COBHOLM and ZAPP

Trying to remember things that happened around this period is, I must admit is “Getting Harder” I believe I finally moved to the Cobholm Branch of the Co-op Butchery’s, around the October/ November time in 1982.


I was still using my Bike to get to Work, but it only took about 20 minutes to get there, which was a lot better than more than an Hour to Caister!


It turned out, there were about 3 Full-Time Women and about 3 Part-Time Women, who worked there, there was also a Shop-Manager, but I cant remember his Name, but I got on with him Great!

As I said previously, I was on my own in the Butchery Section, which was Great, but I had to do everything myself, Cutting & Displaying the Meat, serving the Customers, taking the Money, keeping the Book work up to date, Keeping my Section Clean & Tidy, but as I said, it was great being on my own!


As for our Home life, we were coming up to our First Christmas in our New House, which we had now been in just under 1 Year, we had moved into the previous January.


The House was alright, but the Area & the Neighbours were not that great, and little did we know then, we were going to spent another 11 Years in this House, apart from a 3 Month period around 1986 (3.5 years later), when we Moved to Norwich, which is about 20 Miles away!

As for the Music, a Great Album which was to be Released in a few months time in 1983, was 3 by Zapp, led by Roger Troutman, this was to be their 3rd Release out of 6 Studio Abums!


They had some Great Music Released up until Roger Troutman’s un-timely Death in 1999, along with his brother Larry (Band Member and Manager).


 This Album had some Classics including “Heartbreaker” I Can Make You Dance and my 2 favorites “Play Some Blues” and Tut Tut (Jazz).
PLAY TRACKS BELOW OR TO DOWNLOAD, PRESS KADOO

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FOR A MORE IN-DEPTH STORY ABOUT ZAPP AND TO DOWNLOAD ALL THE ALBUMS VISIT HERE. INCLUDING BOTH GREATEST HITS COMPILATIONS!

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>DERRICK and HOWARD JOHNSON

>

I carried on Cycling and Working for the Co-op Butchery in Caister for a few months in mid to late 1982, but in the end, I got a message from the Area-Manager, asking to give him a Telephone Call!


I remember this as it was unusual occurrence, anyway I Phoned him, and he asked me if I would like to go and be Butchery Manager in the Cobholm Branch, this as it turned out was not such a Big Deal, as only One Butcher worked there!


I would be in Charge, doing everything myself, all the Butchery, all the Shop Serving and all the Bookwork, but Best of all, I would be on my own, working in a Small Supermarket, with a Few Old Woman Shop Assistants!


I jumped at the Chance of Working there and as it turned out, it was a Great place to Work!

One thing I always remember about Leaving the Caister Shop, the Manager (Derrick) gave me a Great Reference (which would come in handy later, if and when I left the Co-op) it was also his Recommendation that got me the move to Cobholm, so I was always Grateful to Derrick!

A few years later when I finally left Butchery, to go back into Catering, I had a few Great Reference’s by this time and Derrick’s was one of them, but when my Future New Boss followed up the Reference given to me by Derrick, he discovered that Derrick had Died a couple of years earlier, which I was Sad to find this out, as Derrick was a Great Bloke and a Great Boss.


As for the Music around the later part of the Summer of ’82, A second Single for former Niteflyte Lead Singer “Howard Johnson” called “So Fine” it Reached Number 1 in the Dance Chart.


The song was on A&M Records and Written and Co-Produced by “Kashif”


I believe Howard Johnson only ever Released 3 Solo Albums, but this Track along with the Track Released in 1985 called “Knees” were his Best 2 Tracks!

THE RACER & STONE COLD LOVER!

This must have been somewhere around Autumn time in 1982, I was still working in the Great Yarmouth Branch of the Co-op Butchery, and doing the odd day’s relief Work at the Caister Shop.


Then one day the shop Manager of the Caister Shop, “Derrick” asked me if I would like to do some Work in his Shop on a Permanent basis (as he thought I was a Good Reliable Worker), if he could get it Sorted with Head -Office, I said “Yes” straightaway, as I said in previous Post, I did not like my usual Shop Manager in Great Yarmouth!


