It is forty years since Mike Sweeney and his Salford Jets made their iconic debut performance at the Duke of Wellington in Swinton. Along with a host of other groups they regularly performed at the venue that soon became a must for local talent.
The Fast Cars, The Trend and Mad Jacks Travelling Circus* were amongst the great acts that entertained capacity audiences at the unique Duke of Welly. Forty years on, they have decided to recreate the heady days of 1977. As the Duke of Wellington is no longer a live venue, the groups have chosen The Grand Palais on Station Road in Swinton to stage these extraordinary re-union gigs.
The Salford Jets frontman and local broadcasting legend, Mike Sweeney, says his band decided to do the gigs for "a number of reasons...we lost our original drummer, Dave. And I don't think we'll be able to do a fiftieth..."
Mike is keen to acknowledge the role of Dave Morris with the group and celebrate his contribution... "It was Salford through and through and we need to mark that geographically" he explains "The Dukes was our Cavern."
With 2017 celebrating a host of Punk 40 year landmarks, Mike felt that it would be fitting to follow suit... "Punk opened the door for us" he says "I had just turned thirty and, to be honest, I was going to give up. I was disillusioned with the club circuit. We were playing songs we didn't want to play to people that didn't want to listen."
Punk provided the catalyst for The Salford Jets with its carefree, DIY aesthetic. This encouraged the band to move away from cabaret and play whatever they wanted... "It was weird at first, we did obscure covers, Searchers B-sides, American high school style rock n' roll and even accapella" Mike recalls.
Ultimately, the punk spirit coupled with these eclectic influences and Mike's encyclopaedic knowledge of music shaped the band's new and original sound... "If I had to describe our sound, I'd say we're a cross between Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, The Pretty Things and The Hollies."
Mike's trademark passion for music as a presenter is equally evident when he fronts his band. His genuine love for performing always filters through to the audience. I ask if he always had the confidence and belief in his abilities...
"There are millions of better singers" he confesses "I was excited about playing, but I don't ever remember being nervous...and it was a good way of impressing girls."
Back in the late seventies and early eighties, it seemed that The Salford Jets were ready to explode. They had all the key ingredients to take on the world. They boasted a sound that had been shaped by a range of influences, a charismatic singer and they were gaining a reputation as a top live act.
Much to Mike's chagrin, a couple of unfortunate events scuppered their chances...Who You Looking At? had made its mark in the charts and The Jets were booked to do Top of the Pops. This was in an age of limited TV channels, and that guaranteed exposure to a huge audience...
"Millions of kids would have seen us" Mike muses "but some of the BBC staff went on strike and it got cancelled..."
Another instance of bad luck occurred when they were riding high with She's Gonna Break Your Heart. The song had secured Radio 1 airplay and had appeared on TV's Fun Factory. Unfortunately, this coincided with a chart-rigging scandal and, in an act of unnecessary openness, the label took its promotion team off the road. Ironically, the label had also failed to print enough copies of the record.
The upside of this catalogue of mishaps is that we are able to witness a top band in a great, intimate setting.
Get along to The Grand Palais and see some excellent live bands, and help Mike and the boys enjoy a well-deserved 40th anniversary celebration. Mike promises to roll back the years and deliver... "the same energy, buzz and enthusiasm of 1977"...
The Dukes Re-union
Friday 26th and Saturday 27th May 7:45pm
The Grand Palais
(formerly The Wishing Well)
9-11 Station Road
Swinton M27 6AH
Tickets £15
Ticket hotline 01745 338977
Or from Try Booking - click here
*Mad Jacks will only be performing on 26th May
For further updates and details on the gigs see the Facebook event page Dukes Reunion – click here
Words by Ian Leslie
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