James Brown
James Brown on stage
According to Blues & Soul Magazine from 1976, James had several
European bookings cancelled so he had arranged to do three dates
in England. The first was on a Saturday at the Wigan Casino, the
second, Sunday at Barbarella's in Birmingham and the third,
Monday at the California ballroom Dunstable.
On the Saturday, the road crew were obnoxious to the staff and
DJs at the Casino and James never appeared. According to Russ
Winstanley's book, he did arrive but took one look and decided
that it wasn't full and went straight back to his hotel.
The Barbarella's gig seems to have gone ahead.
Paul Gray who was the DJ for the night remembers that James
arrived so late at the Cali, 11.30, that most of the crowd had
gone home. Normal pick-up time by parents after a gig was 10.30.
