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Le Metro

ethanedwards

ethanedwards

Brummie Muso
Le Metro

Snow Hill, Birmingham

Le Metro, at Snow Hill, well actually,
it was under the train lines at Snow Hill!
I think the entrance was in Livery Street,
but I stand corrected.
It was a cavern type club, and if my memory,
serves me well, it wasn't open very long!

I remember going there several times,
and seeing many local bands, like
the talented but unrecognized band The Stringbeats,
who hailed from West Bromwich.
Theye played several of my songs,
and as they were from Caribbean parents,
they made interesting renditions of my very 'white' songs!
Austin the singer, was a personal friend of mine.

The club I think changed names a couple of times,
but was certainly to end up as Holy City Zoo

Here is a piece from Bob Summers,
of the Birmingham History Forum
Yes the "Zoo" was the old "Le Metro" and the three owners where
Andy Gray, Peter Warren (Who managed many Bars in town inc. Hortze Wine Bar),
and Jonnie Ralston
The manager of the "Z00" was Duncan Gray (Andy's younger brother)
It was a lively place while it lasted with many "C" local celebs in attendance.
They did have Live bands at weekends
but I can't pin point any as they seemed
to be young up and coming bands from around the Midlands

It closed due to bankruptcy, I don't know if its still used as a club today?
Click to expand...
Hello again Max, I am glad you asked that because when I posted some time that The Holy City Zoo was in the arches someone disputed the fact.

Stitcher you are quite correct it was under those arches and was formally "The La Metro" it was part owned by Andy Gray and for a time was managed by his brother Duncan Grey. The other two owners who ran the club were Johnnie Rawson and Peter Warren whom has managed many venues in town since.
Andy is very reluctant to talk about his 1st and only club as it went bankrupt. It was a cool venue with a private bar upstairs called "The Mars Bar" where have I heard that before. it lasted about 2 years as they where all on a very enjoyable ego trip if you understand my meaning. well 2 of them where at someone else's expense!!:cool::D
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A past membership card:-

BirminghamClubs003b.jpg
 
David what a brilliant band excellent dance music ohohoh geno:) It's great seeing the membership cards.......I was going to the Rum Runner two years before I had one cause I wasn't old enough:D! Mindyou I knew big Albert the door man so no problem:rolleyes: I must admit I wasn't keen on Le Metro I think it was the location it was always a bit damp in there.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ethanedwards said:
A past membership card:-

BirminghamClubs003b.jpg
Click to expand...

I think I still have my membership card somewhere at my parents house!
I also have a photograph of myself taken inside the club in 1968.

I remember seeing Fleetwood Mac there - the original band pre Stevie Nicks and co.
 
I have a vague memory that Harvey Andrews had some kind of association with Le Metro. I went there many times when I should've known better... I saw Geno Washington there, and Fleetwood Mac pre-Stevie Nicks - heaven! If ever a great band ruined itself it was Fleetwood Mac.
I've heard rumours that Peter Green is appearing somewhere in Brum in the next couple of weeks. Anyone got further information on this?

Big Gee
 
Wendy said:
We love to see photo's Sparks........post them soon please!!
Click to expand...

Sorry but I don't have it here with me - I live in London - it's somewhere at my parent's house.
Also I only have a pc at work so I can't (and wouldn't know how to) scan pictures!
 
Bad news folks is that Peter Warren has no photos of his own old club, Sparks if you find your old photos and are prepaied to send them to me I will scan post to site and return them to you.
 
bobsummers said:
Bad news folks is that Peter Warren has no photos of his own old club, Sparks if you find your old photos and are prepaied to send them to me I will scan post to site and return them to you.
Click to expand...

Thanks but actually I only have one photo.
They must have had a professional photographer in some evenings taking photos of people in the club - then they put them up on a board near the entrance, it was a black and white one of my friend and I (we didn't know it had been taken) and she asked if she could have it and then cut it in half and distroyed the side with her on as she didn't like it!
I kept mine but it could have been taken anywhere - you can't see anything of the club I'm afaid.
 
Holy City Zoo gig invite card for local Brummie band 'Playthings' from July 1981... It's amazing what you hang on to over the years!
Playthings 01 Holy City Zoo 1981.jpg
 
I went there too and took a right looker called Sue Bicknell (I think) I was only 16, I may have stashed somewhere a membership card that I will try to find and post it
 
Many happy memories of going to the Metro every Wednesday and Sunday evenings also Tuesday's sometimes folk night? Saw the Spinners there. Great times!
 
Hi Folks, I was a regular at Le Metro late 60s, my mate fancied one of the go-go dancers and wanted to get on stage and dance with her - problem was there were 2 dancers and he thought he wouldn't wouldn't get very far -
He asked me:
"Will you come on stage and dance with the other one?"
"Are you out your !BLEEP! mind?" My reply.
"Go on, there's a drink in it for you!"
Anyway a vodka or two later there we were on the stage! He had a way with girls, he was tall and looked a bit Italian and the girl fell under his spell, I think they ended up getting engaged but I lost contact with him.
Fate took a hand New Year's Eve 1969, got to Le Metro and it was full - had to go to the Top Rank when I met my wife!
Anybody remember The Bull at Yardley? Now that was a place! And what about the Queen's Head at 6 ways Erdington? (I think the Idle Race started up there) and the Carlton Club Erdington High St (Became Mother's) and don't forget The Factory and The Opposite Lock Club in (High Speed) Gas Street.
Ah! Happy Days.
Regards
Peg.
 
