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George Clay - Music Centre

Does anyone have any information of a music company called George Clay, Music Centre, Broad Street, Birmingham? Mabz

Dear Mabz, apologies for the long delay in replying to your post as I've only recently signed up.

As a 14 year old schoolboy I worked at Clay's on a Saturday - that would be in 1964. I was behind the bits and bobs counter, strings, plectrums, etc.

The staff at the time were George Clay himself, Cecil Viles, another George (also a trumpet player) whose second name escapes me, Graham (?) a very good jazz guitarist who went on to run City Music and Gil Showell (Sowell?), a drummer with well known Tamworth band Quill.

The second George taught music to budding guitarists and I remember the studio had a purpose built amp (possibly a Park) with 14 inputs to which we all plugged in en masse. It must have been a right racket.

I was a gormless star struck kid of course and when Bert Weedon came in and asked for some of his own brand plectrums I tried to charge him the going rate which would have been about sixpence each. George Clay blasted me and took Bert aside as, obviously, Bert Weedon does not have to pay for his own plectrums in a music shop! Bert was a perfect gentlemen and winked at me despite the embarrassment I had caused.

I remember that plectrum actually - it was a small tear-drop shape, very thick rock-hard tortoiseshell.

Belay that - I'm mixing it up with another one that was very popular at the time I think made by Selmer. Here's the Bert Weedon pick : https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=bert+weedon+plectrum and you can still buy them today!

Another visitor was Tom Jones with his band The Senators (later The Playboys) - Sir Tom was pretty wobbly on his feet and obviously had spent too much time at the mini-bar in whatever hotel they were in.

Best regards
 
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I started playing the accordion in1956 when I was 13 years old. Private lessons were not financially not possible but the George Clay Accordion School on Broad Street offered more affordable lessons as a member of a class of three or four students.

I remember a Henry Twigg but Ron Beecham was my first teacher. My teacher for the rest of my time at the school was then Terry Hale. Terry created a band and we did very well in various competitions held in Birmingham, Coventry and Bristol. A big adventure for me back then, but an unwelcome expense for my parents, was going to London for an NAO competition.

My musical prowess was more of a case of ‘competent’ rather than ‘gifted’ which might explain why I always shared the ‘third accordion’ position in the band, together with a fellow student called Trevor. Not being a particularly strong lad, hauling a 28lb accordion up those narrow stairs to the studios over the car salesroom is well remembered. Also remembered is how cold those studios could be in the winter. Winter band practices on a Sunday morning could be particularly grim.

George was certainly the entrepreneur. He once organized an afternoon concert at Ragley Hall where he played his own composition “March for a Marquis”. It was on the back terrace and the summer breezes played havoc with our sheet music. He also arranged for the school’s bands and various soloists to make a recording for BBC TV. Sadly, our 15 minutes of fame was only destined to be the background music for the test card.

I remember his involvement with the Lunch Box on ITV. Noel Gordon also had lessons off screen and I believe her teacher was Jean Taylor who, at the time was the National Accordion Champion in her age group. I think Jean may also have tutored Katrina Clay? On a very personal note, I started arriving very early for my lessons so that I would get a chance to chat with Jean. We were both in our mid-teens, it became a first romance for us both. All together now - “Aaaaah” :)

George became disenchanted with the NAO and in 1959 he formed the British Accordion Federation and basically started holding his own competitions. In April of that year Jimmy Shand visited the store and we had a quick demonstration of how to play a chromatic keyboard.

A major change in the business model was when a certain Tommy Steele arrived on the scene and suddenly there were guitars for sale and things evolved from there. I recall the arrival of Cecil Viles. If I remember correctly he came across as rather aloof, particularly towards teenage boys. However, when he picked up a trumpet all was forgiven.

When the store moved down Broad Street that was also the time that several folks went their separate ways. Terry Hale left and set up on his own and my engineering studies had to take priority over regular accordion practice. Trevor made a similar decision. Jean had been studying for her music A-level but suddenly gave up teaching (and her boyfriend!) to work elsewhere.

I stopped playing altogether in the mid-sixties, but Terry and I met for the occasional ‘pint’ until he left the Birmingham area. I wonder if Terry, Trevor and Jean are still out there?

Today I sometimes hear a piece of music and find it hard to believe that there was once a time when I could actually play it!
 
