Thought I had better return to the blogging scene after a six week absence which has seen many changes on Planet Statto.
Firstly, I have dropped the words Sheffield and Wednesday from my list of interests. I dont want a debate about it other than to conclude I do not miss them.
Secondly, my twins are sleeping for four hours or more at a time so I no longer resemble Lurch from the Addams Family and when you talk to me know I am awake enough to grasp what you are saying.
And finally, maybe less importantly, but interestingly, my last blog about Northern Soul was an internet success - boosting my total number of readers of this blog from about 100 to er... 11,900.
The news has not gone unnoticed at Mercury Towers and today the deputy features editor suggested the idea about writing about Northern Soul be expanded to become a series of articles for the Leicester Chronicle covering other music trends and cults which were adopted in Leicestershire (along with everywhere else of course) to include The Hell's Angels, Skinheads, Teddy Boys, Punks, Mods and New Romantics and any others we stumble across in the next six months.
Being a clean living Modernist I don't know how the rockers and bikers in the Hell's Angels will take to my probing questions but I am looking forward to talking to them.
We have decided to begin the series with a look back at Leicester's Hell's Angels in December, so I'm starting my research now. The only leads I have at the moment are: that there is a bikers' pub somewhere in Coalville and that a couple of Hell's Angels were interviewed by the Leicester Mercury in 1969.
In that particlular article, reporter Pete Barraclough spoke to Al Hitchcock, leader of The Ratae Hell's Angels and his second-in-command 'Randy' Rastus. I have just got to track these guys down and will be working hard to do so in the next few weeks.
Last time I posted I received a flood of help from the Northern Soul scene, so I am hoping for another positive response from the Hell's Angels for what I am sure will be a fascinating lookback at this biker cult. In fact, their motto could be used by journalists: "When we do right, no one remembers. When we do wrong, no one forgets".
If anyone has any Leicestershire memories of the groups and gangs I have mentioned please drop me a line, I would love to hear your stories...
