Cleveland Fox (Bolton/Atherton)
The 6 piece band formed in the late 60’s and originated in the Bolton/ Atherton area.
Line-up
- Steve Hargreaves - vocals
- Maurice Newton - lead
- Michael Kirk - drums
- Ray Openshaw -
- drums (replaced Michael Kirk) -
- John Brennan - bass
- Tony Clarke - bass (replaced John Brennan)
- Peter Walanofski ‘Wally’ - tenor sax
- Bob Lestonofski - tenor sax
The band originated in the mid sixties as ‘The Fur Trade Co.’ with the Wigan based LE Agency. They had limited success with membership of the band changing over the years until the name change. They then signed up with the BDH agency in Manchester.
They played throughout the North West at such places as Bolton Palais, Wigan Casino, Uncle Toms Cabin, and even further afield at legendary places such as The Cavern (Liverpool), Up The Junction (Crewe), Cosmos (Carlisle), Clockwork Orange (Chester).
They supported major acts such as; Johnny Johnson and The Bandwagon, Mary Wells, The Platters, Thunderclap Newman, Geno Washington.
One of the most memorable events occurred New Years Eve/ Day, 1970. On the way home from the gig in a snow storm the van ran out of petrol before we could reach the motorway service station (this was in the days before 24 hour petrol stations). We all spent a freezing cold night sleeping in the van on the access road - Junc. 18, M6.
Cleveland Fox disbanded in the early 70’s with some members continuing pro. with other bands.
Maurice Newton - 22/7/09
Those were the days and the band could only be described as one of the hardest working soul bands at that time.
We all had jobs which were nine till five but then we would gather as one travelling the motorways at all hours doing the one thing we enjoyed, playing soul music to attentive crowds. We all enjoyed one anothers company and it would be fabulous to meet up with the guys again.
Tony Clark who was the bass player still maintains that the band was the best one he had played in. One thing that Maurice Newton who was a terrific guitarist didn't say was that he had to eat cream crackers after a gig and spent more time on homeward trips crying out for his beloved cream cracker.
One thing he missed about the new years day sleepover was that we attempted to get a lift to Crewe for petrol but the bloke who gave us a lift was drunk and he ran out of petrol as well. Still drumming and enjoying it.
Ray Openshaw - 23/12/09
Comments
Do you recall the time we got thrown out of a club in Liverpool ? (Deano’s I think it was called). It was a Sunday night, or maybe a midweek gig, and we all had to be at work the day after. Nobody told us the club was an ‘all nighter’. The club owner insisted we were booked to play all night! This was rubbish of course and we told him to get stuffed, he then brought the heavies in and they threw us out. We just managed to get our gear out and loaded into the van before things got too unpleasant - needless to say we didn’t get paid. Oh what a laugh.
Another strange experience for us occurred when we played a college gig, it was Alsager or Crewe, somewhere like that. It started off as a great evening, the first band did their stint and just as we took to the stage the fire bell went off, and all the audience piled out of the exit doors leaving us alone on the stage.
The funny thing is we stayed and carried on playing to an empty room!
Looking back it was, potentially a dangerous situation, even though, as it turned out there was no fire. Crazy things you do when you’re young and foolish.
Lovely to hear from you Ray, and hope you are keeping well, in fact hope all the CF band members are all okay.
We will get together sometime soon - are you still living in the Fylde area? I might call in for a brew - and a few cream crackers.
Take care mate.
I am fairly certain we didn’t have that song in our set list, could be wrong, (long time ago) - Ray, or one of the other band members may remember better.
It was an unforgettable experience to play the Cavern. We were on with a blues band who’s name escapes me - perhaps they did the song?
Thanks for your comments.
In the winter of 1969 Cleveland Fox travelled up to the north east coast to play a gig at a small seaside town called Seahouses (this is now a very picturesque holiday resort, but then in the depths of a cold winter with snow and frost it looked a bit grim).
We were support band for Status Quo that night but the weather being so bad they didn’t turn up, in fact we only just made it ourselves and got there quite late. When we did arrive at the club we were tired, cold, hungry and more than a bit fed up, and then we got mobbed by lots of hysterical girls who thought we were Status Quo. When they found out we weren’t they quickly lost interest.
Anyway we did the gig and played for about 2 hours, the club owner was so impressed with our commitment and the fact that we had turned up at all he gave us a free supper in the restaurant. He also owned a bed and breakfast in Bamburgh and we stayed there overnight at a much reduced cost.
The following day we travelled to Carlisle and played the Cosmopolitan, which was a great night. We supported a band called ‘Trapeze’ - good band, as I remember, didn’t know where they were from and never heard of them since.
Travelling south from Carlisle is so much easier these days with the continuation of the M6 but in 1969 you had to traverse the infamous A6 over Shap. After the gig at the Cosmo we had to get back south to Atherton. The journey over Shap was horrendous, especially in heavy snow (Cleveland Fox always seemed to be stuck in bloody snow storms). Travelling round the hairpin bends the front bumper came off the van. We had to carry out a makeshift repair using a couple of guitar leads to fasten it back on. I went back up the road to slow down traffic and direct them around our van. 3 members of the band were snoring blissfully in the van totally unaware of the 100ft drop at the side edge of the road. Other band members may remember this differently but for me it was one of the most scariest experiences I’ve ever had, not least because I had recently purchased a Marshall amp and cabinet and the thoughts of that ending up over the edge would have been heartbreaking.
Anyway we all survived.
Good times- you wouldn’t miss it for the world!