Bhob.....As a professional musician for over 60 years, I have already posted many details about George & Cecil on this website. I knew both of them way before George opened his music store. Cecil was not in the least bit aloof, he just hated three chord 'pop musicians'
 
Had a great read looking through this thread. I bought my first bass from the shop on Broad St in 1962 with a Linear amp and 18" Rigby sound cab. The guy who sold it to me is the one whose name has escaped most of the thread it was Graham Hill he was the guitarist with the Brumbeats with Norman Haines, Tony Quinn and John ? Whose name escapes me. I stayed friends with Graham and Cecil for many years even playing golf with Cecil at Walmley GC in the 80's. I lost touch with Cecil in the nineties and sorry to hear he passed away in 1993. Saw Graham a few times when he had City Music both shops. Moved away from Birmingham in the mid nineties and lost touch with Graham after that so not sure if he is still with.

It's been great reading all these memories of a special music shop keep up the good work.
 
Dear Mabz, apologies for the long delay in replying to your post as I've only recently signed up.

As a 14 year old schoolboy I worked at Clay's on a Saturday - that would be in 1964. I was behind the bits and bobs counter, strings, plectrums, etc.

The staff at the time were George Clay himself, Cecil Viles, another George (also a trumpet player) whose second name escapes me, Graham (?) a very good jazz guitarist who went on to run City Music and Gil Showell (Sowell?), a drummer with well known Tamworth band Quill.

The second George taught music to budding guitarists and I remember the studio had a purpose built amp (possibly a Park) with 14 inputs to which we all plugged in en masse. It must have been a right racket.

I was a gormless star struck kid of course and when Bert Weedon came in and asked for some of his own brand plectrums I tried to charge him the going rate which would have been about sixpence each. George Clay blasted me and took Bert aside as, obviously, Bert Weedon does not have to pay for his own plectrums in a music shop! Bert was a perfect gentlemen and winked at me despite the embarrassment I had caused.

I remember that plectrum actually - it was a small tear-drop shape, very thick rock-hard tortoiseshell.

Belay that - I'm mixing it up with another one that was very popular at the time I think made by Selmer. Here's the Bert Weedon pick : https://www.google.co.uk/?gws_rd=ssl#q=bert+weedon+plectrum and you can still buy them today!

Another visitor was Tom Jones with his band The Senators (later The Playboys) - Sir Tom was pretty wobbly on his feet and obviously had spent too much time at the mini-bar in whatever hotel they were in.

Best regards
My father Cecil Viles knew so many musicians including Bert Weedon, before 1964. We were on holiday in Torquay in August 1963 when I went into the Princess Theatre with my father to talk to Bert who was on the stage, setting up and practising. Bert was a fine musician and gentleman. He was eventually interrupted when a group of lads appeared and sat in the front stalls not too long before the performance where they were also performing. They were the Beatles.
 
Ah, Cecil Viles - that was the name I was trying to think of! :)

Cecil [Herbert] VILES (it's a pretty rare combination of forename & surname so I think this must be he) passed away in March 1993 at Kidderminster. He was born on 25 February 1917, making him almost 20 years older than me, which would be about right. Well done, Alan.

Maurice :cool:

Yes, I remember Cecil, a true gent and a pretty damn good horn player back in the day, too. I met Cecil through my old trumpet teacher, Mervyn Hill. He and Cecil used to play with some pretty well known Big Bands, including Joe Loss I believe!
When Clays were in Broad St., I bought a beautiful Getzen Eterna trumpet from them and the matching Flugel Horn a little while later (probably around 1980). The last time I went to George Clay’s they had moved over to The Queensway .... I used to love going to the store and would bug my poor ole Dad, to take me there as often as possible; each time Cecil would allow me to blow a tune on the latest and greatest horn and or mouthpiece.
Good times!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Cheers,
Mike T :)
 
My father Cecil Viles knew so many musicians including Bert Weedon, before 1964. We were on holiday in Torquay in August 1963 when I went into the Princess Theatre with my father to talk to Bert who was on the stage, setting up and practising. Bert was a fine musician and gentleman. He was eventually interrupted when a group of lads appeared and sat in the front stalls not too long before the performance where they were also performing. They were the Beatles.
Hi Bob. I liked your Dad. He was kind to me and very encouraging. I’m happy to have met him.

