Before the second gathering we adopted the name, ‘Classic Album Tuesdays,’ which soon became known as ‘The CAT Club’.
It was a BYOB affair. We would take it turns to choose an album, and the selector would prepare an introduction, giving context for the record itself and the reasons they chose it. Often, these were very personal reasons, music is inextricably linked to our emotions. The vinyl would then be listened to in silence – always – and afterwards we would discuss the relative merits of the record. Given the multitude of tastes and life experiences in the room, we seldom agreed but with a few exceptions – Iggy and the Stoogers’ ‘Raw Power’ and Sex Pistols’ ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’ split the room – conversation would be convivial. It became that the evening was an event in itself and it didn’t really matter too much if we enjoyed the record or not.
After we’d been round the block a few times with our own choices, we opened up the club to guest presenters. This introduced a theatrical element to the proceedings. Howard Marks came and presented Frank Zappa’s ‘Cruising with Ruben & The Jets’ and afterwards regaled us with tales that were deemed too risqué to make it into his autobiography, ‘Mr Nice’. Former Inspiral Carpets’ vocalist, Tom Hingley presented a battered old copy of Dr Feelgood’s ‘Down By The Jetty,’ told us how pivotal a moment it was when he bought that very record in Woolworths, and then sang us some songs. Graham Oliver of Saxon introduced a couple of Hendrix albums, then got out his guitar and showed us how Jimi did it.
We didn’t even play an album for the legendary double bass player, Danny Thompson, just a selection of songs from records he’d played on, interspersed with Danny’s anecdotes about working with John Martyn, Nick Drake, Marc Bolan, Roy Orbison, Rod Stewart et al, including playing on the soundtrack for the film ‘Kes’.
Eventually, after four years in ‘the shed’, we moved to a more public gathering and met up on a Thursday evening every month in Pontefract’s Tap & Barrel. With our number extending to 40 souls for each album, we stuck with the more theatrical formula and made guest presenters the standard format.
On occasions, the post-record show has turned into a full-blown gig. What did stay the same though was listening to the album in silence and absolutely no use of phones during the record. To some this may sound a little draconian – and we know from experience that not all record clubs adhere to this principal – but we think it’s worth preserving. It’s a good opportunity in our busy lives to sit still, disconnect from the hubbub and be quiet for a moment. Many people see it as a bit of a trip and hear things in a record that they’ve never heard before.
Come and join us and find out for yourselves.
The CAT Club will be based at The Robin Hood, Pontefract, “If the good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise,” from September 2021.
Happy Trails, The CAT Club
Some of our recent guest presenters have included:
Nick Banks (Pulp drummer) – ‘Different Class’ by Pulp.
Clinton Heylin (Journalist and leading authority on Bob Dylan) – ‘Bob Dylan Live 1966, The “Royal Albert Hall” Concert’ & ‘Slow Train Coming’ by Bob Dylan.
Nick Gold (Producer and head honcho of World Circuit Records) – ‘Buena Vista Social Club’.
Owen Morris (Producer) – “Definitely Maybe,’ & ‘(What’s The Story)’ by Oasis.
Andy Kershaw (DJ, journalist and broadcaster) – ‘Highway 61 Revisited’ by Bob Dylan.
Iain Matthews (Musician, member of Fairport Convention, Matthews Southern Comfort, Plainsong) – ‘No Other’ by Gene Clark.
Graham Oliver (Former Saxon lead guitarist) – ‘Are You Experienced’ & ‘Axis, Bold as Love,’ by Jimi Hendrix.
John Wood (Music producer of John Martyn, Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd and many others) – ‘Solid Air’ by John Martyn.
Woody Woodmansey (Drummer from ‘The Spiders from Mars’) – ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars’ by David Bowie.
Chris McClure (the face on the cover) – “Whatever They Say I Am That’s What I’m Not’ by Arctic Monkeys.
John Robb (journalist, broadcaster, singer with The Membranes) – ‘The Stone Roses.’
Melissa Chemam (author and journalist) – ‘Blue Lines’ by Massive Attack.
Mark Lewisohn (author and foremost Beatles authority) – ‘With the Beatles.’
Dom Morley (engineer and producer) – ‘Back to Black’ by Amy Winehouse.
Dave Lewis (leading Led Zeppelin authority and author) – ‘Led Zeppelin IV.’
Jon Astley (producer and engineer) – ‘The Who Live at Leeds.’
Steve Hanley (former Fall drummer and author) – ‘Unknown Pleasures’ by Joy Division.
John Helliwell (Supertramp sax player).
Chaz Jankel (Musicial director, co-writer and co-founder of the Blockheads with Ian Dury) – ‘New Boots & Panties’ by Ian Dury.
Dave Robinson (Co-founder, with Jake Rivirera, of Stiff Records) – ‘The Story of Stiff Records.’
John ‘Twink’ Alder (Legendary former Pretty Things drummer) – ‘SF Sorrow’ by The Pretty Things.
*The CAT Club and The CAT Club logos © K Reynolds 2011-2020
