Armando Broja

[Billwelshblue]

I can't see him to bring up with us because of the cost but we shall see

[Wiggytop]

11 hours ago, MikeO said:

Really interesting take that, yes I was a bit too old for punk but I really wasn't a mainstream prog rocker.

Bands (artists) for me back then were the likes of Dr Feelgood, Neil Young, Wishbone Ash, Spirit and Mott the Hoople, even early Elton John.

Interesting to read about your dad; mine was working for EMI in the Beatles years but he was always a Sinatra/Bassey fan...he was actually one of the EMI execs who supported the name change because "they'd never get anywhere called the Beatles".

Story he always told was that EMI were so "meeting" heavy among the top guys that he suggested at one meeting they should employ a whole new staff to attend them while the rest of them got on with the job

I’m about the same as you, always loved my music, DeBop Deluxe, Nils Lofgren up to 76, then bam along came punk, liked the music but never had the bottle to do the safety pin stuff. Went to Eric’s many times, then over on to new wave, Costello, Squeeze, XTC, early Talking Heads etc. At 22 I got a sales rep job with CBS, covering  Merseyside and N Wales, I thought it would be cool, it was in many aspects, not so much trying to sell the Nolan’s or Goombay Dance Band into Probe, Pete Burns worked there at the time, he always tired to intimidate customers and reps, on one visit he was in fine form calling almost every new release I presented shite, so as I was going through the albums I half pulled a cover out, then put it back in my bag saying he wouldn’t want it and moved on to the next, he kept asking what  it was that I had put back, I eventually pulled it out, Joan Jetts 2nd album, “ oh I’ll have 10 of that she’s OK” he said. A small win in the life of a sales rep. There was a sales incentive on that album, I won by 5 sales, and got a very nice Sony Sports Walkman ( yellow waterproof one )

Its was a strange industry, so much money thrown at promoting groups by all the labels to get radio play and on TOTP, lots of good stuff groups never made it, and lots of crap did, cos it sold and made loads of money for the labels.

[Wiggytop]

Anyhow, Broja, we have to accept if players don’t want to come to the NW and prefer London, a drive down Regent Rd to see Bramley Moore wouldn’t impress many atm.

[Formby]

43 minutes ago, Wiggytop said:

I’m about the same as you, always loved my music, DeBop Deluxe, Nils Lofgren up to 76, then bam along came punk, liked the music but never had the bottle to do the safety pin stuff. Went to Eric’s many times, then over on to new wave, Costello, Squeeze, XTC, early Talking Heads etc. At 22 I got a sales rep job with CBS, covering  Merseyside and N Wales, I thought it would be cool, it was in many aspects, not so much trying to sell the Nolan’s or Goombay Dance Band into Probe, Pete Burns worked there at the time, he always tired to intimidate customers and reps, on one visit he was in fine form calling almost every new release I presented shite, so as I was going through the albums I half pulled a cover out, then put it back in my bag saying he wouldn’t want it and moved on to the next, he kept asking what  it was that I had put back, I eventually pulled it out, Joan Jetts 2nd album, “ oh I’ll have 10 of that she’s OK” he said. A small win in the life of a sales rep. There was a sales incentive on that album, I won by 5 sales, and got a very nice Sony Sports Walkman ( yellow waterproof one )

Its was a strange industry, so much money thrown at promoting groups by all the labels to get radio play and on TOTP, lots of good stuff groups never made it, and lots of crap did, cos it sold and made loads of money for the labels.

You're not kidding! Did you ever speak to / meet Geoff Davies at Probe? He was really lovely to us - helped finance our first record through Probe (the Cartel).

Be Bop Deluxe - I thought everyone had forgotten them!  

[MikeO]

12 hours ago, Formby said:

The Manchester Square offices? Imagine if they'd got their way - did they have an alternative name lined up?

Yup, went there several times as a kid. No alternative as far as I'm aware.

Dad was with them for around fifteen years in all before being made UK MD of MGM records in 1967

1 hour ago, Formby said:

You're not kidding! Did you ever speak to / meet Geoff Davies at Probe? He was really lovely to us - helped finance our first record through Probe (the Cartel).

Be Bop Deluxe - I thought everyone had forgotten them!  