I played at The Holy City Zoo in a band called The Myst. Mike Horseman (R.I.P) was our then 'mentor.' Round about the time (1980?) when Mood Six (not a Brummie band), Fashion, Nervous Kind, The Great Outdoors, The Durans etc were doing the rounds. I even remember seeing Haircut 100 (DEFINITELY NOT BRUMMIES) there !?! Best bands to grace that place in my mind were Fashion and Huang Chung (not Brummies) (later known as Wang Chung.) Those two bands were exceptional : Fashion in a league of their own - Dick Davies (from Moseley?) the drummer was a pioneering exponent of the Simmons (drum) kit and I worked with Martin Recci the bass player up at Salamis Greek Restaurant at top of Broad St/Five Ways before all the music kicked off !! Lovely guy as was paradigm professional 'Mulligan' on keyboards - a keyboard wizard/genius - such a gentle man. Their lead/guitar frontman was Dave ('De') Harris who is STILL AND ALWAYS WILL BE one of my idols : quite simply Birmingham's answer to David Bowie I thought and just as original and innovative. Great place though. I remember the Mars Bar very well. A few things used to go on up there ! Fun, great Brummie days when Brum had some fab, young, up and coming bands (like The Myst ! Ha! Ha! Ha!) I remember it all well - Mike Horseman was the DJ there and there used to be some manager/heavy there who was simply known by everyone as 'Irish' (?) Looked a bit like actor John Voight with a moustache ? Great, heady days.
 
My friends and I were regulars at Le Metro - I worked with one of the owners. Saw lots of bands there - The Spinners to name one. Then there were the local bands, I remember a 3 man band but I can't remember their names. Went to the Rum Runner as well. The Big 3? But am I getting confused with another band of that name?
 
ethanedwards said:
Le Metro

Snow Hill, Birmingham

Le Metro, at Snow Hill, well actually,
it was under the train lines at Snow Hill!
I think the entrance was in Livery Street,
but I stand corrected.
It was a cavern type club, and if my memory,
serves me well, it wasn't open very long!

I remember going there several times,
and seeing many local bands, like
the talented but unrecognized band The Stringbeats,
who hailed from West Bromwich.
Theye played several of my songs,
and as they were from Caribbean parents,
they made interesting renditions of my very 'white' songs!
Austin the singer, was a personal friend of mine.

The club I think changed names a couple of times,
but was certainly to end up as Holy City Zoo

Here is a piece from Bob Summers,
of the Birmingham History Forum
Click to expand...
Le Metro Club first opened in January 1965. I worked with one of the four owners who were Don McCoy, Alec Cooper and Steve and John Mullett. I DJ'd there from January 1965 (we were called Pete & Carl) on Wednesdays and on Sundays playing Soul/R&B music. The club became a leading local scene supported by the All Nighter Mods of the Whisky A Logo. A soul band featured on Sunday nights including Robert Plant and The Band of Joy and Robert himself used to come to some of the Wednesday evening record sessions as I recall. Happy days
 
Carl Dene said:
Le Metro Club first opened in January 1965. I worked with one of the four owners who were Don McCoy, Alec Cooper and Steve and John Mullett. I DJ'd there from January 1965 (we were called Pete & Carl) on Wednesdays and on Sundays playing Soul/R&B music. The club became a leading local scene supported by the All Nighter Mods of the Whisky A Logo. A soul band featured on Sunday nights including Robert Plant and The Band of Joy and Robert himself used to come to some of the Wednesday evening record sessions as I recall. Happy days
Click to expand...
I remember your DJ names!
I also remember Robert Plant from when he was the singer with Listen (1966), they used to do all soul stuff, the Band of Joy were a mix of soul and the 1967 hippie stuff like Buffalo Springfield.
 
A Sparks said:
I remember your DJ names!
I also remember Robert Plant from when he was the singer with Listen (1966), they used to do all soul stuff, the Band of Joy were a mix of soul and the 1967 hippie stuff like Buffalo Springfield.
Click to expand...
Cheers Master Brummie! Just to correct my post, I meant Whisky A Go Go!!
 
A Sparks said:
I never went there but I do remember your DJ name - were you at any other clubs in the mid 60s?
Click to expand...
Yes, Co-op Rainbow Suite on Saturday nights in 1966/7, Santa Rosa Club Soho Road, Cedar Club, the club above the Surfside Stop, The Elbow Room, Victoria Hotel, Station Street (Disc-O- Soul Club), and occasional work at The Opposite Lock and Midnight City. I moved wider afield to The Chateau Impney, Droitwich and The Catacombs Club in Wolverhampton (the beginning of the Northern Soul era) and others in the later 60's and 70's.
 
Carl Dene said:
Yes, Co-op Rainbow Suite on Saturday nights in 1966/7, Santa Rosa Club Soho Road, Cedar Club, the club above the Surfside Stop, The Elbow Room, Victoria Hotel, Station Street (Disc-O- Soul Club), and occasional work at The Opposite Lock and Midnight City. I moved wider afield to The Chateau Impney, Droitwich and The Catacombs Club in Wolverhampton (the beginning of the Northern Soul era) and others in the later 60's and 70's.
Click to expand...
Ah....probably from the Rainbow Suite or the Elbow Room then :)
 
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