THE HOT SUMMER OF 1976 IN THE U.K / MUSIC and a GOOD BEATING IN TOWN!

I remember the Hot Summer of 1976 in the U.K, this was the Year I got my First Car (see previous Blog entry)We had a new Record Shop open our Town it was called " Airfield Tapes and Records 2" it was a Great shop! it Sold lots of Different Soul and Funk Albums and Singles by Singers and Groups Some I had heard of and some I hadn't heard of before!


I can remember walking to the Shop on one Particular occasion, the weather was Boiling hot, I purchased Archie Bell and the Drells Vinyl Album "Dance Your Troubles Away" it had 2 Great Singles on it, "Soul City Walk" and "Let's Groove" that was a Great Album!

Three others Things happened to me in '76 that I wont forget in a hurry!
Firstly around early Summertime, I got the C**P Kicked out of me by I think it was 4/5 Blokes, who were in our Town for a Holiday!

"How the Hell did that Happen" I hear you say! I remember sitting on the steps outside the ABC Picture House in our Town, with about 4/5 so called Mates, and these about 6 Men walked passed and one of the Boys with me Shouted out some sort of Insult, it was a chap by the Name of Gregory Page ( I never did like him!) anyway this was the Era of wearing Shoes called Stacks, (Great BIG Heels and Soles) so when these Blokes heard what "PAGE" Had Shouted they came after us!

Now Stacks and Running dont go together, and I was Caught! as I said at least 4 of them were there Kicking and Punching me, the main thing I remember was being Head -Butted several times by different Blokes, I recall being Pulled up then the Butt and going to the floor and then being pulled up again and butted again, over and over!

My nose and Forehead were sore for Weeks!

I recall the only Help I got, was from a Woman who was in the Bus Queue, who was grabbing them and Shouting at them to stop!

Where was all my so called Friends! they had all Run Off!

As it turned out these Blokes were on Holiday at one of the Caravan Parks just outside of Town, I'll always remember the Main Chap, had long curly Afro Hair and had on a pair of Clogs with an American Flag Pattern on them! they were from Liverpool, one of my older Friends at that time got a few of his Mates together and went looking for them, they were never seen in the Town again!

More of the other things that happened in '76 later!