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!
As I said in Previous Post, I was Working about 2 or 3 Nights Per Week, when I First Started my New Job at "King's Casino" but that soon Changed to more Nights, and then I remember going into Work one Night and was Told the "Second Chef" had Left!
This Worked out right for me, as they took on a New Second Chef and I was asked by "Peter" to do more Shifts, this I Accepted!
The New Second Chef was a chap by the Name of "Steve Green" he had Previously Worked with the Head Chef "Peter"at a Hotel in nearby "Norwich"
So I was back Working as a Full Time Chef within about 3/4 Months of Finishing on the Rigs!
I knew my "Wife" Susan never liked me Working Nights, but I was a "Chef" and didn't have too much Choice (but to Work Night's)!
I suppose when I Look back to our Earlier Lives nearly 30 Years ago, concerning our Marriage and "Our Kids" I should have tried some other Sort of Work (so I could have been Home, more in the Evening's), but all I had been was a Chef and a Butcher, and I had Worked at Most of the Butcher's in Town (there was only about 3/4 different Companies).
By this time, around early Summertime in 1984, me and Susan had been Married 6 Year's and "Nathan" was nearly 6 Year's Old and "Natalie" was 4 Year's old.
Back to Work, the New Chef "Steve" was a Decent Bloke and I got on Well with Him, his only trouble was He followed the Local Football Team "Norwich City" and I also remember he did not go Much on Soul Music!
Anyway Working with them 2 Chefs was Great, I cannot remember too many Disagreements with Either of them, although they did Talk about "each other" a fair bit to me, as they were Like an Old "Married Couple" having known each other (and worked together) for a Few Year's!
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)
