You’ve retired recently, after thirty years in business, how are you enjoying the new life?

Tony with EASC mates : Brian, John, Ginger and Smudge at St Ives

Retired, is a funny word and can conjure up images of zimmer frames and bus passes. Fortunately, I don’t need either at the moment! Seriously though, it’s great having free time to appreciate our surroundings and spend time with the family.
 
What were the best and worst things about running your own business?
 
The best thing was growing the company from seed, when there was just me window cleaning. We moved into contract office and carpet cleaning and eventually had some 40 full time and over 120 part time staff.
 
The worst bit I suppose was the hassles attached to organising an army of part time cleaners. But that’s the job and looking back, the personal and financial freedom was a huge benefit.
 
Was selling the business a difficult decision to make?
 
“It's hard to let go”

Yes, and no really. Yes, because we were offered a good price and it was probably the right time to sell. No, because when it‘s your own business, it’s hard to let go. If you’ll pardon the pun, you put your ‘soul’ into a business, not just time and money.
 
One Of Your Hobbies Is Bird Watching - How Did You Get Into That?
 
I’ve always been interested, even as a youngster, but it’s become a real passion during the last twenty years or so.
 
A group of us took an ornithology course about six years ago and we all go out bird watching around east Anglia and the north Norfolk coast.
 
I sit on the Wandlebury Parks Committee which keeps me busy. I’m up there most mornings bird watching, doing species counts and updating the sitings boards. It’s great up there - so relaxing and refreshing.

Back to music for a moment. Who do you listen to when it’s not Northern Soul?
 
Tina and I both love Jazz, Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles are always favourites. Funny enough, Tina just bought a French Ray Charles EP with I Don’t Need No Doctor - I’d forgotten just how fantastic that track is.
 
What about your favourite Motown track? 

I knew you’d ask me something like that. It’s just so difficult selecting all time favourites from any label or category. However, two that come to mind straight away are Brenda Holloway - When I’m Gone and The Spinners - Sweet Thing, I just never tire of hearing them.
  

“I’m A Vinyl Junkie”

How about some of the new sounds of recent years, are there any that you like particularly?
 
I really like lot of the recent discoveries, Gloria Sott - A Case Of Too Much Love Making, Connie Lavern - Can’t Live Without You and Innersection - Let Me Love You. That’s one of the great things about the Northern scene - there’s always the oldies which I love, but new stuff coming along all the while.
 
Have you a favourite venue nowadays?
 
Not really a favourite - but I always enjoy The Peterborough do’s at The Posty and St Ives - that’s a tailor made Northern Soul venue and I’m looking forward to it again this year.

The Northampton weekender thing has been good for the last two years and they get some good acts down there.

Finally Tony - What about the old chestnut - people playing CDs at soul nights, how do you feel about it?
 
Well it’s different nowadays with some records becoming extremely valuable, but more to the point irreplaceable - so I can see why some people wouldn’t want to play rare originals.

Personally, I suspect most of the folks out on the floor don’t care too much either way, but as you know I’m a vinyl junkie of forty years, so silver discs aren’t for me when I’m DJ’ing. Bloody handy when you’re ironing though!

"it’s quite possible to do a perfectly good set with tunes that cost less than a tenner"

Leaving ego’s and old record values aside  I think it’s quite possible to do a perfectly good set with tunes that cost less than a tenner each - maybe I’ll do that at St Ives this year just to prove a point.

Did I ever tell you about when I got sacked from St Ives back in the seventies?
 
Oh another time - ask Brian Rae he knows all about it.

Tony 'hot legs' Dellar in New York

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------