Hello George- didn't see you for ages- I remember the Seven Stars as well, and have been to many excellent clubs since then- Birtley, Swindon, Lewes Royal Oak (also the Edinburgh 'Oak') Elsie's in Kent, the Fox at Islington and the Britannia in Darlington, to name a few. The last one claims to have the best quality heckling in the country- you better believe it!

I didn't mention my own club, the Marsden Inn in South Shields, but isn't it about time that Jim Sharpe, who's still very active singing in NE clubs, got some credit for starting it up in 1963?

Without Jim, I might never have come across those amazing guests we were privileged to hear, and meet in those formative days- e.g. Margaret Barry, Willie Scott, Paddy Tunney, Bobby Casey, Billy Pigg, 'old' Davy Stewart, Joe Heaney and Annie Briggs- how's that for a start?- hats off to Jim, I say!