Disco

Monkeys Mystery Machine­­

Back in 1969 or was it 1970, I can’t remember; I did my first disco, it was in the Bull Inn, in Rolvenden for the local youth football club. My equipment consisted of a radiogram and a spool to spool tape recorder. I can’t remember if I was paid for it or not, I doubt it, more likely paid in free lemonade.

From these humble beginnings, over the next couple of years it grew into a popular Disco called Monkey’s Mystery Machine, the name I will get to in a minute, but the breakthrough came when I asked the local youth club if I could do a disco for them each week, this was the turning point. Every Wednesday night for a couple of hours I and a trusted army of helpers would carry the ever growing amount of kit in wheelbarrows or whatever means available from my Mum & Dads house to the Village Hall in Rolvenden. Out of this I got more regular bookings, sometimes to a point where most of my spare time was taken up doing Discos.­

Some of you may remember those days, I ran “Monkey’s Mystery Machine” for about 15 years successfully and then life and family took over.­

A newer version of the Mystery Machine resurfaced around 2004 for a few reunion shows, I’ll find some pictures and post them here eventually.

The name “Monkey’s Mystery Machine” well; they call me “Monkey” for some reason, I can’t think why, the mystery part came from the fact that no one knew how “the machine” worked, apart from me of course, I built it.