CAPTAIN BEEFHEART CONCERT POSTER SUN 19th MAY 1968 FRANK FREEMAN'S DANCE CLUB UK

Frank Freeman met Wynn at a church hall dance in Leicester in 1940, during the war.

They were married two years later, and moved to Frank's home town of Kidderminster in 1947.

They both loved dancing and had trained as dance teachers.

Frank and Wynn's first dance school, at the New Meeting Church Hall, opened in 1948.

They were rather limited there, as they could only run classes two days a week, so Frank took a part-time job as a book-keeper for Sid Simmonds, the butcher.

Sid was the owner of a property in Lower Mill Street, which had once been the home of the Bijou Cinema, Kidderminster's first picture house, which ran until the start of the First World War.

When the premises became vacant at the end of 1955, Sid offered the lease to Frank.

After a lot of hard work, which included the removal of the balcony and the installation of a floor for dancing, the school was opened in the first week of January 1956.

During that first year, an old lady came into the club and said that she remembered going there as a child, when it was also a variety hall, as well as a cinema, and recalled seeing dancing bears perform there.

The Dance School was a great success and Frank often promoted the famous dance bands of the day at Kidderminster Town Hall.

He put on Victor Sylvester, Joe Loss, and Edmundo Ross, amongst others.

When rock 'n' roll started, Frank and Wynn were soon off the mark, running jiving classes and eventually putting on rock 'n' roll groups on Sunday nights.

One of Wynn's favourites were 'The Deltas' from Birmingham.

The mod scene started at Frank's in 1965; a group of ten people - Rod Gilchrist, Nick Clegg and David Shuck, amongst others - used to travel regularly to the Whiskey club in Birmingham, where they picked up on soul music and mod fashion.

This small group stuck together at Frank's, where they attracted the attention of rockers who also used to frequent the Flamingo Café next door.

The mods had been threatened by the rockers, that they were "Going to get beaten up next Sunday", so the Kidderminster mods spread the word at the next Saturday all-nighter at the Whiskey, and about 200 mods turned up at Frank's on the Sunday.

When the rockers tried to get into Frank's for a ruckus, they were shocked to see so many mods, so they turned round and left.

From then on, Sundays were mod sessions.

Frank put on blue beat and soul acts from Birmingham such as The Stringbeats and the Jamaican Nobles.

This lasted until the summer of love 1967, when things almost changed overnight and some of the new young hippies were, in their turn, occasionally set on by die-hard mods.

Frank once again was tuned into the current trends; he soon began booking what were known as underground or progressive groups, with a few tips and encouragement from DJ Rod Gilchrist, and Robert Plant and Kevyn Gammond from the Band of Joy, who were one of the new breed of groups to appear.

Rod Gilchrist became almost evangelical about his new music, astonishing his mod friends when he invited them around to his house, when his parents were away.

He played the 'Forever Changes' LP by Love and other West Coast groups all night, to their utter amazement.

The change in music and fashion, from mods to hippies, also involved a change in the drug culture.

The mods essentially used drugs to keep them awake, in order to dance all night; uppers in the form of French Blues, Green Clears and Dexys.

With the advent of progressive rock and hippy culture, people were chilling out more, listening to music rather than dancing.

A more contemplative ambience was required; hallucinogenic drugs became very popular, particularly cannabis, but also LSD "To expand your mind and unlock your hidden consciousness"; it was a very cool thing to do.

As Kidderminster was a real hotspot for music, it inevitably became a hotspot for drugs.

Vans would turn up in town on gig nights.

With their fur-lined interiors, they dispensed their wares to a young and expectant clientele. For most of the youngsters this was an exciting and exploratory time, but there were casualties.

Excessive usage and dangerous combinations, sometimes with alcohol, led an unfortunate few to serious damage, and even death.

At the beginning of 1968, some now famous bands started appearing at Frank's.

Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac had gone down a storm in January, and John Peel himself brought Tyrannosaurus Rex up to Frank's for an all nighter on Easter Sunday, after he had broadcast his Top Gear radio show on Sunday afternoon.

In those days, Marc Bolan and Peregrine Took were very short of money, and DJs Paul 'Pig' Jennings and Rod Gilchrist put them up for the night in their respective parent's houses.

On Sunday May 19th, Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band made their legendary appearance at Frank's.

When John Peel told the band the name of their next gig was Frank Freeman's Dancing Club, they said "What a groovy name".

John Peel said it wasn't a groovy name, it was a dance club run by a bloke called Frank Freeman!