So after a couple of weeks I started permanently working at the Caister branch, on a Monday, Wednesday & Friday, I had 2 Days off a Week & I did 2 days in the Yarmouth Branch.

I was still Cycling to work, so about 8/9 miles per day, 3 times per week, I must have been quite Fit!


But by this time around September/October time, it used to Rain a bit, so I had to wear Water-proof Trousers and Jacket, most days, Christ I used to Sweat, I thought I had done a days Work before I even got to work!  


I remember my Bike at that time, it was a Racer with 10 gears, it was painted Metallic Blue with Yellow Trim and Handle-bars, I had that Bike for several years, and later when I moved jobs , I still Cycled to work in Great Yarmouth, I must have clocked up Thousand’s of Miles on that Racer!


I Loved that Bike, nearly as much as The Wife!

Music around this time, one Great Album I remember Buying was “The Real Deal” by The Isley Brothers, it was on the “Epic” Record label and Produced by Ronald and Rudolph Isley.


It had a Great Couple of Tracks, (both Featuring  Great Guitar Playing by Ernie)   “All In My Lovers Eye”  but my Favorite was “Stone Cold Lover” this was a Rockier Track, I still play that Track quite often now!


Incidentally the Album got to number 9 in the US R&B Chart.

DOWNLOAD “THE REAL DEAL” ALBUM

>TOUR DE FRANCE & LARRY GRAHAM

>

After working a couple of Months in the Town Center Co-op Butchery in Mid 1982, I was offered another Position in the company, it was being a Relief- Butcher, i.e going around the other Branches of the Co-op in my area, this I had done before when I worked for Dewhurst’s Butchers, anyway I jumped at the chance, as I did not like my Butchery Manager too much!


After a couple of weeks, I was asked to work in a near by Town Butcher’s, the Town was called Caister, I said “Yes” but when I thought about it, as I was still Biking to work, I thought I would get the Bus to work, this turned out to be a Nightmare, we were Living in the far end of Gorleston and Caister was about 7/8 Miles away!


As I started work at 8am in the Morning, I left home about 7am, firstly I had to get to Yarmouth, then get another Bus to Caister, the first day at the New Place, I was Late, then after about an 9 hour shift, I had to do the Bus rides all again, if I remember correctly it was gone 7pm before I got home that first night!


I liked working at the New Shop, the Shop Manager was a Chap by the name of Derrick, he was about 50 years old, if I remember right, there was an Assistant Manager, I cant remember his name, but he was a few years younger than me, he was alright as well, & they had a Saturday Boy, he was Derricks son!


The following week I was asked to go to the Caister Shop again, I remembered the Bus Rides and thought Sod that!  my only other way of getting there was on my Bike, so I did, it used to take nearly 1 hour to get there, as I said it was about 7/8 miles away!

When I finally got Home that night, I thought I had done a Days ride in the Tour De France!


Little did I know then, in a few Weeks time, biking to Caister was going to become a Regular thing!


As for Music around this Period, I would like to go back a Couple of Years to 1980, and one of the Best Bass Players Ever  “Larry Graham” had a Great Single out, it was called “One In A million You” it was from his Debut Solo Album of the same name.


This was a change from his usual Music (check out the second Video), with “Sly & the Family Stone” and “Graham Central Station” this was a love Ballad written by Sam Dees, it made Number One in the US R&B Charts and Number 9 in US Pop Chart!


Larry Graham has a Great Voice and this was a Great song. I remember Buying the Single and the Album, and of course I have the Cd now!






http://www.4shared.com/embed/21678328/2acecdb7
Listen to “One in a Million You” by Larry Graham. 

Love had played its games on me so long
I started to believe I’d never find anyone
Doubt had tried to convince me to give in
Said you can’t win

But one day the sun it came shinin’ through
The rain had stopped and the skies were blue
And oh, what a revelation to see
Someone was saying “I love you” to me

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you

I was a lonely man with empty arms to fill
Then I found a piece of happiness to call my own
And life is worth living, again
For to love you, to me, is to live

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love, called you
A one in a million you

A one in a million, chance of a lifetime
And life, showed compassion
And sent to me, a stroke of love called you
A one in a million you, a one in a million you

 ONE IN A MILLION YOU LYRICS  BY SAM DEES