Flyer
Pips
1975

“I loved the roxy room too Emm, spent many a weekend in there, loved the black plaster tacky cave look and how you had to go up backstairs to other rooms and toilets.”

“I was a bit too young for Pips but still remember the press and TV adverts - a cartoon silhoutte of a couple in flared clothing and the slogan "Pips - behind the Cathedral". Is the building still there? Was it in the Corn Exchange/Triangle?”

“Pips Roxy Room and The Ranch, what a teriffic night out that always was”

“Pips was one of the first clubs I went to in the late 70's. Me and my mate Paul used to head straight for the 'Roxy' room where they were still playing Bowie but were also playing Punk tunes, probably one of the first Manchester clubs to do so. We also saw a few bands play there, including Joy Division.”

“it's interesting... a lot of the manchester punks i have talked to came from the pips crowd... the bowie/roxy room always being cited as the best one. it's in keeping with the stories told in john robb's 'punk, an oral history' book. if anyone would like to write a proper piece on the 'pips scene' and it's influence on punk we would love to have it to put in our 'writing section' (coming soon!).”

“If you saw Joy Division there then you saw what was their first gig as Joy Division (rather than Warsaw). Remember anything about it?”

“This looks like it will have to be an apology to jsz as I have checked my memorabilia regarding Joy Division and the Pips gig (and spoken to a mate) and it appears I got mixed up...well it was a long time ago! The Joy Division gig was actually at the Band on the Wall on September 4th 1978. The band that I saw at Pips around the same time were called 'Emergency' and then a band called 'The Crabs' both in late 1978. I am not sure if either of these bands were from Manchester....does anyone else know?”

“there's not a whole lot of info about that gig either:
members.aol.com/lwtua/c040978.htm
Anything you can add, like songs played etc?”

“Hazywavydavy great to read that you saw 'Emergency' at PIPs, we re-named ourselves 'Foreign Press' not long after that gig, we had a great relationship with Joy Division, usually one of us would play a gig, then we'd get the other booked in... would you happen to have the flyer from the gig, I'm working on a website for the band, and with credit to you, I'd love a copy to put on show, I've also done a myspace page if your interested... www.myspace.com/foreignpressmanchester
or blog.myspace.com/foreignpressmanchester
cheers”

“i know colin at vinyl revival has a poster for emergency and joy division - it's not for sale tho'...”

“it was at The Mayflower (Hyde Road, I think). members.aol.com/lwtua/c200578.htm”

“The Mayflower was on Birch Road, just off Hyde Road.”

“I saw a local band called Performance play at Pips in January 1981.”

“as far as i know there have been 3 mcr bands called performance... one is current (may'07).”

“The 1981 Performance had a vocalist call Phil Crompton. I also saw them at Rafters in 1980, supporting Young Marble Giants.”

“They wouldn't let me into Pips once, around 1975, 'cos my hair was too long.

Bastards.”

“Derbys old band (Eyelids) supported Frantic Elevators there (Mick Hucknall was their frontman when he used to wear that stupid hat). I might still have my membership card must have a root.It was in a plastic Dennis the Menace club wallet”

“I loved going to Pips Roxy room brill , does anyone remember the Manhattan bar upstairs at rotters in Stockport great nites dancing to roxy bowie japan iggy and numan also made some great friends there went to see roxy and japan and numan with great times spent.”

“i grew up there from the age of 15 in the roxy room
remember tata and marino pete mulcahy does anybody remember me simon mcgovern bright red ziggy”

“Hi! Me and my friend Blodwyn used to go to Pips at least every Saturday night, and usually Thursday and Friday too!! We used to say, lets go to Placemate or Tiffany's for a change. We'd get the 96 bus from Parrswood and by the time we got to Piccadilly, it was NAH, LET'S GO TO PIPS!! I met my husband of 30 years there! We loved all the rooms: The Chart Room, The Motown Room, The Roxy Room none of them ever disappointed! It really was THE club to go to on a Saturday night! At the end of the night we used to get the last bus home, and walk home from Parrswood - our feet absolutely throbbing! We used to take those foldaway slippers with us to wear once we got off the bus!! Happy days!!”

“Hi Moffie's Mum! Thanks for this post. I love the sound of all the different rooms. If only there was a club now that had a Roxy Room. I'd be there like a shot! Love the bit about the slippers too!”

“Hi all ex Pipites! Used to go to Great American Disaster first then to Pips Roxy Room 1974+ for music we loved to be played - Roxy, Bowie, Cockney Rebel etc , then later years to Ranch for punk music. Bands at Electric Circus and Rafters Oxford Road. Loved Pips to bits though, tunes, dressing up 40s styles etc! Still go to gigs now Buzzcocks, Stranglers and indie music. Anyone else still going out and enjoying M/cr? Linda”

“hi,linda your comments are the thing that brought it all back.a gang of us use to live in pips nearly every night of the week.i was mad on ferry and roxy.i saw roxy music in 1974 at belle vue kings hall with my best mate eric.that was it.i was a ferry lookalike and eric was andy mackay.the beginning of my life.roxy freak.funny everything after,punk ,rock music.russell club,rafters.i alway have the pips down as the best ever,have you got roxy dvd live at the appollo 79.i,m at the front dancing my legs off.pointed it out two my children.theres your dad in the best days ever.cheers and thanks for taking me back in time.i think i knew you then.”

“I was a regular at Pips from 1975-1977 always ending up in the Roxy room, I still have my last membership card which expires July 1977.”

“Hi Spud, I think I know you too! Does Eric have a brother called John who went there too? Glad to take you back in time - will have a look out for the DVD to see you dancing. Great times for sure, it would be great to have a Pips reunion (pity there is nowhere in Manchester to go for people over a 'certain' age to listen to great music). Cheers Linda

Hi mst - Do you still see anyone from the Pips days and do you still follow any bands now? Linda”

“Hi Linda, Its 8 years since I last saw anyone from that time, in fact he was the first person I went to Pips with July 1975, 35 years ago!!!!!! After seeing John Miles at the Apollo on a Saturday in March 77(and then late into Pips, I thought he would never stop),I didnt see anyone till Blondie in 1999 and then Alice Cooper/Sparks/Santana over a 6 month period a few years back.”

“hi linda,yes erics brother was john,alias nodge.there was a gang of us.stuart,eddie mog,kevin mog.etc.i can remember telling them that roxy music where doing a warm up gig in preston at the guild hall.for there 74/75 tour.we went,and my god they where on. iblagged the women in the box office ,and we all jibbed in free,anyone remember that gig then.cheers.”