Bill Nelson was a hell of a talented guy.

[Wiggytop]

6 hours ago, Formby said:

You're not kidding! Did you ever speak to / meet Geoff Davies at Probe? He was really lovely to us - helped finance our first record through Probe (the Cartel).

Be Bop Deluxe - I thought everyone had forgotten them!  

Yes I used to deal with Geoff most of the time, if he was away PB stood in. Really liked Geoff, found him very straightforward and easy to deal with. Paul Rutherford from Frankie was working in there around that time also.

I saw Bill Nelson at Pacific Road in Birkenhead a few years ago, thinking he would play the best of his long catalogue, nope not one song I knew was played. FWIW there’s a really good concert on YouTube he did a few years ago, there’s more clips also.

 

[MikeO]

28 minutes ago, Wiggytop said:

I saw Bill Nelson at Pacific Road in Birkenhead a few years ago, thinking he would play the best of his long catalogue, nope not one song I knew was played.

If I went to see him and he didn't play Ships in the Night I'd demand my money back!

I saw Camel a couple of years back in Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in what was billed as the Moonmadness tour and, while they did play Moonmadness in full (great), the rest was all new stuff and not great. Also Andy Latimer's voice must've gone because he didn't take any of the vocals, didn't sound right with someone else filling in.

[Formby]

11 hours ago, MikeO said:

Yup, went there several times as a kid. No alternative as far as I'm aware.

Dad was with them for around fifteen years in all before being made UK MD of MGM records in 1967

To have that in your family history is amazing.  

[Palfy]

On 10/07/2022 at 10:58, MikeO said:

Yup, went there several times as a kid. No alternative as far as I'm aware.

Dad was with them for around fifteen years in all before being made UK MD of MGM records in 1967

Bill Nelson was a hell of a talented guy.

How many years was your dad at MGM mate. Wiggy mentioned XTC I was sort of hanging with them when they first started Andy Partridge was a few years older than me, my link was I was messing about with stuff with Barry Andrews the original keyboard player met him at school he was 2-3 years older than me, then Andy came calling when he was setting up XTC and Barry Joined them, then left after 2 years because he didn’t like the direction they were heading, big mistake the direction they took made them quite a bit of money. Use to go to the bars and clubs in Swindon when Partridge was helping his daughter Holy start her group up around 2005-6, they were called the she beat’s and had a fair bit of success, all girl punk vibe well worth a look at, saw them loads of times for free when they were trying to get their set together. 

[MikeO]

3 minutes ago, Palfy said:

How many years was your dad at MGM mate.

Not long at all, probably just a couple of years; he fell out with his US boss and resigned to set up on his own. 

Actually can date it all from Billboard (US industry magazine) cuttings, he started on July 1st 1967

...and left in November 68, so actually not much longer than a year.

...

 

[Gwlad]

I thought Eloise, Barry Ryan was a great production, Mike.

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, MikeO said:

Not long at all, probably just a couple of years; he fell out with his US boss and resigned to set up on his own. 

Actually can date it all from Billboard (US industry magazine) cuttings, he started on July 1st 1967

...and left in November 68, so actually not much longer than a year.

...

 

He was still a young man when he left to go out on his own at 39, hats off to your dad mate what a career to have had in the music industry. I’m going out on a limb here a bit because I’m just going from memory of the late 70s and the early 80s, and reading an article about Sid Vicious calling MGM out when he was in the states at the time he and Nancy died, about the organised crime and the Mafia owning large parts of MGM, probably a publicity stunt on his part saying they renegaded on a deal and he wasn’t scared of them even though their connection to the Mafia. 
The things you think you remember as a teen to early twenties even though you were completely smashed most of the time. 

[Formby]

2 hours ago, Palfy said:

How many years was your dad at MGM mate. Wiggy mentioned XTC I was sort of hanging with them when they first started Andy Partridge was a few years older than me, my link was I was messing about with stuff with Barry Andrews the original keyboard player met him at school he was 2-3 years older than me, then Andy came calling when he was setting up XTC and Barry Joined them, then left after 2 years because he didn’t like the direction they were heading, big mistake the direction they took made them quite a bit of money. Use to go to the bars and clubs in Swindon when Partridge was helping his daughter Holy start her group up around 2005-6, they were called the she beat’s and had a fair bit of success, all girl punk vibe well worth a look at, saw them loads of times for free when they were trying to get their set together. 