Cheers,
Mike
 
As a young lad around 1960/61 my cousin and I entered a competition in the Sunday Mercury. It was a picture of a lady in a long dress playing an accordian which had to be coloured in to your best ability. We both sat for about an hour colouring the picture in (We had two newspapers) and being pleased with the results we duly sent them off to the newspaper. Imagine our surprise when my cousin won first prize, a set of twelve accordian lessons at George Clay's in Broad Street. When the man from Clay's arrived to arrange my cousin's lessons I played my face and wanted to know why I hadn't won a prize as well as my picture was just as good as hers (In my opinion!) He agreed and without even looking at my picture, which was probably lying in a bin somewhere, said I was a winner as well and to come along to the free course of lessons.
We both duly went along to Broad Street every Saturday for twelve weeks and were taught the rudiments of music i.e. learning notes and clefs etc. and taught the basic keys of a twelve button bass accordian.
Then came the sales pitch! Just before the course ended a salesman turned up at both our houses and told our parents how good we were and needed to go onto the next stage of our musical career. This entailed more free lessons provided a better accordian was provided but of course had to be purchased. My cousin, who was from a single parent family, couldn't afford to buy and declined the "offer". I and my parents were flattered at the talk of my musical prowess and the result was we became the proud owners of a Settimo Soprano 120 bass button accordian. Needless to say it was bought on hire purchase at 10/- a week.
For weeks I lugged this great heavy accordian from Sheldon to Broad Street and back every Saturday morning to a) pay the weekly payment and b) have a 30 minute lesson above the main showroom. I have to admit I wasn't that good and struggled to keep up with others in the class and indeed there were several pupils who amazed me with their talent.
By the time the instrument was paid for I could barely master half a dozen tunes, The Cuckoo Waltz and The Halls of Montezuma amongst them !
I was then told that to progress any further the lessons would have to paid for but in my case it would probably be a waste of time and money. I think that at this point it dawned upon my parents that despite all the glowing reports they had received in the past as to my musical abilities that they had the victims of a well rehearsed sales scam.
I kept the accordian for many years, occasionally producing it at parties etc and going through my limited repertoire but in the end I went back to George Clay, who by then had a shop I think on Smallbrook Ringway, and offered it in exchange for a Guitar for my daughter who played in the school orchestra and wanted an instrument of her own.
 
Although a keyboard player, I could never get on with an accordion and it didn't even produce a sound that I liked. Not an instrument to be played by arthritis sufferers either! :)

Maurice :cool:
 
My brother had lessons with Pamela Deakin around 1959 I guess, I used to go with him to the shop but would then go across the road and train-spot at Snow Hill station. He did enter some competitions but didn't continue the lessons, he still has the accordion but never plays it now. Post #76 made me wonder if that is how he started playing the accordion, I must remember to ask him when I next see him.
 

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George Clay Saturday mornings drool over all the instruments When I arrived in Santa Monica California USA 1957 I did get to sit it with Lawrence Welk's band on the Pier, Myron Florin played Accordion and led the afternoon band dances They thought I was a cute "Limey" Englisman!!! (Just had cataract surgery so my typing not so good)
 
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John,,

That was the year I came out of the RAF, so not surprising our paths didn't collide. And don't worry about the typos, they're a fact of life here, and even when I proofread three times, there's generally at least one that gets through. Of course, it would help if I was a better typist!

Maurice :cool:
 
i always wanted a guitar from there, when i was a kid,but ended up with a mouth organ.instead:(

mw0jm

I bought an accoustic guitar from GC about1963 £4.10s I was going to be a force to outdo all the classical/rock guitarists, so with guitar and Bert Weedon Play in a Day I sallied forth, I learned chords c and e and others but couldn't move my hand along the guitar neck quick enough to make music . Shortly after this the brother of a so-called friend asked to borrow the guitar, last time I saw my guitar was in the window of a pawn shop on Bristol St . So much for friends , now the guitars gone books gone , in hindsight I wish I had learned to play the drums , sometime in the future maybe , then Moonie and I could try to out drum one another
 
Ah, Cecil Viles - that was the name I was trying to think of! :)

Cecil [Herbert] VILES (it's a pretty rare combination of forename & surname so I think this must be he) passed away in March 1993 at Kidderminster. He was born on 25 February 1917, making him almost 20 years older than me, which would be about right. Well done, Alan.

Maurice :cool:
Hiya Cecil Viles is my 4th cousin 1x removed . Can you please tell me about him as im doing the Viles family tree.

Thanks Debbie .
 
Hi, new to the forum but found it when I googled Cecil. He sold me my first cornet in the 70's (home on leave, I was in the Army at the time) at George Clays shop on Broad Street. What a gent!
 
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