When Motown came to Wolverhampton

[Sharpmoves]

http://nativemonster.com/music/galle...-wolverhampton
It's 50 years, of course, since the Motown "invasion" of the UK. The Tops Reach Out, which hit No 1 in the UK in 1966, is the first Motown song I remember hearing. My elder brother bought the album, but I got hold of it a played it over and over. That was it. Hooked for life!

[westgrandboulevard]

Instead of "the tickets cost between 32p and 75p", I imagine that should read 'shillings' [[between 32/- and 75/-).....?

[Sharpmoves]

Instead of "the tickets cost between 32p and 75p", I imagine that should read 'shillings' [[between 32/- and 75/-).....?

Actually, its not as simple as that, alas! In "old money" there were 20 shillings to the pound.

75 "new" pence = 15/- [[fifteen old shillings)
32 "new" pence = 6/5 [[six old shillings and five old pence)

These prices would have be been quite a bit more than cinema tickets, which would be correct. In 1971 I paid 30/- for my ticket to see Stevie and Martha - best seats-top price. At that time, I was at school, and worked in a supermarket for two hours on Friday evenings and all day Saturday, and for that I earned....30/-!

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes indeed Sharpmoves, there were 20 shillings to the pound.

When I was very young [[it seems I predate you a few years), a 'half crown' [[2s 6d, and subsequently 12.5 pence in decimal currency, - the halfpenny becoming obsolete at the end of 1984) was a lot of money to me, especially if it were ever given to me as 'pocket money'!

Conversion to decimal made everything simpler, but I can clearly remember farthings [[with the wren), the old half pennies [[ 'ha'pennies') pennies, three pence pieces [['thruppence'), sixpence pieces [['tanners'), shillings, two shillings [['florins'), and still have some Crowns.

I remember regularly stacking up all the various coins from my piggy bank, always in the hope of turning them into one pound notes.

[144man]

I don't remember ever seeing a crown in circulation. It's strange to think that most UK citizens have only ever used coins with Queen Elizabeth II on them whereas the pre-decimalisation coins in use went back as far as Queen Victoria as a young woman.

[westgrandboulevard]

The only Crowns I have were specially minted and, no, I don't remember ever seeing them in circulation.

Did you see the Tamla Motown revue when it was on tour here?

[144man]

Yes. Front stalls in the second performance at the Finsbury Park Astoria/ Rainbow. And there were no empty seats where we were sitting!

[westgrandboulevard]

I didn't catch a performance. Care to share your memories?

[144man]

This was 50 years ago, and I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday. Over the next few years, I tried to see every Motown act that visited Britain [[I somehow missed out seeing the Isley Brothers and Jimmy Ruffin), so I'm never 100% sure what happened where and when.

From what I remember, my favourite act of the night was Martha & Vandellas. I didn't know what to expect of the Supremes, but found their act too polished to be exciting. Georgie Fame's set was acceptable, but he wasn't someone I would have seen by choice. I think it was at this performance that Stevie Wonder and Clarence Paul brought the house down with their duet on "Funny [[How Time Slips Away)". During the Miracles' performance, one of the group danced into a music stand, sending pages of sheet music flying everywhere and he had to try to pick them up while continuing to sing.

I don't think the running order was the same as in the programme. I remember The Miracles singing "Come On Do The Jerk" then saying that the Jerk was descended from the Monkey and donning monkey masks while singing "Mickey's Monkey" and bringing the other acts onstage for the finale. The show justifiably received a standing ovation.

Because of the presence of Earl Van Dyke, the show sounded closer to Motown's studio recordings than any other subsequent concert I attended.