I think he would have done okay with Shriekback - and he played with some amazing artists - Eno, Fripp - so probably the right decision artistically. 

Did Andy ever bring his toy soldiers along? A real English eccentric.   

[Formby]

2 hours ago, MikeO said:

Not long at all, probably just a couple of years; he fell out with his US boss and resigned to set up on his own. 

Actually can date it all from Billboard (US industry magazine) cuttings, he started on July 1st 1967

...and left in November 68, so actually not much longer than a year.

...

 

Great clippings! So important to keep hold of things like this. 

[Formby]

I am pretty sure Armando won't mind if we shoot the breeze with music talk while he's making up his mind....

[MikeO]

3 minutes ago, Formby said:

Great clippings! So important to keep hold of things like this. 

Billboard being archived online is great, have around thirty clips mentioning him from there; if the UK equivalent, Music Week, were to be made available there'd be hundreds more. Been in touch with them in the past asking if they have any plans in that direction but no joy, they did say I'd be welcome to go to their place and look through the hard copy archive, but that'd take forever.

Weird though, to me in 1968 he was my dad running the cub football team and taking the whole team to matches in our VW camper; at the same time he was flying to the USA and back first class with Pan Am every other month or so.

He actually then ended up nearly bankrupt when his own labels failed (said in later years he made too many enemies on the way up who kicked him on the way down). Then left the business and was (over time) a door to door insurance salesman, a taxi driver and a security guard; and my mum worked in pubs and as a cleaning lady to balance the books. It was a roller coaster of an upbringing for sure!

They ended up buying a village store in Somerset in 1986 and bloody loved it there.

[Palfy]

Just now, Formby said:

I am pretty sure Armando won't mind if we shoot the breeze with music talk while he's making up his mind....

He doesn’t seem to have much choice.    No I never witnessed his toys to be honest didn’t even know he collected toy soldiers, didn’t see him after 78 till 2005 when he was helping the She beat’s and haven’t seen him since 2006/7, still lives in a big place in Swindon’s Old town I believe, were the small music bars and venues are, I moved out of Swindon over 12 years ago still get back once in a while, there’s a bar there called the Vic that has a basement that puts on live music from up and coming bands and some recognised old bands, that’s were She beats use to gig when they were getting established and Andy would be there, the last time I was there the Buzzcocks were playing it was something like a tenner a ticket max 200 people, and they were banging, proper old school venue just like it was for punks in the 70s I love it the music the nostalgia, for me nothing turns back the clock like the music of your youth. 

[Palfy]

15 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Billboard being archived online is great, have around thirty clips mentioning him from there; if the UK equivalent, Music Week, were to be made available there'd be hundreds more. Been in touch with them in the past asking if they have any plans in that direction but no joy, they did say I'd be welcome to go to their place and look through the hard copy archive, but that'd take forever.

Weird though, to me in 1968 he was my dad running the cub football team and taking the whole team to matches in our VW camper; at the same time he was flying to the USA and back first class with Pan Am every other month or so.

He actually then ended up nearly bankrupt when his own labels failed (said in later years he made too many enemies on the way up who kicked him on the way down). Then left the business and was (over time) a door to door insurance salesman, a taxi driver and a security guard; and my mum worked in pubs and as a cleaning lady to balance the books. It was a roller coaster of an upbringing for sure!

They ended up buying a village store in Somerset in 1986 and bloody loved it there.

What a journey

[MikeO]

15 minutes ago, Palfy said:

What a journey

Indeed, looking at historical UK wages the average earner in England in 1967 was on £890 pa, dad started at MGM on £7,000; we were (all to briefly) very well off.

[Wiggytop]

4 minutes ago, MikeO said:

Indeed, looking at historical UK wages the average earner in England in 1967 was on £890 pa, dad started at MGM on £7,000; we were (all to briefly) very well off.

