Joyce's Column August

Many of you will remember Mick Kennedy as part of our industry for many years before he moved to Thailand with his lovely wife Pin, and Mick appears to be enjoying his new life in Thailand. Recently he was out and about in Koh Samui and saw an Oyster stall full of Oysters from several places, and he found some from Dublin Bay of course he had to have these as he reckons they are the best, the photo shows him enjoying them. We also have some photos of the lovely flowers that he is growing in his garden, never took you to be a ‘Percy Thrower’ Mick, but it shows how wrong one can be, and as they say the proof of the pudding is in the eating!!

NSM’s Martin  Agabeg and his wife Aline gave me quite a surprise, they attended the recent Glastonbury Festival for a couple of days, and to be honest Martin is really the last person I would have thought that would have attended Glastonbury, more a 5 star hotel man so I thought, rather than a couple of nights under canvas. Apparently, he and Aline have attended this for the past few years, yes even in the mud, and he says it was good this year to attend it in decent weather, and of course they enjoyed it, and are looking forward to next year.

Sound Leisure’s ‘Exclusive Range’ new range of Jukeboxes includes one that epitomises the iconic nature of the Wurlitzer 1015, which is one of the most famous and iconic in the World. Each of the Wurlitzer Jukeboxes is meticulously handcrafted using only premium materials, producing a level of craftsmanship  unmatched in the industry. Each cabinet is cured for 8 hours, hand sanded, stained, tinted and lacquered by Sound Leisure’s skilled team this process enhances the natural beauty of the woods chosen. 

The quality of these Jukeboxes is not only skin deep, as internally they are just as impressive, the dark rich stain complemented by chrome player mechanism components shows that commitment to quality goes beyond the external aesthetics, producing the result of a stylish tribute to the 1015 and is a masterpiece that combines craftsmanship, legacy and innovation and a Jukebox that will adorn any location.

The Wurlitzer name features on the front of each machine, an anodised plaque displays a serial number and a representation of Alan Black and Gudrun Wurlitzer’s signatures is featured on the inner display shelf, and every machine is additionally supplied with a hand signed certificate and a thankyou letter signed by both families.

Their new Wurlitzer Tribute range consists of a Vinyl 45, 20 Play Vinyl LP versions with a CD option, and is now in production and creating a deal of interest and sales. This appears to me to be the ‘Crème de la Crème’ of Jukeboxes one that the most discerning of Jukebox enthusiasts would love to own.

The photo shows Alan, Chris, Mike and Alex Black together with Gudrun Wurlitzer and her daughter Luise on their visit to Sound Leisure, all with the new Tribute Jukebox of course.

Staying with Sound Leisure this time on a more personal note concerning Chris and Cath Black who had endured builders in their house for 7 weeks and felt they were getting back to normal, but how wrong they were. It appears the building work had attracted bats and they woke up one morning to find one flying around the bedroom, Cath apparently screamed very loud (as I would have done, I hate bats) and now insists even during hot weather that they sleep with their windows closed. Chris is now looking into what bats don’t like, he has found 2 things up to now, music and noise. Well Chris you are in the right field to sort out music with your Jukeboxes and as for the noise get Cath to keep screaming, I wouldn’t like to bet on which will deter them the most though, good luck with the task anyway.

Sorry to hear of the passing of the late Pat Gilson, he was always a happy smiling chap, and I remember a few years ago when the Irish Show used to be at The Burlington Hotel sitting at the bar with him and the late Mary Openshaw, but this was the day after the show had finished. It was lunchtime and Mary decided it was Smirnoff Blue Vodka on the rocks time and so we went to the bar, I didn’t drink Smirnoff Blue Vodka on the rocks just not my drink, I had my Campari and Soda as I used to do in those days. Pat came in as he had agreed to meet a friend to collect some money from them and joined us at the bar and then the person who he was collecting the money from joined us too.

By the time we had finished I think we all had a sunk a few bevvies and decided that we should have a meal as it was getting towards time for dinner, yes, we had been at the bar all afternoon (I couldn’t do it now, just could not stand the pace) so off we went to dinner. Wine of course flowed at dinner and then coffee Irish of course, and by the time we had finished, I think that Pat had spent the money he had collected and more besides. I am still not sure how we all managed to get out of the restaurant without falling over and we all said we felt fine, it was OK for Mary and I as we were staying at The Burlington but the 2 men had to get home. Mind you the day after it was a different kettle of fish, and it was sparkling mineral waters for me for days afterwards, but Mary was back on The Smirnoff Blue Vodka and according to Pat and his friend they were OK and both said they needed to have the hair of the dog!!

It is also sad to hear of the passing of another true gentleman of our industry the late Tom Veitch of Eurocoin, a man that dedicated many years of his life to this industry of ours, he was always very polite and well -mannered but had a sharp eye for business and was always as they say ‘On the Ball.’ Tom will be sadly missed by his family, friends and colleagues and I am sure many of us would like to extend condolences to his family.

Another sad passing was Eleanor Eldridge, this might not be a name familiar with the more recent people in the industry but for the stalwarts of us it will be. Eleanor and her late husband Hal who was a larger- than- life Australian guy had a company named Majormatics based in North London and were very much a part of us for many years and regular exhibitors at the shows. Eleanor had not been in the best of health for many years had spent her later years in a care home in Watford run by the Freemasons (Hal was heavily involved with the Freemasons) and she passed away in Watford Hospital following a further stroke.

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29 August 2024

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