I have permission to post a pm from Chic Taylor's son Don Hi Celesteit is indeed a smaller world than we think.It\'s endearing to hear you can still cunjure an image of my Dad Chic,And pleasing to think how popular he was.I remember as a lad going with him often to the Bossa Nova in the day-time,if i were off school on through the holidays and weekends ,whilst he sorted out all the business of ordering, phone calls , appointments etc. Many hours I spent in there on the stage and drinking coca cola from the original glass bottles, playing on the drum set and tinkling on the piano hour after hour,Chic had a few sessions on the drums which blew my mind at the time, and when he played the piano I was hypnotised. Think my Dad left me to it maybe in the hope I had some hidden talent lol.Strange how life can be ,because a few years after he passed away I did infact join a band and played as a drummer for 3 yrs. Memories eh !Well it is so nice that his name still lives on and it never surprises me how many people actually knew him and carry only good memories, A Great Guy with like you mentioned a jovial smile and carried a lot of presence about him.Still miss him like crazy, but i suppose I would eh.Thank-you so much for sharing some thoughts and memories,you have brought a smile to my face and I welcome any futher comments.I do have some photos which I am thinking of placing on the Manchester Forum site soon, It may jog otherS to remember their time at the Club. I also recall some memories about Chic when he was a Band leader, regular at the Ritz Ballroom Manchester,I was there a few times when I was very young and remember looking in fascination as the Grand central stage turned around slowly revealing a large band almost orchestra like with my Dad at the helm,He gave my £5.00 once saying "You can keep that Son" if i danced,I danced my little heart out lol,Alot of money to such a small kid so i danced the danced and earned that 5 pounds.,Don\'t think i was too shy as i recall,Abit of a confident kid,and cheeky with it but never disrespectfull. It would be interesting to find out more if anyone out there,attended any of these nights at the Ritz,Or could perhaps name the band he was in,There must be still people about who would know hopefully,Now that would be something extra,As i was very young at the time and did\'nt really take it all in Chic also spent some time as a Boxer,Because i still have a few newspaper cuttings from The Manchester Evening News Titked A NIGHT A THE GPO,there are pictures of boxer\'s who fought on the night and my Dad, Chic had won a major bout,The picture shows him recieving a trophy,This event was when i was a baby,I have,nt got the cutting to hand at this moment but it will show the date.He only looked around 19yrs old.There is alot i would like to know from the people out there who may have spent time around him,Or had dealings with him private or otherwise.It always been a facination with me,Although he had more children, 5 boys and 2 girls,I seemed he took me with him more often,And for whatever reason,Chic named me after himself, His full name being Patric Albert Chic Taylor And naming me, Don Patric Albert Chic Taylor,for which i feel honoured.So Thanks Celeste Thank-you indeed. Reading the above brought back a long forgotten happy memory of Chic. Way back in the 70s a group of of us who used to work the night shift at ICL in West Gorton used to go to the Victoria baths on Hathersage road every Friday morning after finishing work. It was like a mini social club with the same people going every week. Apart from the usual swimming baths there were various other treatments available. One of these was a huge Sauna/steam room where we men would be all sitting around naked and chatting. One of these men was Chic, who was a great joker. The steam was so great that sometimes it was difficult to see. Usually at this point Chic would get up and go out of the room to appear seconds later grinning broadly, and clutching a bucket full if icy cold water which he threw all over us. We would all squeal like stuck pigs as the icy water hit us, and Chic would let out this mighty roar of laughter. As I am typing this I have a mental image of Chic standing in the doorway of the steam room bucket in hand and I can hear his laughter ringing out. In the 60s I often frequented the Bossa Nova club amongst other clubs such as the Green door in Shude Hill, when the likes of Jacky Carlton, Al Showman and many others performed there. Happy days.....
Hi EveryoneHere are some great pictures,Most speak for them selfs,But if anyone has any info,It would be greatly appreciatedSorry i can't post more in one go ,Problems with file size,but i'm working on itDon P.A.C.Taylor
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Topic: Chic Taylor of The Bossa Nova Club, Todd Street, Manchester (Read 9511 times)
