The South Shields heartthrob to rival Elvis - and he knew how to get an audience dancing
Elvis had a rock and roll rival on South Tyneside and it all started in a South Shields club.
Back in 1957, 21-year-old ex-seaman Clive Ahmed stepped in to the spotlight.
‘Smouldering good looks and the voice to match’
Clive had the smouldering good looks and the voice to match.
He’d been been part of a season of rock n’ roll which had started at South Shields Jazz Club.
Every Monday night the chairs and tables were cleared from the centre of the floor to stage a bopping contest.
The world was Clive’s and Bob’s, Roy’s, John’s, and Harry’s
And the music was supplied by a group of youngsters, aged 16 to 21, known as The Zephyrs.
In addition to Clive on vocals, the band included Bob Allinson, Roy Young, John Golightly and Harry Spalding.
Clive’s big break came when he signed up for an audition at the Carrol Lewis talent contest in Newcastle, bringing the audience to its feet with his version of The World is Mine.
Trevor Howard at The Gaumont
To give you more of an idea of what was happening in South Tyneside at the time, a film called Manuela - starring Trevor Howard and Elsa Martinelli - was on at the Gaumont. There were three showings a day at the South Shields cinema.
And if you wanted the latest hits from the charts, Harmers record shop in Frederick Street was the place to go.
You could get a copy of My Dixie Darlin by Lonnie Donnegan or Remember You’re Mine by Pat Boone.
Tell us about the nostalgia you want to see in the Shields Gazette retro section by emailing [email protected]