'Cliff sang 'Move It' and the building was rocking'

Colette Warbrook

talks to Barry Seckerson about the day he met the Peter Pan of Pop

Barry Seckerson remembers meeting Cliff Richard and the Shadows in Stoke. Left, Eddie Rhead, Johnnie Jackson, Barry Seckerson, Peter Owen and Dave Whitfield, front, in 1956 at Blackpool. Top, from top, Dave Whitfield, Gordon Wood and Barry Seckerson. Bottom, Cliff Richard.
Remember When feature.....Barry Seckerson from Trent Vale who remembers meeting Cliff Richards and the Shadows in Stoke.....Copy pic taken in 1959 seen (L-R) Dave Whitfield, Gordon Wood and Barry Seckerson..........Picture By: Steve Bould..........Barry Seckerson 411349
Remember When feature.....Barry Seckerson from Trent Vale who remembers meeting Cliff Richards and the Shadows in Stoke......Copy pic taken in 1956 of Barry Seckerson,........Picture By: Steve Bould..........Barry Seckerson 411349

N EXT month , Sir Cliff Richard will once again bid for chart glory – 50 years after the release of his first single.

The veteran singer hopes his new song, Thank You For A Lifetime, will give him a UK Number One for the sixth decade running.

But one man who remembers the star in his early days is Barry Seckerson, of Trent Valley Road, Oakhill.

The 69-year-old, who is married to Brenda, aged 70, bumped into Cliff in a pub 49 years ago.

"In the latter part of 1959," recalls Barry, "I was in the Kings Arms, in Hill Street, Stoke, and there were five young lads in the pub having a break from their live show at the Danilo next door.

"Four were dressed in blue suits, one with blonde hair and one with glasses on, while the fifth was dressed in a red jacket, black shirt, white tie, black trousers and red suede shoes.

"They were Cliff Richard and the original Shadows line-up of Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Tony Meehan on drums, and the blonde-headed fellow was Jet Harris ."

At the time, Cliff was in his late teens and had already had a hit with the song Move It.

"But we thought they were just local lads to start with," says Barry, "and me and some of my mates got talking to them.

"I remember Cliff had pimples and that he had make-up on his face, like people wear on stage.

"I didn't know who he was at the time, though, and I hadn't heard of his music. He had been on television by then, but he certainly wasn't the star he is today."

Barry, who worked in the building trade before his retirement, also recalls that Cliff steered clear of alcohol in the pub, sticking to orange juice instead.

"None of them were drinking beer," he says. "Cliff was just standing there looking as if he was lost.

"We asked them who they were and what they'd done, and they were all friendly.

"And we managed to get some tickets for the second half of their show, which I can still remember after all this time. I think it must have been the first concert the Danilo ever had, as it was a cinema then.

"Cliff sang Move It and the building was really rocking. It was packed out."

The Danilo cinema opened during a blackout in November 1939, but it closed in 1966 due to the national decline in cinema audiences.

It went on to become a bingo hall until 1998, and four years later it reopened as a nightclub.

Work has now been taking place to demolish the building.

Barry, who has a son and four grandchildren, adds: "I was sad to read in The Sentinel that the Danilo was being demolished.

"I have fond memories of it."

Have you met anyone famous or been to a memorable concert in North Staffordshire or South Cheshire? Write to Colette Warbrook, including a contact telephone number and address, at Features Desk, The Sentinel, Forge Lane, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent, ST1 5SS, or email colette.warbrook@thesentinel.co.uk