IT S back more than 40 years for this week s Days of the Old School Yard which features a real star turn … music legend Otis Redding. Bob Morris took us down memory lane to 1967 when Otis was one of the many top acts which used to play The Uppercut club i

IT'S back more than 40 years for this week's Days of the Old School Yard which features a real star turn ... music legend Otis Redding.

Bob Morris took us down memory lane to 1967 when Otis was one of the many top acts which used to play The Uppercut club in Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate, run by former boxing legend Billy Walker. He supplied a picture from his own collection, which shows Otis advertising his own gig at the venue.

It was taken by Barry Peake of the New Musical Express all those years ago. Now Bob hopes Recorder readers will be able to help him track down more memories and any pictures of the venue.

If you can help send them to me at the usual address, along with any memories, or of course, you can e-mail them in.

Bob also helped us by sending in some advertisements from the Recorder back then, which showed the scale of the acts who came to Forest Gate.

The o2 would be biting the arms of promoters for the calibre of star turns.

In December 1966, it was The Who, fresh from their Happy Jack chart success. They were followed by The Easybeats, Dave, Dee, Dozy, Mick and Titch and Eric Burdon and the Animals. And on Boxing Day came the Jimmy Hendrix Experience, having just recorded Hey Joe and rumour has it that in the loo at the Uppercut, he put the finishing touches to Purple Haze!

In early 1967 came Spencer Davies, The Move, Small Faces, Pink Floyd, two months before they recorded Arnold Layne, then Hendrix again and Jimmy James and the Vagabonds.

The following month in February including gig from TheRockin Berries,. Honeycombs and David Essex. Later that year was Otis, Sam and Dave, Eddie Floyd and Booker T and the MGs.

In April it was Jeff Beck, two weeks before he recorded Hi Ho Silver Lining and then The Troggs, Cream, and unbelievable, the first concert I went to, The Small Faces. The Uppercuit's legendary 12 months continued with the Bee Gees, The Maze, The Tremeloes, Simon Dupree, P P.Arnold, the Move and The Who again.

Bob said: "I am currently doing research about the Uppercut Club in Forest Gate I was bought up in Forest Gate. I would love to interview any readers about their memories of the club which ran from Dec 1966 to Dec 1968, featured every chart act of the day and Jimi Hendrix wrote Purple Haze in toilets, I've even got an account of him drinking the Princess Alice!"

Bob Morris can be contacted on 07500 119016 or by e-mail at bob@rokpool.com, or you can send your memories to me and we will pass on.