Bloody hell that’s some salary, I joined CBS aim 82 on £7500 a huge increase from my previous reps job with Cadbury’s at £3000,  my parents bought their first house in Dec 66 for £6600, new build 3 bed semi, CH, Built in kitchen, 2 toilets! That waS a big jump for them, we had spent the previous 4 years living in 3 bed flat above the hairdressers my mum had, 6 of us, lounge and kitchen downstairs behind the salon, I have a hatred of the smell of hairspray and perm solution.

 

1 hour ago, Formby said:

I think he would have done okay with Shriekback - and he played with some amazing artists - Eno, Fripp - so probably the right decision artistically. 

Did Andy ever bring his toy soldiers along? A real English eccentric.   

I knew Martyn Barker from school days which was the drummer in Shriekback, last saw him in 97.

[Formby]

37 minutes ago, Palfy said:

He doesn’t seem to have much choice.    No I never witnessed his toys to be honest didn’t even know he collected toy soldiers, didn’t see him after 78 till 2005 when he was helping the She beat’s and haven’t seen him since 2006/7, still lives in a big place in Swindon’s Old town I believe, were the small music bars and venues are, I moved out of Swindon over 12 years ago still get back once in a while, there’s a bar there called the Vic that has a basement that puts on live music from up and coming bands and some recognised old bands, that’s were She beats use to gig when they were getting established and Andy would be there, the last time I was there the Buzzcocks were playing it was something like a tenner a ticket max 200 people, and they were banging, proper old school venue just like it was for punks in the 70s I love it the music the nostalgia, for me nothing turns back the clock like the music of your youth. 

Had the great fortune to play the Shepherd's Bush Empire in 1996, having forever played the kind of dives / old school venues you're talking about. Everything got lost - the sound, the atmosphere. Much preferred playing to 200 - or 20!  

[MikeO]

12 minutes ago, Wiggytop said:

I joined CBS aim 82 on £7500 a huge increase from my previous reps job with Cadbury’s at £3000

Weird coincidence, dad's first job before he joined EMI was at Nestlé, chocolate to music maybe a thing?

When I started working full time in 1977 I was on £28 a week (£1456 pa) but within a year it'd more than doubled to £60 a week (£3,120); inflationary times with the oil crisis though so not like today....wait a minute.

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, MikeO said:

Indeed, looking at historical UK wages the average earner in England in 1967 was on £890 pa, dad started at MGM on £7,000; we were (all to briefly) very well off.

Silver spoon comes to mind

Just had a thought your dad was on nearly 8 times the national wage at the time, probably not the correct formula to workout what that would be equivalent to today, but I’m going to if just for effect to show how different your life must have been to most of us at that time If we say the average wage today is £28,000 pa then your dad would have been on £224,000 pa not bad

[Goodison Glory]

Maybe move this to another thread guys...sick of seeing the thread in bold and hoping the lad has changed his mind about London only to find the ramblings of years gone by (just kidding of course, but also not)

[Palfy]

1 hour ago, Formby said:

Had the great fortune to play the Shepherd's Bush Empire in 1996, having forever played the kind of dives / old school venues you're talking about. Everything got lost - the sound, the atmosphere. Much preferred playing to 200 - or 20!  

Fair play mate what band did you play in apologise if you’ve already said and I’ve missed it. Or should I be putting George in front of Formby to get the answer

[Palfy]

4 minutes ago, Goodison Glory said:

Maybe move this to another thread guys...sick of seeing the thread in bold and hoping the lad has changed his mind about London only to find the ramblings of years gone by (just kidding of course, but also not)

Good shout, I’m sure one of the mods can move it. 

[MikeO]

11 minutes ago, Palfy said:

Good shout, I’m sure one of the mods can move it. 

Software doesn't allow us to move individual posts anymore.

[Formby]

23 minutes ago, Palfy said:

Fair play mate what band did you play in apologise if you’ve already said and I’ve missed it. Or should I be putting George in front of Formby to get the answer

Haha. Not quite as popular as George! I've PM'd you. 

[StevO]

1 hour ago, Goodison Glory said:

Maybe move this to another thread guys...sick of seeing the thread in bold and hoping the lad has changed his mind about London only to find the ramblings of years gone by (just kidding of course, but also not)

You know this is how things go on TT, right?

[Romey 1878]

West Ham have bid for him now _ £25m apparently.