Cars: Drummer’s life in the fast lane

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LIKE most parents of teenage lads, well-known trombonist Bert Cooper and his wife, Mary, were desperately worried when their son, Ron, became “mad” about motorbikes.

To try and divert his interest, they bought him his first car – a 1955 Ford Zodiac Convertible.

It was a ploy that proved highly effective – the power hood, leather seats and white wall tyres turned heads and quickly impressed his teenage pals – and Ron, now living in Spondon, admits flash cars then became a passion which he has never lost.

Best known as the drummer and bandleader at the long-since closed Talk of the Midlands nightclub, he could always hold his own alongside the well-to-do clientele and showbiz personalities for whom smart cars, in the 1970s, were an essential part of a successful young man’s street cred.

At 19, he was driving a Mk II Jaguar and, though his means of transport is far less exotic these days, he looks back with nostalgia and some pride at the long list of “fine metal” he owned, including many famous marques, some of them gas-guzzlers.

He was a frequent visitor to the old Sanderson & Holmes garage, in London Road, where people buying new posh cars like Jaguars, Bentleys and Rolls-Royces would gather.

“I have owned many Jaguars over the years, so was often dropping in there, especially when there was a new model launch. It was a great time then and the cars were classic designs.”

Ron did eventually have a Bentley – in dawn blue with cream leather seats – and, he says, even though he wasn’t in the millionaire class, as many other customers were, he always received the finest service from Sanders staff.

“They gave a good personal service and knowing most of the people there made it more like one big family.”

The heady days of the 1970s, when a night out in Derby meant going to the Talk of the Midlands and catching a top celebrity cabaret act, always meant that there would be plenty of smart cars to be seen.

Before going on stage, Ron would sometimes take a look to see what was there and usually recognised the owners.

“The Talk always had its fair share of classic cars parked outside. It really was a sight to see,” he said.

His first “pride and joy”, the Zodiac, was featured in the teenage Jackie magazine when his band, the Honours, had their first record released. Eventually it passed on to his sister, the well-known singer June Dindass.

His long line of cars included a Mk 10 Jaguar, a 9hp gas-guzzler belonging to the father of The Move singer, Carl Wayne, with whom Ron had played on a TV show. Wayne went on to sing with The Hollies until his death a couple of years ago.

Ron also fondly remembers an Aston Martin DB6 bought through the garage of the late Willie Green, the well-known local racing driver.

“There were so many but some you recall more than others,” he laughs.

Another pal and car fanatic was Julian Beck, The Talk’s joint owner, who had an impressive looking Bentley S3 regularly parked outside.

He also bought a Buick Riviera Boat Tail from comedian Bob Monkhouse, a popular star at the club, and Ron would sometimes borrow that.

“There were some great cars in those days but not a lot of ordinary folk could afford them, so they were always head-turners,” said Ron.

His love of motorbikes and cars has passed to his sons, Darren and Lindsay, and daughter, Lesley, drives a Lotus Elise.

Like many people living in Derby, Ron looks back with a degree of sadness at the passing of the heady days of cabaret clubs.

“The Talk was the one,” he says. “People travelled long distances to see the shows. The line-up of the country’s leading singers, comedians and entertainers, the great support acts and the local talent, always gave them a night to remember. It was live entertainment as good as you could find anywhere.”

Most nights there would be a top-of-the-bill star like Frankie Vaughan, Eartha Kitt, Jack Jones, Billy Eckstein, Dave Allen and Morecambe and Wise – plus four supporting acts.

People would be allocated a table and could watch in comfort with plenty to drink and food in a basket.

Said Ron: “I suppose that with such star acts it gave the whole night a sense of occasion. It was quite grand. People would dress up to come along, and, of course, would park their big cars right outside.”

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