid called paul behind the bar, do you remember him and what he did?.

 

Only-Me. Yes I know Percy, he was there all the time I worked there. His brother is Uriah Rennie, don't know if you knew that.

 

If you mean Paul who was the bar manager, then yes I know him. We were pretty pally at the time. With the "What he did?" are we talking about how he came to leave the Leadmill????

 

Jim:thumbsup:

[only_me]

Yes

[samsmum]

all i can remember about the leadmill in the late 80's/early 90's was the ceiling dripping on you towards the end of the night...yuck!!!

 

oh, and the great chips you used to get from that little cafe ... last time i went in the leadmill was about 3 years ago, and i agree with ousetunes - it wasnt as good as it used to be.

[surfinjim]

Yes

 

I don't think it would be a problem to post it seeing as he was convicted for it!

 

What do you think?

 

Would have been even funnier if he'd gotten away with it. I seem to remember he managed to get locked into the cellar as well to make it more convincing....... Don't know how he managed that.

[mgblade]

yep i was there a lot of friday nights late 80,s. sometimes on a saturday as well,could be wrong but didn't you pay to watch a band then after they would chuck you out so you'd pay again to use the club.

a friend of a friend was determined to be a dj and he got a slot, DJ MORGAN was his name.

i used to talk to one of the bar staff always wore a FRANKIE t-shirt, about collecting FGTH records, cant recall his name though.

some of the bouncers were quite scary esp a coloured woman, not to be messed with.if you were caught smoking weed they used to nick it off you, i presume for themselves cos they didn't lob you out.

sure i was there when the cs gas went off, remember been moved out and lots of police arriving but can't recall why.

happy days, have been since agree its not as good..

[surfinjim]

yep i was there a lot of friday nights late 80,s. sometimes on a saturday as well,could be wrong but didn't you pay to watch a band then after they would chuck you out so you'd pay again to use the club.

a friend of a friend was determined to be a dj and he got a slot, DJ MORGAN was his name.

i used to talk to one of the bar staff always wore a FRANKIE t-shirt, about collecting FGTH records, cant recall his name though.

some of the bouncers were quite scary esp a coloured woman, not to be messed with.if you were caught smoking weed they used to nick it off you, i presume for themselves cos they didn't lob you out.

sure i was there when the cs gas went off, remember been moved out and lots of police arriving but can't recall why.

happy days, have been since agree its not as good..

 

On a saturday night you'd pay to get in and see the band and then stop all night although there was usually a big exodus around midnight once the band had finished.

 

The female bouncer sounds like Winnie. She went on to be one of the bar managers. Don't know what she's doing nowadays.

 

I remember DJ Morgan. He was resident for pretty much all the time I worked there. The guy with the FGTH t shirt sounds like my mate Sean. He was from Luton with a bit of a late 80's mullet going on.

 

Jim:thumbsup:

[Halibut]

I remember seeing The Mighty Lemon Drops at the Leadmill, in about 1987. Excellent; my brother his mates and I were quite drunk (and had smeared our faces liberally with Calamine lotion for some reason unknown). Also saw The Family Cat around the same time. Went to the Jazz on Sunday lunchtime thing too - good food and groovy tunes. Newspapers. (I think kids were allowed in too ) Like being at home, but better.