John Peel drove the Captain (Don Van Vliet) and drummer, John French, up to Frank's, after broadcasting his radio programme.

This was the only Midlands' date, and one of the very few in the country, that Captain Beefheart played.

Wynn Freeman remembers them arriving, wearing very large stovepipe hats.

The Captain asked Wynn if they served alcohol.

When the answer was no, he replied "Thank God for that", and took off his hat and explained to Wynn and Frank that at some of the places they played they had bottles thrown at them.

They then all sat down with Wynn and Frank to cups of tea and cucumber sandwiches, with the crusts cut off.

The band enjoyed this homely touch.

The Captain had a few games of pinball at the Flamingo Café next door, and checked out the local shoe shops.

He apparently fell in love with a pair of boots, which were only available in England, and eventually had a pair sent to the States.

On the night, the place was packed to the hilt.

People were standing outside listening, the band was so loud you could just about follow the set.

The Captain played his famous reed instrument, the shenai, that had been given to him by Ornette Coleman, and held the enthusiastic young audience spellbound; no walkouts.

For some reason, John Peel turned up late during the set and had trouble getting in the door, as the doorman didn't recognise him.

He set up a tape recorder, and the last four numbers of the set were recorded for posterity.

They were 'Rollin' 'n' Tumblin', 'Electricity', You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond' and 'Kandy Korn'.

These tracks later appeared in a rarities five CD album called 'Grow Fins'.

After 'Kandy Korn', Captain Beefheart can be heard saying "Thank you very much folks".

'The Magic Band' line up on the night was: Don Van Vliet, vocals and reed instruments; Alex St. Clair, guitar; Jeff Cotton, guitar; Jerry Handley, bass and John French, drums.

Other well-known visitors that Wynn remembers well include Rick Wakeman.

During one of his sessions when the audience were shouting for encores, Rick's amp blew up and brought a swift end to the show.

Once, when 'The Strawbs' played at Frank's on a Sunday afternoon, they followed DJ Paul Jennings down to the Wharf in the evening, where he did some DJing and helped Rob Baynham out with his light show.

Rick Wakeman and Dave Cousins bought a lot of drinks that night.

Wynn also remembers Peter Green; when she commented on how quickly they set up and sound checked, he replied "Why not, they should know what they're doing by now".

He also once returned £10 to Frank, saying he had been overpaid.

In spite of Frank insisting it was correct, the £10 was returned to him.

Another of Wynn's favourites was Robert Plant.

Frank and Wynn always had a party on either Christmas Day or Boxing Day, between 2pm and 8pm.

Robert would always turn up with his family, and stay from start to finish.

Bronco with Jess Roden on vocals, would supply the live music, and Robert would normally sing at least a half-hour set, and this was at the height of his fame with 'Led Zeppelin'.

When a tribute gig had been arranged at the Gainsborough following Frank Freeman's death, Robert interrupted vital rehearsal sessions for a Freddy Mercury tribute concert, that was due to be held at Wembley, to attend the memorial show at the Gainsborough.

These famous rock sessions finished in 1971 when the groups became very famous and too expensive.

Bands like 'Yes' for example, would honour bookings far below their normal fee, but eventually the gigs stopped.

The groups were well beyond the price that Frank could afford.

The ballroom dancing carried on as normal, and Frank still put the occasional dance band on at either Kidderminster Town Hall or Stourport Civic Centre.

Victor Sylvester and Joe Loss were both booked by Frank in 1972.

While preparing for a children's party on October 27th, 1991, Frank collapsed and died in his beloved Dance Club.

Over the years, he had gained the respect of everyone he met, whether they were avant-garde musicians from California or young mums bringing their kids in for tap dancing, Frank treated them all the same.

The occasional drunk that would wander in would be gently escorted to the Coach and Horses next door, and told to come again on another night; a gentleman in the true sense of the word.

He had an open mind to any sort of music, although his great love was dancing.

He was rather puzzled that the youngsters would rather sit down and listen than dance, but he accepted things as they were.

The usual Christmas party went ahead that year; the club was packed to the hilt, with Robert Plant there from beginning to end.

So the next time you walk past the studded door surrounded by white tiles with the famous Dance Club sign above, think of everything that has gone on there, from dancing bears to silent movies, and ballroom dancing to acts such as 'Captain Beefheart', 'Tyrannosaurus Rex' and 'Fleetwood Mac'.

From the book 'Get Your Kicks on the A456'.
ISBN-0-9550482-0-6.
Price £12.99.
Used with the kind permission of John Coombe.