Kings Heath - Reimagined

                           

So - I'm getting bits and pieces together of Kings Heath so as to make a story about it. It'll be my story and it will all be the absolute truth. I know it will be the absolute truth because I will be making it all up myself! Bottom line is a lot of great things happened in - on - and around Kings Heath. Trouble is I only found out about many of them a little too late, it seems.

So, the big one was my being a little too young at the time to appreciate the Ritz Ballroom in York Road. To find out that such a magical place existed and pulled in the likes of the Beatles, The Kinks, Moody Blues, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd - and more, is staggering. They all played there in the sixties. Just up the road from where I lived and 'grew up.' 

So I thought I'd get involved in all of that past and hot rod it all up a bit. Not that a line up of bands  like the above need hot rodding or embellishing in any way at all. Just stay tuned  and you will see where it is all going. If you do see where it's going don't hesitate to let me know any time. I won't know - I'll be too busy writing painting and drawing it!

On tour - one of the many showcases of bands nearing Kings Heath
to play at the Ritz, around 1965 / 66.

I'll be posting more here and on my website to let you see how it's going. It's a way of keeping all these thoughts from abroad [so to speak] of Birmingham, England, Kings Heath, the music and the excitement and full blown fantasy aspect of it all - alive. A great great shame that the Ritz can't be here to speak up for itself and tell the tale. 

Never mind . . .

Onward!

Alan G Brooks

Roofs, slate and chimneys - 50's 60's memory.