Modernists - Kent Records KENT 505 (Unwrapped)
The CD called Modernists has a picture of some ‘Mods’outside the Cona Coffee Bar on Tib Street Manchester. Whether this is a spontaneous photograph or (as we suspect) a posed ‘scene’, is open to debate.
The Cona Coffee Bar was a Mod hangout for Manchester Soul Mods. My one recollection concerning the Cona was going down into its smoky interior where my friend at the time decided it would be a good idea to roll a joint. This was way back in 1967. As an ardent socialist, part of his manifesto was that not only should marijuana be legal, he would act as if it already was. Being the inveterate coward that I was, I hurried back up the steps. Not long after the infamous Manchester drug squad headed by Police Sergeant Plummer arrived and my erstwhile mate was taken away. Later the incident was reported in the Manchester Evening News, together with the headline ‘Drug Boy’s father breaks down in court” , or something very similar. As I had once visited his father in Wythenshaw hospital, recovering from stomach ulcer surgery, I wondered if this incident made him worse…
This CD compilation has some good and interesting tracks on it, but I must say not one of them was played at the Cona as far as I remember. I do know and remember it well, Saturday lunchtimes drinking Cona machine filtered coffee served in large glass cups and there long before Starbucks re- invented the idea but with mugs.
Often Roger Eagle the Twisted Wheel DJ would be there talking records, selling copies of his R&B Scene magazine.
The music on the Jukebox that were our favourites and some that people brought there to exchange, sell or to just show people has little resemblance to those tracks on this new CD.
Is that blond guy Pete Bamford from Moston, who used to park it outside the Cona: a Lambretta GT 200…?
The Cona Coffee Bar Manchester
Music Played at The Cona Coffee Bar Manchester in the sixties
Anyway here is my Cona Playlist from what we remember
Green Onions – Booker T. And The MG’s
Behave Yourself – Booker T. And The MG’s
Its All Over Now – The Rolling Stones
Gloria – Them
Commin’ Home Baby – Mel Torme
Another Saturday Night – Sam Cooke
Nadine – Chuck Berry
Rescue Me – Fontella Bass
Walk On By – Dionne Warwick
A House Is Not A Home – Dionne Warwick
You’ll Never Get To Heaven If You Break My Heart – Dionne Warwick
Georgia – Ray Charles
The Times They Are A Changing – Bob Dylan
King Of The Road – Roger Miller
The Locomotion – Little Eva
It Might As Well Rain Until September – Carol King
On Broadway – The Drifters
Can’t Get Used To Losing You – Andy Williams
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow – Shirelles
A Lovers Concerto – Toys
Last Night – The Mar – Keys
Remember Walking In The Sand – Shangri Las
You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ – The Righteous Brothers
Rhythm – Major Lance
The Monkey Time – The Miracles
Mickeys Monkey – The Miracles
Baby Love – The Supremes
Under The Board Walk – The Drifters
A Little Piece Of Leather – Donnie Elbert
Tobaco Road – The Nashville Teens
For Your Love – The Yardbirds
Yeh Yeh – Georgie Fame
A Touch Of Velvet A Sting Of Brass – The Mood Mosaic
Swinging On A Star – Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva
Track listing from the Modernists CD
None of these were ever played at the Cona to the best of our knowledge
1. Soul Jerk It, Baby – Jeb Stuart
2. Dog (Ain’t A Man’s Best Friend) – Lewis Clark
3. Harlem Shuffle – Robert Moore
4. Good Humor Man – Clifford Curry
5. Cat Dance – The In Crowd
6. Jet Set – Mel Williams
7. Hold Your Dog – Oliver Morgan
8. Dynamite – Little Eva
9. Stone Fox – The Pac-Keys
10. I Got Loaded Lil Bob
11. Shirley – John Fred & The Playboys
12. (You Should Have Been A) Doctor – Bessie Banks
13. Boston Monkey – The Hustlers
14. Turn Around And Go – Lee Bernard
15. Got A Good Thing Going On – Clarence Daniels & Obie Jessie
16. Long Ways To Go – Timmy Wilson
17. Shaggy Dog – Danny & The Velaires
18. Bugaloo Pete – Lester Young & The California Playboys
19. Crow Baby Crow – Leroy Harris
20. Monkey Man – Gene Burks
21. Tingling – Eddy Giles
22. She’s Got Soul – Bill Locke
23. Charles’ Shing A Ling – Charles Hodges
24. After Hours – Paul & Rick