I Worked at "Kings Casino" from 1984 to around Early Winter in 1987, about 3 Years!
It was a Great Place to Work and most of the Kitchen Staff were Great as well, I had a Good Reason for leaving, I will talk about this next Time!
But I have One Last Story about the "Casino" I would like to Post about, some 25 Years later (after I had finished at the Casino), My Son "Nathan" Who Works as a Coffee Vending Machine Engineer, in the East Anglia Region of the UK, by Coincidence has Machines in "Kings Casino"
He was Repairing a Machine there about 2 Years ago, when He got talking to a Female Member of Staff, who had Remembered me Working there all them Years previously!
She had apparently been Working there for over 25 Years and also Had a Photograph of me and "Head Chef" Peter Culley.
So the Next time "Nathan" was there Mending a Vending Machine, she gave Him the Photo (to give to me), she had took it all them Years ago!
That's Peter in the Middle, with me to the Left!
I Remembered it well, it was Taken around Christmas/New Year Period in 1985, it was a Big Buffet, All Types of Meat and Seafood you could Imagine, I remember the Restaurant was Closed that Night, but there was well over a 150 Covers at the Buffet.
Its Great to Look back on Photos like this, its the only thing I have concerning "Kings Casino" and as the Casino Closed Down about 18 Months ago, I'm not likely to see or go in there Again!
As for some Music, My Favorite English Band are Level 42, and in 1985 they Released a Single Called "Something About You" Prior to the Album which Followed, Called "World Machine"
World Machine was Level 42's 6th Studio Album, all of which were on the Polydor Record label."Something About You" was Written by Level 42 and Wally Badarou.
It was not Released until 1986 in the US, and became their only Top 10 Hit on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, in the UK it Reached Number 6 on the UK Pop Chart!
I saw "Level 42" Live about 2 Years Previous to the Single Release, Mark King was Great on the "Bass" the Best British Bass Player by Far!
I Believe after Their next Album Release in 1986 called "Running in the Family" Level 42 went off the Boil a bit, and went too Commercial, this coincided with the "Gould Brothers" Leaving the Band!
It was now 1984, I had just Spent Christmas at Home with my Wife and Kids, after leaving my previous Job (Offshore Chef) about 4 Days before Christmas '83.
I cant be exact, but I think I only had about 2 Weeks out of Work before I found my next Job!
It was only Part-Time (but I knew it would become Full-Time in due course) I was going to Work at a Casino in our Town, as a Chef, the Place was Called "King's Casino"
I Remember at the beginning I was Working, once or twice a Week, I was taking care of the Starter's and Sweets, there was only a Small Team of Worker's, including the Head Chef called "Peter Culley" and a Second Chef named "Kevin Huggins" there was another Trainee Chef and about 2/3 Chaps doing the Kitchen Porter's Work.
I enjoyed the Job and Work, although there were a Couple of Draw Backs, one was, I was Working Night's again and two, I Lived about 4/5 Miles away and I still had my Bike, so I was back Pedalling again!
When I say I worked Nights, the Hour's were a 5pm Start and "Last Order's" were at 11.30pm, so by the Time we Cleared up etc and I Cycled Home, it was around 12.30 am, not too great for a Married Man with Kids, but I did get 6 out of the 7 Day Times off, although we did Work Friday Morning as well, as the Night Time.
I recall Cycling back and forth to work, that time of the year, it always seemed to be Raining, so I had my "Yellow Water Proof Coat and Trouser's" for Bike Riding, they used to make me Sweat "like Hell" most times, but at least I had My "Personal Cassette Player" that always Helped me to pass away the time on boring Journeys!
It was Written by Al Green, Willie Mitchell and Earl Randle, Surprisingly, it was Never Released as a Single, I would say one of Al Green's Best, but He has so Many Fantastic Tracks!
The Album went to Number 1 in the US R&B Charts, the Track was Re-Recorded by several Different Artists over the Years!
Checkout the Live Version, Recorded in 2002 in New York City, What a Performance!
Download the Track! Check out the Great Lyrics! Talking: God blessed our love. Even in the morning, when I rise, I say God blessed our love. And every morning, when I rise I can just see heaven all, all in your eyes Makes me know this is not an everyday love, no, no We've got something I'm sure we can be proud of Oh, we've got so much, so much love We've got so much, so much trust Can't you see a halo, a halo, I can see a halo hovering over us Chorus: oh I just can't believe it baby but, God blessed our love, I have to say it this evening that God oh God blessed our love if you've got something to be thankful for you oughta just say, hey, hey, hey, God blessed our love, I have to say it this evening God oh God blessed our love oh yes he did Let me say I could just stand up and tell the world, oh baby That you're mine, all mine, ah yeah You love is heavenly designed And I just have to say that I like kissing you I like, I like hugging you I like squeezing you, wanting you, holding you, loving you I'm glad I'm still lovin' oh baby Let me say when people, yeah, people, yeah, start to criticize Well it don't bother me, no, no, Cause I know God, God, God is on our side yes he is Chorus: let me just say God, God blessed our love I have to say that God oh God blessed our love (Until Fade)
Around July of 1982, I was getting on Alright at The Sandringham Hotel, but things were starting to get a bit awkward, As I said in Previous posts, my Head Chef was my Former Teacher at College, a few Years earlier, and when I went for the Interview, I did state about not Working too many Nights, which he Agreed to!
Anyway with other People off work (sick) and things picking up, I was being asked more and more, to work Nights here and there, which at first was not too bad, but after about 1 Month, it was Happening all the Time, so in the end I had to go and see the Head Chef, now I cant exactly remember what Happened, I think he might of said "its Tough" but in the end I had to see the Hotel Owner, who asked if I could stick with it, for a little while!
This I did do, but in the end, it was just liked I worked all the nights I was working, so in the end, I handed in my Notice and left within a few Weeks!
I remember the Head Chef was not too happy, but I did get a Reference from him, although He did have a little dig about Working nights, and he also got his own back a few Years later!
About 5 years after, this incident, I was Working in another Restaurant, as Second Chef (although this night I was Acting as Head Chef, as He was off Duty) when I was asked to go out into the Restaurant to meet Somebody, who said he knew me!
So when I got into the Restaurant, I was Surprised too see the Head Chef from The Sandringham having a Meal, which I had Cooked, this was the first time I had seen him, since we Worked together.
To my Surprise, in front of who ever he was Dining with, started to go about how I had cooked his Meal and it was not how he had taught me at College (years previous) I believe he had eaten "Beef Stroganoff"
I had used Fresh Cream in the Dish, which he never did! Most Chefs do things slightly different!
My answer to him was "I work here now and this is how my "Head Chef" wants this dish prepared and Cooked, so this is how I will do it! and then I went back into the Kitchen, I bet he did not leave a Tip that night!
He did not like that, and I think that was the last Time he spoke to me, but on saying that I cant remember the last time I saw him!
HAPPY DAYS!
As for Music around this Period, CHANGE had their Third Album (out of 6) Released, it was called" Sharing Your Love"
It was their 3rd most Successful Album in the U.S, The Best Track on Album was "The Very Best In You" it reached Number 16 in the U.S R&B Chart!
Of course "Changes" first Album featured Luther Vandross on Lead Vocals.
